Looks like I, Viola Tarakanova—widely known as writer Arina Violova—got really caught up in something! Just imagine: I’m accused of murdering lawyer Nikolai Lityagin! I only hoped to snag from him a cool plot for my new detective story—so how did that end? Turns out I ended up with Lityagin’s laptop and the most important piece of evidence that can clear the innocent and lock up the real maniac. Every year, on the same day, he strangles an “easy-going” person with the same blue scarves. Now I’m waiting for the villain to bite on the “bait”—yes, me, my beloved—and give himself away. And meanwhile, I’m getting used to my new job as a buyer-provocateur: I walk around retail outlets and skillfully drive the salespeople into a rage. Tremble, boutiques!