Chapter 7

________________________________

 

Aarni Aviki parked next to Malik’s huge Dodge RAM and walked up to the door. He let himself in and kicked off his shoes. Malik handed him a mug of coffee and nodded at the kitchen table.

“Let’s sit over there,” he said, and sat down by the window.

Aarni put his mug down on the table and opened his briefcase. Malik watched him as he pulled out a copy of Sermitsiaq. He dropped the newspaper on the table and sat down. “I take it you’ve read the article online?”

Malik nodded, and pulled the newspaper closer to him. “This is the girl?” he said, and tapped the photo on the front page. “Nivi Winther’s daughter?”

“Yes.” Aarni took a sip of coffee. “Her name is Tinka. She’s seventeen.” Aarni waited as Malik read the article, anticipating his reaction when he reached the penultimate paragraph. “Last seen with a middle-aged man at a party.”

Malik turned the first page of the newspaper and pinched his chin. He was silent for a moment, and then said, “How bad is this?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Do you recognise her?”

Malik nodded.

“Are you that man?”

“Probably,” Malik said. “Was I the last man? I don’t know. She was pretty drunk.” Malik rubbed his eyes, shook his head and took a long, slow breath. “She really is Nivi’s daughter?”

“You know that.” Aarni put down his coffee and leaned back in his chair.

Malik looked out the window and started to speak. “Sipu comes home tonight. He has been away at football camp. That means I have to find somewhere to sleep.” He looked at Aarni. “Naala won’t have me in our bed.” He nodded in the direction of the living room. “The sofa is too small.” Malik sighed, and continued, “Pipaluk’s grades have improved, including mathematics.”

“That’s good.”

“It’s good?” Malik said and laughed. “It’s embarrassing. She is lousy at maths. Not particularly good at languages either. The teachers are grading her according to my popularity.”

“Which is soaring,” Aarni said, and reached into his briefcase. He pulled out a copy of the polls from the previous month, pointing at the annotations in pencil in the margins. “This was August. Projections have you much higher in October. But, you can expect to slip a little, because of this.”

“Because I slept with the girl?” Malik said. He leaned forwards, reaching for the newspaper.

“Because she is missing. No-one knows you slept with her. This is a sympathy response. Nivi will get a spike in support, but it won’t last. You have the popular vote.”

“Until they find out I was that man.”

“They won’t.”

“When they find the girl, they will. It’s just a matter of time.”

“No it isn’t.” Aarni said and shrugged. “It’s taken care of.”

“Taken care of?”

“It’s done.”

“What is done? What are you talking about?”

“I told you I was loyal, and now I need you to trust me.”

Malik shook his head. “I don’t understand. What exactly have you done?”

“I have done nothing. I’m just saying that you don’t have to worry about the girl recognising you.”

“Huh,” Malik said. He took a sip of coffee, and stared at his communications chief over the lip of the mug. “What about the reporter? Is it the same one?” Malik peeled back the front page of the newspaper. “Qitu Kalia?”

“I presume so,” Aarni said. He looked at his watch. “We agreed you would work at home today. You need to prepare for the debate. I have the notes in my briefcase.”

“You think it’s necessary? You don’t think she’ll cancel?”

“That’s my next meeting.” Aarni placed a sheaf of papers in a folder in front of Malik. “I am meeting with Daniel Tukku.”

“Nivi’s assistant.”

“I think he likes to be called Chief of Staff, even though she doesn’t.” Aarni laughed. “I like to needle him about that.” He stood up. “Don’t answer any calls. Okay?”

“You said no-one knows. You said I shouldn’t worry about it.”

“But the smart move is to be unavailable. You don’t need to comment on the opposition leader’s poor parenting skills. I mean, she doesn’t know where her daughter is.”

“That’s harsh, Aarni. I thought I was the cynical one.”

“It doesn’t matter. You have a perfectly good excuse – preparing for the debate – use it. Any comments from you might be twisted, and then there’s the chance of you saying something unfortunate. We don’t want that. This is the time when she can leap ahead of you. And, if the girl is found…”

“If?”

“Yes,” Aarni shrugged. “No-one knows where she is. She might be in Denmark for all we know.” Aarni looked at Malik and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking of Pipaluk. How I would feel if she was missing.”

“Well, she’s not. Stop thinking about that.” Aarni gestured at the notes. “Concentrate on the debate.” He looked at his watch. “I have to go.”

Aarni left Malik with the notes and the newspaper. He backed his car out of the drive and continued into the centre of town, parking at the rear of Hotel Hans Egede. He found Nivi’s assistant waiting in the lobby café. The cut of the man’s suit suggested it was expensive. Aarni tugged at the fit of his own suit, as the top button strained at the end of a short length of cotton. He unbuttoned his jacket, shook Daniel’s hand, and sat down.

“Do you want something to drink?” Daniel asked in Greenlandic. “I could do with another latté.”

“Sounds good.” Aarni fiddled with the contents of his briefcase. He pulled out a single sheet of bullet points and placed it on the table between them. “They are in Danish. I thought the meeting could be in Danish.”

Daniel laughed. “Of course.” He twisted in his seat and ordered two lattés. He switched to Danish, and said, “Politics aside, I have been impressed with the way you have handled the press. They have been merciless.”

“Thank you.” The waiter brought their coffee. Aarni unwrapped the Italian biscuit placed by the side of the glass, dipping it in the frothed milk at the top. “It has been a challenge, but if they focus on the language…”

“You don’t have to answer to anything else,” Daniel said. “Yes, very smart.”

“I thought so,” Aarni said, and ate the biscuit.

“And what about Malik Uutaaq? Was it his strategy?”

“Mine.” Aarni brushed biscuit crumbs from his lips. “And I don’t mind admitting it.”

“It’s certainly working. I have to give you credit for that.” He paused for a moment, studying his counterpart as he spooned the frothed milk from the lip of the glass. “Is this a candid meeting? I mean, can we be candid with one another, off the record?”

“I don’t see why not,” Aarni said. The spoon clinked against the glass as he placed it on the saucer. “Are you thinking about the debate?”

“The debate, policy, the polls. Although, we have been sidetracked this morning. You’ve seen the news?”

“Tinka Winther?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a real shame. Nivi must be quite distracted.” Aarni nodded at the paper on the table. “Do you want to postpone the debate?”

“Today is Thursday. The debate is scheduled for Sunday night. I imagine this will be cleared up by then. Greenland is a small place after all.”

“The largest small place in the world.”

“Of course, but where can she go? If she hasn’t drowned, that is.” Daniel caught Aarni’s eye as he reached for his latté. “She will turn up, I am sure.”

“Well, we certainly hope so. Please pass on our sympathies to Nivi.”

“I will.” Daniel put his coffee on the table. “There is another matter I would like to discuss, before we get into the nitty gritty of the debate.” Aarni waited as Daniel tugged a piece of paper from a folder tucked between him and the arm of his chair. He showed it to Aarni, and said, “It’s a photocopy of a recent article in Politiken. You might have seen it.”

“No,” Aarni said. “It’s new to me.” He plucked the paper from Daniel’s hand and pretended to skim read it.

“It’s about the party culture of Greenlandic politics. It’s a salacious read, more suited to American and British politics, but no less interesting.”

“Why are you showing this to me?” Aarni laid the paper on top of the debate notes.

“You said we could be candid?”

“I did.”

“Then what would your boss think of such an article? Would he say there was an element of truth to the story?”

“You would have to ask him.”

“Yes, but I am asking you.”

Daniel laced his fingers in his lap and waited, as Aarni made a show of stirring the remaining froth of steamed milk into his latté. The waiter visited their table and asked if they needed anything else.

“What do you want, Daniel?” Aarni asked, once the waiter had moved away.

“I want you to change the narrative. Stop talking about language, and start talking about housing, unemployment. Engage us on the grounds of governing, and there will be no need to talk about anything as sordid as booze and bad behaviour.”

“And if we don’t?”

“Then I see no reason why we can’t circulate a story about the inappropriate desires and actions of married party leaders in the media. Do you?”

“Qitu Kalia.”

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Qitu Kalia. That’s the name of your journalist.”

“Possibly.”

“Of course it is,” Aarni said, and sighed. “I thought dirty campaigns were reserved for the American elections and Hollywood.”

“Ah, Aarni, it’s all about the news cycle, even here, especially here. For the voters outside of Nuuk,” Daniel said, counting the larger Greenlandic towns on his fingers, “Sisimiut, Maniitsoq, Ilulissat and Qaqortoq, items of news tend to have a long shelf-life. And May is not so very far away, when you think about it. And what will your voters think about during the long, hard winter in the north, on the east coast, and even south of here? Do you really think your candidate can afford to lose popularity? It is the popular vote that is keeping him in the game.”

“Ahead of the game,” Aarni said. “As Nivi Winther’s assistant I thought you would be more aware of her position in the polls.” Aarni leaned forwards. “Behind Malik Uutaaq.”

“And yet,” Daniel said, the beginnings of a sly grin twitching at the corners of his mouth, “with this bump of sympathy, who knows what might happen. I mean, we all want Tinka to be found safe and sound, as soon as possible, but…”

“But?”

“If her body is found…” Daniel paused. “No matter how tragic the circumstances, that sympathy vote might just topple your lead.”

Aarni swallowed as a bout of indigestion collected in his throat. He reached for the glass of coffee, and drained the last third with one gulp, aware of Daniel’s eyes following his every move. He took a breath, placed the glass on the table, and leaned back in his chair, brushing at imaginary biscuit crumbs on his jacket.

“The sympathy vote,” he said.

“Yes.”

“That can go both ways.” Aarni felt a renewed injection of confidence. He considered switching to Greenlandic, but decided not to push it. “In the event of such a tragedy, one might question how fit a grieving mother was to lead the country.”

“There’s that possibility.”

“There is, and here is another. Who do you have in your party that could replace Nivi Winther, if she was forced to withdraw?”

“Forced? That’s a strong word.”

“Compelled is another. What if she was compelled to stand down, due to family matters?”

“Like the loss of her daughter.”

“For example, yes. Who would take her place?”

In the silence that stretched across the low table between them, Aarni realised that Daniel had already considered the future implications of Tinka Winther’s disappearance, and even her death. He appreciated in that moment, that Daniel was negotiating not on behalf of his leader, but himself. He allowed himself a smile over the text message he received earlier, confirming a loose end now secured. Then he tried to force the contents of his message as far from his mind as possible. He decided to wait for Daniel to speak. He didn’t have to wait long.

“We have a number of suitable candidates.”

“No you don’t,” Aarni said.

“We have one suitable candidate,” Daniel said.

“Huh.” Aarni tapped his fingers on his knee. “If I was to help you, by changing the narrative, what’s in it for me? Because the minute I expose Malik Uutaaq to questions beyond language and identity …”

“Is the very minute when we begin to campaign on an equal footing. That’s all I ask. In the event that a change is necessary, it’s all I can ask.”

“This would be out of sympathy,” Aarni said.

“I understand.”

“And, in return, you will stop the publication of any salacious material that might implicate my boss?”

“I will.”

Aarni took a long breath. “Well then, shall we discuss the questions for the debate?”

“I’m not sure that will be necessary. Nivi is far too preoccupied.”

“Then you are going to cancel?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I think we should continue regardless. It’s important to show a strong leadership, even in times of duress, especially so, don’t you think?”

“Then who will you send in her place?”

Daniel gestured lazily with his hand, and said, “We have a few possibilities, but, if necessary, I can always stand in for our leader. Just this once, you understand?”

“Oh, I think I understand,” Aarni said. “Perfectly.”

Daniel stood up, fastened the top button of his jacket and slipped the folder into his briefcase. He nodded at the bar. “I’ve already paid, but feel free to have another coffee on my tab, if you want to stay and mull things over for a while. You’ve got a few busy days ahead of you if you are going to have your candidate ready by Sunday night. Good luck.” He waved as he walked away from the table.

Aarni watched him leave. He glanced at the customers sitting at the tables by the window, and then beckoned to the waiter that he would like another drink.

“Another latté?”

“No,” Aarni said in Danish, “I’ll have whisky. A double.”

It was going to be a long weekend.