Child 44 - Страница 74

— Andrei, I didn’t leave you. I was taken. I was hit over the head by a man in the woods. I was put in a sack and carried away. I would never have left you.

Andrei was shaking his head.

— That’s what mother said. But it’s a lie. You’d betrayed me.

— I almost died. That man who took me — he was going to kill me. They were going to feed me to their son. But when we arrived at the house, their son had already died. I was concussed. I couldn’t even remember my own name. It took me weeks to recover. By that time I was already in Moscow. We’d left the country behind. They had to find food. I remembered you. I remembered our mother. I remembered our life together. Of course I did. But what was I supposed to do? I had no choice. I had to move on. I’m sorry.

Leo was apologizing.

Andrei picked up the cards and shuffled them.

— You could’ve looked for me when you were older. You could’ve made some effort. I haven’t changed my name. I would’ve been easy to find, particularly for a man in power.

That was true, Leo could’ve found his brother; he could’ve sought him out. He’d tried to bury the past. And now his brother had murdered his way back into his life.

— Andrei, I spent my whole life trying to forget the past. I grew up afraid to confront my new parents. I was afraid to remind them of the past because I was afraid to remind them of the time when they’d wanted to kill me. I used to wake up every night — sweating, terrified — worried that they might have changed their minds and that they might want to kill me again. I did everything in my power to make them love me. It was about survival.

— You always wanted to do things without me, Pavel. You always wanted to leave me behind.

— Do you know why I’ve come here?

— You’ve come to kill me. Why else would a hunter come? After you kill me, I’ll be hated and you’ll be loved. Just like it has always been.

— Brother, I’m considered a traitor for trying to stop you.

Andrei seemed genuinely surprised.

— Why?

— They’ve blamed your murders on other people — many innocent people have died directly and indirectly from your crimes. Do you understand? Your guilt is an embarrassment to the State.

Andrei’s face remained blank. Finally he said: —I’ll write a confession.

Another confession: and what would it say?

I — Andrei Sidorov — am a killer.

His brother didn’t understand. No one wanted his confession, no one wanted him to be guilty.

— Andrei, I’m not here to collect your confession. I’m here to make sure you don’t kill any more children.

— I’m not going to stop you. I’ve achieved all I set out to achieve. I’ve been proved right. You’ve been made to regret not looking for me sooner. If you had, think how many lives would’ve been saved.

— You’re insane.

— Before you kill me I would like to play one hand of cards. Please, brother, it is the least you can do for me.

Andrei dealt the cards. Leo looked at them.

— Please, brother, one game. If you play, I’ll let you kill me.

Leo took up his cards, not because of his brother’s promise, but because he needed time to clear his mind. He needed to imagine Andrei was a stranger. They began their game. Concentrating, Andrei appeared perfectly content. There was a noise to the side. Alarmed, Leo turned around. A pretty little girl was standing at the bottom of the stairs, hair dishevelled. She remained on the bottom step, most of her body concealed, a tentative voyeur. Andrei stood up.

— Nadya, this is my brother, Pavel.

— The brother you told me about? The one you told me was coming to visit?

— Yes.

Nadya turned to Leo.

— Are you hungry? Have you travelled far?

Leo didn’t know what to say. Andrei answered instead.

— You should go back to bed.

— I’m awake now. I won’t be able to go back to sleep. I’d just lie upstairs listening to you talk. Can’t I sit with you? I’d like to meet your brother too. I’ve never met any of your family. I’d like that very much. Please, Father, please?

— Pavel has travelled a long way to find me. We have a lot to talk about.

Leo had to get rid of the little girl. He was in danger of being entrenched in a family reunion, glasses of vodka, slices of cold meat and questions about his past. He was here to kill.

— Perhaps we could have some tea, if there’s any?

— Yes. I know how to make that. Shall I wake Mother?

Andrei remarked:

— No. Let her sleep.

— I can do it by myself, then.

— Yes, do it by yourself.

She smiled and ran back upstairs.

Excited, Nadya climbed the stairs. Her father’s brother was handsome and she could tell that he had many interesting stories to tell. He was a soldier, a hero. He could tell her how to become a fighter pilot. Maybe he was married to a pilot. She opened the door to the living room and gasped. There was a beautiful woman standing in her kitchen. She stood perfectly still, with one hand behind her back, as if a giant hand had reached in through the window and placed her there — a doll in a dolls’ house.

Raisa held the knife behind her back, steel pressed against her dress. She’d waited outside for what felt like an impossibly long time. Something must have gone wrong. She’d have to finish this herself. As soon as she’d stepped though the door she realized to her relief that there were very few people in this house. There were two beds, a daughter and mother. Who was this girl in front of her? Where had she come from? She seemed happy and excited. There was no sense of panic or fear. No one had died.

— My name is Raisa. Is my husband here?

— Do you mean Pavel?

Pavel — why was he calling himself Pavel? Why was he calling himself by his old name?

— Yes…

— My name is Nadya. I’m pleased to meet you. I’ve never met any of my dad’s family.

Raisa kept the knife positioned behind her back. Family — what was this girl talking about?

— Where is my husband?

— Downstairs.

— I just want to let him know I’m here.

Raisa moved to the stairs, placing the knife in front of her so Nadya couldn’t see the blade. She pushed open the door.

Walking very slowly, listening to the sound of measured conversation, Raisa descended the stairs. She held the knife in front of her, outstretched, trembling. She reminded herself that the longer she took to kill this man, the more difficult it would become. Reaching the bottom of the stairs she saw her husband playing cards.

Vasili ordered his men to circle the house — there was no way anyone could escape. He was accompanied by fifteen officers in total. Many of them were local and he had no relationship with them. Fearful that they’d do things by the book, arrest Leo and his wife, he would have to take matters into his own hands. He’d end this here, making sure he destroyed any evidence which might mitigate in their favour. He moved forward, gun ready. Two men moved with him. He gestured for them to remain where they were.

— Give me five minutes. Unless I call for you don’t enter. Is that clear? If I’m not out in five minutes storm the house, kill everyone.

Raisa’s hand was shaking, holding the knife in front of her. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill this man. He was playing cards with her husband. Leo stepped towards her.

— I’ll do it.

— Why are you playing cards with him?

— Because he’s my brother.

Upstairs, there were screams. The little girl was screaming. There was the sound of shouting, a man’s voice. Before anyone could react Vasili appeared at the bottom of the stairs, his gun raised. He surveyed the scene. He too appeared confused, staring at the cards on the table.

— You’ve travelled a long way for a game of cards. I thought you were hunting for a so-called child-killer. Or is this part of your reformed interrogation process?

Leo had left it too late. There was no way he could kill Andrei now. If he made any sudden movement he’d be shot and Andrei would remain free. Even with his brother’s declared reason for killing — their reunion — removed, Leo didn’t believe Andrei would be able to stop. Leo had failed. He’d talked when he should’ve acted. He’d lost sight of the fact that far more people wanted him dead than his brother.

— Vasili, I need you to listen to me.

— On your knees.

— Please…

Vasili cocked his gun. Leo dropped to his knees. All he could do was obey, beg, plead, except this was the one man who wouldn’t listen, who cared about nothing other than his own personal vendetta.

— Vasili, this is important—

Vasili pressed the gun against his head.

— Raisa, kneel beside your husband, do it now!

She joined her husband, side by side, in imitation of the executions outside the barn. The gun was moved behind her head. Raisa took hold of his hand, closing her eyes. Leo shouted:

— No!