Valery Bulygin
© Valery Bulygin, 2020
ISBN 978-5-0051-4835-3
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
Let us try it.
CHAPTER 1
Lisa and Olga, longtime friends. They have been friends since high school. Studying was given to them quite easily, especially mathematics and physics. After graduation, the choice of profession was unambiguous. They began to choose a university with a mathematical bias and of course associated with computer science. Moreover, such sciences are in demand now. In the future to find a job will be easy. Such specialties are always needed, at least in the bank, at least in the production.
It was not difficult for them to enter the Polytechnic Institute in the Department of Applied Mathematics. They received good knowledge in the Lyceum; especially the lyceum was mathematically biased.
The first three years of study were somehow unnoticed. Lectures at the institute, parties with friends, trips to nature, and of course trips to the sea with tents. It was a sin to complain about student life. Lisa and Olga met with the guys, but they did not have regular guys. One was tedious, the other all in school and partying he was not interested, well, the third was generally a loafers. His parents had well-to-do people, and that left an imprint on his upbringing. At one time Lisa and Olga liked Roman, but he almost did not pay attention to them.
So unnoticed and flew three years of study. Everything somehow changed during the summer holidays. Lisa’s parents had a cottage out of town. Lisa did not like to go there. Digging in the ground was not interesting, and to take care of trees, bushes, and seedlings was for her boring occupation. If her parents were drawn to the cottage, Lisa spent time reading books or bathing in the canal, the benefit it was not far.
This summer the parents decided to buy a ticket to the sea and asked Lisa to stay in the country and look after the garden. Summer was hot, the soil sandy, and had to water every day. Refuse was somehow inconvenient; parents put too much work into this cottage.
Being at the cottage for two weeks, somehow boring and Lisa, without hesitation, called Olga.
– Listen to your friend, help out, – Lisa said. My parents send me to the country for two weeks; do you want to share this link with me?
– In principle, you can, – Olga said. Sitting in a sweltering city, a little pleasant.
When should I come?
– Sunday, – Lisa said. There are food, so take your personal belongings and do not forget the swimsuit. The bus leaves the station at four o’clock. I will meet you.
Having met a friend in the evening, having unpacked their things, the friends arranged dinner.
Evening after conversation flew quickly.
– Listen to Olga, – Said Lisa, and pouring tea. I was reading a few detective books the other day. It turns out that not only men were famous detectives, but also women. A year ago, I watched a multi-part film about Mrs. Kirsanova. I like to read good detective stories. Disclosure of crimes is both logic and mathematics. It is very interesting. I just here thought, but not whether we should try to engage in private investigation.
– What are you, Lisa, overheated in the sun? – Olga said. Which of us are female detectives? What are we going to look for?
– Well, I have to think about it, – Lisa said. People lose cats, dogs and even husbands. People always have problems, and someone has to solve them.
– Well, I do not know, – Olga, said. It is somewhat unexpected. Well, let us try it.
CHAPTER 2
The girls got to work. In principle, the case as a current has not been.
– What are we going to look for? – Olga asked. Cats, dogs?
– Well, I think we should file an advertisement first. There is nowhere to go without her. We will submit an offer of our services on the Internet to begin with. You do not need the money. We will see about that.
Waiting for some offers, to the surprise of the girls, did not have long. Ten days. By this time, the «working» in the country was ending, and it was possible to return to the city.
The offer was received by email. Although the girls left their mobile numbers, the client for some reason did not call; perhaps he had his reasons for it. The message was «Hello. We address you after reading the message on the Internet. We are both retirees. Pensions are small, and you, according to the announcement, do not take much for their services. Here is the thing.
When I was young, I used to do philately. There was a time. Someone collected stamps, someone postcards, match labels, boxes of cigarettes. I went to vintage societies, shops. I bought something. I changed something. Very often exchanged with each other.
Over time, when I entered the institute, this hobby passed, and it was not time. There are albums in the closet. I even forgot about them. One day I showed the collection to my grandson, Vasily. There is a conversation about our youth. I told him what we did, what we were into. The grandson, at first, showed no interest. Lately he started to ask a lot about the collection. He kept asking if she was valuable. Once he even took a picture of all the stamps. He said it would be a keepsake. I find this all suspicious. I do not know the real value of my collection. If I could work on a computer, I might have learned something myself. I am a humanitarian by profession. In my life, there were no computers. This letter helped me send my neighbor. He does not want to do that. If you had agreed to take this case, I would appreciate it. I have small savings and 100—150 dollars I could allocate. If you’re interested in this offer, let me know.»
Lisa and Olga reread this message several times.
– I think grandson decided to earn some money, – Olga said. No wonder. He took pictures of stamps for a reason. He decided to check, maybe there is something valuable.
– We do not lose anything if we take this job, – Lisa said. We do not take any money forward. If something happens – well, but not, there are no losses. Unless we are going to waste time. We have to start somewhere. I think, first and we need to take a picture of the entire collection and check all the stamps on the Internet for the cost. Maybe the old people are worried for nothing, and the grandson will be in vain to steam. We have to start somewhere.
After receiving an answer from the old men, the girls went to their home. Fortunately, they lived not far away. The small old house was in the private sector. An old man opened the cage. He looked quite cheerful. If the girls did not know his age, he could be given no more than seventy.
– Come through the girls – I am looking forward to it.
The house was small, old, but inside was clean and cozy. All the decorations and furniture gave out affluence of tenants. The old men tried to maintain order as much as possible.
– Come on, sit down, – the host said. My name is Nikolai Ivanovich, and you, as I understand it, Lisa and Olga. My wife’s not home right now, she went to the store. Well, I made everything you asked for.
CHAPTER 3
On the table lay a stack of five or six old albums.
– How many stamps do you have? – Olga asked.
– I have not counted them in a while. Once there were a thousand two.
– Decently, – Lisa said. We will not hold you for long.
– Olga, take a picture of all the stamps and do not forget to note which stamps are in which albums.
– Nikolai Ivanovich, – Lisa said. We rather decided on the price. We do not want to take the deposit. In a week, I think we can find out some information. If you are satisfied with what we will find out, then you will pay.
Taking photos, the girls said goodbye to the owner and went home. On the