Maria, a beautiful middle-aged woman, former participant in the fight against Nazism is killed. The investigator Urumov discovers the criminal. Urumov wants to know the reason why Dzherikarov has committed the murder. Dzherikarov is a former officer of the king army. Maria's memories expose the fact that she has arrested his commander in the past. By killing Maria, he wants to save his understanding of "officer's honor". Urumov sees that Maria's daughter leaves at the mother's grave an apple. In order to save her illusion, he eats the apple every time. In final talk with Dzherikarov, the murderer condemns himself to death and eats the apple.