Schmidt looked around at Diana who had a gun trained on him. He glanced at Harding who had also produced a pistol. His hand went to the pocket of his anorak. Do you mind if I smoke?
McCready said nothing. Schmidt shrugged and lit a cigarette. He blew a perfect smoke ring. There was a crackling silence in the hut that went on and on and on.
McCready said nothing. Schmidt shrugged and lit a cigarette. He blew a perfect smoke ring. There was a crackling silence in the hut that went on and on and on.
Thirty-Three
Armstrongs hands sweated as he gripped the handles of the wheelbarrow and trundled it along the pavement at a speed that was positively dangerous to the pedestrian population of Enso. Beside him Carey walked quickly to keep pace, every now and then breaking into a little trot. Armstrong came to a halt at a street corner, stopped by the traffic flow.
Damn Boris Ivanevitch! said Carey. God save us all from talkative coppers. I hope he gets hell for being late on duty.
Not far now, said Armstrong. Only another block. You can see the paper mill from here.
Carey craned his neck and suddenly groaned. And I can see that bloody bus its just leaving.
Is it coming this way? Perhaps we can flag it down.
No, damn it! Its going away from us. Carey checked his watch. Dead on time. Huovinen is chicken-livered; he could have delayed it somehow.
There came a gap in the traffic and Armstrong jolted the barrow over the kerb. What now? he asked as they crossed the street.
I dont know, said Carey heavily. Lets find a place where were not too conspicuous.
The mill is as good a place as any.
No; therell be a watchman. Go around the next corner and well see what we can find.
They were lucky. A trench was being dug along one side of the street. Carey said, Just the thing; well stop here.
Armstrong stopped and lowered the barrow. Why here?
Carey sighed and plucked at his jacket. Dont be dim. This uniform and those exposed pipes go together. We look natural
Armstrong glanced around. A good thing the gangs knocked off work for the day.
Yes, said Carey. Jump in the hole and youll look natural. Armstrong dropped into the trench and Carey squatted on his heels. Got any bright ideas?
Theres the empty house where I found the barrow. We could lie low in the cellar.
Until tomorrow? Carey pondered and shook his head. The problem is the head count at the frontier post. Theyll be two short and that might make it a bit unhealthy around here before long.
Armstrong snapped his fingers. Theres a railway goes from here to Imatra. Maybe we could get a ride.
Nothing doing. Railway police are notoriously efficient especially at frontiers. All it needs is a telephone call from that frontier post to say there are two Finns missing and theyll be doubly efficient.
Theres a copper coming up just behind you, said Armstrong.
Carey did not turn. Not Boris Ivanevitch, I hope.
No.
Then have a look at that pipe and tell me what you see.
Armstrong ducked down into the trench. His voice floated up. Its not cracked.
It must be cracked somewhere, said Carey loudly. He heard the crunch of boots on road gravel behind him. Well have to do a smoke test. He looked up and saw the policeman. Good evening, comrade.
The policemans face was expressionless. Working late?
I always have to work late when something goes wrong, said Carey in a grumbling voice. If it isnt one thing its another, and they always pick on me. Now its a pipe thats sprung a leak which no one can find.
The policeman looked into the trench. Whats this for?
Drainage for the new paper mill over there.
The policeman looked at Carey. His eyes were like stones. You wont drain a paper mill through a pipe that size.
Not the main drainage for the mill, said Carey. This is what you might call the domestic drainage for the lavatories and the canteen and so on. An idea suddenly came into his mind, the brilliance of which astounded him. Perhaps the leak is in the mill. I might have to go in and see if I can find it there. He stood up. You never can tell what a bad leak will do underground undermine walls, anything. He frowned. Theres some heavy machinery in there.
So they tell me, said the policeman. Imported from Finland.
I dont know why we cant use our own Russian stuff, said Carey disgustedly. But Russian or Finnish, it will collapse if the foundations are washed from under it. Id better go and have a look.
Youre keen on your job, said the policeman.
Thats how I got to where I am, said Carey. He jerked his thumb at Armstrong. Now, take that young chap; hell never rise to be an inspector if he lives a hundred years. He never raises a finger unless someone tells him to. He turned to the trench. Come on, useless; were going into the mill. Bring your barrow with your spade we might need them.
He walked away as Armstrong climbed out of the trench and the policeman fell into step beside him. Youre right, said the policeman. Some of these young chaps are useless.
Do you have many like that in your lot? asked Carey.
The policeman laughed. They wouldnt last long with us. No, its the layabouts I come across in the course of duty who grate on my nerves. Youngsters of fifteen and sixteen with hair half-way down their backs and swilling vodka until theyre rotten drunk. I dont know how they can afford it. I cant not on my pay.
Carey nodded. Im having something of the same trouble with my own son. This generation is as soft as putty, but what can you do, comrade? What can you do?
Well, Ill tell you, said the policeman. Just tell that son of yours to keep out of my way. Im getting a bit heavy-handed these days.
They stopped at the mill entrance. Perhaps youre right, said Carey. Maybe thats whats needed.
It is, said the policeman. He flicked a hand in farewell. I hope you find your leak, comrade.
Just a minute, said Carey. Ive just thought of something. The watchman might not let us in.
The policeman grinned. Ill have a word with him; itll be all right.
He walked into the mill and Carey winked at Armstrong. Not bad chaps, these Russian coppers, when you get to know them in spite of Boris Ivanevitch. Come on.
Thanks for the testimonial, said Armstrong. Its just the thing I need to get a job around here. Why are we going in?
You park the barrow near the temporary office in the corner. Then you go away and keep the watchman busy while I do a spot of burglary.
You cant burgle in front of a copper.
He wont stay around, said Carey. He has his beat to cover.
All right; you do your burglary then what?
Carey grinned. Then we get ourselves booted out of Russia.
Half an hour later, when they were walking up to the frontier post, Carey said, It was the papers that bothered me. Leaving Russia is easy, but not with Merikkens papers. Then I started talking to the copper about the mill and it gave me the idea. Id seen those blueprints in that office this morning.
Armstrong trundled the wheelbarrow. I hope it works. Theres the frontier post.
Remember you dont know any Russian, said Carey. It would be uncharacteristic in a Finn of your class.
Armstrong trundled the wheelbarrow. I hope it works. Theres the frontier post.
Remember you dont know any Russian, said Carey. It would be uncharacteristic in a Finn of your class.
I dont know any Finnish either, said Armstrong. And thats bloody uncharacteristic.
Then keep your mouth shut, said Carey. If you have to talk at all use Swedish; but dont talk if you can help it. Leave the talking to me. And hope that none of these guards are studying engineering or mathematics.
They bore down on the frontier post at a steady three miles an hour. Armstrong was still wearing working overalls but Carey had covered his uniform. He had stopped being a Russian and was now a Finn. The guard regarded them with mild surprise as they approached. This is as far as you go, he said in Russian, and accompanied the statement with a smile.
Carey answered in fast Finnish. Did the bus driver tell you we were coming? The fool left us behind. Weve had to walk from the paper mill.
The smile left the guards face as he heard the Finnish. Where the devil have you come from? he asked in Russian.
I dont speak Russian, said Carey. Dont you know Finnish?
Sergeant! yelled the guard, passing the buck.
A sergeant came out of the guard house, leisurely fastening his belt. Whats the matter?
These two Finns popped up. They came from back there.
Oh, they did, did they? The sergeant stepped over and inspected them critically, his eyes dwelling for a time on the barrow. In exceedingly bad Finnish he asked, Where did you come from?
The paper mill, said Carey, speaking slowly. The bus driver left us behind. He indicated the barrow. We had to collect these papers to take to the boss in Imatra. It took us a while to find them and when we came out the bus had gone.
What are the papers?
Machine drawings and calculations. See for yourself. Carey threw aside the sacking on top of the barrow and picked up the top document. He unfolded it to reveal a blueprint which he gave to the sergeant. Thats one of the drawings.
The sergeant studied the complexity of lines with uncomprehending eyes. Why take them back to Imatra?
For revision, said Carey. It happens all the time. When you build a complicated machine it doesnt always fit together right, usually because some fool of a draughtsman has made a mistake. So the drawings have to be amended.
The sergeant raised his head and eyed Carey and then looked at the blueprint again. How do I know this is what you say it is? I know nothing about paper machinery.
In the bottom righthand corner theres the name of our company and a description of the drawing. Can you read that much Finnish?
The sergeant did not reply. He handed the blueprint back to Carey. Are they all like this?
Help yourself, said Carey generously.
The sergeant bent and rooted about in the wheelbarrow. When he straightened he was holding a hardbound exercise book. He opened it and glanced at a solid block of mathematical equations. And this?
I wouldnt know until I saw it, said Carey. It could be about the chemistry or it could be mechanical. Let me see. He leaned over to look at the page the sergeant was examining. Ah, yes; those are the calculations for the roller speeds. This machine is very advanced very technical. Do you know that the paper goes through at seventy kilometres an hour? You have to be very exact when youre working at those speeds.