The Fourth Echelon

In an apartment on Zachatyevsky Lane in Moscow, the body of the apartment’s owner—Ilia Iosifovich Sudin—was found. The cause of death was gas poisoning. During an inspection of the crime scene, under the windowsill, in a deep hidden compartment, the detectives discovered bundles of money, a yellow metal that looked like gold, and twelve boxes containing morphine ampoules. A rather unusual find, considering that the apartment was occupied by a disabled laborer living alone, who worked as an authorized representative of the Directorate for collective farm supplies of the Azerbaijan SSR—for food and manufacturing.

The crime wasn’t solved right away, and one of the most experienced MUR operatives, Lieutenant Colonel Danilov, is brought in to help with the investigation.