The housekeeper left John and Martin with their guest.
‘Welcome to Chez Met,’ said John as Sasha stood in the living room. ‘We’re not quite up to the Savoy standards, but I hope you have a pleasant stay.’ He indicated the sofa. ‘You might as well sit down and make yourself comfortable, we’re not going anywhere soon.’
‘How long will we have to stay here?’ asked Sasha.
‘How long is a piece of string?’ said Martin. He sat down on the chair and picked up the remote control. ‘Do as John says and sit down. You make a lovely picture, but a lousy window.’ Martin craned his neck around Sasha to look at the TV, aiming the remote control in its direction.
‘In answer to your question,’ said John, methodically closing the wooden-slatted window blinds. ‘The quicker you give us all the information we want, the quicker we can sort out getting you and your family on the Witness Protection Scheme officially.’
‘I want my family in Russia flown here before I talk. I want to know they are safe. My son needs medical treatment. He doesn’t have time to wait months and months. I want it arranged now.’ Sasha paced back and forth in front of the fireplace.
John could see the desperation on the Russian’s face. The man wasn’t thinking of himself in all of this, he was thinking of his young son. Was this what Tina had seen? Is this what made her want to help the man who had deceived her in the cruellest way? John knew how much Tina loved her own son, and it was beginning to dawn on him that her compassion reached far and wide, it spanned the raging sea of lies and connected in another continent with a seriously ill child, simply because of the blood ties between the two young boys. She had an amazing gift of empathy. However, it was out of her hands now, Tina had put her trust in him, she had handed the baton to John and he knew it was down to him to take it across the finish line, just as he had promised to do so for Neil.
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ said John. The Russian stopped pacing and looked right back at John. He gave a small nod and seated himself on the sofa.
Chapter 35
Three days he had been holed up in the house at De Beauvoir Square and they were still not much closer to securing the deal with Sasha.
‘What is taking so long?’ Sasha asked for what seemed to John the one-hundredth time that day. ‘Where are my wife and son?’
John bit down the urge to ask him which one he meant and instead fixed the Russian with a long, hard stare. The atmosphere between the two men had reached a stalemate state of tension. John watched Sasha wrestle with his reactions, keeping them in check, the desire to flare up finally losing the battle.
Sasha spoke again.
‘You think I do not care about Tina, that what I did cannot be justified.’
John shrugged. ‘Your words, not mine. Born of a guilty conscience, some might say.’
‘Ah, John, you think you are far superior to me, what is it you say? Oh yes, you think you have the moral high ground.’ Sasha gave a laugh. ‘You and I, John, we are not that very different. We both tell Tina lies. We have both hidden the truth from her.’
‘Don’t even begin to compare us,’ said John. He got up from where he was sitting and walked across to the window, tipping the blind to inspect the square. All looked normal. He wished Martin would get his arse here soon. He really didn’t want to listen to what Sasha had to say, but sadly he had no choice.
‘Remember, I know your lies,’ said Sasha. ‘The ones you told Tina, for a start.’
John spun on his heel and faced Sasha.
‘What the fuck does that mean?’
‘You know exactly what I mean. ‘You haven’t told her the whole truth and that, in my book, is the same as telling a lie.’
‘Give it a rest,’ said John, letting out a deep sigh. ‘I’m not in the mood for riddles.’
‘I know what really happened that day of the robbery.’ Sasha stood up and walked over to John, standing inches away.
The words were like a blow to his thorax. John fought to stop himself from doubling over as he felt the air thud to the back of his lungs. He drew fresh oxygen in through his nose, inhaling deeply to dilate his airways once more.
‘Leave it.’ he said. The words hissed out like steam from a burst pipe.
John could feel Sasha’s breath on his face as the Russian spoke. ‘I wonder what Tina’s reaction would be if she knew what you did. In fact, I wonder what your colleagues would think. If you do not fix it so that my wife and son are flown over to the UK within the next two days, then I may have to start sharing my information. After all, that is what you persuaded me to do back then. Perhaps, I should resume my role of informer.’