Free Zugzwang by Ronan Bennett Page B

comrades, whom he suspected to be working for the Okhrana. The victim is horribly deformed – his nose is gone, the left eye is gone. The skin on the whole left side of his face has been burnt away. Acid attacks seem to be quite the fashion now among revolutionaries.’
    Lychev continued, ‘When I arrested the attacker I thought to myself, if you believed your comrade to be a spy why not just shoot him and be done with it? Why pour acid into his face? To borrow your own words, Spethmann, it seemed unnecessary and cruel. I encounter much cruelty, you see, most of it beyond comprehension.’
    â€˜I do not envy you your world, Lychev.’
    He shrugged and heaved the leather bag to the floor, and indicated the chessboard.

    Spethmann–Kopelzon
After 35 Rg2. ‘Worthy of a master.’ But is it really good enough to win?
    â€˜Those backwards moves are always hard to find,’ he said, indicating the rook on g2. ‘It’s worthy of a master. I had no idea you were such a strong player.’
    â€˜I’m not,’ I said.
    â€˜You’ve been getting some help, perhaps?’ he said, throwing me a sly look. ‘Do you still think Capablanca will win the tournament?’
    â€˜I have no interest in discussing this, Lychev,’ I said. ‘Nor have I any interest in seeing you again now that my daughter and I have answered your questions. I shall of course be making your visit known to the minister of the interior.’
    He smiled. ‘You are correct, Spethmann. I do not believe either you or your daughter can be of any more help to me. I hope you will understand that I was only doing my duty.’
    Was it possible I was seeing the last of him? At the door he bade me good day. Relief flooded into my heart. I waited a minute or two to make sure he was gone before telephoning the number Zinnurov had given me. A secretary answered and asked me to hold. Eventually the Mountain came to the telephone.
    â€˜Lychev was here,’ I said. ‘He came to my office and brought my daughter with him.’
    Judging from the pause that followed, it was clear Zinnurov was equally surprised. ‘Did he indeed?’
    â€˜I understood Minister Maklakov had ordered him to leave me alone?’
    â€˜You are correct in your understanding, Spethmann,’ he said. ‘I will contact the minister at once and find out what happened.’
    â€˜What happened is that he came to my office and in front of my daughter produced Yastrebov’s pickled head. In front of my daughter!’
    â€˜I do hope she was not unduly upset.’
    â€˜She was shocked,’ I said, outrage growing in my voice. ‘It was horrific.’
    â€˜Of course, of course,’ Zinnurov said smoothly. ‘I’ll look into it. Either Lychev is acting without proper authority or hehas gone above Maklakov’s head. Either way, he’ll be restrained. I promise you.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ I said.
    â€˜Not at all,’ he said. ‘We have a lot in common, after all.’
    â€˜Yes,’ I said uncertainly.
    â€˜We are fathers who dearly love our daughters.’
    â€˜Yes,’ I said, ‘yes.’
    â€˜Have you spoken to Anna?’
    â€˜I’m seeing her this evening.’
    â€˜Good,’ Zinnurov said. ‘Let me know what she says.’
    He rang off. I waited another fifteen minutes to give Catherine time to get home before calling.
    â€˜She went to bed as soon as she came in, Doctor,’ Lidiya said. ‘I’ve never seen her so utterly exhausted. Will you be home soon?’
    â€˜I have an appointment,’ I said. ‘I shall be home by ten, Lidiya. Please make sure Catherine does not leave the house before I return.’
    Minna was still in the outer office. It was obvious she wanted to talk about what had happened but I had no time and was rather offhand and impatient with her.
    I hurried to my car, which I had left in Sadovaya Street.