Lukin felt on the verge of collapse butmanaged a weak smile. "I guess a good night's sleep wouldn't hurt. How doyou feel?"

"It could be worse. The morphine thedoctor gave me to ease the pain is wearing off. But this place helps me torelax."

He stopped sponging his body and stood.He crossed to a hot-water tap in the corner, filled an enamel basin withsteaming water and crushed a handful of mint leaves into the basin. He cameback and cupped Lukin's chin in his hand. For several moments he studiedLukin's face oddly, like an examining physician, then handed him the basin anda fresh sponge.

"Your adrenaline's flowing likesweat. Here, soak yourself and inhale the steam. You know what we old batherssay. "The steam bath makes you sweat to get tough and get slim. Itcleanses the body and the devils within.' " He smiled faintly at the oldMoscow rhyme. The smile faded and his face became more serious. "You looklike you have devils in your soul, Yuri."

Lukin lifted the basin and inhaled. Thearoma of the hot fragrant water was like a balm. He dipped the sponge in thesteaming basin, closed his eyes, and slowly ran it over his face. The scent ofmint filled his nostrils, the fragrant liquid soothing on his skin. He stoppedsponging, opened his wet eyes, and saw Pasha staring at him.

"The mint helps?"

"A little.. Tell me what this isabout. Tell me what's so important?"

Pasha stood and picked up his leatherbriefcase. He nodded toward the door that led to the dressing room. "Come,let's go inside. There's something I have to show you."

When they stepped into the dressing roomPasha closed the door. He crossed to the wooden bench and undid the straps onthe briefcase, removed a red-covered file, and looked back.

"Did anything about the Wolf strikeyou as strange?"

Lukin frowned. "What do you mean,strange?"

"For one, we know there were severalpages missing from the copy of his file. Like I said before, it's usual that aninvestigator be given access to all information for the case he's workingon."

"Look, what's this about,Pasha?"

Pasha paused, "I've known you a longtime, Yuri. I've always liked and admired you. We've seen good and bad timestogether.

Lukin said almost irritably, "Willyou tell me what all this is about?"

For several long moments Pasha's eyesseemed to search Lukin's face, then he said, "You were right when you saidyou didn't trust Beria. You were right to doubt why he picked you. And tonightI found out why."

"I don't understand."

"You're a good man, Yuri Lukin. Anda good investigator. However, they've fooled you."

"Who has?"

"Stalin and Beria."

Lukin frowned in confusion.

Pasha sat down next to him on the bench.He looked away for a moment, at nothing in particular, then looked back.

Lukin searched the Mongolian's face. Hesaw fear there. Pasha wasn't hesitating in order to prolong telling him. Heseemed genuinely afraid. As he handed the file over, his hands shook.

"I want you to see this."

"What is it?"

"It came from Alex Stanski'soriginal file."

"Pasha, you fool."

"Don't lecture me, Yuri. We'redesperate. We're down a dead end so I went to the Archives office and stole akey and had a look for the original file. I was seen by one of the clerks whocame in, but not before I managed to get the file."

"Pasha.

"Listen to me. It couldn't get anyworse for me if I was caught. It couldn't get any worse for both of us. We'rein deep enough trouble. Me, I may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb."

"Pasha, you've put yourself in realdanger."

"No more than I'm in already."Pasha hesitated. "Yuri there's something in the file you were deliberatelynot allowed to see. And there's more, but first you should examine what I'vegiven you."

Pasha stood and crossed to the door,opened it softly. He looked back at Lukin, a wistful look on his face.

"I'm going to leave you alone now.Look and read carefully, Yuri. Afterwards, we'll talk."

The door closed and Pasha was gone.

Lukin opened the file.

There was a single photograph and asingle, faded flimsy page inside.

Lukin looked at the photograph first. Itwas old and yellowed and its edges were frayed. It showed a man and a woman,laughing out at the camera. The man was handsome and cleanshaven, with a finechiseled face and dark soft eyes. The woman was blond and quite beautiful, withhigh cheekbones and a strong, determined face. She sat on the man's knee withher arms around his neck. They looked happy and very much in love.

From the style and cut of the couple'sclothes, Lukin guessed the photograph had been taken some time in the latetwenties or early thirties.

He flipped it over and saw a blue inkstamp in the lower right-hand corner which gave the name of a photographer'sstudio on Marx Prospect. There was something familiar about the couple'sfeatures and he guessed they were Stanski's parents. He had the odd feeling hehad seen their faces somewhere before. He guessed they could have been well-knownParty members.

He put the photograph aside.

The single page gave brief details ofStanski's family background. His real family name was Stefanovitch and hisfather was a rural doctor living in Smolensk. The report stated that the OGPU,the precursor to the KGB secret police, had called to arrest him and hisfamily. But no reason was given.

According to the report, the doctor hadresisted arrest and had been killed trying to escape. His wife had tried toassist his escape and was shot also. The three children were arrested and theorder stated they were to be shot. The death warrant for the doctor and hiswife had been authorized personally by Joseph Stalin.

It didn't make sense. How had Stanskisurvived if he was one of the children?

Again, Lukin read the file carefully. Inmany ways the information seemed unimportant. The tragedy made him betterunderstand a powerful motive of revenge on Stanski's part, but little else. Butthere was nothing there that could really help his investigation. Nothing thatwould point a way for him.

No names of family friends Stanski mighttry to contact in Moscow. And it did not explain how Stanski had survived whileall the other members of his family had perished.

That puzzled Lukin. For a long time hesat there. He lit a cigarette and watched the smoke curl in front of his face.

There had to be something in all this hedidn't see. Had to be. But what?

And why? That was the question. Why hadPasha given him the file?

A little later the door opened softly.

Pasha stood there. He had the bottle ofvodka and the two glasses. He poured a generous measure into each beforeputting the bottle down on the bench and handing one of the glasses to Lukin.

"Take it.

"Are you trying to get medrunk?"

"No, but I think you're going to needit."

"Why?"

Pasha studied Lukin's face. "Did youfind nothing familiar in what you just read and saw?"

"In what way familiar?"

Pasha stared back, unblinking. "Imeant the way the information in the file fits together like a puzzle."

Lukin shook his head, confused. "I'mafraid I don't understand."

Pasha sat down opposite. He placed hisglass beside him and sighed. "Nothing in the file about Stanski's parentsstruck you as odd? Who they were? What happened to them?"

"What happened to his father andmother happened to many children during the purges. What I don't understand ishow Stanski survived. The file said the entire family were killed."