Path to the Stars – 1. Night Visit

“She killed a man and doesn’t remember where.”

God, what’s going on, what murder? I got up from the floor on my own and sat down on a chair. The humiliation and physical pain were gone from the terrible words he had heard.

– What is murder, what are you, crazy?!

What I heard didn’t fit in my head. I was just stunned.

– We can refresh your memory.” You, along with others, in the area of the steam Turbine killed a woman.

The further you go, the worse it gets. Everything that was happening, the terrible accusation, made my head spin, and I didn’t know what to think, or in which direction to look for answers. After analyzing the actions of these people, I did not ask any more questions, I just became mute. I don’t think they’ll kill me, and in the morning everything will be clear. Sooner or later, it will all end.

I was taken to another office, where I was kept all night. The sangaa operative was making fun of me until morning. My silence irritated him, and he turned off the light in the office and shone the Desk lamp in my face, shouting at me not to close my eyes. He held a lighted lighter to his eyes. He took off my fur coat, but he opened the window after putting on his outer clothes. He sat down next to me, Smoking a cigarette and blowing smoke in my face. I didn’t want to believe what was happening, but it was happening to me, in Russia, not in any third-world country. I could see that he was fascinated by this bullying, and I didn’t know what he was capable of. He had to be stopped somehow, and I deceived him.

– I’m pregnant, and your bullying will lead to a miscarriage. Probably right now and here.

– There was no need to keep quiet about it. Okay, I’ll feel sorry for your child.

It was six o’clock in the morning. Sangaa took me to the temporary detention cell, which was located opposite the Department’s duty station.

The officer on duty put all the detained men in one cell, and put me in another. I was separated from the men by a grating. I turned to the men:

– Is there anyone who’s sure they’ll be free today?”

One of the Russians, pointing to a friend, said:

– We were detained with hashish. They won’t let us go, we have previous convictions.

The Tuva guy answered:

– They promised to let me go.”

The others were silent. I turned to the guy.

– What’s your name?”

– Rowdy.

“Buster, please call my house. Say: “Your wife is in the district police Department, accused of murder.”

– I don’t remember the phone number.”

The men began to dig in his pockets in search of something. I saw a matchbox. She slobbered on the matches and wrote her home phone number on the box.

A few minutes later, Sangaa came to fetch me. The duty officer asked him anxiously:

– I need to get it properly processed.”

“Okay, go ahead and get her details.”

In the office, Sangaa began to play the role of a kind investigator.

– Let’s talk quietly. All I have to do is take a statement from you about the circumstances under which Pavlova was killed. Maybe you didn’t participate personally, but your friends did. Here is a piece of paper, a pen, write. I won’t bother you.

He went out, locking the office door. Finally, there was some information.

Pavlova – who is she? If by name, then the woman is Russian. But among my friends and clients of the Agency, there is no woman with this name. Could it be Anya’s client?

I was the CEO of a real estate and tourism Agency. Recently, I have been fully engaged in creating and developing a project for active tourism in the Republic. The real estate Department was handled by Anya, the Agency’s lawyer. However, I was aware of all the transactions, so I don’t remember any clients with that last name. So I searched my thoughts, but found no answer. Meanwhile, Sangaa came in and sighed with regret or exasperation when he saw the blank sheet of paper. Looking at my watch, I noticed that I had been alone for almost an hour, and it seemed to me that only minutes had passed.

I was taken back to the holding cell. I see that there is no Brawler. Two Russian men who were detained with hashish said that he was released. I was hoping that you would find out where I was and come to my aid.

I was very tired, and my body told me that I hadn’t slept since yesterday morning. All I had to do was close my eyes and fall asleep. I don’t know if it was an intuition or an unknown force, but I woke up and the phone at the Desk rang. When he picked up the phone, I heard the sound of our home phone. The attendant answered:

– Yes, there is one, … detained,… I have no right… no.

The person on duty hung up the phone and called Sangaa.

– About the detainee, called, I confirmed, No… no.

A few minutes later Sangaa approaches the attendant and says:

– This means that I’m not here, I’m on the road.

Then the front door was heard to slam, and he left the building of the district Department. I waited for you and Vladimir Nikolaevich, your lawyer friend. How long the hands of the clock are moving. And now I hear Vladimir’s voice:

– Is the Kama detainee here?”

– Yes.

You’re shouting at me:

– Are you all right?”

– I’m alive, “I tell you. Meanwhile, Vladimir asks the attendant:

– Who detained you?” What article?

– It was delivered by a Sangaa operative, but I can’t say for what reason.

– I am the lawyer of the detainee, call me the Sangaa.

– He’s not here.

“Let me see the head of the Department.”

– He’s not here, either.

– I’m accused of murdering a Pavlova I don’t know.