Odessa in the late 60s - early 70s... Abram Barabash, the last Jew to work in the USSR state security system, is fired from the Regional Directorate of the KGB. The plot develops in the form of conversations between Abram Barabash and his son. In them, he talks about the peculiarities of the work of the Soviet state security agencies, their methods of work and cases from investigative practice. Interesting thoughts about the reign of I. Stalin. Impressions about Lavrenty Beria, Viktor Abakumov, Naftali Frenkel, whom the main character knew personally, are vividly presented. However, a special place in the story is occupied not by memories and reasoning, but by the investigation of the murder of Mikhail Axelman, the son of very famous people in Odessa, close friends of the Barabash family. No longer working in the state security system, Abram Barabash conducts his own investigation of this crime and gets on the trail of the killers. During the investigation, the KGB lieutenant colonel becomes convinced that high patrons are behind them. Why someone gave the order to liquidate M. Axelman, you and I are about to find out... And, of course, Odessa and Odessa residents....