Sokalov raised his gaze and the two men nodded a greeting. Helge removed his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair before sitting.
“Thank you for coming, Helge,” Sokalov said.
“Thank you for going to this effort, Dmitry.”
“Yes, well, as I mentioned, the information I have uncovered so far is, I’m afraid, somewhat awkward to discuss over the telephone, and potentially embarrassing.”
“I’m grateful for your discretion. How were you able to obtain the information, and so quickly?”
Sokalov smiled. “Gathering information is what I do, Helge.”
“Yes, of course.”
A waitress appeared at their table.
“Let me buy you a drink. Vodka?” Sokalov said.
“Yes, um . . . the vodka I had in your office.”
“Of course. Stoli,” Sokalov said to the waitress. “Over ice.” The waitress departed. “Unfortunately, sometimes a man in my position must be the bearer of bad news.”
“I’m sure it is one of many burdens,” Helge said.
“And I’m sure a man of your standing, a professional football player, does not desire that I beat around the bush, so I will just come out and tell you.”
Helge sighed. “Yes, please.”
“I am afraid Maria is having an affair with an FSB officer. I understand from my sources that this has been going on for quite some time, years in fact.”
Helge sat back. “I suspected her many late nights at the office and her weekends away were not all work related.”
“No. I’m afraid not.”
The waitress returned with the vodka and set it on the table. Helge eagerly sipped it, struggling to keep his hand from shaking. He would have downed the drink in a single gulp but decided it best to at least appear to be in control.
“That is the bad news,” Sokalov said. “But there is some good news.”
“Good news?” Helge said.
“Yes. Because this man is an FSB officer, he comes under my jurisdiction, and I have the ability to fire him from his position for violating one of the tenets of employment, adultery.”
“He is married then?”
“With three young children.”
Three young children. Helge hadn’t thought the man would have a family. He only wanted to punish Maria. “And what of disciplining Maria?”
“That is up to you. I can’t very well fire the officer and not fire Maria, as much as it would pain me to do so. But she, too, broke one of our tenets.”
Helge gave this some thought. His retirement income from his work at the parks department was no more than a pittance. Without Maria’s salary and her position, they would have to give up their apartment. Where would they live? Without her salary, how would they live?
“I don’t think we need to go so far, Dmitry.”
“No?”
“Perhaps you could speak to them . . . both . . . Warn them. Yes. Warn them. I think a warning from you would be sufficient to end it.”
“That is magnanimous of you, Helge, I must say. I’m not certain most men could do such a thing. Too many would be blinded by jealousy and rage. I can certainly do as you suggested, and I wanted you to know that the officer involved has expressed his sincere apologies.”
“Yes, well, I’m sure he is sorry,” Helge said. Then, not wanting to sound like a pushover, he added, “But can we be certain he is sorry for what he did, or only sorry that he got caught?”
“Very wise of you, Helge, which is why I thought it important that you have the chance to confront him . . . to determine whether he is truly sincere.”
“Confront him?”
Sokalov raised a fist. “I knew you would desire this, Helge, a man of your prominence, a professional football player. I have no doubt that once he meets you, and understands who you are, he will think twice about ever doing something like this again.”
Helge sat a little straighter. The deputy director understood what Helge had achieved, what so many others had failed to understand. “Yes. Yes, I would wish this. Of course. If you provide me with this man’s name and number—”
“He is here,” Sokalov said. “I insisted that he come so you had the chance to confront him.”
“Now?” Helge looked around the bar.
“He is in the alley in back, waiting in my car. Again, I wanted to be discreet and provide you with some privacy. I thought you might like to vent.” Sokalov smiled. “I know I certainly would.”
“I appreciate that, Dmitry, but . . .”