checking room by room as Captain Valeyev had taught him.
«These rules are written with the blood of our friends,» Valeyev had pounded into the novice operative’s head. «The most likely cause of a police officer’s death in a building is a shooter hiding behind and open door. You walk into a room and he’s behind you. You may as well be in the palm of his hand. Only slightly less dangerous is when the shooter presses up along the latch-side wall. You’ll see him, of course, but he’s already got you in his sights. A door is a dangerous object in general – it can be used to deliver a blow or knock a person off his feet. For these reasons, your tactical approach should be as follows: Dash through a doorway quickly and, as you pass the threshold, check the latch-side wall and then whether anyone’s hiding behind the door itself. Keep your service weapon in your right hand and steady it with your left. Keep your hands at eyelevel and crooked slightly at the elbows. Keep your barrel pointed where your eyes are looking so that you don’t waste valuable time aiming. You may never get that extra second.»
Valeyev hadn’t mentioned the blood of friends just for dramatic effect. Vanya knew that at his previous post, the captain’s partner, Nikita Dobrokhotov, had perished during an attempt to arrest a terrorist. Word had it that it was Valeyev’s bullet that killed Dobrokhotov. There were even certain colleagues who would whisper in Mayorov’s ear: «Better be careful when you’re out there with him.» Vanya ignored such vile advice. He had learned a lot from the experienced captain.
Previously, whenever they would examine a building together, they would take turns moving. One would cover, while the second moved forward, hunching under the line of fire. When the second reached his firing position, the first would move, past him and onward, hunched in the same manner. If an antagonist appeared, the covering operative would fire, since the one moving might not even have seen him.
At the moment however, Vanya was acting on his own. Following Valeyev’s instructions to the word, he combed all the rooms of the house’s two floors. There was no one there. With his free hand, Vanya wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then who had stabbed the captain?
The sharp crack of a slap resounded from below, cutting off the woman’s shriek. Mayorov dashed down the creaky stairs. Valeyev stood facing the woman who had covered her cheek with one hand.
«Is there anyone else in the house?» the captain asked his partner.
«It’s empty.» Vanya was trying to get a look at the wound on Marat’s chest.
«Zapped me with a stun gun,» Valeyev explained and kicked a little box with sharp protrusions lying on the ground. He looked sternly at the terrified woman. «Documents!»
«Who are you?» the woman glanced nervously at the gun in Mayorov’s hand.
«Police. I’m Captain Valeyev. Vanya, put the piece away. Is this your house?»
«Yes it is.» The woman’s spirits lifted somewhat. «What are you doing stomping around my yard? Why’d you break into my house?»
«Documents, please.»
«Why? What’s the matter, captain? What right do you have to burst into my house?»
«She’s blonde,» Vanya nodded to Marat. «Bleached blonde.»
«What business is it of yours?» the woman asked offended.
«We’re just doing a check,» the captain assuaged her. «Will you show me your passport or would you like to accompany us to the precinct for identification?»
The woman snorted, disappeared into the house, returned and slapped the passport into the operative’s hand.
«Oksana Drozdova,» read Valeyev, confirming that the living, breathing blonde, whose corpse he had been ordered to find, was in fact standing right there before him. «Did you hear any gunshots last night?»
«What gunshots? Are there gangsters in the township?»
«Calm down, there aren’t any gangsters. Does the car in the yard belong to you?»
«Yes, it’s mine. Would you like to see the Volvo’s passport too?»
«Did you drive home last night in that car?»
«And how else am I supposed to get home?»
«Did you see anything out of the ordinary?»
«I didn’t see any gangsters, but that didn’t make my life any easier: My gates haven’t worked right in a week. The repairmen took the control unit and are taking forever to fix it. I’m sick and tired of opening and closing them by hand. Broke a heel last night. Just look at this – I just got these boots too. And of course, I fell as a result and scraped my knee. Anyway, does all that count as out of the ordinary?»
«Why didn’t you go in to work today?»
«Am I allowed to be sick? I even called the doctor to get documentation for my sick day. Left the gates open for him, but he never showed up. No one wants to do their job! I’ll have to go in to the clinic tomorrow.»
«And what’s wrong with your cell phone?»
«Why, it fell out and broke when I fell. These cobblestones are unforgiving. I barely managed to call the clinic this morning with it – all the buttons keep falling out. Say, you couldn’t take a look at it, could you?»
«I’m not a technician. What about your landline?»
«What do I need that for? Cell phone service is cheaper and more convenient around here.»
Valeyev decided to say farewell to the riled young lady. He had fulfilled his assignment and found the blonde. That Maltseva sure had come up with some tall tales. Though the better question was how in the hell Lena had fallen for her gibberish.
Just in case, Marat asked:
«Tell me, Oksana, are you familiar with an Inna Maltseva?»
A shadow flashed across the young woman’s face.
«No, I’ve never even seen her.»
«But you know her?»
Drozdova turned to face her closet mirror and began making a show of examining her cheek: Was there some visible vestige of the slap the police captain had given her – the one that had so ungraciously brought her out of her fit?
«What’s your name? Captain Valeyev? You may expect an official complaint for battery. Hitting a defenseless woman with a fist! You’ll regret that! Just wait and see what I’ll write about you!»
Instead of replying to this, Valeyev squatted and delicately slipped the stun gun into a plastic bag.
«This evidence will be submitted along with a report about an assault against a police officer. I’ll also make sure to attach a medical report detailing the dermal burns suffered as a result of electric shock. In the meantime, you, Ms. Drozdova, may expect a summons from the detective in Moscow tomorrow.»
«What detective? Why?»
«Do you know who Inna Maltseva is or not?»
«Well, I am aware of someone by that name. But I’ve never even seen her. I know her husband, Dmitry Maltsev – from work. He frequently bids on repair projects in the housing sector. My department processes his tenders. That’s all I know though!»
«And has he ever mention his wife to you? During your work together, of course.»
Drozdova adjusted her hair and smiled cruelly.
«We women are a curious bunch – especially those of us who are single. For example, you, captain, are not married. And neither is your partner. You know how I can tell? It’s not just because you aren’t wearing a ring. Your collar is greasy and you have no one to let you know about it or even wash it in time. And yet, my dear officers, I find you completely uninteresting. You can go to the department stores to pick up your sales girls. I’m sure they’ll find your salaries