‘If we have time,’ said Tina. This seemed to satisfy Dimitri and now, seemingly underwhelmed by the view of the city, he crouched down to inspect an ant scurrying around on the floor.
Sasha came and stood beside her. He spoke without looking at her. ‘I was a police informer. I was being blackmailed. If I didn’t co-operate, they were going to tell Porboski I was a snitch. My life, your life, would have been in danger. I had to agree.’
‘Who exactly was blackmailing you?’ She asked the question, although she knew the answer.
‘The police. I told you.’
‘No. I mean, who in the police was blackmailing you?’
‘It does not matter.’
Tina made a scoffing noise. ‘Well, I admire your loyalty, but I’m not really sure who you are trying to protect. If you’re saving me the upset, don’t bother. If you’re saving him, again, don’t bother. I can guess. In fact, I can more than guess. I know for a fact.’ She turned to look at him. ‘It was John, wasn’t it?’
Sasha didn’t reply, but the lack of any form of denial was the confirmation she needed. Another betrayal. It cut deep like a knife.
‘I am sorry,’ said Sasha.
‘What happened on the day of the shooting? What went so badly wrong that it caused you to disappear from my life? Why couldn’t you take me with you?’
Sasha exhaled deeply. ‘It was Pavel who shot the police officer. I was there. I was party to that. I could have stayed and taken John’s offer of witness protection but I panicked. Before I could think properly, Pavel was dragging me away. He shot John too.’
An invisible band tightened itself around Tina’s waist, squeezing her diaphragm against her rib cage. She had seen the scar on John’s shoulder. He had said it was a war wound, but hadn’t gone into any detail. Something else he had refused to talk about. Now she knew why.
‘You could still have sent for me. We could have started a new life together in Russia. I would have gone to the ends of the earth to be with you.’ Tina looked down at Dimitri, who was now crawling along the concrete terrace, tracking the ant’s progress.
‘Believe me, I wanted to but, as I said, an English-speaking woman in Russia … we would have been found in no time.’
‘I would have learnt to speak Russian. We could have lived in the middle of nowhere. We could have made it work.’ She was clutching at straws. Scenarios that would never have worked. She knew that. Deep down, Tina knew it would have been impossible.
‘I loved you, with all my heart,’ said Sasha.
‘I loved you too,’ said Tina. ‘So very much.’
Sasha pulled her into his arms. She allowed herself to sink into the folds of his jacket and, closing her eyes, gave herself permission to imagine, just for one tiny moment, that all was well in the world. Sasha held her tight.
‘I wish things had been different.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘But … but, they are not. I have Rozalina and Nikolay. As much as I regret what happened, how can I regret what I have now? I need you to help me, Tina. Please, say you can.’
Tina looked away at Dimitri and then back again at Sasha. How could she refuse to help his son? Not only Sasha’s son, but the half-brother of her own son.
‘What do you want me to do?’
Chapter 39
John let out a sigh of relief as he exited yet another heavy spot of traffic on Queen Victoria Street. A blue light for the car would have saved him a good ten minutes, but the undercover BMW had no such luxury. A black cab tooted him as he cut right into Cannon Street. John accelerated through onto St Paul’s Churchyard and, throwing the wheel right, pulled up onto the apron of the small opening that was only accessible on state occasions. Today, as most days, a heavy linked chain spanned the entrance, the pedestrians having to jump back out of the way of the vehicle.
John leaped out of his car and strode onto the grey block-paved concourse, scanning the area, looking for either Tina or Sasha. A quick look round the statue of Queen Anne that stood outside the west entrance proved pointless, so John headed towards the steps, closing in on the twelve great pillars of Portland stone that marked the entrance to the cathedral.
He was only at the top of the first flight of steps when, straight in front of him, exiting the main doors, came Tina, Dimitri and Sasha.
The Bolotnikovs spotted him at the same time. They stopped in their tracks, too, their eyes fixed on John. Sasha leaned into Tina and spoke to her. She nodded and, staying where she was, watched Sasha make his way down the top flight of steps to John.
‘I knew you would come. I am sorry about the bang to your head,’ he said standing in front of John.