Artiom wasn’t even able to blink in answer.
“Did you come to Sekirka?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered hotly. “I was… At first I didn’t even know where you were, and I had no way of finding out… then I came, and that obnoxious pig…”
“With the bell?”
“The what? Oh, yes, he did have a bell on the table. The deputy direction of the division, named Sannikov… I had to return here, and…”
“Oh, I knew that. That you came… and that they would put me in the brass orchestra.”
“How? Did someone tell you?”
“No, no one… told me. Why don’t you have your own office?”
“It’s not important,” she said. “Later. I have to leave here, understand?” She was quiet. “Fiodor called,” she explained. “And he warned me that there will be an investigation… there’s a report and some documents about me… I can’t stay
