the beach. A final turn to the right, and there it was in the sweep of her headlamps, its once neat green wooden cladding, shutters, balcony and white-framed windows faded by neglect.

Kate got out of the car. The night was eerily still. She knocked once, but no lights flickered on, so she opened the door and slipped inside. The interior was damp and chilly. A moonbeam fell across the crowded bookshelves on the far wall.

'Sergei?'

There was no answer. She slid open the box of matches that lay beside the candle on the table and lit it. The dacha had never had electricity and nothing had changed.

She glanced about her. All along one wall there were pictures of Sergei in various ice-hockey teams, beside those of the St Petersburgof awareness of his procedural remedy. Moshenek testified, and the record confirms, that very shortly after his conviction and sentencing, he initiated pro se efforts to obtain his transcripts; the motions reference his intent to file for post-conviction relief. Moshenek testified that he had written to the State Public Defender about representation, and that he was advised that he must first file a pro se petition for post-conviction relief. Moshenek filed such a petition, and was then represented by either a deputy public defender or his current counsel from February of 1994 until filing the instant petition. Moshenek also testified that he had not filed any further pro se pleadings to show his desire to challenge the sentence because he knew that his being represented by counsel precluded