The Blue Heart Mission by Lina Vine

Author:Lina Vine [Vine, Lina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-07-11T22:00:00+00:00

34.

Finland, Nuijamaa

George, shell-shocked and terrified, drove slowly in the direction of the border control, contemplating whether he should report the murder to the police. Although he felt morally obliged to do so, he also knew it was a bad idea, as the police would certainly detain him as a suspect, possibly indefinitely. Not only would his mission be derailed, but also his survival would be in question. He decided to check out the situation at the border and play it by ear.

He washed the vehicle in the stream beside the highway and drove to the Brusnichnoe border point, booth number three. There was a short line of cars in front of him. Sitting in the car, George got the jitters as if he were smuggling a truckload of A-class narcotics.

When his turn came, he passed his papers through a barred window to Sergey, Ivan’s contact. The man had a poker face behind his moustache. He took George’s British passport, while looking George in the eye without blinking. He studied the passport intently, as if it were an entirely unfamiliar object to him. Then he cast one more lingering glance at George as if he were trying to catch some invisible signs on the young man’s face. Suddenly, he picked up the handle of an old bulky rotary phone and dialed a number.

George clenched his teeth, anticipating the worst. He was so nervous and tense that his mind went blank and couldn’t have remembered his date of birth if someone asked. His heart raced as he looked left and right like a cornered animal. Behind him was the USSR and ahead of him were turnstiles and a concrete wall. There was no escape.

Failing to reach someone, the officer put down the receiver and said through his teeth in a low voice:

"Where is your companion? This car belongs to Ivan Skuratov. Why isn’t he here?"

"Actually, he’s been held up by urgent business in Brusnichnoe," George said without missing a beat.

"He just couldn’t extricate himself from an important meeting. So he told me to drive his car to the booth number three and he’d join me later."

George paused, gauging the officer’s reaction. He added in a grave tone, lowering his voice:

"I fear something must have happened."

The officer darted a peculiar glance at George and said, frowning, "He must have asked for it. He’s been dealing with all manner of dodgy characters."

He massaged his temples as if resolving some dilemma. "Have you got the car papers?"

"Let me have a quick look," George said, rummaging in his knapsack, buying time, thinking what to do.

The officer must have known he had no car papers. It’s a trick, George thought and sneaked a hundred-pound banknote on the counter, making sure no one was watching them.

"Alright, don’t bother," the officer said, his eyes widening at the proffered fortune. Like a magician, he made the note disappear with a sleight of hand.

"In any case, you’ll have to leave the car in the parking lot over there." He pointed to a small station with about half a dozen or so cars further down the road.

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