We almost ran into a funeral bus with the lights off. In the darkness it looked like a black hole in the trees. Looks like it was empty. The engine had cooled down, and the hatch to the Luggage compartment, into which a stretcher or coffin was usually pushed, was open for some reason... Why? Had Rosenthal stuffed a body in there beforehand to bury in the cemetery at night? If so, why would he do it, wouldn't it have been easier to do it during the day?
- Now that we had found the empty hearse, the search for Rosenthal himself presented an almost insoluble problem. It's a good thing he didn't see us and run away, but how are we going to find him here in the dark? We stood for a while near the bus. When suddenly…
"Hear that?"
There was a noise to the right of the path, and then a little cry-it was a long way off, and we could hear no more. Trying not to bump into trees and graves, the three of us began to make our way in that direction, but at that moment there was a terrible cry from the darkness. The man looked like he was dying. The scream became a growl... then a gurgling ... then a wheeze. A little later we heard a low moan, and then silence. The landmark was lost.
For twenty minutes we groped in the darkness with our lanterns. Finally, under the beam flashed a pile of freshly dug earth ... lying Next to two bodies. The pale woman in the dark clothes, pulled up and torn here and there, looked somehow strange... Frozen expression, closed eyes.
A man was lying on the body of a woman, his trousers were pulled down. The woman's head was bleeding on her dress, and he, too, was motionless. When we came closer and the guard shone a flashlight in the face of the upper corpse, Valery whistled:
It's Rosenthal.…
* * *
Rosenthal was hacked to death with his own shovel. The watchman, without changing a habit, again called cops, and we stayed on a devil's cemetery till the morning. We returned home angry and sleepy, and the only result of the night party was a cassette with views of the cemetery and a raped corpse.
Wishing Valerka not to see in a dream what was in reality, I returned to myself, two hours basked in the shower, and then, almost falling asleep, called the client to please that it was too late to take revenge on the blackmailer. Ivanov listened attentively to me, although he seemed to be hung over.
- I thought I'd get to him." Who killed him?
– Still unknown.
- - But this... on me OK cram down can? Type for what it was.
– Can.
- - That would be a setup. If I really were his…
"Isn't that you?"
- – No. I wanted to, but... but I couldn't.
– Offensively. What are we going to do?"
- "Well, it's... don't talk about me. And find out, if you get the chance, whose job it is. I owe you.
– Arranged.
* * *
When I awoke it was almost dark. I made myself a Cup of coffee, took a cigar, and went out on the balcony.
A soft twilight was falling over the Gay village. The frosty air shimmered with street lights and the red lights of cars passing through the trees; in the sky flashed the signal of an invisible plane in the darkness.
Where in this history so much corpses? I thought, flicking the ash down. "Rosenthal's death shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Strange, rather, that he had lived so long: who for him only not bed very. But it is unclear all -??? he died. Shouted in darkness two times. The second time-probably after the fatal blow with a shovel. But there was the first cry, much quieter, frightened, and as if surprised…
What did the man who shouted see? And that means the open hatch of the bus? What could Rosenthal be taking to the cemetery? I noticed at the Bureau that he had taken the shovel with him into the cab, and he had nothing else in his hands, the bus was almost under the lamp... although the back of it, which is the hatch, was then in the shade. Was that the cause of Rosenthal's death? It was obviously not the first time he had ridden through graveyards at night, and so far all had gone well. Had Rosenthal really gone there at night to use, if anything, the undertaker's papers and a "special" bus to bury someone's body? I don't think so... Although hiding corpses after, say, murders is probably a good business, too. It is known that there is no corpse – there is no criminal case. Such services should be in demand.
At this moment I again for some reason remembered the words of grandfather Ilya. A spirit that has been seen in the local cemetery behind Rosenthal?…
Of course, now, on the balcony of his apartment, the Ghost is hard to believe. Especially in the Ghost that kills with a shovel... But last night, at the cemetery, it fits well into the overall picture.
If you knew how it really was... now Rosenthal's murder can be pinned on anyone if you want.
Ivanov could have hit him on the head with a shovel, he had been ready for this for a long time. But even so, how could he have known where to look for him when we ourselves, who had been watching Rosenthal for hours, only found out at the last moment where he was going?... Maybe something happened in the period of time when he broke away from us? We've been talking to the janitor for a while, and it's a lot quicker to get to the murder scene on the bus than on foot.... Told same the janitor, that necrophiles, the case, come on deal the two of. So dig faster, and more fun, I guess. Although group sex is not for everybody.