red moscow

Chapter 3146 Clues (Part 1)

Zhivagin stepped forward and opened the door, then returned to push Sokov's wheelchair into the spacious and simply furnished office inside. Sokov's first noticeable feature was a long conference table placed vertically in the center of the room, with a desk placed horizontally at the far end, forming a clear "T" shape with the conference table, creating a neat and formal appearance.

Behind the desk sat an officer in his forties, wearing the epaulets of a major general. Upon seeing Sokov enter the room, he immediately got up from behind the desk, walked quickly to the wheelchair, and raised his hand to salute Sokov.

“General Butko!” Sokov quickly raised his hand to stop him, a gentle smile on his face, and explained, “I’m not wearing a uniform today, so you don’t need to salute me. Let’s just shake hands.” As he spoke, he extended his right hand to the other man, his fingers slightly bent, showing a friendly gesture.

Butko reached out and shook Sokov's hand vigorously twice before saying in a polite and respectful tone, "Comrade Deputy Commander, I am Major General Butko, Director of the Odessa Internal Affairs Department. Welcome to our office." His eyes held a hint of admiration, as if he were already familiar with Sokov's deeds.

After releasing Sokov's hand, Butko took control of the wheelchair from Zhivagin and gently pushed it to an empty seat next to the conference table, making sure it was stable. Then, he leaned slightly forward and tentatively asked, "Comrade Deputy Commander, would you like tea or coffee? We have some simple drinks available here."

"Coffee, please." Sokov had barely finished speaking when he realized he hadn't been clear enough, so he quickly added, "No black coffee, just regular coffee will do." He knew very well that people in the army often preferred strong black coffee, especially the kind without sugar, but he had never been used to that bitter taste, so he wanted to let them know in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.

Butko nodded, then turned to Zhivagin with an understanding expression and ordered, "Did you hear that, Captain? Go quickly and pour the deputy commander a cup of coffee. Remember to add sugar and milk, according to the deputy commander's preferences." His voice was gentle but carried a commanding tone.

"Yes, Director." Zhivagin replied, turned around and quickly walked out of the office, the door closing gently, leaving a brief silence.

After Zhivagin left, Butko sat down in an empty seat next to Sokov, leaning slightly forward and smiling, saying, "Comrade Deputy Commander, although this is our first meeting, I have long admired you. Your achievements and leadership style are widely known within our ranks." His tone was filled with genuine appreciation.

Sokov thought the other man was just being polite and was about to respond modestly when Butko suddenly said, "You may not know this, but I was one of General Lunev's old subordinates, and you were his partner. In other words, although we don't have a direct subordinate relationship, because of General Lunev, I'm also considered your subordinate." These words conveyed a sense of warm connection, instantly eliminating the awkwardness between the two, bridging the gap between them, making the atmosphere in the room more relaxed, and increasing mutual trust.

Sokov asked tentatively, "General Butko, I think you agreed to Marshal Zhukov's proposal to let me assist you in solving that assassination case because of Lunev?"

“That’s right.” Butko answered readily, leaning slightly forward with his hands crossed on the table, his tone clear and frank: “Although Marshal Zhukov is the commander of the Odessa Military District, our Ministry of Internal Affairs and the army are two separate systems. We are under the leadership of Comrade Beria, and Marshal Zhukov’s orders don’t carry much weight here.” He paused briefly, his gaze lingering on Sokov’s face as if observing his reaction, before continuing, “If Comrade Lunev hadn’t given prior instructions, this matter probably wouldn’t have progressed so easily.”

Sokov was filled with mixed emotions upon hearing this. He had originally assumed that Zhukov's word was law in Odessa, but he hadn't expected the Ministry of Internal Affairs to be so self-contained, completely outside the control of the military district. He secretly thought that if it weren't for Lunev's influence, Zhukov's request might have been rejected outright. If that had happened, it would not only have affected the investigation's progress but also directly damaged Zhukov's prestige in the region. Thinking of this, Sokov felt a surge of relief and gained a deeper understanding of Lunev's influence.

Realizing the urgency of his mission, Sokov decided to cut to the chase. He straightened his posture and went straight to the point: "General Butko, you surely know why I'm here, so I won't repeat it. Can you show me Lieutenant Sutulova's statement now?"

“Yes, of course.” Butko said, standing up and walking steadily to his desk. He picked up a gray folder from the desk, quickly returned, and handed it to Sokov: “Comrade Deputy Commander, this is Lieutenant Sutulova’s interrogation record. She has been interrogated several times, but so far we have obtained limited information. Please take a look and see if you can find any clues we have missed.”

Sokov took the folder and carefully read through it. The contents were indeed sparse; the handwriting was clear, but the information was limited, mainly recording Sutulova's basic timeline of actions and a few routine answers, without mentioning any key events. He quickly finished reading, looked up, and asked Butko with a hint of doubt, "General Butko, is this all the testimony you have?"

“Yes, that’s all for now.” Butko shrugged slightly, his expression a little helpless. “She keeps saying she can’t remember the details very well, and we haven’t put any further pressure on her, after all, she’s one of our MI6 staff. Do you think we should call her over so you can question her in person?” Sokov nodded without hesitation: “You can’t get any real information from the text. If I can talk to her in person, maybe I can glean some emotional or detailed clues.”

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door, and Major Zhivagin entered carrying two cups of hot coffee. Butko immediately instructed, "Major, perfect timing—go and bring Lieutenant Sutulova here. The Deputy Commander has some questions for her to ask in person."

"Yes, Director!" Rivakin replied crisply, put down his coffee, and quickly turned to leave.

A few minutes later, the office door opened again. Major Zhivagin entered first, followed by a young female officer. Her steps were steady, her uniform was neat, and her gaze was lowered yet maintained a soldierly bearing.

Zhivagin reported, "Comrade Chief, I've brought Lieutenant Sutulova with me!"

Sutulova stepped forward, raised her hand in salute, and said in a clear and restrained voice, "Comrade Chief, Lieutenant Sutulova has come here on orders. I await your command. Please give me your instructions!"

Butko returned the salute, then turned to Sokov and formally introduced him: "Lieutenant, this is General Sokov, the newly appointed deputy commander of the Odessa Military District. He has some questions for you."

Suturova turned her head to look at Sokov, who was sitting beside her in civilian clothes. A hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but she quickly raised her hand in salute: "Hello, Deputy Commander! Lieutenant Suturova awaits your instructions. Please feel free to ask me any questions."

Sokov didn't speak, first carefully observing her. She looked very young, with a pretty face and large, bright eyes, yet her expression betrayed an undeniable tension. Her military uniform was buttoned up tightly, the collar crisp, and she didn't appear to have been mistreated, but her mind was clearly highly strained. Sokov, wanting to ease the tension, forced a smile and spoke in a gentler tone:
"Relax, Lieutenant Sutulova. I've read your statement, but it's limited and doesn't offer any useful clues. That's why I asked you to come over and have a brief chat with you."

"Please ask," she replied softly, her hands unconsciously clenching together.

Sokov leaned forward slightly and said in a still gentle tone, "Then let's start with the most basic timeline—can you tell me what you did after you left the Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday until Major Sofia's accident?"

Sutulova repeated what had happened the day before to Sokov. Sokov listened with some disappointment; her account, like the statements in the interrogation record, offered no useful clues whatsoever.

Sokov picked up the folder on the table again and casually flipped through the statements inside, but he didn't really understand anything. He tossed the folder back onto the table and asked casually, "Since you were out shopping, you must have gone into a lot of clothing stores. Did you discuss what clothes are most popular this year?"

Upon hearing Sokov's question, Sutulova was taken aback at first, then seemed to remember something: "Comrade Deputy Commander, now that you mention it, I'm reminded of something, and I wonder if it's related to Sofia's murder."

Sokov, who had already given up all hope, felt a glimmer of hope when he heard Sutulova's words. He immediately sat up straight and asked, "What is it? Tell me quickly."

(End of this chapter)