Free As Red as Blood (The Snow White Trilogy) by Salla Simukka Page B

harden his heart and think of Natalia running across the snow as a rabbit, a pest and a nuisance. Only then was he able to pull the trigger.
    But even if the cop hadn’t known about Natalia’s plan, that didn’t fix their current problem. That he was trying to shake them down. That they had to put a stop to it, and fast.
    Browsing the calendar on his phone was Boris’s way of trying to calm his nerves. Usually it worked. Now it gave him an idea.
    “I think Natalia is going to send our policeman an invitation to a party soon,” he said with a smile.
    The Estonians looked at him in astonishment.
Boneheads.
Boris felt like he had the only brain in their troika. Luckily, it was a good one. Leaving the rest of the swill in his glass, he went to the bar to order a double whiskey. He had earned it.
    Lumikki almost turned around and walked out when she saw the two extra pairs of shoes by the door. Men’s sizes 9 and 11. She didn’t remember agreeing to come to any Huey, Dewey, and Louie club meeting.
    “Let’s go over what exactly I’m doing here one more time, since apparently Tuukka and Kasper are here too,” Lumikki said to Elisa, who stared at her feet in embarrassment.
    Feet wearing pink-and-black striped socks, of course.
    “Well, see . . . You’re the only one who knows how to fix this. Since you’re so smart,” Elisa said.
    The boot-licking, unctuous voice and accompanying sickly sweet smile backfired. Lumikki started pulling her combat boots back on.
    “I only came because you were scared and alone. No, because you demanded that I come. Because you can’t deal with being alone. Well. You clearly aren’t alone anymore. Problem solved. So I can go.”
    Elisa slipped between Lumikki and the door.
    “You can’t go now. Tuukka and Kasper forced their way in after they realized I wasn’t at school. They didn’t believe me when I said I had a migraine. I can’t get through this without you,” Elisa pleaded.
    Lumikki’s fingers fiddled with her bootlaces for a few seconds.
    She’d promised herself she wasn’t going to be afraid anymore. She’d only been thinking of herself then, though. She hadn’t realized that she could be afraid for someone else. If she left now and closed the door behind her, she might get herself out of all of this. She wouldn’t be getting away from the fear, though. She could ignore Elisa’s calls and text messages. She could even get an unlisted number. She could avoid seeing Elisa at school. She could treat her like she was invisible.
    But she couldn’t stop herself from thinking. She couldn’t stop herself from contemplating what could happen to Elisa and whether the men who’d chased Lumikki might get their hands on her eventually. She would be afraid on Elisa’s behalf. She didn’t want that.
    Lumikki knew she was already in too deep, in over her combat boots. It was all the same now whether she sank in up to her knees or her waist or her neck.
    In hot water. Up shit creek. Not free. Lumikki hated that. But she couldn’t do anything about it.
    Sighing deeply, she began pulling off her boots.
    “I’ll stay. But just so you know, if Tuukka tries his tough-guy routine again, I’m calling the police that very second and throwing you all to the wolves.”
    Elisa clapped her hands enthusiastically. Lumikki might as well have been listening to her own death knell.

“Did you find anything out from your dad last night?” Tuukka asked Elisa as she brought them large glasses of Coke in the living room.
    Kasper had asked for his with a kick, but Elisa’s expression wiped the grin off his face.
    Lumikki glanced at Tuukka.
Elisa must have told the boys everything. Blabbermouth.
But maybe it was best this way. Talking would be easier if they were all looking at the same map.
    “My brain was barely functioning I was so hysterical about those men chasing Lumikki. I mean, chasing her thinking she was me. In the state I was in, I was lucky I could keep my mouth shut, let alone