Valery Bulygin - Gruman

© Valery Bulygin, 2020

ISBN 978-5-0051-3038-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

The morning was very good. There was no wind. There was no heat. Throwing once again the fishing rod Gruman looked at the clock. It is nine and only three fish. That is in three hours. What is missing from this fish? The weather is good. The worm is fat. I do not understand these anglers. Well, the summer. You can sit, think, and relax in nature. Listen to birds singing. What is the pleasure of winter fishing? It is cold, the wind is blowing, and you are going to catch a little fish in half a day. I wonder what the anglers who spend hours watching the calm float think about. At least I have a hobby. I write stories. In addition, the anglers probably think I am doing something stupid. Where’s the line that you are doing important things or not?

For example, I worked in the police investigation department for 20 years. I thought I was doing something important and necessary. Solving crimes, caught murderers, thieves, maniacs. So what? At the trial, they paid off or someone bought them. In addition, someone had a powerful «roof.» The court transfers the offender from the category of the accused to the category of victim. I see he is already out there a month later. Well, they can really give you a suspended sentence. Why did I climb under the bullets, risk my life? At first. I thought I was doing a very important job. I purge society of bad people.

With these thoughts, Gruman walked down the street to his house.

– Hi angler, how is the catch? – Wajda, a neighbor in the country, asked.

– That is rifle. I will give it to the cats, they will be happy. You know I am not an angler. Sometimes it is just fun to sit with a fishing rod.

– I have an unusual offer for you – Wajda said. I would like to discuss it. If you are not busy, come in and talk. Gruman took the fishing rods into the house and went to the neighbor, taking with him a jar of good coffee.

Wajda worked as a security chief for a major television company. He was a peculiar man. Well, yes, he is used to being bossy. Did not tolerate disobedience. All this affected his character. Therefore, Gruman, though he was his neighbor, did not make close contact. He was more comfortable communicating with another neighbor, former psychologist Remezov. He lives with his wife Clara and a year as a retired. Worked in a serious hospital, but now he just works part-time. From old memory, people refer to him privately. He was a calm, sociable man. Gruman often came to him, just to chat. We discussed my book, and Remezov gave advice as a psychologist.

– Why are you writing your stories? – Remezov once asked. You are not a writer, a former detective. Now detectives write such venerable writers.

– Well, you know- Gruman said. I am working as a private investigator right now. Writing stories helps me keep my tone.

Gruman and Wajda settled down in the alcove and slowly drank fragrant coffee.

– Would you like to make some money? – Wajda asked.

– Depending on what to do- Gruman said. Extra money will never hurt. Moreover, you know that I am divorced. I live alone, and the maintenance of the house requires financial costs.

– I will tell you the whole point of the matter, and if you are interested, we will discuss the details – Wajda said. You know I work in security. It is my job to pay attention to any little things. Even the reception of new employees, we check together with the human resources department. Our functions include not only the protection of the company, high-level security support, but also the supervision of employees. Their behavior, their relationships. We pay special attention to the behavior of employees in the family, in everyday life. Well, if a person has a problem in family life, he can behave unpredictably. You know these cases well from your practice. Well, that is it. We have the head of Bolen’s computer department. This department not only oversees the maintenance of computer equipment, but also monitors the protection of information. One of the units is engaged in the maintenance of television equipment. Moreover, everything to do with it. He is 37 years old. He was not married, probably, a convinced bachelor. As far as we know, he does not communicate with the female sex. There were no complaints about the work. There is nothing to complain about. However, lately I have noticed an oddity in his behavior. I do not know how to explain it. His behavior has changed dramatically. He walks some half-sleep, communicates with colleagues dryly. At work it does not seem to be reflected, but it seems that the thoughts of it elsewhere. I am not going to describe all the oddities. It is very important for me that an adequate person works in this place. I shared my suspicions with the management and I was allowed to use all the tools and resources to find out.

– And why would it not fire? – Gruman asked.

– For what? – Wajda said. There are no claims. Moreover, my suspicions may be in vain. The new employee should be checked for a long time, to introduce into the course of business. That is when I thought about you. I think I am going to offer a freelancer’s bid for the duration of the investigation. I will give you the authority, our support. What do you say?

– You can certainly do it. What if everything is normal and I do not find anything unusual. – Gruman asked. It turns out that I got the money for nothing.

Do not worry about it. Not such a big cost for our company. Calm is more expensive. The image of the company is even bigger.

– Well, well – Gruman said. I will try to help you. Although I do not know, suspicions may be in vain. I will try to do my best.

Gruman has been with the company for three days as a security officer. He goes to the departments, looks at the employees. However, naturally constantly monitors Bolen.

– I need to – Gruman Said, -I need you to install video surveillance in Bolen’s department. You need to put not one camera, but several. Cameras must be hidden. No one should know from the staff that they are there. Besides you, your people should not know either. I am the only one who should have access to these cameras. I am in the room with your co-workers right now. I do not want to say that I do not trust them, but for complete peace of mind I need a separate room. Let it be small, but separate. The information from the cameras should come there.

– OK, we will do it, -Wajda said.

After a couple of days, Gruman was already sitting in a small utility room. On several monitors he could see all the information from Bolen’s department. Gruman could even listen to all the conversations. In his previous work, he took the rule, to write in the diary especially interesting information or just his observations. Time passes, and some observations are simply forgotten. I have to go back to my notes. It happened that the recorded trifle after a while is important.

From time to time Gruman walked through the departments, but most often looked into the department of Bolen. Trying not to give out a special interest, he rarely asked employees about their work, problems. Perhaps someone will get into a conversation and say something interesting. Gruman looked through surveillance footage from Bolen’s department every day. Listening to the conversations of the employees, he wonder if the employees noticed a change in Bolen’s behavior.

Gruman tried to analyze each movement of Bolen intonation in conversation. If only he could compare Bolen’s behavior before and after. Now we have to rely only on the words of Wajda.

Once after the next duty Gruman was going to go to the cottage on his old Peugeot, when Mark, an employee of Bolen’s department, approached him.