The Confession

33

Thursday morning in the empty office, while waiting for the others to arrive, an idea came to me. I had the Militia operator patch me through to Ozaliko Prison, named after a sixteenth-century nationalist whose name was dredged out of history soon after the Versailles borders were drawn. A man sounding sick of his job answered the phone. “This is Inspector Ferenc Kolyeszar from the Militia Homicide Department.”

“Hello, Comrade Inspector.”

“Do you still have a man named Lev Urlovsky in custody? He was brought in last summer.”

“Urlovsky?”

“Exactly.”

He went through his files. “I see, killed his own son?”

“That’s the one.”

“That particular bastard will be here for another week or so, then he’s off to the provinces.”

“Labor camp?”

“Labor?” The functionary grunted. “Sure. Labor.”

It was a long shot, but he and Nestor were at the same camp during the same period, and it wasn’t unreasonable that they might have known each other. Or that they still knew each other. I told him I’d arrive in the next few hours to fill out the request for an interview.

“As you like.”

Footsteps exploded in the station. I knew, even without looking, who it was.

“ You!” He was at my desk, leveling a cool, stable finger at me.

“I see you’re back on your medication.”

Malik Woznica swung down a fist that made my typewriter jump. “Where is my Svetla?”

I tried to seem concerned. “You haven’t heard from her yet? And no ransom notes?”

“Don’t talk to me like that! What did you do with my wife?”

“I think my chief told you, Comrade Woznica. I haven’t found her. A prostitute was mistaken for her, but really, your wife’s no prostitute.”

He breathed heavily, not used to so much exertion, and when he spoke his teeth were clenched. “Comrade Inspector Kolyeszar. You signed the papers authorizing her leave. We have your name on a paper that says you took Svetla Woznica into your custody.”

“I was mistaken.” I said this smoothly, but it was just the coolness of immediate shock. I had forgotten about that form.

“No, you weren’t mistaken, Comrade Kolyeszar. But you did make a mistake. You thought you could go against Malik Woznica of the Health Ministry. You thought you were above the rules.” He put another unshaking hand on the desk. “I’m going to finish you off.”

Then he walked out. There was no sign of his illness at all.