He remembered the old missing-students case in vivid detail. Back in 1992, Kuznetsov had been a young officer who took part in the original search. The first thing he did was go to the archives and pull the old file.
Inside were yellowed interview transcripts, faded black-and-white crime scene photos, and the original handwriting reports on the notes. Those materials had sat untouched in a basement records room for 30 years.
Kuznetsov decided to track down every living person connected to the school at the time. Former principal Victor Gromov still lived in the same town. He had retired about 12 years earlier and was living quietly.
Now 62, Gromov was brought in for questioning on the morning of April 17. To everyone’s surprise, he looked calm. His gray hair was neatly combed, his suit carefully pressed.
His hands didn’t shake when he signed the interview paperwork. Kuznetsov said very little. He simply placed fresh photographs from the sealed basement room in front of him.
Gromov studied the pictures for a long time. Then he slowly shook his head and said he had no idea how any of those things could have ended up in the school basement.
Kuznetsov then reminded him of the contradictions in his original statements from 30 years earlier. He read aloud how Gromov had first claimed he left at six, then later admitted returning at eight after the watchman contradicted him.
Gromov didn’t seem rattled. He said it was simple forgetfulness. Thirty years had passed, and he could easily have mixed up the time.
He again confirmed that yes, he had brought heavy boxes of office supplies to the school that night. Then Kuznetsov asked the direct question: had Gromov known about the hidden room in the boiler area?
The former principal answered with a flat no. He said he had never seen any false wall in the basement. According to him, the entire utility area was under Savelyev’s control.
Unfortunately, it was now impossible to verify Gromov’s alibi for the night of May 23. His wife had died of cancer in 2010. No other living witness could place him at home that night.
In 1992, cell phones were rare, and there were no call records to review. So Kuznetsov turned to the family’s finances in the early nineties. Before long, he found something interesting.
In 1993, during the middle of the economic crisis, Gromov had suddenly bought a brand-new imported sedan. Its value far exceeded his official yearly salary. When asked where the money came from, he answered just as calmly as before.
He said he had unexpectedly inherited a large sum from a wealthy uncle in Kazakhstan. The documents he produced supported the story neatly. A properly notarized will was dated February 1993.
With no immediate opening there, Kuznetsov shifted his attention to the late Peter Savelyev. According to the records, Savelyev had died 17 years earlier. His medical file confirmed the official cause: a major heart attack.
It had been sudden but natural. Fortunately for investigators, Savelyev’s widow was still alive and might be able to shed some light on the past. Lydia Savelyev now lived in a larger city in the region.
She was 53 and agreed to meet with the detective without much resistance. Lydia admitted that she remembered May 1992 only in fragments.
At the time, her husband had been 28 and full of energy. She said Peter often worked late. The old school building demanded constant attention.
She recalled that on the evening of May 23, Peter didn’t get home until around ten. Kuznetsov carefully asked about her husband’s mood in those days. Lydia paused for a moment, thinking back…
