Arkady’s comments were written down by Minin, a detective with the deep-set eyes of a maniac. Behind Minin a cordon of militia marched across the site. Arson dogs dragged their handlers around the towers, racing from pillar to post, raising their legs.

“Exterior paint is peeled,” Arkady went on. “Chrome on the door latch is peeled.” There go prints, he thought; nevertheless, he wrapped a handkerchief around his hand to open the front passenger door.

“Thank you,” Polina said.

At Arkady’s touch the door swung open, spilling ash on his shoes. “Interior of the car is gutted,” he continued. “Seats are burned down to frames and coils. Steering wheel seems to have melted and disappeared.”

“Flesh is tougher than plastic,” Polina said.

“Rear rubber floor mats melted around what appears to be puddled glass. Rear seat burned to springs. Charred computer battery and residue of nonferrous metal. Flecks of gold probably from conductors.” Which was all that was left of the computer Rudy was so proud of. “Metal shuttles from computer disks.” The megabytes of information. “Covered with ash.” The file boxes.

Reluctantly, Arkady moved to the front. “Flash signs by the clutch. Fragments of charred leather. Plastic residue, batteries in dash compartment.”

“Naturally. The heat was intense,” Polina leaned in to snap a shot with her Leica. “Two thousand degrees, at least.”

“On the front seat,” Arkady said, “a cashbox. The tray is empty and charred. Under the tray are small metal contacts, four batteries, perhaps the remains of a transmitter and tape recorder. So much for surveillance. Also on the seat is a metal rectangle, perhaps the back of a calculator. Key in the ignition is turned to Off. Two other keys on the ring.”

Which brought him to the driver. This was not where Arkady excelled. In fact, this is where he could have used a long walk and a cigarette.

“With the burned ones you have to open the camera aperture all the way just to get any detail,” Polina said.

Detail? “The body is shrunken,” Arkady said, “too badly charred to be immediately identified as male or female, child or adult. Head is resting on the left shoulder. Clothes and hair are burned off, some skull shows through. Teeth do not appear salvageable for molds. No visible shoes or socks.”