The lost symphony, p.39
The Lost Symphony, page 39
‘The curious meeting at the casino?’ said Jack and looked gratefully at the countess.
‘Yes.’
‘That’s all about a Russian billionaire called Sokolov, living right here in the UK. A shady character with fingers in many underworld pies. The authorities here have tried to get their hands on him for years. Dupree’s convinced that he’s the one who bought the Rasputin Fabergé egg from Malenkova on the dark web. Dupree was following up a lead about this just before I left. It must have paid off.’
‘And this could be significant?’ asked the countess.
‘Yes. If Dupree has made progress with the third clue, that would be of great help. To me.’
‘How so?’ asked Darrieux.
‘Because it may lead me to the Fabergé egg stolen from the Amber Safe.’
‘And that could be important?’ said Darrieux. ‘Apart from the money involved?’
‘Yes. Because without it, we’ll never unlock the mystery of Kazanskaya Bogomater and Mat’ Rossiya,’ said Jack. ‘The Rasputin egg is the key here. My visit to the Yekaterinburg convent made that clear. Something’s actually inside the egg.’
‘How fascinating! So, that could be a welcome coming-home present?’ said Darrieux.
‘Looks that way. I can’t wait to find out what Dupree has to say.’
‘Maybe tomorrow, if you are a good boy,’ said Isis, ‘and let Boris take you back to bed now. Early night for recuperating patients under my roof, my friend. House rules.’
Jack held up his hands in mock surrender. ‘The only thing I regret is having lost my notebook,’ he said, looking quite dejected. ‘It had a lot of information in it.’
‘But you can manage without it?’ said Isis.
‘Yes. Thanks to what the abbot told me in the hospital, I can—’
‘We met him when we arrived,’ interjected the countess. ‘He was right there. A fascinating man.’
‘Oh yes, he’s that, all right. He visited me several times and spoke to me. He sat with me for hours and told me stories. Even prayed for me. I was barely conscious, but I heard every word and can remember everything he said. Strange, don’t you think?’
‘Destiny?’ ventured the countess, a sparkle in her eyes.
‘You know me too well, Katerina. Yes, you could call it that. He showed me the way …’
‘To Kazanskaya Bogomater and Mat’ Rossiya?’ said Darrieux.
‘Yes. He believes, you see.’
‘Believes what?’ asked Isis.
‘That I am the one who will …’ Jack stopped in mid-sentence. ‘I’m sorry, I feel suddenly quite tired.’
‘That’s enough!’ said Isis. ‘No more stories today, mate. Boris, take him back to bed – now.’
71
Finbar Castle, Scotland: 12 March 2017
‘This guy has powerful friends,’ said Sokolov, shaking his head. He looked out the library window to watch the early morning sea mist come rolling in from the east, and heard the huge waves crashing against the rocks below. It was a familiar, soothing sound he enjoyed because it helped him to relax and focus.
‘True. Not many have a famous rock star friend with his own private jet they can call on to come to their rescue. I thought only Russian billionaires could pull off something like that. Especially in Russia,’ said Aldar.
‘So, he’s in London, recuperating as a guest of this rock star? This could work for us, you know. We are lucky he survived.’
‘What’s on your mind?’
Sokolov turned around, walked over to his desk and picked up Jack’s notebook. ‘We’ve spent several days now, going through this stuff. I can’t make sense of it. I’m sure the important bits are in Rogan’s head and not in here,’ said Sokolov.
‘Could be.’
‘Just listen to this: “Is MR music by T as claimed by Y?” According to Malenkova, this line is the key that can help us unlock the mystery surrounding Mat’ Rossiya. But what does it mean?’
Aldar shrugged and lit a cigarette.
‘Yet, I feel Rogan’s getting close,’ continued Sokolov. ‘So much seems clear from what he has written down. Especially after Budapest, Prague and in particular, the convent visit in Yekaterinburg. He is very methodical and logical in how he follows this trail. Tenacious and quite ingenious in the way he does this. He uses contacts, common sense and intuition to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Clever, but without Malenkova to help us interpret this material, we are really on the back foot.’
‘She was very good in making sense of snippets of information,’ conceded Aldar. ‘She could fill in the gaps, but she’s gone. We are on our own.’
‘We are. So, what are we going to do about it, my friend?’ said Sokolov. ‘We’ve been in tight spots before. This is no time to give up.’
‘Certainly not, but whatever we do, we must do it now if we want to stay in this race,’ said Aldar, ‘or we lose the connection.’
‘Agreed. And let’s not forget that Chief Superintendent Lapointe is a good operator; you must admit that. The way he found Malenkova and Anielka so quickly is remarkable. He’s a dangerous man who doesn’t let go.’
‘He is, and we mustn’t underestimate him. But we are in the UK. Out of reach. Not his jurisdiction.’
‘But there’s Europol. Can be quite effective. We’ve seen that firsthand with the drugs, remember?’ said Sokolov. ‘Cost us a bloody fortune.’
‘It has, but we know how to stay ahead of the game. We have contacts now, don’t forget, in all the right places. Money talks.’
Sokolov put down Jack’s notebook, walked back to the window and stared out at the crashing waves and rolling mist. ‘If everything we need to know is in Rogan’s head, then why don’t we just ask him?’
‘And you think he will just share that information with us? After all that’s happened?’
‘A little persuasion may be needed, but we know how to do that, don’t we? We’ve done it many times, most effectively. Everyone has their weakness, their breaking point, and their price. The trick is to find out what it is, and then use it, mercilessly, until the subject cracks. And as we both know, most of them do.’
‘True. And you think we could do this here?’ asked Aldar.
‘I have a few ideas … I believe I know at least one such weak spot that could open the door to Mr Rogan’s memory castle and give us the information we need. Without too long a siege, I hope, and not too much collateral damage.’
‘Despite betrayal and having had a knife stuck into his chest that almost killed him?’
‘Oh yes, perhaps even because of it. Have no fear, certain things make a man blind. Even one as resourceful and resilient as our Mr Rogan. Trust me.’
‘I know what you are thinking,’ said Aldar, smiling. ‘I hope you’re right. And could that weak spot already be waiting for him right here, among these very walls?’
Sokolov began to laugh. ‘You know it is. Waiting in my bed, actually, right now.’
‘Good. But for this to work, we have to move quickly.’
‘Agreed.’
‘We have excellent contacts in London. Everything we need to pull this off is right there,’ said Aldar.
‘I know. Let’s invite Mr Rogan for a chat and bring him up here as our guest. You can tell him the Scottish sea air will do him good. Help his recovery.’
‘I’ll get onto it straight away,’ said Aldar and stubbed out his cigarette.
‘You do that. In the meantime, I’ll keep working on that weak spot to make sure it will sharpen Mr Rogan’s memory when he gets here.’
72
Near the Tower Bridge, London: 14 March 2017
Aldar sat in a van parked in front of a building site near the Tower Bridge.
‘As you can see, guys, he’s a man who likes routine. Same walk twice a day,’ he said and put down his binoculars. He had just watched Jack walk over the Tower Bridge. ‘Except for one thing.’ Aldar turned to the man sitting next to him. ‘The big guy isn’t with him today. Mr Rogan left his minder at home; perfect. We’ll do it now, when he makes his way back to the studios.’
Aldar, a patient and cautious man, knew that preparation and meticulous planning were the key to success. He had carefully chosen the two men – both former Russian soldiers now working for the Russian Mafia – who would help him carry out the brazen abduction in the heart of busy London. With CCTV cameras covering almost every corner of the city and a well-trained police force on high alert – especially after the recent terrorist attacks that had put the whole of London on edge – such a project was not for the fainthearted.
Aldar lit a cigarette and sat back. ‘I can tell you exactly what he will do next. Once he crosses the bridge, he will turn left and walk past the Tower along the Thames; watch. He will then make his way around the Tower moat, stop at the tube station to buy a paper, and then go down to St Katharine Docks and have a coffee at that place I showed you yesterday run by his Aussie mate. After that, he will walk around the Thistle Tower Hotel, take the stairs up onto the deck of the bridge, and then return to the Time Machine Studios the way he came—’
‘And to do that, he has to walk straight past us here,’ said the man sitting in the back.
‘Correct. Isn’t routine wonderful?’ said Aldar. ‘Without knowing it, Mr Rogan is handing us his freedom on a plate.’
Aldar opened the car window. ‘So, let’s go over it one more time,’ he said. ‘Are you absolutely sure there’s no camera coverage here, Igor?’
‘I am. Because of the building site here, they’ve taken the cameras down. I checked. This is a blind spot.’
‘Perfect. And Mr Rogan will come along this street, just like yesterday. Only this time, he’s not going back to the Time Machine Studios, but coming with us on a little trip north. Health reasons,’ said Aldar, chuckling. ‘Okay guys, let’s get ready.’
Jack finished his coffee, picked up his paper, and stood up.
‘Where’s Boris?’ asked the man behind the coffee machine.
‘He let me go out by myself today. Thought I was ready. Good of him, don’t you think?’
‘Lucky you. Nice guy, but.’
‘Gentle giant. It’s not the same without him. Perhaps tomorrow. See you, mate.’
Jack waved and stepped outside. It was still quite early, but the traffic crossing the bridge was already heavy. It was overcast and had started to drizzle. Jack turned up his collar and tried to stay under cover wherever possible. He was cursing himself for having left his umbrella in his room.
‘What’s he doing?’ asked Igor, watching Jack cross the street. ‘Shit! I think he’s taking a shortcut along the river because of the rain.’
‘You’re right,’ said Aldar and slipped his gun into his pocket. ‘No matter, we can’t stop now. Stay right here, guys, and leave the rest to me.’
‘Isn’t that risky?’ asked the man in the back seat.
‘What isn’t?’ With that, Aldar opened the door, got out of the van and hurried after Jack, who had just turned into a side street. It was raining quite heavily by now and Jack didn’t notice the man walking up to him from behind.
‘In case you’re wondering, Mr Rogan, this isn’t my finger poking into your back, but a Beretta with a silencer,’ said Aldar, calmly. ‘So, I suggest you do exactly as I tell you, clear? You don’t want another hole in your chest now, do you?’
Jack stopped in his tracks and glanced at the small man walking along beside him. The man was wearing a trench coat, and the slouch hat hiding most of his face reminded Jack of the hapless Inspector Clouseau.
‘Keep walking,’ said the man, ‘and don’t try anything stupid. A man in your condition has to be careful, right?’
He knows who I am and about my injury, thought Jack, evaluating the situation. The man’s voice and confident demeanour radiated danger. Apart from a woman walking a dog and a couple getting into a car, the street was deserted. Attacking the man or making a run for it was out of the question.
‘Where are we going?’ asked Jack, trying to make conversation.
‘Last time I was walking behind you, you were going to a convent in Yekaterinburg to meet the abbot,’ said Aldar. ‘This time, you’re going to meet someone quite different, but just as exciting; promise.’
‘I can’t wait,’ said Jack and smiled as he remembered Dupree’s third clue. Great coming-home present! he thought.
Realising that any kind of resistance would be futile, Jack decided to play a little mind game instead and test the waters. ‘Victor Sokolov, perhaps?’ he mumbled.
If Aldar was in any way taken aback by Jack’s question, he certainly didn’t show it. ‘How did you guess?’ he said.
‘Your accent gave it away: Russian.’
‘Ah. I must keep that in mind. Please give me your new phone.’
‘How did you know it was new?’ asked Jack, genuinely surprised.
‘Because I have your old one.’
‘Things are getting more interesting by the second,’ said Jack and handed Aldar his phone. ‘If you have my old phone, perhaps you have my notebook as well?’
‘Could be.’
‘What’s he like?’
‘Sokolov?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’ll find out soon enough. Now, turn around and go back the way you came.’
‘All right.’
‘Do you see that black van over there?’ said Aldar as they crossed the street and turned the corner.
‘Yes.’
‘It would be nice to get out of the rain, don’t you think?’
‘Definitely.’
‘Good. We’ll now walk over to the van together and you will get into the back, understood?’
‘Yes. Are you offering me a lift home? Is that it?’ said Jack, cheerfully.
‘Not quite,’ said Aldar, actually enjoying the spirited banter. He was beginning to like Jack. ‘We are going a little further afield.’
‘Any hints?’
‘Perhaps later. Now, get in!’
It took them less than an hour to get to Gatwick Airport. Half an hour later, they were in the air, flying north to Aberdeen in Sokolov’s private jet.
73
Finbar Castle, Scotland: 14 March 2017
Jack couldn’t take his eyes off the Imperial Fabergé Easter eggs displayed on the harpsichord by the window. He was about to ask Aldar for permission to have a closer look when Sokolov walked in. Casually dressed in a pair of cords and a heavy knitted Norwegian jumper, Sokolov looked relaxed and in control. He had intentionally left Jack waiting in the library for almost an hour after arriving on Sokolov’s personal helicopter from Aberdeen. The raging storm had made landing almost impossible. Narrowly missing a wall, it took the pilot several hairy attempts before he could finally put the chopper down during a brief lull in the wind.
‘All’s well that ends well, isn’t that so?’ said Sokolov breezily. He walked over to a sideboard, put down his phone and poured himself a drink. ‘For a moment there, we thought we almost lost you. Scary landing. Great pilot. Combat experience; Chechnya. He’s used to dodging bullets, not Scottish winds, but he’s getting used to it. Drink?’
‘Yes please,’ said Jack, watching Sokolov with interest. He reminded Jack of Alistair Macbeth, the charismatic founder of Blackburn Pharmaceuticals he had crossed swords with on the Calypso, the corporate flagship, in 2011. While Macbeth may have been in a wheelchair, the aura and polished manner were the same: urbane civility and charm, disguising an extremely dangerous man without moral compass, used to getting his own way.
‘I saw you looking at those beauties over there,’ said Sokolov, pointing to the Fabergé eggs. He handed Jack a large Scotch. ‘Understandable. They are rather spectacular, don’t you think?’ he said. ‘Would you like to have a closer look?’
‘May I?’ asked Jack, playing along. He recognised the contrived foreplay-dance of polite small talk, leading slowly to the subject of real interest. It was the way to explore one’s opponent and, if possible, find a weakness. Jack put down his glass and walked over to the harpsichord. ‘So, that’s where the Rasputin egg ended up,’ he said. ‘The dark web works in mysterious ways.’
‘It has its purpose. Pity Malenkova can no longer enjoy the spoils,’ said Sokolov, watching Jack carefully. ‘Burned to death with her trusty assistant, Le Fantôme. What a terrible way to go, don’t you think?’
‘The last time I saw the Rasputin egg was in the Amber Safe in the Paris Ritz only a few weeks ago,’ said Jack, ignoring the remark. ‘Monsieur Aubert, the manager, was showing it to us. He, too, is dead now. Strange, how people associated with this masterpiece seem to die so violently.’
‘You are right. And that, of course, includes the mad monk Rasputin and Empress Alexandra. Do you think the egg is cursed, Mr Rogan?’
‘No, I don’t think so. It’s the people who come in contact with it who appear to be.’
‘Interesting. So, why don’t we make sure this doesn’t include you ...’
‘What do you mean?’ said Jack, momentarily taken aback by the remark.
‘Come on, Mr Rogan, a man of your experience knows exactly how these things work,’ said Sokolov, sipping his Scotch. ‘I haven’t brought you here to drink my liquor or show you my art collection.’
‘I didn’t think so,’ said Jack calmly and also took a sip. ‘Excellent whisky.’
‘Glad you like it. Shall we cut to the chase?’
‘Always the best way.’
‘Good. I knew we would understand each other. You have something I want, and in order to stay alive you will have to give it to me. Simple, isn’t it?’
Jack nodded. ‘Sounds like it.’
‘Good.’ Sokolov turned to Aldar. ‘Would you please give Mr Rogan his notebook?’
Aldar walked over to the desk, opened the top drawer and took out Jack’s notebook. Then he walked over to Jack and handed it to him.
