Vita thought she had been an adult for a long time. Of course, thirteen years old. But still, there are some things that stay with us forever. For example, both small and grown-up grandchildren like to visit their grandmothers. And Veta is no exception. And now, at the very beginning of the vacation, Vita hurries to her - Grandma Sima. And no sooner does she open the door than she hears such a familiar cry:
- Vitochka!
With this cry, the grandmother invariably throws herself on the neck of her favorite granddaughter. When Vita was younger, her grandmother even spun her around. Now she and her grandmother are almost the same height.
And so, grandmother and granddaughter sit at the table, eat something delicious (often prepared by grandma) and chat about everything in the world. Vitalina and Grandma Sima are best friends. Of course, Vita's older sister Anyuta is also loved by her grandmother, but she lives far away all her life, and Grandma Sima sees her much less often than Vita. And with Vita she was always there: when her favorite granddaughter's first tooth erupted, when she said her first word, started walking... And now no one is offended and surprised if Vita calls not her parents, but Grandma Sima. By the way, she always liked to remember how she got into different... adventures because of her favorite granddaughter. And there were many such stories, and they continue to happen. Here, for example, what a story happened when Vita went to the first grade.
***
In Vita's family there was a rule: the first teacher must not be too strict. Of course, she had to be strict when necessary, but in moderation. And grandmother carefully monitored its fulfillment. Especially carefully grandmother was looking for the first teacher for her favorite Vitochka. Grandmother wanted her, as already mentioned, not to be too strict, too young (she might go on maternity leave), or on the contrary, too old (and with such a person anything could happen and she would simply not be able to work). And such a teacher was found - she was thirty-five-year-old Marina Evgenievna, whose twelve-year-old daughter studied at the same school. And at first everything was really good, but then....
Everything was fine until about the middle of October, and then Vita started coming home from school in a strange way - not as if someone had hurt her, but as if she wanted to ask something, but she didn't know who to ask, and maybe she didn't even know what to ask. So Grandma decided to ask her.
When she and her granddaughter were left alone, she said:
- I know something weird happened to you and it's bothering you. If you want, you can share it. You know that if it's a secret, I won't tell anyone, and I won't scold you anyway.
- You see, grandmother - Vita began hesitantly - when we go to school, we don't know who is waiting for us there.
- What do you mean, who? - Marina Yevgenyevna, the grandmother, didn't understand.
- That's the thing, she doesn't come every day!" answered Veta. Grandmother thought for a moment.
- So that's how... And she doesn't warn you, does she?
Vita shook her head.
- No - ah. She even ran away once while we were in art class and the second time in gym class. And when we go to school, we don't know if she's coming or not.
- That's it... Don't worry, my dear, Grandma will find out everything. - Grandma stroked Vita's head.
But who should I ask first?
In the end, Grandma Sima decided to go to Vita's school and first talk to the principal, Valentina Ivanovna. She went to the office and knocked.
- Yes! (Laughs)
- Hello, Valentina Ivanovna! May I come in?
- Hello! You're Vita's grandmother, aren't you?
- Yes, it's me, Sigismunda Yakovlevna, Vita Yeremina's grandmother.
- I recognized you right away, you look just like her. So, what's wrong? Vita's not having any problems, so it must be something else?
- It's about Marina Evgenievna - answered Sigismunda Yakovlevna - it's about her disappearing - leaving lessons for some unknown reason, and no one knows why or where. Do you know what happened to her?
Valentina Ivanovna hesitated.
- Sigizmunda Yakovlevna, I can tell you one thing for sure: there are definitely no health problems in Marina Evgenievna. But I also heard something strange. The thing is that her daughter Nastya has changed a lot lately. I think her class teacher Victoria Vasilyevna and her first teacher Kamila Ilyinichna can tell you more about it.
Sigismunda Yakovlevna thanked her and went to see Viktoria Vasilyevna. When Sigismunda Yakovlevna explained to her what had happened, she said:
- You know, I think something happened there, too. And it's not about Nastia's studies. She's been acting really weird. Nastya used to be very sociable, telling everyone how she, her mother and grandmother lived. But now she has become withdrawn and sullen - you can't get a word out of her. She even stopped talking to Oksana.
- Oksana is her friend? - Sigismunda Yakovlevna clarified.
- Yeah, they've been together since first grade, and they've always sat at the same desk. But now Nastya had drifted apart. - Viktoria Vasilyevna sighed.
- Couldn't they have had a fight?
- I asked Oksana, she says no, and Nastya... you've already figured it out.
Sigismunda Yakovlevna learned nothing else new from Viktoria Vasilyevna. The conversation with Kamila Ilyinichna was about the same. Then Sigizmunda Yakovlevna went to pick up Vita and since Marina Evgenievna was not there again, she decided to talk to Maria Alexandrovna, who was replacing her, and asked her:
- And tell me, Maria Alexandrovna, do you know if Marina Evgenievna is going to move anywhere? Because it's very similar to the truth - she is often absent, Nastya walks sullenly, because she doesn't want to move....
In response, Maria Alexandrovna became angry.
- Listen, Sigismunda Yakovlevna, it's their own business whether they leave or not - she replied, but realizing that she had said too much, said goodbye and ran away.
- So she might be leaving after all," Sigismunda Yakovlevna thought, "I see! So the only thing left to talk to was Oksana, and if we were lucky, someone from her family.
And Sigismunda Yakovlevna was indeed lucky, even luckier than she thought: on the weekend she met Oksana's grandmother at the market. Sigismunda Yakovlevna heard someone calling her name:
- Sigismunda Yakovlevna!
When she turned around, she saw a short, thin woman, a little older than herself, wearing a light-colored cloak. When she was sure that Sigismunda Yakovlevna had noticed her, she said:
- I'm Oksana's grandmother, Sofia Alekseyevna. You wanted to ask me something?
- Yes, I did. Hello, Sofya Alekseevna, it's good that I met you. I wanted to ask you this: do you know why your granddaughter and Nastya Khoroshilova are estranged?
- You know," replied Sophia Alekseevna, "it worries me very much myself. Nastenka and my Xenia were such good friends! And then she came back from the sea, and everything changed.....
- Who's back? - Sigizmunda Yakovlevna became wary - Oksana? Or Nastya?
- Here's the thing - Sophia Alekseevna began to explain - they both went on vacation in the summer, at the same time, but to different places. Nastenka was so happy that she and her mother were going on vacation... But Nastya came back as if she had dropped into the water: she looked only at the floor, did not talk to anyone, and to all attempts to find out what had happened, she answered that she had not. At first I even got scared, I thought something had happened to my grandmother, Maria Mikhailovna was her name, and then I saw - no, she was wandering around the market. I talked to her, and she said that she hadn't even caught a cold lately.
- Tell me," Sigismunda Yakovlevna asked, "has Nastya told her anything?
Sofya Alekseevna sighed.
- She and her mother called her grandmother every day. Everything was fine, Nastya was cheerful and happy. But when they arrived... I don't know if I can tell you about it, after all, it's their private business... I'll tell you, maybe it will help Nastya. Anyway, when they came back, grandma came and brought a cake. Nastya usually runs to meet her, but she didn't come out. Grandma got suspicious and went to her room herself.
- Nastenka, is nothing wrong with you? - she asked.
Nastya shook her head and then threw herself on her grandmother's neck crying. She sobbed and stammered, repeating only one phrase:
- Everything was fine until he came....
- Who is he? - Sigismunda Yakovlevna asked. But Sofya Alekseevna had received a call from someone, and she had run away on urgent business. Her story made Sigismunda Yakovlevna very wary. Now she realized that she had to find out what had happened to Nastya.
To be honest, at first Sigismunda Yakovlevna thought that Marina Evgenievna had just had an affair with someone, perhaps she was going to marry that person, or maybe she had gotten pregnant by him. Let's say that because of all this Nastya could become moody, especially if they had to move because of this, and even far away. But it's one thing to be sullen, and another to almost cry and start sobbing at the first opportunity. It seems that something really happened to them. And Sigismunda Yakovlevna had no idea how right she was.
***
The next day Sigismunda Yakovlevna decided to talk to Nastya's grandmother: first of all, she had learned little from the others, and then she was frightened by the latest information. In addition, she realized that in this story there is a person about whom she knows too little. It's Nastya's father Nikolai Khoroshilov. Sigismunda Yakovlevna knew only that he did not show much interest in his daughter, and after their divorce with Marina Evgenievna seemed to forget about Nastia's existence. Sigismunda Yakovlevna began to remember ... When Nastya's parents divorced, she was no more than three years old. She didn't like her father very much (for obvious reasons), and after her parents divorced she didn't see him at all. And yet... Wasn't it him that Nastya saw at the sea?
Sigismunda Yakovlevna decided that Maria Mikhailovna must know about it, and went to her house. But no sooner had she reached her house than she met Marina Evgenyevna, who was in tears.
- Sigismunda Yakovlevna, we have such grief! - crying, she said. And, before Sigismunda Yakovlevna could ask what had happened, she added, "Nastenka has been stolen!
Sigismunda Yakovlevna was taken aback.
- Who? - She asked, even though she already knew the answer.
- Her father!" replied Marina Yevgenyevna, sobbing. He caught up Nastenka when she was going to her grandmother's house, and....
- I see... - trying to remain calm, Sigismunda Yakovlevna replied - Do you know why he might need it?
- He wants to get a ransom for Nastya! - replied Marina Yevgenievna and showed a message that said that if Marina Yevgenievna did not pay the money, Nikolai would take Nastya to a place where she would never see her again - And why didn't I deprive him of his parental rights! I wanted to! Alimony does not pay, with holidays Nastya never once congratulated ... And now ... Poor Nastenka! What are we going to do now!
- Calm down! - replied Sigismunda Yakovlevna - Not everything is still lost. First, Nikolai must know that you can not take Nastya anywhere if you did not give permission, so if he really is going to do it, you will inevitably be summoned to court. Secondly, Nastya is an adult, and in court she will definitely be asked if she wants to go somewhere with her father, and who she wants to live with in general. You and I know her answers to all those questions. And thirdly,... tell me, Marina Evgenievna, did Nastin's father change his phone number?
- No - replied Marina Evgenievna - why?
- And the fact that knowing the phone number, you can figure out where its owner is! True, there is one difficulty: Nikolai could guess about it, and do something to make it harder to find him. But I know who can help us and find Nastya. And to you and Maria Mikhailovna I have one request: be at home!
- Thank you very much, Sigismunda Yakovlevna!
Marina Evgenievna went to her home, and Sigismunda Yakovlevna went to the only person who could help her.
The thing is that Sigismunda Yakovlevna had... let's say, some connections in the police. And these connections were thanks to her... old friend, investigator Sukharev Arkady Valeryevich. That's where Sigismunda Yakovlevna went.
She decided not to dress up much: a light jacket, pants and sneakers. And Sigismunda went to the station.
Investigator Sukharev looked out the window and sighed. An ordinary, overcast fall day. But what is it? Someone is clearly approaching the precinct. Short brown hair, straight nose, gray eyes behind rectangular glasses... Sukharev realized who it was long before the door opened.
- Sigismunda! - He greeted his old friend cheerfully, and catching her concerned look, asked:
- Is something wrong?
- It has happened - sighed Sigismunda Yakovlevna, and explained to Sukharev the essence of the case.
- It's not only about Marina Evgenievna's daughter - she added at the end - the fate of my Vitochka... and her classmates depends on it.
- I look at you, Sigismunda, and I'm amazed: you're ready to help everyone," he added quietly, "but the last thing you think about is yourself. Okay, dictate the number, we'll find your Khoroshilov.
***
Khoroshilov was indeed quickly found. It turned out that he was... in one of the yards, not far from Nastya's grandmother's house. Turns out her father had taken Nastya hostage just to get some money. Money was needed for one trip... Of course, he did not go anywhere, and besides, he was finally deprived of parental rights. And Marina Evgenievna and Nastya were eternally grateful to Sigismunda Yakovlevna. Vita was shocked when she learned that her grandmother had investigated the crime. And of course, she was very proud of her. About all this she and her mother learned from Sukharev, who at the end sighed and said:
- Lucky those who have such a...grandmother.
And only Sukharev himself knew that in fact he wanted to end this phrase quite differently.
The end