“Some women find power attractive.”

“Did you know that her first husband brought her to Moscow from Perm and got her the job with the steel union?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then she left him.”

“How do you know?”

“Her mother told me.”

“All Nina got from me was a baby.”

“And an apartment in Government House.”

“You think she’s some kind of gold digger?”

“I worry about you. You’re so smart about everything—except women.”

“Nina is a little materialistic. It’s not the worst of sins.”

“So you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay. But if she hurts my brother I’ll scratch her eyes out.”

• • •

Daniil came and sat opposite Tanya in the canteen at the TASS building. He put down his tray and tucked a handkerchief into his shirt collar to protect his tie. Then he said: “The people at New World like ‘Frostbite.’”

Tanya was thrilled. “Good!” she said. “It took them long enough—it must be at least six months. But that’s great news!”

Daniil poured water into a plastic tumbler. “It will be one of the most daring things they’ve ever printed.”

“So they’re going to publish?”

“Yes.”

She wished she could tell Vasili. But he would have to find out on his own. She wondered if he was able to get the magazine. It must be available at libraries in Siberia. “When?”

“They haven’t decided. But they don’t do anything in a hurry.”

“I’ll be patient.”

• • •

Dimka was awakened by the phone. A woman’s voice said: “You don’t know me, but I have information for you.”

Dimka was confused. The voice belonged to Natalya. He threw a guilty look at his wife, Nina, lying beside him. Her eyes were still closed. He looked at the clock: it was five thirty in the morning.

Natalya said: “Don’t ask questions.”

Dimka’s brain started to work. Why was Natalya pretending to be a stranger? She wanted him to do the same, obviously. Was it for fear that his tone of voice would betray his fondness for her to the wife beside him in bed?

He played along. “Who are you?”

“They’re plotting against your boss,” she said.

Dimka realized that his first interpretation had been wrong. What Natalya feared was that the phone might be tapped. She wanted to be sure Dimka did not say anything to reveal her identity to the listening KGB.

He felt the chill of fear. True or false, this meant trouble for him. He said: “Who is plotting?”

Beside him, Nina opened her eyes.

Dimka shrugged helplessly, miming: I have no idea what is going on.

“Leonid Brezhnev is approaching other Presidium members about a coup.”

“Shit.” Brezhnev was one of the half-dozen most powerful men under Khrushchev. He was also conservative and unimaginative.

“He has Podgorny and Shelepin on his side already.”

“When?” said Dimka, disobeying the instruction not to ask questions. “When will they strike?”

“They will arrest Comrade Khrushchev when he returns from Sweden.” Khrushchev was planning a trip to Scandinavia in June.