The morning,s, had barely begun to brighten when the bell above the butcher shop door jingled. Ostap, who was wiping down a large carving knife, raised his head and looked in surprise at the woman who had just entered.
Every Day, a Woman Bought Dozens of Kilograms of Meat—Until Her Unusual Purchases Caught the Police’s Attention
— Lydia Stepanovna? I wasn’t expecting to see you so early.
The elderly customer usually came closer to noon, took her time choosing a small piece of meat, and carefully counted out her cash. But now she stood in the doorway, her fingers clasped over her old coat, as though she were gathering the courage for a difficult conversation.
“Please weigh me some beef, Ostap,” she said. “Brisket and some good-quality lean meat.”
“How much would you like? Everything is fresh today.”
Lydia Stepanovna held her breath, looked somewhere beyond the counter, and only then answered.
