V Moskve udarom topora ubit izvestnyi obshchestvennyi deiatel Vasilii Maslovskii. Glavnym podozrevaemym stanovitsia politicheskii opponent Maslovskogo, korrumpirovannyi general Manaev. V politcii uvereny, chto general "zakazal" obshchestvennogo deiatelia, chtoby tot ne smog obnarodovat informatciiu o ego temnykh delakh. Stolichnyi kriminalnyi reporter Aristarkh Rusakov ubezhden, chto v etom dele ne vse tak prosto. On nachinaet sobstvennoe zhurnalistskoe rassledovanie i vskore vykhodit na novykh podozrevaemykh. Imi stanoviatsia zhena i luchshii drug ubitogo. U etoi parochki, po mneniiu Rusakova, prichin nenavidet Maslovskogo bylo gorazdo bolshe, chem u vysokopostavlennogo voennogo...