Snow Wolf by Glenn Meade

Author:Glenn Meade [Meade, Glenn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯), Suspense
ISBN: 9780312962111
Publisher: G.K. Hall
Published: 1995-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

"The girls are prostitutes from Moscow, here for the sailors," Anna explained, smiling. "Prostitution is against the law and a Gulag offense, but the militia can't arrest the girls until they catch them soliciting by asking a price. So the girls write their fee on their shoes and they're not breaking the law."

"All very civilized and clever. You think they'd take coupons?"

Anna laughed. "Stanski, you're crazy."

"The name's Bodkin, remember."

"And it suits you in those trousers."

They came to a park on a hill at the top of the town, with a view down to the sea. Despite the clear blue skies it was freezing cold. Behind the park was some kind of large official residence, two soldiers in uniform on guard duty outside. The park was empty except for a couple of elderly ladies walking their dogs and a strolling soldier and his girlfriend.

They found a bench and Stanski uncorked the vodka and took a sip, then handed the bottle to Anna. "Here, put a little sunshine in your heart."

She took a sip. Stanski was watching her face and said, "Stalingrad. Tell me about it."

"Why do you want to know?"

"No reason. Just curious."

She looked out at the park. "It was terrible. The savagery. The house-to-house fighting. The endless days and nights without sleep. The intense cold. And always wondering if you were going to have enough to eat that day, or if you were going to die. The shelling was the worst. The noise went on for months, day and night. It got so bad even the dogs would drown themselves in the Volga-they couldn't take any more." She hesitated. "But it taught me how to survive. After Stalingrad, nothing could really frighten you." Stanski said quietly, "What do you believe in, Anna?"

She shook her head. "I think I stopped believing in everything the day they took my daughter away."

"You never told me how Massey intends getting her out."

"The same way he intends getting me out, whatever way that is. Just as soon as he finds out what orphanage she's in.

Stalin's made so many orphans, and there are so many orphanages in Moscow, Jake said it's going to take time to find Sasha. Some of the children are often given new names, to make them forget their backgrounds and their parents. But he promised me he won't fail." She paused. "And you, what do you believe in?"

He took in her figure and smiled faintly, and Anna said straight-faced, "Besides that? If you don't believe in anything, then what would please you?"

He thought for a long time. His face looked more serious. "What would please me? To be able to walk in my father's garden again. To smell the scent of apple trees and cherry blossoms. To be with my parents and brother and sister once more."

:"You're such a strange man, Alex."

"In what way?"

" You're a killer. And yet you talk of the scent of apple trees and gardens. Or maybe you're just a typical Russian. Sentimental when you drink vodka for a memory that can never be recaptured.

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