Pittsburgh, March 29, 1975

 

Yuri wasted no time in Pittsburgh. After checking into a hotel, he took a taxi to the scene of the four dead KGB officers and the Mellon Bank. The bank was open and he went inside to visualize how it all went down.

A skilled KGB officer like Kalin could have planned and pulled off the looting of the box and the killing of the four officers. In the scenario I believe is true, Kalin had no choice. Once the KGB watcher inside the bank was tipped off by the paid attendant, he would immediately hurry outside to alert the waiting team. Kalin had seen the parked car with the engine running and had to stop them from getting into action. He must have gained control of the watcher as soon as he left the bank and used him as cover approaching the car with the windows iced or steamed up. The men inside had no chance.

Kalin’s wife, carrying the baby and the loot from the box, would have been out of the bank by then. Kalin’s car, the station wagon, must have been nearby but out of sight from the bank or the parked KGB car. With weather conditions like they were, it would be useless to try to find anyone who had seen the car. I have to put myself inside my old friend’s head. Two kids, probably tired and hungry. Four dead men behind him, as yet undiscovered. He had to get out of the area. So far, everyone believes Kalin headed back to an area of the country he knew. They think he probably has a hiding place there ready for the Kalin family.

But they do not know him. Kalin has one of the best operational minds I have ever come across. He would know how his hunters thought and do just the opposite. He would have gone east to lose himself in the vast populated areas of America’s east coast. New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Richmond, or Miami. He also needed to change cars and aliases again.

There is also another bank with a safety deposit box full of KGB funds in Washington, D.C., but I believe Kalin is done with the banks. He has enough and knows the risk to hit another bank could not be justified. So his main concern now is hiding and breaking whatever chain of clues he believes he left behind. He wouldn’t have traveled more than two or three hours after leaving the bank before changing cars and aliases. They would also need a rest. I’m glad he has two very young kids and a wife with him. Without those burdens we would never catch him. The family gives us a chance.

I’m sure he stopped and changed cars and aliases within three hours east of this bank. If he thought it was safe or necessary, he may still be hiding out in the same area. Tomorrow I’ll assign my teams to go east 35 miles and start showing the pictures at car sales lots, motels, fast food restaurants right along the highway. I’m gambling that he will avoid the turnpike. Too easy to check traffic and limited exits. He would have chosen Route 30 East. There are thousands of places to leave the highway and travel in any direction. Tomorrow or the next day we will find his trail.