We now come to the second business!” he said dismissing abruptly his explanations and forcing a smile. “We have two friends who will join you for the return trip, Iris and Marietta!”
Kennedy threw a surprised glance at Barton who plunged his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cigarettes.
“They will be going to Finland with you.”
“To Finland!” Kennedy gulped, praying silently, Mother of Holy God help us!
“Yes, Finland, my dear Mister Kennedy. You do have two extra boarding passes?”
Shit! Shit! Like a couple of newly feckin born lambs. Kennedy groaned to himself. These fellas are worse than the IRA.
“Yes, that’s right, we do have a couple of spare boarding passes,” he finally squeaked out.
“Good, I knew we could rely on Stig to get things organised correctly,” Demirshian smiled broadly, pleased at the dismay his little surprise had caused.
That bastard Erikkson, I’ll have his feckin balls, first smuggling forged banknotes and now feckin tarts, Kennedy fumed to himself.
Demirshian called out in Russian and the heavy woman appeared again. He snapped out an instruction and they heard the apartment door close as she left.
“Don’t worry my friend, they are nice girls, pretty!” He winked at Kennedy. “They will cause you no problems.”
Five minutes latter they heard the door of the apartment open and the woman appeared followed by two attractive girls in their mid-twenties. They were of the Finnish type, blond hair, blue eyes and fair skins. They were dressed as typical young Finnish tourists, clean and simple in Levi jeans and Benetton T-shirts, each of the girls carrying a small knapsack in her hands.
“So, come in, don’t be shy!” Said Demirshian, and then turning to Kennedy and Barton he added, “Let me introduce you to Iris and Marietta.”
The girls smiled holding out the hands as the introductions were formalised.
“They will carry our ‘papers’ and board the boat separately. Then they will then join you in your cabins, what are the cabin numbers?”
Kennedy was not sure whether he was relieved or not as he examined the girls. Lauristin quickly slipped the chocolate boxes containing the bundles of dollars into Silja Lines duty free plastic shopping bags, and then he packed them into the girl’s knapsacks.
“You,” he pointed to Kennedy, “will take the money ashore in Helsinki, they don’t trouble genuine tourists there!” he added.
Then looking at his watch he said, “I think it’s time you should be on your way, we shall meet again in Antigua!” He stood up and held out his hand. “Bon voyage.”
“Thank you, see you in Antigua,” replied Kennedy whilst thinking, not if I can help it.
Geidar Aliev drove them together with the two girls to a corner of the square nearby the Post and Telegraph office. The four of them got out of the car and walked in the direction of the buses, waiting in line for the return of the day-trippers.
“Look for bus number thirteen,” Kennedy said to Iris who seemed the livelier of the two.
A number placed on the front windscreen identified each bus; number thirteen had brought them from the Sally Anne. It was easier said than done, the Finnish tourists were punctual, even early, and were already piling into the first available bus, encouraged by the tour guides who wanted them back on board as quickly as possible, avoiding unnecessary delays in the departure of the boat.
“Just get on the first one you can,” said Kennedy nodding them to push ahead. The girls climbed into the first waiting bus, the guide then barred the way, the bus was full, indicating to Kennedy and Barton to take the following bus.
Ten minutes latter the bus pulled up alongside the quay on which the Sally Anne was docked and they were soon up the gangway pushed by anxious Finns behind them, apparently afraid of being abandoned in Estonia. They had no time to worry and were hurried past the Estonian controllers who collected their boarding passes without a glance.
There was no sign of the girls, there was a crowd packed around the lifts, so they hurried down the stairs to fourth deck where the girls were waiting nonchalantly, examining their makeup in the large mirrors that decorated the lift lobby.
“Hello there, every OK?”
“Fine, fine,” said Iris, “let’s go to the cabins.”
The two girls followed them to the nearest cabin, which was Barton’s, and they went in. They dropped the knapsacks on the floor and sat on the couch looking around at the cabin.
“Very nice,” said Iris. She spoke an excellent English.
“It’s the first time you’ve left Estonia?” asked Kennedy.
“No I’ve been to Leningrad and Moscow,” replied Iris, “but it’s the first time I’ve been to the West.”
“You know Stig Erikkson then?”
“Not really, I’ve met him, he’s Marietta’s friend.”
“I see.”
“So where’s the other cabin?”
“Next door.”
“We’ll take that then,” Iris said making a sign to Marietta. They both jumped up and she held out her hand for the key.
“Thierry will go with you to make sure everything is OK.”
Chapter 62
Back in Civilisation
Offshore Islands Page 61
