THE INTERVIEW, WHICH was still described as an interview over the next few days even though the two participants had not exchanged a single word, lasted two minutes thirty-four seconds. The following advertising break occupied four minutes.
While the ads were running on screen, the very tall man led Salme Salonen off the stage. Hämäläinen watched them go, and thought they looked like a couple, leaning close together, the woman seeming to place her head trustingly on the man’s shoulder.
Hämäläinen felt very calm, calmer than he had felt for a long time, and Tuula came on stage and asked what the matter was.
He shook his head and said, ‘Nothing.’
‘Nothing?’
‘That’s right, nothing.’
‘What … what was the matter with that woman?’
‘Nothing,’ said Hämäläinen.
‘What’s that supposed to mean, Kai?’
‘Everything’s fine,’ said Hämäläinen. ‘Who’s on next?’
‘What?’ asked Tuula.
Hämäläinen studied his notes. ‘The firefighter. And then Kapanen,’ he said. ‘Send them on.’
‘Kai, we have to …’
‘I’ve seen the Bond film. Kapanen was excellent,’ said Hämäläinen.
A girl assistant materialised out of the mist and mopped the sweat off his face with a cloth.
‘Kai, we can’t just …’ said Tuula.
‘Yes, we can. You’d better get off the stage now, we’ll be on screen again in a moment,’ said Hämäläinen, looking down at the questions he was going to ask Kapanen. One after another. He wouldn’t leave out any of them.
Tuula watched him for a little while longer. He could feel her watching, but he kept his head bent over the questions, and Tuula, weak at the knees, disappeared into the dazzling light. The voice in his ear was counting down the seconds.