The outstanding Soviet and Russian intelligence officer, master of political adventures and transformations, Valentin Rakitsky, was killed in his apartment. He once worked abroad with the current president of Russia. During the investigation of this outrageous crime, led by the investigator of the General Prosecutor's Office, Turetsky, a wide range of interests of Rakitsky is revealed: he was an outstanding financier, well versed in painting and amassed a decent collection, and recently even became interested in literary creativity. No one knows which of these directions will be fruitful for the investigation, except... the killer.