excess of alcohol in premature celebration. He’d dressed for the occasion. His suit was immaculate and there was the pose of a man in command in the way he was standing. Twisted sideways, Natalia could easily see Eduard as well. He wore the same clothes as in the detention cell and they were creased, but he was clean-shaven and the near shoulder-length hair was no longer lank and greasy, so he’d been allowed to shower. His belongings had been returned to him. As well as the earring she had seen there was a heavy gold watch on his left wrist and a gold identity chain on the other. There were two rings on his left hand, one dominated by a large purplish-red stone, and one on his right: from where she sat it seemed to be in the shape of a face or a mask. The dishevelled Mikhail Kapitsa, deprived by the formality of the proceedings of the habitual cigarette, was blinking rapidly and frequently brought his hands to his face, as if troubled by an irritation. His frowning look towards her was one of confused bewilderment.
Tudin avoided any flamboyant speech or mannerisms: his attitude was practically the opposite, an address delivered in a flat, sometimes almost boring monotone, with few hand or body movements. He listed precisely by their subheadings and numbers the regulations governing the Agency under which he was bringing the accusations, which he summarized as abuse of power and condoning corruption. In addition he itemized the criminal statutes he contended Natalia had broken.
The man quickly sketched Eduard’s youth at Moscow University before gaining a junior officer’s commission in the Russian army which had ended with the scale-down of the military.
‘Returning to Moscow he became a criminal, joining a recognized Mafia syndicate known as the Lubertsy,’ declared Tudin. ‘He told his criminal associates – as he will tell you here today – that he was in a particularly privileged position. His mother was a high-ranking official in the State’s security service. Her rank and influence put him beyond the law. If he were ever unlucky enough to get arrested, he could call upon his mother to intercede to prevent any prosecution or conviction …’
Tudin paused, and despite his control the man was unable to avoid darting a satisfied look between mother and son.
‘An arrest did happen, through brilliant detective work by Militia Investigator Mikhail Stepanovich Kapitsa, who will also testify before you today …’ Tudin turned quickly, identifying the detective with a hand gesture. ‘… Eduard Igovevich Fedova was seized, with eight other members of a gang of which he was the leader, in possession of narcotic and medical drugs and a considerable amount of black market material. Fedova’s first action was to offer Investigator Kapitsa a substantial bribe. Which Kapitsa of course refused. At that point, Fedova identified his mother. He told Investigator Kapitsa it was quite pointless the man attempting any sort of criminal prosecution: that his mother would prevent it. And he demanded to see her …’
Tudin coughed, his voice becoming strained, but also wanting the minimal pause, for effect. Looking directly up at the assembled committee, he said: ‘Natalia Nikandrova Fedova was contacted on the eighteenth of this month. Within an hour of a telephone conversation between her and Investigator Kapitsa, she arrived at Militia headquarters at Petrovka, to do exactly what her son had always insisted she would do, intercede upon his behalf to block any prosecution against him.’
It was impressive and convincing and Natalia felt a dip of uncertainty. There was no protest she could make, but the whole balance of the inquiry was unfair, weighted against her. Realizing he had finished, Natalia said quickly: ‘I would like to ask Colonel Tudin some questions.’
There was a peremptory, practically dismissive nod and Natalia tried to remain unruffled by Lestov’s clearly preconceived acceptance of the accusations against her.
She turned fully to confront her accuser, who came around in his turn to face her. He was impassive but still red, his attitude one of assured confidence. She was a long way from matching it, because she hadn’t expected the quasi-legality of an inquiry with witnesses arraigned against her and she still hadn’t properly adjusted. She tried to clear her throat but failed, so when she started to speak her voice was ragged and she had to stop and start again. A smirk flickered momentarily around Tudin’s mouth.
‘You are my immediate deputy, in the external directorate of the Russian security agency?’
Tudin hesitated, cautiously. ‘Yes.’
‘As such I have delegated to you particular authority concerning the new independent republics of the former Soviet Union?’
The caution was longer this time. ‘Yes.’
‘At a recent conference of all department and division heads did I have cause strongly to criticize your performance? And to insist upon substantial improvement within a stated time period?’ The smirk flickered again, and Natalia decided the man imagined she was attempting a defence in an indefensible situation by introducing internecine and irrelevant squabbles.
In immediate confirmation, Tudin turned invitingly towards the committee, visibly shrugging. Lestov responded with worrying speed and obvious impatience. ‘Is there any purpose to these questions? They have no bearing on what we are considering here today.’
‘They – and the attitude of Colonel Tudin – have
Lestov’s mouth tightened, but he nodded curtly for her to continue.
‘Was there disagreement between us?’ resumed Natalia.
‘I regarded it then and I regard it now as a department matter. I do not consider it has anything to do with these proceedings.’
Natalia’s voice caught again when she began to speak, but this time she did not regret the apparent uncertainty. ‘The conversation between myself and Investigator Kapitsa was a private matter: quite unofficial?’
Tudin smiled openly at what amounted to an admission of what he was accusing her of. ‘Exactly!’ he said, triumphantly. ‘In an official Militia inquiry you intruded unofficially to save your son!’
There was a stir from among the men comprising the examining panel. Natalia tried to remain unruffled. ‘How did you discover that contact between myself and Investigator Kapitsa?’
Tudin’s caution returned. ‘Rumours,’ he said shortly.
‘The directorate has an internal security division. It is not your function or responsibility to respond to rumours or gossip or suspicion of internal wrong-doing within the directorate.’
For the only time since the inquiry began, Tudin looked uncomfortable. ‘I regarded the matter as one of the utmost seriousness: one that had to be handled by someone with the authority I possess, to avoid any intimidation.’
‘Isn’t the truth of the matter that you were spying upon me, as your superior, because of your resentment of my holding that position and because of my criticism of your inadequacy to fulfil the job to which I had appointed you?’
‘No!’ denied Tudin, loudly. ‘I admit – and if the committee should require an apology then of course I offer it – that I did not strictly follow the procedures laid down for investigating matters of this sort. My only reason for doing so was quickly and effectively to prevent an abuse of power and authority. Which I have done.’
Natalia slumped down, stranding Tudin neither talking to her nor to the committee, but to the empty space in between. She hadn’t obtained an admission – as he had from her – but she hoped to have established doubt in the minds of the three men sitting in judgement upon her.
The unidentified man whom Tudin called first gave his name as Anatoli Alipov and his position as a lawyer with the security agency who had witnessed and formally taken the affidavit from Eduard. Alipov’s account was formal, nothing more than assuring the committee that the incriminating statement had been properly obtained.
‘What reason did Colonel Tudin give for your going with him to Petrovka?’ she demanded, when her turn came to question.
‘Legally to conduct the taking of an affidavit.’
‘An affidavit to serve what purpose?’
Alipov considered his reply, a careful lawyer. ‘To establish there had been an abuse of power according to our internal regulations.’
‘Which you considered to
There was another gap, for consideration. ‘Yes.’
