The corpse of a woman lay on the couch. A knife with a black plastic handle. Hands that held the handle. Beautiful hands. Were they trying to drive the knife deeper—or to pull it out of her chest? A ridiculous thought. Death came instantly. A brown stain on a blue dress around the blade was small. An amethyst ring on her little finger. Did she feel pain when the knife went into her heart? Or was the pain so intense and brief that she had no time to feel anything? A golden chain around her neck. What had she been thinking in the last minute of her life? Bare legs stretched out. The calm pose of a sleeping person. If only it weren’t for the knife… Shoes on the floor next to the couch…