He veered into the street and Harry raised his arm and said, “See you tomorrow.” Finn waved back but he was struggling to keep his cool.
The one thing Finn couldn’t change about the coming week was the timetable, and yet he was overpowered by a growing sense of urgency. Without being any closer in real terms, it felt as if Karasek was homing in on the girl. And now Harry was going to pieces on him, and Finn felt responsible in some way, feeling he should have picked up on the signals.
He took a left and went into the Hotel Regent, a sleek business hotel that had good public phones in the lobby. The receptionist was checking someone in, and there were a couple of businessmen sitting on the minimalist sofas, their luggage beside them.
Finn made his way to one of the phones, but turned to face the entrance before making the call. It would be hard for the tail to follow him in without being conspicuous, particularly if he wasn’t in business clothes. No one came in.
When Alex came to the phone, he said, “It sounds like people are having fun in Tallinn.”
“You heard?” Someone came into view outside in the street, peered into the lobby but almost immediately backed away when he saw Finn looking out. It had only been a glimpse, but Finn thought it was one of the guys who’d been playing cards on Saturday. “It doesn’t involve me, anyway.”
“Of course it doesn’t. But you still want to meet?”
“I still want to meet. I’ll be in Stockholm early on Saturday morning.”
“Good, then we can indulge in our favorite subject. I’ll be in the Vasa Museum all morning, so come and find me there.”
“You’ll let me know if anything changes.”
Alex laughed. “I’m in good health, Finn. See you on Saturday.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Alex’s comment said it all. Only a health issue, or death, could force Aleksandr Naumenko to change his plans. He’d already reached that point of being almost untouchable—none of his former rivals powerful enough to take him on, governments going out of their way to court him.
Finn felt more confident as he walked the final stretch home through the busy streets, no longer concerned by the tail now that he knew he was only leading him home. Speaking to Alex, even just to confirm the details, had made Katerina’s escape seem within reach again.
There were still plenty of things that could go wrong, but he was determined they’d be on the Friday-night ferry from Tallinn, even if it meant risking his own position. Because he’d talked a couple of times about trust these last few days, but now, for the first time in the eighteen months they’d known each other, he was wondering if he could really trust Harry.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Pablo and Henri woke him in the morning, finding it hysterical that he was sleeping on the sofa, clambering all over him, jumping up and down until Cecile came in and upbraided them with good humor and apologized to Finn.
The thaw between Cecile and Finn seemed to be lasting, and he wondered if it was because of what he’d done for Hailey, casting him in a different light. Perhaps he’d make a habit of rescuing runaways.
The mood was once more good over breakfast. Mathieu was having fun with the boys, appearing less parental with them than he did with Finn most of the time. Adrienne and Cecile were talking to Hailey, apparently making plans for an imaginary return trip to Paris—imaginary, he thought, because he couldn’t foresee Ethan and Debbie allowing her to go off on tour any time soon.
If anything, during pauses in the conversation, he thought he noticed Hailey looking a little lost or sad. Was she thinking about the boy she’d left behind in Uppsala, the brief taste of a more exciting adult life she’d had there—or was it that she knew they would be home later that day, the reunion with her parents beginning to weigh heavily on her thoughts?
Finn had hoped he’d find another chance to speak to Adrienne, to reinforce what he sensed was the progress they’d made, albeit intangible, the previous night. She had other ideas, and appeared determined that they wouldn’t be left alone together, that the lively atmosphere of the morning would not be sacrificed for things that had already been said.
So almost the only time she spoke to him directly was as he and Hailey readied themselves to go downstairs and get the taxi to Gare de Lyon.
“Bye, Finn.”
“I’ll call.”
She nodded, only to say, “Do what you have to do first.”
Finn noticed Hailey look at him, as if she also knew what that meant. Finn resented both of them for it in some way.
“Okay, if that’s what you want,” he said, sounding conciliatory rather than defiant. “But it may be some time. Take care.”
The rest of them said their goodbyes. Mathieu and the boys came down to the street to wave them off, and Hailey waved excitedly back from the taxi. Finn noticed she had tears in her eyes as she finally faced forward again.