– My name is Alexey Sergeyevich Martynov, about those swamps of yours…
– Ah… – the man didn’t let him finish. – Oh, sorry, – he quickly corrected himself.
– No worries, go on, – Alexey nodded to him in agreement.
– I am Vladimir Vladimirovich, head of the local administration… There was an unpleasant story there… But you'd better talk to the locals. I only know bits and pieces from rumors.
– What was the forestry business about? – Alexey asked with interest.
– There was something like that, the Moscow region was expanding, and back then there was more forest here. There were foresters, they guarded the area. When capitalism kicked in and construction began, that position was gradually eliminated.
– Who worked there? I’d like to take a look at the records.
– Just a moment, – Vladimir Vladimirovich pressed a few buttons and mumbled an order to fetch the documents from the archive. While waiting for the secretary, they exchanged a few polite sentences on unrelated topics, had another cup of coffee, and then there was a knock on the door.
– Yes… Lidochka, come in.
The secretary entered and handed over the documents. Vladimir Vladimirovich took the heavy folder and flipped through a few pages. The secretary left.
– Aha, – he said, – here’s 1981, – he turned a few more pages, his expression becoming more serious, and he pressed the buttons again and shouted,
– Lida! Come in, quickly!
The secretary appeared again.
– What is this?!
She hurried over, looking at the folder in surprise.
– I don’t know… I – she began gesticulating nervously – Vladimir Vladimirovich… you know I… – she was getting more and more upset.
– What’s going on? Tell me, – said Alexey, standing up. The folder was handed to him. Everything indicated that the forester's photograph and his personal details had been removed.
– Who was the last person to access the archive? – Alexey asked.
– No one, it’s been untouched for ages, – the secretary tried to defend herself, waving her hands and wiping tears from her face with the same hands.
– Lida! – the boss slammed his palm on the table.
– I’m telling you, – the secretary yelled in frustration – no one!
– You… sit down. Calm down. No one’s blaming you. Just think, who has access to it? – Alexey reassured her and sat her down next to him, nodding to the boss as if to say, "Enough, stop."