Seven Elephants

© Igor Patanin, 2025

ISBN 978-5-0065-8529-4

Создано в интеллектуальной издательской системе Ridero

Chapter 1: Shattered Happiness

The blue glass elephant swayed in Elena Andreevna’s trembling fingers, catching and refracting the dim light of the office. Detective Anna Sviridova found herself admiring how blue flickers danced across the walls – as if pieces of sky had penetrated this room saturated with grief and fear.

«Sofi brought it from summer camp last year,» Elena Andreevna’s voice, hoarse from tears, broke the silence. «She said, „Mom, can you believe it? Just one more left. One more elephant – and we’ll have happiness.“ Someone had told her about the seven elephants…»

Anna glanced at her watch: 3:40 PM. Outside, a fine November drizzle was falling, turning the streets into mirrors reflecting the gray sky. Two weeks. It had been exactly two weeks since sixteen-year-old Sophia Velichko never made it to school.

«Tell me once more how that morning went,» Anna tried to speak gently, though everything inside her tightened at the realization that this woman would be reliving the worst day of her life for the tenth time.

Elena Andreevna slowly placed the elephant on the table. Its trunk pointed toward the door, as if showing a path to salvation that could no longer exist.

«I saw her off as usual. Sofi wore her new jacket – white, with a hood. I even thought: maybe it’s too light-colored for autumn? But she was so happy about that jacket… We hugged at the doorstep, and I wished her a good day. She smiled and said, „I love you, Mom.“ Just said it, for no reason…»

Elena Andreevna fell silent, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles on her skirt. Anna knew the hardest part was coming.

«At 7:38, I checked the app. We always tracked each other through a special mobile application; we had agreed to it after the threats began. Sofi wasn’t where… she wasn’t where she was supposed to be at all. I messaged her…»

«Through a messenger app?» Anna clarified, though she already knew the answer. She had read this detail in the reports dozens of times.

«Yes. I just asked, „Where are you?“ She replied, „In class.“ But I could see… I could see she was somewhere else. I called her homeroom teacher – Sofi wasn’t at school. She never skipped classes, never! And then… I immediately knew that what we had feared all this time had happened.»

Anna pulled a photograph from the folder: a gray Toyota Camry without license plates, captured by a surveillance camera at the intersection of Spring and School Streets. The timestamp on the image: 7:35.

«You mentioned that Viktor Mikhailovich sold his car a month ago?»

«Yes, a black BMW. He said business wasn’t going well, that he needed money. I thought it was strange at the time. He always claimed everything was excellent…»

Elena Andreevna suddenly froze, staring at the photograph. Her fingers reached for the elephant again but stopped halfway.

«That car… I’ve seen it before. Several times, near our house. I thought it belonged to one of the new neighbors…»

Anna made a note in her notebook. Another detail for the collection of evidence showing that Sophia’s abduction wasn’t a spontaneous decision.

«Tell me about the cameras you found in your apartment.»

Elena Andreevna flinched as if struck. «I discovered the first one by accident. I was changing the shower curtain, and it fell out – so small and black. Then I started looking deliberately. I found three more: in the bedroom, in the hallway, and in the kitchen. And voice recorders… There were voice recorders everywhere. He knew every word we said, every step we took. And I… I never noticed…»

There was a knock at the door. Major Sergei Dorokhov, Anna’s partner, appeared in the doorway. His face didn’t bode well.

«Sorry to interrupt. Anna Vitalyevna, could I have a word?»

Anna apologized to Elena Andreevna and stepped into the corridor. Dorokhov handed her a folder marked «Top Secret.»

«Just came in from Tver. You were right – this isn’t the first time.»

Anna opened the folder and shuddered. From a twenty-year-old photograph, a young Viktor Mikhailovich Astakhov looked back at her. Except back then, his name was different – Viktor Rogov. And by that time, he already had the murder of a fifteen-year-old girl behind him.

Returning to the office, Anna saw that Elena Andreevna remained sitting, frozen like a statue, tears rolling down her cheeks. The blue elephant continued casting reflections on the walls, but now they seemed like fragments of shattered happiness.

«Elena Andreevna,» Anna called softly. «I have more questions. About Viktor Mikhailovich’s past. It’s important.»

The woman slowly raised her head. «You know, he once told Sofi: „When we find the seventh elephant, we’ll make our most important wish.“ And now I think: maybe he already knew? Knew that there would never be a seventh elephant…»

Outside, the rain intensified, beating an irregular, uneven rhythm on the windowsill. Anna looked at her watch: 4:20 PM. The time that had forever divided this family’s life into «before» and «after.»

Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past

The old folders smelled of dust and time. Anna carefully turned the yellowed pages of the twenty-year-old case file, trying not to damage the fragile sheets. The Tver Police Department archives reluctantly shared their secrets.

«I remember this case,» Mikhail Stepanovich Granin, former special investigator, now retired, lowered himself heavily into the chair opposite her. His once-black hair had turned completely gray, but his eyes retained the keen, attentive gaze of a professional. «Some things you never forget. Fifteen-year-old Katya Voronova. Good student, studied music. Disappeared on her way home from music school.»

Anna took out Sophia Velichko’s photograph. Granin studied the girl’s face for a long time, then sighed heavily.

«They look alike. God, how similar they are… Blonde, smiling. He always chose similar ones.»

«Tell me how you tracked him down back then.»

Mikhail Stepanovich closed his eyes, as if watching scenes from an old film.

«Viktor Rogov appeared in Tver six months before it happened. He got a job as a teacher at the music school – piano class. Brilliant education, excellent recommendations. All the documents… later we discovered the documents were forged. Perfectly done, but forged.»

Anna made a note in her notebook. History was repeating itself – an impeccable cover story, meticulously planned preparation.

«He behaved flawlessly,» Granin continued. «Colleagues described him as a talented teacher. Parents were delighted. Katya… she was one of his best students. She was preparing for a competition. Rogov volunteered to give her additional lessons.»

«How did he become a suspect in the case?»

«Chance. Pure chance. One of the students saw Katya getting into Rogov’s car that evening. The boy didn’t think anything of it – maybe the teacher was just giving his student a ride home. He only remembered a week later when missing person posters went up all over the city.»

Granin stood and walked to the window. Outside, the same dreary November rain continued to drizzle.

«You know what the most frightening thing was? Not the signs of violence, not how he tried to cover up the crime. The most frightening thing was his calmness during interrogations. Absolute, soul-freezing calmness. He talked about what happened as if he were describing an ordinary music lesson.»

Anna pulled another document from the folder – a forensic psychiatric evaluation from twenty years ago.

«Fully sane. No signs of mental disorders,» she quoted.

«Yes,» Granin nodded. «But you know what’s interesting? His lawyer insisted on a second evaluation. Claimed his client had a split personality. And the psychiatrist… the second psychiatrist almost believed it. Rogov knew how to be convincing. He played to the audience masterfully.»

«Just like now,» Anna said quietly.

«What?»

«His lawyer is again demanding a psychiatric evaluation. Claims his client suffers from a personality disorder. That he wasn’t aware of his actions…»

Granin turned sharply toward her: «Don’t let him slip off the hook. Last time he only got eight years. Eight years for a murdered girl, for a destroyed family! And then – early release for good behavior. And now – a new victim.»

Anna approached the window, standing next to Granin. A pigeon sat on the windowsill, huddled against the rain.

«Tell me,» she hesitated, choosing her words. «Back then… did you notice anything unusual in his apartment? Any strange items or objects?»

«Ah, you mean that…» Granin smiled sadly. «The collection of porcelain elephants. Six of them. During the interrogation, he said he was waiting for the seventh – for complete happiness. We decided it was just a coincidence. Strange, but a coincidence.»

Anna was pierced by a sharp sense of foreboding.

«What happened to those elephants?»

«They were included in the case as material evidence. Later, when the case was closed, they should have been destroyed. But…» Granin faltered. «I kept them. All these years, I’ve kept them. As a reminder that evil can hide behind the most innocent mask.»

«I need to see them,» Anna said firmly.

Granin nodded: «I knew you would say that. They’re at my home. Let’s go.»

Leaving the archive, Anna cast a final glance at the photograph of young Rogov. The man who had transformed an innocent legend about seven elephants into a terrible tale of shattered lives.

And the rain kept pouring down, washing away traces of the past, but not the memory of it.

Chapter 3: Broken Glass

Mikhail Stepanovich’s apartment was in an old building on the outskirts of town. Anna climbed the creaking staircase, feeling each step echo through the hollow stairwell. Somewhere above, a dim light bulb flickered, casting uneven shadows on the walls.

«Come in,» Granin opened the massive door. «Just be careful – I haven’t cleaned in here for a long time.»

Anna looked around. The small apartment was crowded with bookshelves. Photographs of various people hung on the walls, along with newspaper clippings and maps covered with notations. The typical dwelling of an old-school investigator who had never been able to leave his work in the past.

«They’re here,» Granin approached an old secretary desk and took a key from his pocket. «I haven’t opened this drawer in twenty years.»

The lock clicked reluctantly, as if resisting the intrusion into the past. On a velvet lining, faded with time, stood six porcelain elephants. White, with gold detailing.

«My God,» Anna exhaled, taking out her phone. «They’re identical.»

«What?»

«The elephants in Elena Andreevna’s apartment. The same series, the same manufacturer. Only a different color – blue.»

Granin sank heavily into an armchair: «So it really is him. The same signature, the same game.»

Anna carefully picked up one of the elephants. On the bottom was a barely visible inscription: «Imperial Porcelain Factory, 1994.»

«Did you track his whereabouts after his release?» she asked, her gaze fixed on the figurine.

«I tried. He disappeared. Vanished. Now it’s clear why – he was creating a new identity.»

Anna’s phone vibrated. A message from Dorokhov: «Come urgently.»

«I need to go,» she carefully placed the elephant back in its spot. «May I come back later…»

«Come anytime,» Granin interrupted her. «And be careful. He doesn’t like when someone gets too close to his secrets.»

The rain had stopped, but the streets still glistened with water. Anna got into her car and turned on the navigation system. It would take about twenty minutes to reach headquarters.

Her memory helpfully conjured an image from the past. Ten years ago. Her first case of a missing child. They hadn’t made it in time then. That’s when she had sworn to herself that never again…

The ringing phone pulled her from her memories.

«Anna Vitalyevna?» Elena Andreevna’s voice trembled. «There’s… there’s some package that arrived. From him.»

«Don’t touch it! Don’t touch anything, I’m coming right now.»

«It’s too late. I already opened it. There’s an elephant inside. The seventh elephant, Anna Vitalyevna. And a note…»

«What note? What does it say?»

«Now the collection is complete. It’s a shame there’s no one left to make a wish.»

Anna sharply turned the car around.

«Don’t go anywhere. I’m on my way to you.»

She called headquarters while driving.

«Dorokhov? Send a team to Elena Andreevna’s house. And find out how the hell he’s managing to send packages from the detention center!»

The navigation showed eleven minutes to her destination. Anna turned on the siren. Every second counted now.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed some movement in the rearview mirror. A gray Toyota Camry. The same one.

«Dorokhov,» she grabbed her phone again. «We have a problem. I think there were multiple perpetrators.»

Elena Andreevna’s building came into view. A patrol car was already parked by the entrance.

And in the apartment on the fifth floor, on the shelf among six blue elephants stood the seventh. White, with gold detailing. Exactly like those kept in Granin’s secretary desk.

History was repeating itself. But this time, Anna wasn’t planning to lose. Even if victory meant confronting her own demons from the past.

Chapter 4: Web of Lies

The seventh elephant lay in an evidence bag. The white porcelain seemed inappropriately bright under the harsh light of the forensic lab.

«No fingerprints,» expert Klimov rubbed his tired eyes. «Whoever sent the package was wearing gloves. But here’s what’s interesting – the marking on the bottom is the same as the elephants from the old case. Imperial Porcelain Factory, 1994.»

«He’s been collecting them,» Anna said quietly. «All these years, he’s been collecting them.»

In the adjacent interrogation room sat Elena Andreevna. She had agreed to recount once more how her relationship with Viktor had developed. Every detail could prove important.

«Start recording,» Anna nodded to Dorokhov, turning on the voice recorder.

«He appeared in our social circle two years ago,» Elena Andreevna automatically adjusted the collar of her blouse. «A mutual friend introduced him as a successful businessman from Moscow. Viktor… he knew how to make an impression. Always impeccably dressed, educated, with excellent manners.»

«Tell me about the first warning signs.»

«You know what’s strange? Looking back now, I can see them. But then… then he could explain everything. Any oddity, any inconsistency.» She paused. «For instance, the story about his past. He never showed photographs, never told specific stories. Just general phrases: ’when I lived in Moscow,» «I had a business.» And if I asked for details, he skillfully changed the subject.»

Anna made a note in her notebook. Typical behavior for someone with a false identity.

«And then the elephants appeared,» Elena Andreevna continued. «He noticed Sofi’s collection and became so enthusiastic. He told her the legend about seven elephants bringing happiness. Sofi became excited about collecting all seven. And he… he encouraged it. Now I understand – it was part of his game.»

«How did he interact with Sophia?»

«Perfectly. Too perfectly, you understand? He took interest in her studies, helped her with English. Once I found them talking about music – he was describing classical composers, and Sofi was listening, completely captivated. Back then, I thought: how fortunate that my daughter has such a wonderful stepfather…»

Elena Andreevna fell silent, clenching her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

«When did the calls begin?»

«After I threw him out. At first, they were normal calls – he apologized, asked for forgiveness. Then he started calling at night. Silent calls. And then… then I found the first camera.»

There was a knock at the door. A young officer handed Anna a folder.

«The forensic results.»

Anna opened the folder, quickly scanning the lines. She froze.

«Elena Andreevna, have you ever heard the name Andrei Savelyev?»

«No, who is…»

«What about the surname Rogov? Did Viktor ever mention this name?»

«No, never. What’s happening?»

Anna placed a photograph in front of her: three men standing in front of a gray Toyota Camry. In the center – a young Viktor Rogov.

«This picture is twenty years old. On the right is Andrei Savelyev. The same person whose car was used in Sophia’s abduction.»

«And the third man?» Elena Andreevna’s voice trembled.

«We haven’t identified the third one yet. But there’s something else.»

Rapid footsteps sounded in the corridor. Dorokhov burst into the room.

«Just got a call from the detention center. Viktor is demanding a lawyer. Says he’s ready to testify.»

«About what?»

«About another murder. One that wasn’t solved twenty years ago.»

Elena Andreevna went pale. «What murder are you talking about?»

Anna gathered the papers into the folder. «Dorokhov, take Elena Andreevna home. And make sure there’s a patrol unit by her building. I’m going to the detention center.»

At the doorway, she turned back: «And find me everything you can about Andrei Savelyev. Especially for the last two years.»

The story was growing more complex. The web spun by Viktor turned out to be larger and more terrifying than they had suspected. And somewhere in this web, the third person from the photograph still lurked.

Chapter 5: Confession

The gray walls of the detention center felt oppressive. Anna sat in the interrogation room, staring at her own reflection in the one-way mirror. Over her years of service, she had encountered many criminals, but now she felt an inexplicable anxiety. Something about this case wasn’t right, as if they were seeing only the tip of the iceberg.

The door clanged open. Two guards brought in Viktor Mikhailovich. In his gray prison uniform, he seemed smaller, paler, but his gaze remained the same – piercing, studying. He sat down across from her, carefully placing his hands on the table. The handcuffs clinked quietly.

«I’ve been waiting for you,» his voice sounded calm, almost friendly. «I knew that sooner or later you’d find the connection. You’ve been to see Granin, haven’t you? Seen his collection?»

Anna silently turned on the recorder. Viktor smiled – the same smile she had seen in old photographs.

«Do you know the mistake all investigators make? They look for motive. They try to understand ’why.» But sometimes there is no ’why.» Sometimes there’s only ’what for.»»

«And what did you do it for?»

«Oh, are you talking about Katya? Or Sophia?» he leaned forward. «Or those whose bodies were never found? Like Masha Svetlova? Twenty years ago, three months before Katya Voronova. Mikhail Stepanovich didn’t know about that case. It happened in another city.»

Anna felt a chill run down her spine. Another victim. Another family not knowing the truth.

«Tell me about Masha.»

«First about the elephants,» Viktor leaned back in his chair. «You understand that it’s about them, don’t you? Not about the girls – about the elephants. Every collection must be completed. Every story must have an ending.»

«Where is Sophia?»

«In a safe place. With a reliable person. You’ve seen his photograph – the third man in the picture. His name is Igor. Igor Vasilyev. Though now, he has a different surname. Just like me.»

«Why are you telling us this?»

Viktor tilted his head, examining Anna like a curious exhibit. «Because the game is over. Because the seventh elephant has taken its place. And because you’re too late anyway.»

At that moment, Dorokhov practically burst into the room. «We found remains,» he gasped. «In the forest, near the old chapel. A woman.»

«Not a woman,» Viktor gently corrected. «A girl. Masha Svetlova. I did promise to tell you about another murder.»

Anna stood up abruptly. «Where is Sophia?»

«Well, that,» Viktor smiled again, «depends on how quickly you solve the riddle. You know, each elephant has its own story. And each story has its own elephant. White ones for those who have found peace. Blue ones for those who are still waiting.»

«Take him away,» Anna ordered the guards. At the doorway, Viktor turned back: «Give my regards to Mikhail Stepanovich. Tell him his collection will soon be complete too.»

When the door closed behind him, Anna turned to Dorokhov: «Check on Granin immediately. And find everything you can about Igor Vasilyev.»

«Already done,» Dorokhov handed her a folder. «Igor Vasilyev is now known as Igor Sokolov. He works as a teacher. At the very same school Sophia attended.»

Anna felt the ground disappear from under her feet. All these months he had been nearby. Watching. Waiting.

«And another thing,» added Dorokhov. «They found a collection of elephants in his office. Green ones. Seven of them.»

Outside, the rain was starting again. Somewhere in the city, a physical education teacher named Igor Sokolov was completing his collection. And time was relentlessly slipping away, taking with it the hope of saving Sophia.

Viktor was right. Every story must have an ending. But what ending would this one have?

Chapter 6: The Green Elephant