Page 72 of End Game
‘Natasha never caught her flight,’ said Artemisia. ‘In fact, she’s been abducted and is now on her way back to Moscow.’
‘Couldn’t be better,’ said the editor, taking Artemisia by surprise. ‘Knock me up a couple of hundred words on what took place while you were at the airport.’
‘But I’m not exactly sure what did take place,’ said Artemisia.
‘Use your imagination, Warwick, and make sure you don’t lose the boyfriend. I’ll need an exclusive interview with him for tomorrow’s edition, plus photos,’ he paused, ‘looking broken.’
The phone went dead. Artemisia thought about Alain, the undisguised misery on his face, and of Natasha, on her way to Moscow, alone and afraid. She only hoped her two hundred words might make a difference.
•••
‘Get our Moscow correspondent on the line now,’ shouted the editor, as he slammed down the phone. ‘And I need a black coffee and the news editor.’
A contented man, happily dreaming, was woken by the phone ringing on his bedside table. He picked it up to hear a familiar voice, who never seemed to be aware if it was night or day. ‘Bob,’ barked the editor, ‘get yourself down to Sheremetyevo airport with a photographer sharpish. An Olympic high jumper named Natasha Korova will be on the flight from Gatwick airport, accompanied by a GRU officer, and there will probably be a couple more thugs waiting for her at the bottom of the steps.’
The news editor rushed in and waited by the desk until the editor had finished the call.
‘I also want a statement from the Minister of Sport on how it could be possible for an Olympic athlete to be abducted while visiting Britain and then dragged back to Moscow against her will.’
‘He’ll be in bed,’ said Bob, as he pulled back the sheet.
‘Then wake him,’ said the editor. He slammed down the phone and looked up at the news editor standing in front of him.
‘Stick with the escape story for the first two editions, but be prepared to clear the front page, because I’ve got an even bigger exclusive. I should have words for you in the next few minutes.’
‘Can I block a headline?’ asked the news editor.
‘“Abducted in Broad Daylight”,’ said the editor, who paused only for a moment before he said, ‘No, change that to “Olympic Kidnap”.’
•••
Artemisia reached the platform moments before the Gatwick Express was due to leave for Victoria. She climbed aboard and found Alain sitting alone in a corner, head bowed, tears streaming down his cheeks. She placed an arm around his shoulder, but didn’t interrupt his thoughts.
It was when they got off the train at Victoria that Artemisia saw her: a small Asian woman was walking quickly towards the ticket barrier. She tried to recall where she had last seen her, and then she remembered. In a wheelchair.
She took a photograph of her as she disappeared underground.
CHAPTER 23
Tuesday, 7 August – day 12 of the Games
COMMANDERSINCLAIR’Spreliminary report on Sergeant Roycroft’s tragic death landed on the Assistant Commissioner’s desk less than forty-eight hours later.
The Hawk took a moment trying to gather his thoughts. He’d not only lost an outstanding colleague, but a friend of many years’ standing.
Everyone knew the risks any officer took on a daily basis, but you never thought it would happen to someone you knew. But he also knew what Jackie would expect him to do and it wasn’t mourn.
The Assistant Commissioner picked up Sinclair’s report and turned to the first page.
He had to admit it was a thoroughly professional piece of work, even if it was laced with prejudice.
He went over Sinclair’s recommendations once again.
1. Commander Warwick should be suspended for not having the shoebox examined by customs officials when Faulkner returned from Helsinki.
2. Sergeant Hogan should be summarily dismissed, having failed to apprehend Petrov and secure the box while they were both in the park, and before the box was handed over to Faulkner. Had he done so, Sinclair concluded, Sergeant Roycroft might still be alive.
3. Inspector Adaja and Sergeant Pankhurst had, in his opinion, performed their duties in an exemplary manner, and once the Games were over should be allowed an extended leave of absence with no loss of pay.
