CHAPTER 12

Vika was transfixed. It was like everything seemed to have stopped,  then started ticking again, but all in slow motion. The ambulance had arrived. A crowd had gathered. How long could she just stand there with people jostling around? She shook herself and realized that she’d have to somehow put one foot in front of the other and go to her new hotel. How lucky for her that everything had been moved out of the Radisson. She just couldn’t have stayed. She had to be as far away as possible from the sight of a car gunning towards Svetlana. Was she still alive? Was she badly injured? Vika was sure it was no accident.

Her phone had kept pinging and she turned it off. She didn’t want to hear from anybody. She wanted to cocoon herself and remain in the semi trance which had enveloped her. And which was protecting her.

Once safely in her room Vika stripped down and pulled the soft white dressing gown around herself. She raided the minibar. Of course you can handle this. Of course you can… she crooned to herself as she wrapped the duvet around herself and huddled on the bed with drink in hand. For the time being she felt safe. But for how long? Bernie would be trying to reach her, wanting to know about the transaction. The thought of Bernie made her shudder. It wasn’t a good idea to think about life with Bernie. Whenever she did she felt stuck, sucked down, defeated. Best not to think about him at all. He was far away.

Just then a thought occurred to her: she would text Bernie and tell him that Svetlana hadn’t turned up. Would she be protecting both herself and Svetlana? There was really no one that she could talk to. No one she could trust.

The gin and tonic had relaxed her. She opened her phone and saw the messages. Egmonds. Oh God! Him! Her interest in the man had evaporated—vanished like the morning dew with the sun’s first caress. Sightseeing with a tour guide was the last thing which interested her now. What a fiasco! She’d simply pay him off and take her time visiting Riga on her own. The one call she did make was to her mother, Irena, just to quickly assure her that all was well. She didn’t dare tell her the truth. She ignored all the messages from Bernie. She’d deal with that later.

When was the last time she’d eaten? She thought back to her first full day in Riga. Nothing but orange juice and coffee. The drink had made her dizzy. Perhaps she just needed to sleep. But first she placed the contents of Svetlana’s briefcase into the safe.

* * *

The next morning the phone on her bedside table rang. Vika interrupted her breakfast-in-bed to answer. Then she made a grimace. What the hell! A lady was at reception looking for her. Who? Vika struggled to remember the name of the woman who had greeted her with flowers at the airport. That seemed like another lifetime ago.

“Hello, hello. It’s me. Simone. Remember we met at the airport. I’d like to see you.”

With a groan Vika fell back against the cushions piled up on the headboard. She had to get this over with.

“Okay. Come up.”

She immediately called room service for fresh coffee. Looking around, she sighed with relief that the room was reasonably tidy. She hadn’t had time to unpack or make herself completely at home.

A few minutes later there was a commotion at her door. Vika had posted a DO NOT DISTURB sign and now here were two people who were holding a conversation. Vika crawled out of her bed and put on her dressing gown.

“Enter!” she called through the door.

Simone entered first, followed by a waiter with a tray.

“Sorry, sorry…” Simone began. She was flustered but Vika waved her aside.

Turning to the waiter she indicated that the tray was to be placed on a side table. Next she pulled out a bill from her wad of fivers which she had at ready for tipping.

“Paldies,” she said with a self-satisfied smile. See. She could speak Latvian quite well.

She turned to Simone. “Excuse my dishabille. I’m just resting from the excitement of being in Riga. But do have some coffee. How do you take it?”

Simone stared blankly. She was at a loss. Dishabille? How does she take her coffee? She wished Eggy were here. He’d have Vika in bed in a heartbeat but she, Simone, had to soldier on alone. All she could think of saying was “thank you—or paldies.”

“Have you had breakfast? It’s so easy to send for some eggs, an omelet maybe?”

Simone was tempted. But better not. Eggy had given her instructions.

She sat down next to Vika, crossed her legs at her ankles, pulled down her skirt to cover her knees and took the coffee cup.

“Now, how in the world did you find me?”

Simone was taken aback. “Well, Egmonds told me.”

Vika looked at her skeptically. “How did he know?”

“I don’t know. He just told me you would be here.”

Vika frowned. That was strange. She hadn’t told anyone where she was going. Still, she decided to let it go for now. Simone had that blank, clueless look.

“Perhaps you’d prefer some nice orange juice? Freshly squeezed. Too much coffee gives me acid,” Vika said companionably. She wanted to put Simone at ease. And put herself at ease as well.

“No, no. Paldies. But I have an invitation for you. Egmonds and I would like to take you for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. It’s not far from here. Many people like it. Will you come?”

Vika softened. This woman was so earnest. She had no doubt that Simone was wearing her finest again. A wool skirt, a heavy grey jacket over a pink blouse and sensible shoes.

The terrifying sight of watching the car crash into Svetlana had sent Vika in a different direction. She now had a mission. Maybe these people will help me find out where Svetlana is, she thought to herself. I need someone to help me. But will they help? The glimmer of doubt suddenly became a glare. Could these people have anything to do with what happened to Svetlana? She shrugged the troubling thought away. They looked too naïve and simple to be involved in anything like that. Still, all the more reason to get to know them better.

She smiled at Simone. “I’d be delighted to accept your invitation.”