A new crimeThe Central Bank towered in front of me, a massive building with armored glass, austere facade lines, and an aura of inaccessibility. I looked around the facade: the cameras on the corners were no longer transmitting a signal, the alarm system had been disabled last night, and the security system obediently obeyed my laptop with a pre-prepared script. Victor stayed outside to monitor the situation and be prepared for any eventuality.Everything was quiet inside. The guards, alerted by a fake alarm in another wing of the building, went there to check. I walked unhindered to the vault — the door opened after entering the code, which I found out through an insider at the bank.There was a sterile silence in the vault. I quickly looked through the cells, selected the right boxes of valuables and put them in a compact case. Then she took out a prepared note and put it on the manager's desk: "You thought money was power. But the power lies in information." Under it, she carefully placed a piece of paper with a new riddle: "The more you give, the richer you become."A few hours later, an investigative team was already working at the site. Orlov methodically studied every detail: footprints on the floor, prints on the door handle, the position of objects in the room. I stood a little apart, pretending to analyze the situation.—Interesting,— Maxim muttered, examining the note. — Why does he leave hints? What does it mean?— Maybe he wants to be caught? I suggested, trying to sound neutral.Orlov shook his head and ran his finger along the lines of the note.:- no. He wants us to play by his rules. Do you feel this challenge? He's provoking us.Elena came closer, squinted, reading the text of the riddle.:— These riddles They're too personal. It's like the criminal is trying to tell us something directly."Or just one person,— I added softly, looking directly at Orlov.He looked up sharply.:"What do you mean?""Maybe he has a specific opponent,— I continued calmly. — The one to whom these messages are addressed. Someone he's playing his game with.Orlov thought about it, tapped his chin with his fingers, then nodded. But who?I shrugged, hiding a smile. He didn't know yet that the opponent was right in front of him. And that the next mystery was already waiting for him—more complex, more personal, more dangerous. A plan for the next move was already forming in my head. The game was just beginning.

Chapter 7

Deliberate evidence

Orlov methodically examined the bank's vault, moving from one detail to another with his usual meticulousness. He paused at the safe, carefully examining the lock, then slowly ran his hand over the surface of the manager's desk.

"Look," he called to Elena, pointing to a barely noticeable footprint on the dusty floor. "There's something here. It looks like part of the sole pattern... but it's too blurry.

Elena came closer, squinted:

— Maybe it's just dirt?

— No, — Orlov ran his finger along the contour. "It's an imprint. Someone tried to erase it, but not completely.

I stood a little apart, watching them work with the air of an interested analyst. Inside, I could barely contain a smile: it was this mark that I had intentionally left—noticeable enough to attract attention, but too obscure to give a real clue.

The crack on the wall, which I left intentionally to make it look like the result of a break-in, also did not escape Orlov's attention. He went over to her and took out a magnifying glass.

"It's a strange mark,— he muttered. — It doesn't look like a natural injury.

"Do you think this is part of the plan?" Elena asked.

"Maybe." The criminal could have left a mark... — Orlov suddenly froze, turned his head slightly, sniffed. "Do you feel it?"

- what? Elena did not understand.

— The smell is... subtle, barely perceptible. Jasmine and bergamot?

My heart skipped a beat—he caught the scent of perfume. But it was part of my plan. I specifically chose this perfume, which is rare and memorable, but not so bright as to arouse immediate suspicion.

—Yes,— I replied calmly, coming closer. — It really looks like perfume. Perhaps someone from the bank's staff used them?

— Hardly, — Orlov straightened up, his gaze became thoughtful. — There are rarely visitors in the vault. And this smell... it's too specific.

He took a few steps, following the scent, and stopped near the safe. He bent down and peered at the corner.

He carefully picked up a small piece of cloth. — Woolen.

Elena looked at the thread in surprise, then at me.:

"I wonder who it might belong to?"

"Probably a criminal,— I shrugged. — Maybe he got caught when he was working with the safe. Or it's just an accident — someone could have passed through here earlier.

Orlov thoughtfully twirled the thread in his fingers:

— Accidents in such cases are rare. But for now, this is just one more piece of evidence among others.

"I agree,— I said. — Every detail is important, but you can't draw conclusions based on a single thread and a smell. We need to collect more data.

He nodded, turning his attention back to the other evidence. I exhaled imperceptibly—until Orlov suspected me. He analyzed the facts, looked for connections, but did not see my figure behind them.

—Anna," Orlov said to me, "take a look at these scratches on the box. They seem strange to me. It was as if someone had tried to pick the lock in another way.

— Indeed, — I came closer, bent over the box. — Do you see the tracks are not symmetrical? This is not a standard lockpicking job.

"So the criminal used some kind of unusual tool,— Orlov said. — Or he had a special purpose — not just to open the safe, but to leave some kind of sign.

I ran my finger thoughtfully over the scratches. — What if it's part of some kind of system? For example, a code or a message?

Elena chuckled skeptically

, "You're making it too complicated." Maybe the tool just slipped?

"There are no small things in such matters," Orlov objected. — Every detail can be crucial.

While they were arguing, I surreptitiously looked around. Everything was going according to plan: Orlov found the evidence that I had left, but did not connect them to me. The scent of perfume and the scarf thread were supposed to create the illusion of a criminal's presence, but not give me away.

Great, I thought. "He noticed the evidence, but he didn't connect it to me. This is exactly how an ideal trap should work: to attract attention, but not to betray the creator."— Maxim, — I turned to him, — look here. There are barely noticeable scratches on this drawer. Perhaps they were left when trying to open the lock in another way?Orlov turned around, his eyes lit up with interest:"Show me."He came over and bent over the box, forgetting about the smell and the thread for a while. The game continued. My evidence worked as it should—it distracted, confused, and misdirected the investigation. Orlov was following the trail that I had left for him, not even suspecting that the hunter and prey had switched places.My phone vibrated in my pocket—a short message from Victor: "Transport is ready. Wait 20 minutes." I surreptitiously checked the screen, smiled to myself. The plan went like clockwork. A little more and I'll disappear, leaving Orlov alone with my riddles.—By the way," I said casually, "what about the note?" "The more you give, the richer you become." Maybe this is the key to understanding the criminal's motives?"Perhaps,— Orlov said thoughtfully. — But so far I don't see a connection between words and actions.— And if the criminal believes that he is stealing knowledge, not money? I suggested. — What if it's an intellectual competition for him?— An interesting thought, — Orlov looked at me for the first time with sincere interest. "Do you think he's playing with us?""Isn't it obvious?" I smiled. — All these riddles, clues He's clearly enjoying the process.Orlov nodded, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Elena was studying other details. I quietly moved to the window, looking out at the street. Victor was waiting there somewhere. Somewhere out there, the next part of the game was waiting.One more step, I thought, and I'll be out of reach. And Orlov will remain with unanswered questions.""You know, Anna," he said suddenly, without looking up from his work, "I've come up with something.My heart stopped for a moment, my pulse quickened, thudding in my temples. But I kept my cool, my years—honed mask of professionalism never wavered for a second. Not a single muscle on my face betrayed my inner tension."And what's that?" My voice sounded flat, almost indifferent, as if this topic didn't arouse the slightest interest in me. I tilted my head slightly, feigning polite curiosity."The criminal is a woman,— Orlov said confidently, finally looking up from his inspection of the safe and straightening up. He looked me straight in the eye, and for a split second I was afraid he was seeing right through me. But no, there was only fascination with his own theory in his gaze, the excitement of a hunter who had found a trail. — Everything fits: the subtle scent of perfume, the thread from the scarf, the neatness in the work. A man would hardly think through every detail so carefully. And the method of entry is... too elegant for brute force.I could barely contain my sigh of relief. He guessed, but not about what was needed. His suspicion did not concern me—he was looking for some other woman, an invisible rival, whose image was already forming in his analytical mind. In his eyes, she was a mystery, a challenge, an intellectual opponent."A woman?" I feigned surprise, slightly raising my eyebrows and slightly widening my eyes. — Indeed, this explains a lot. But how are we going to find her? There are thousands of women in the city with similar perfumes. And many people wear scarves. Besides, if she's that smart, she's probably thought of ways to disguise herself—changed her perfume, got rid of her scarf.Orlov grinned, rubbed his chin, his gaze became distracted — he was already mentally sorting through possible options, building logical chains."We're going to look for someone who has hacking skills," he said. — And who is interested in intellectual games. She's probably already been involved in other cases—we need to check the archives, study unsolved robberies in recent years. Perhaps we will find similar handwriting, repetitive elements.He took a few steps around the room, as if building a logical chain in his head, then abruptly stopped at the window, looking out at the street."Imagine," he continued, "a woman with a high IQ who knows how to calculate her moves in advance. She doesn't just steal, she plays. It leaves hints and provokes us to search. It's not just a crime, it's a challenge. She enjoys our confusion, rejoices when we are on the wrong track.At that moment, Elena shouted from the ventilation grate:— There's nothing here! No signs of intrusion. Everything is clean, the grille is intact. Not even the dust is disturbed."So our way lies to the archives," Orlov summed up, turning to me. — Anna, help me collect all the evidence. We have a lot of work ahead of us: to study old cases, find patterns, and create a psychological profile. You need to understand her motivation, logic, and way of thinking.While we were packing up the finds—a thread, a piece of glass, photographs of scratches and cracks on the wall—I smiled imperceptibly. He was on the wrong track — he was looking for a mysterious female thief, while the real criminal stood by and helped him with the investigation. The game was getting more interesting."Let him look for his ghost thief,— I thought. "Meanwhile, I'll prepare the next move." He doesn't even know that all this evidence is part of my strategy. The smell of perfume? A specially selected fragrance that is sold in three stores in the city, but is rarely bought — I checked the sales statistics. A scarf thread? I bought this scarf yesterday morning to leave this particular clue. Even a crack on the wall is not an accident, but a carefully thought—out element located at an angle that points... not at all where he thinks.""Maxim," I said to him as we put the evidence in the box, "what if this woman was already in the police's field of vision?" Maybe she was once a witness or a suspect in another case? Or did I use someone else's documents?the subsequent move of my flawless game. The game was just beginning, and I was sure that the victory would be mine.Orlov froze, considering my words, then his eyes lit up:"An interesting train of thought," he nodded. — Yes, it is possible. It is necessary to check not only unsolved cases, but also those where the suspect has not been found. Or where the case was closed for lack of evidence. Perhaps she tested her methods gradually — first small-scale thefts, then on a larger scale.

"And also," I added, "maybe she uses pseudonyms or changes her appearance." A woman can easily transform into a wig, makeup, and other clothes. This complicates the search, but it gives us a clue: it's worth checking out beauty salons, wig shops, and makeup studios. Perhaps someone remembered the unusual client.

"That's right,— Orlov looked at me with renewed interest. "You're good at these things." Where did you get this knowledge from?

I tensed up internally, but outwardly I remained calm.

"Just logic,— she shrugged. — I'm an analyst. My job is to see what is hidden from others. To look for patterns where others see chaos.

He nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer, and returned to packing the evidence.

Elena came up to us, wiping her hands with a napkin.

Where are we going? What are your instructions?

"To the archives,— Orlov repeated. — We need to bring up all the cases for the last five years. Special attention is paid to robberies with an unconventional approach, where the criminal left some signs or riddles. Let's make a crime map, put dots on it, and perhaps identify an activity zone. And we'll start interviewing witnesses to those cases, in case someone remembers a woman who fits our portrait.

I nodded, hiding a smile. Let them search. Let them spend their time painting a portrait of a non-existent thief. In the meantime, I will prepare a new stage of my game — even more sophisticated, even more confusing.

"Soon," I thought, "you will understand, Maxim, that all your theories are just a reflection of my will. You're looking for a mystery woman, and you'll find... perhaps something completely different. You think you've figured out half a step, but you've actually taken a step into the abyss that I've prepared for you."

We left the vault, leaving the crime scene behind us. The sun was already setting, turning the city golden and crimson. Somewhere out there, in the shadows of the alleys, Victor was waiting.