"BASED ON REAL EVENTS" "Mateo, son, what are you doing there?" "You're absolutely frozen, darling." "Did you have another nightmare?" "Come on, get back into bed." "That's it." "Can I sleep with you?" "Don't you worry, okay?" "I'm going to get a glass of water." "THE MUD BO Y" "Come on, wake up." "I've got to go." "This bed is so comfortable." "Come on, get up, there's warm bread." "Come on, move it!" "Three get off here." "Let's see." "What do you dream about that scares you so much?" "You dream about what happened that night, don't you?" "Roque said he was going to teach me a job." "Did he?" "What's wrong?" "Don't you want to be my assistant anymore?" "Aren't you going to say goodbye?" "It doesn't matter." "I'm still worried about Mateo." "You should find work for the kid." "It's about time he brought some money in." "Doing what?" "Rolling cigarettes 17 hours a day for one peso a week?" "I want something different." "What do you want, to turn the boy into a gentleman?" "At least you'd get him off the streets, where he's in danger." "You're spoiling him, Estela." "You know what I think, the boy needs a bit of discipline." "You sleep with me when it suits you... and you think you have the right to tell me how to bring up my son?" "Hey, don't speak like that, as if I only came by once a month." "Come on..." "After all... for several years now it's suited me virtually every day." "You won the race." " But look." " Did you steal them?" "They're yours for two cents." "They'd be perfect for your mother." "I don't have any money." "They cost ten cents in the shop." "If you like, I'll show you how to get them." "My mother says stealing is wrong." "All mothers say that, idiot." "You're a coward." "I'm not a coward." " Excuse me." " Palacios..." "Bring me a strong coffee, then tell me about it." "And don't look at me like that!" "You are not my mother." "It's just you look like the living dead, boss." "That is exactly what I am." "Are you looking for something, sir?" " Shall I help with those cases?" " No, thanks." "Do you want to earn twenty cents?" "Yes, of course." "Who doesn't?" "Come here." "Look..." "I'm a photographer." "I'd like to take some photos of you with that girl." "Do you know her?" "You're the most beautiful woman in the neighbourhood." "Let's see." "Come over here." "That's it, there." "Together, look that way." "Very good." "What a pretty face!" "That's right." "Wait here." "I'm going to prepare the equipment." "Give me the money without her seeing." "Let's see, get a bit closer to her." "A bit more." "Really close." "Right next to each other." "Very good." "But don't look at me, look at each other." "Let's see." "Good, very good." "Perfect." "Let's see." "Now, give her a kiss." "Give her a kiss." "That's it." "Hold it there." "Perfect." "Very good, very good." "Let's see, now pull her skirt down." "Don't be afraid, pull it down." "Go on, pull it down." "That's it..." "More..." "Very good." "Very good." "Let's see, one more." "Now, pull her knickers down." "Go on, pull them down." "Don't be afraid, pull them down." "No, I don't want to!" "All right, stay there." "Little devil!" "Watch where you're running!" "Mateo!" "Come on, slacker!" "Get to work, this is the last one." "Go on, man, go on!" "Be careful, son!" "I have enough work sewing clothes." "Don't make me wash them." "Come on, help me pick them up." "No." "Mateo, help me, now!" "Come on." "I don't want to." "And what do you want, for me to beat you, like Octavio says?" "What's up with you?" "I work my fingers to the bone... to give you everything you need and this is how you repay me?" "Where did you get this from?" "I can bring you money too... like Octavio does." "Go to your room, right now." "Now, Mateo!" "Come on, Mateo, stop crying." "I won't punish you if you promise..." " you'll never do it again." " I'm scared, mum." "Another nightmare?" "Listen, tomorrow we're going to the hospital..." " so the doctors can see you." " No, no, mum." "I don't want to tell anyone else, just you." "Promise me." "Look, there's no need to feel ashamed." "Lots of children have nightmares." "But this time I wasn't asleep." "What's this?" "Mateo, what's this?" "I found it." "Look at me." "The money you gave me, did you find that too?" "I don't think he was raped, but I won't know for sure until the autopsy is done." "You can't go on like this, Petrie." "You need more sleep." "You won't bring your wife back to life by destroying yourself." "It's not just that, Soria..." "The problem is the emptiness that seems to invade all of us." "It doesn't matter what we do." "Every day a ship arrives full of starving people." "They live like animals... and so they become animals." "You're wrong there." "Animals aren't capable of perversions like this." "What do you think?" "Looks like magnesium." " Good morning." " Yes?" "For you." "What do you want?" "To come in." "It's complicated." "It's going to take a lot more than that." " Don't you understand my problem?" " That has nothing to do with us." " Is she the owner of the house?" " Mrs. Eulalia Galán, the owner." "Superintendent Lautaro Petrie, in charge of this case." "Very well, lady." "You say you gave the keys to Mr. Luchessi and Mr. Marino, they returned them to you and told you they'd found a dead body in the house, and you let them go." "A real fright they got, those two gentlemen." " Do you give the keys to just anyone?" " I've got to look after the shop." "I give people the keys and later they give them back to me." "But just in case they forget," "I write down all the addresses." "You have all the details of the people who have visited the house recently?" "Yes, of course, I have them here." "Mr. Luchessi and Mr. Marino... live in Colombres Street 642." "They wanted to rent the house as a painting studio." "There are lots of artists in the neighbourhood:" "Actors," " models..." " Any photographers?" "Yes." "Yes." "Mr. Garcés." "He lives at Chile Street, 84." "He visited the house two weeks ago, he seemed very interested." "Can we keep the notebook to check the other details?" "Octavio!" "How did this idiot get in here?" "Sorry, sir." "He must have slipped past." "Is this yours?" " No, it's not mine." " All right." "You and I have to talk back at the police station." "What is it, Palacios?" "Can't you even stop scum like that getting in?" "Can I tell you something, mum?" "Of course you can." "Come here." "What?" "I think they've killed my friend Arturo." "I saw it." "Why do you say that?" "What did you see?" "Tell me." "They beat him and there was a lot of blood, then they hanged him by the neck on the merry-go-round." "Mateo..." "I think you're still having nightmares... about what happened that night when you were little." "But that doesn't give you the right to those tempers of yours, or to treat me bad." "Are you going to tell me where you got that?" "A man dropped it and I picked it up." "Superintendent, come and see this." "What kind of man could do something like this?" "Is everything okay?" "It's Mateo." "He says he saw how they killed a friend of his." " Today?" " Yes." "I promised I wouldn't tell you, but..." "I don't know what's wrong with him." "Let's go in." " And where did this come from?" " He said he found it." "Today I saw a box like this one in the house where they killed a boy." "Your son is in serious trouble." "Perhaps it was there he saw the murder." "No, he says he saw it in a dream, while he was here with me." "And if your kid tells you he flew right over to the other side of town," " do you believe him as well?" " Listen, Octavio." "I know my son, I know when he's lying." "I'm sure there are bad things going on in his head." "Okay." "Soria, the police doctor, is an acquaintance of mine." "Tomorrow we'll go to see him, ask him to have a look at the boy." "But we'll have to keep an eye on him all the same." "You've been too lenient with him." "Darling, Octavio knows a doctor... who's going to have a look at you tomorrow." "You're a liar, mum!" " You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!" " Don't speak to me like that, Mateo." "And you!" "You can just keep out of it!" " Mateo, please!" " Don't touch me!" "Calm down." "You see what he's like?" " All right, let go of him." " I'm going out... see if he calms down a bit." "Calm down!" "Listen to me, calm down!" "You get a hold of him!" "Son!" "Son!" "I swear I'll kill the son of a bitch who did this." "I swear, son." "It seems that someone let things get a bit out of hand." "A photographer, who's a bit queer, you see?" "But he doesn't really do any harm to anyone." "With dead kids you don't make money." "And people get nervous." "So, do you know who it was?" "You wouldn't want to bump the photographer off, would you?" "What are you saying?" "No, I'd take the backhander, but murder, that's something quite different." "I was just asking to know if Estela's son was mixed up in it." "Don't give me none of that faggot stuff." "There's a man, with lots of influence, who's very worried about this thing, because he's going to lose a lot of money." "You understand?" "And the person that sorts this out... will make a good deal of money." "That Spanish woman you're screwing..." "You could give her a nice present." "I don't need to give her presents." "Where's she going to go, single, with a kid and no house?" "As you wish, but don't give me no crap, right?" "Be off with you!" "Read all about it!" "Boy murdered in Pavón Street!" "Read all about it!" "A disgusting, brutal crime!" "I thought we could at least avoid the photograph." "Is there anyone among us who doesn't have a price?" "Did you find anything out?" "It seems it was a mistake." "Now, the perverts... are not satisfied with forcing young kids." "Now they also take photos of them to sell them, but until this thing yesterday, as far as we know, they hadn't killed anyone." "In this city, everything is sold." "The police, innocence, silence..." "Money is destroying our souls, Palacios." "I won't say anything." "Don't be so stubborn." "You should be grateful that Octavio is helping you." "Hi, Mateo." "Lady." "Octavio told me you're not well and that you've been having nightmares." " So, you don't sleep well?" " He's got a very lively imagination." "He says he was at the place where they killed the boy." " Is that right?" " No." "I wasn't there, just..." "He also says he has visions, as if he were a saint." "Would you mind leaving me alone with the boy for a moment?" " I want to ask him a few questions." " Don't worry, darling." " The doctor just wants to help you." " Come on." "Do you know who's under there?" "And how do you know?" "Did you know him?" "It's Arturo, he lived on my block." "Do you know who killed him?" "The boy needs to understand." "He's got to stop acting up." "You'll see, from now on he's going to behave better." "Will you just stop?" "Everything just makes you angry." "Please, leave me alone." "If I understood correctly, in your dream you saw... how they beat your friend until they killed him." "Yes, but he didn't die from the beating." "He was strangled with a cord." "Mateo, this is the superintendent." "He's in charge of all of us." " This is Octavio's son." " I'm not Octavio's son." "Right, but when you grow up you want to be a policeman like him, don't you?" "I'm never going to be a policeman." "And how come you know so much about crimes... if you don't want to be a policeman?" "The boy's healthy... but those nightmares he has are because he's a bit weak." "If anything strange happens to him or if he has nightmares again, tell me." "I have a friend at the San Roque Hospital... who would see him without charging you anything." "Okay?" " Thank you." " Thank you very much." "No sign of violence in the genital region." "He wasn't sexually abused." "The wounds on the head aren't very deep." "The boy was right." "He didn't die from the beating, he was strangled to death." "When a crime appears in the papers, you always get some loony claiming to have had visions..." "Ignorance is the perfect breeding ground for fantasy." "So how did he know how he died?" "The press didn't say anything about the cord, nor can it be seen in the photo." "Well, because his father told him, or because he really was there." "Who knows?" "Perhaps he has relations with the same pervert." "The truth is almost always hidden in the simplest answers, or the most likely ones." "You should know that." "I know, but sometimes it's more human to believe." "What the fuck are you doing?" "You little bastard!" "Son of a bitch!" "Give it to me, give it to me, you son of a bitch!" "Get out of my sight, bastard!" "Give me the bottle!" "Give me the bottle!" "What are you looking at?" "Can't you see I'm teaching this little shit a lesson?" "I never want to see you again!" "Never again in my whole life!" "The clothes I need urgently are marked with pins." "These can wait a week, more or less." "I'm pretty busy at the moment, I'll see if I can." "But you have to tell me if you can or not." "I promised them two days at the most." "All right." "In two days I'll bring them to you." "Help me!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "Help me!" " God almighty!" " Bring water!" " Bring water!" " Bring water!" "Help!" "Help!" "What have they done?" "Sons of bitches!" "What have they done to my girl?" "Mateo!" "Mateo, please!" "Mateo!" "She began to scream." "I couldn't move." "He knew I was there." "He?" "Who's he?" "The murderer." "Did you see him?" "No." "There were only people in the shadows." "I know he's the same one that killed Arturo." "He doesn't want me to see him." "Why did you go out into the street?" "I knew he was going to hurt her." "I didn't want to leave her alone." "Why did you light the match?" "I didn't light it." "I just saw the box and I picked it up." "How could you see the fairground from your nightmares... and the street at the same time?" "I don't know..." "I only saw the fairground." "Why are telling us all these stories about enchanted fairgrounds... instead of telling us the truth?" "Well, all right." "Stick him in a cell for the night, see if he comes to his senses." "If you want to know my opinion, I think it's as suspicious as you do." "But the visions..." "No one would invent such an incredible alibi." "Unless he was retarded..." "or a child." "Mateo will spend the night in the cell." "Tomorrow, I'll question him again." "But he didn't do anything." "He was with me in Lupoff's shop." "I only want him to tell me the truth." "It's the second time he's been related to an attack." "There's one boy dead and the girl's condition is very serious." " Let me speak to him, superintendent." " Shut up, Estela." "The boy already thinks you can always protect him." "He needs discipline." "Leave it up to the superintendent." "Mateo's telling us fantasies." "If he doesn't collaborate, he'll go to the reformatory." "That would do him good, that way he'd learn how to behave." "Just shut up, will you?" "Superintendent, if you let me speak to him I promise he'll collaborate." "And why don't you collaborate?" "Why don't you start by telling him that the boy had a box... like the one they found in the house where Arturo was killed?" "He's spoilt, that kid!" "You're no one to tell me how to bring up my child." "When you tried giving him beatings all you managed... was to make him even more rebellious." "Don't make me shut up, no!" "Leave me alone, Octavio." "I can do this alone." "Go, Octavio!" "Octavio, the lady is right, this is not the right place." "Why don't you go back to work?" "Is that thing about the box of film true?" "He told me he found it in the street, but I didn't believe him." "Superintendent, if you let me speak to him," "I promise to tell you everything he tells me." "Please." "All right." "I have to go out for a moment." "I'll get someone to take you to the cells, but then you have to tell me everything he says." "Yes, of course." "It seems that the photographer gave a false address." "He knows I can see him, mum, that's why he wants them to catch me." "If I make friends with the murderer... and I see his face, I can tell the cops." "Yes, of course." "But it's very important that the police trust you, do you understand?" "If they think you're lying to them, they'll lock you up in the reformatory." "Do you believe me, mum?" "Where did you get that box of film from?" "I stole it off a photographer..." "And the money?" "The photographer gave it to me... to help him take some photos of a little girl with no clothes on." "Excuse me..." "Do you know anyone by the name of Garcés?" "No." "No." "And a photographer?" "I'm superintendent Petrie." "Mr. Cebrián, the owner, he's a photographer." " Could we speak to him?" " No, he's not here." "He's never here during the day." "He usually comes here in the evening, to work in the laboratory." " Do people often use those plates?" " They're not plates, they're rolls." "You load one and you can take several photos." "The boss imports them from the United States." "We'll continue later." "He also says there's a photographer... who takes photos of naked children." "We know that." "If you know, why don't you stop him?" "That man offered my son money to help him take photos of a girl." " Don't you think it's disgusting?" " Lady..." "In this country you can do whatever you want with your body." "It's a moral question, not a criminal one." "Can I take Mateo?" "No, not tonight." "Perhaps he'll remember more tomorrow." "Valentín." "Is that job still up for grabs?" " So you want to be a murderer now?" " How much?" "I told you, enough to put that Spanish woman of yours in her place." "She's been getting airs and graces recently." "Just shut up about my Spanish woman." "I want to do it for the money, right?" "The guy is half crazy." "What you have to do is bump him off, but make it look like suicide." "Can you do that?" "Are you kidding?" "Those faggots..." "He'll have snuffed it before he knows what's hit him." "It seems that everything points to the photographer." "In the Larrondo case, it's obvious, but nobody saw a photographer anywhere near the Lupoff girl." "Mateo's mother told us the boy worked for him." "Perhaps the boy tried to get the girl to go along with him, she refused and..." "I can't imagine the boy setting the girl on fire." "I don't know." "Larrondo and Mateo were friends." "Sometimes a person can transmit things mentally to someone else, images and sensations, without having to be present." "You don't believe that stuff about visions, do you?" "There are special people..." "Occasions on which one mind can be affected by another." "Sir, the cars are ready." "I hope the photographer is in the store." "And that he can clarify our doubts." "I think we're all going crazy." "He's still warm." "Do you think it was suicide?" "No one packs his cases to travel to the other world." "Read all about it!" "Read all about it!" "The Pavón Street murderer found dead!" "Read all about it!" "A girl burnt alive was his last victim!" "Did you like spending the night alone?" "You can't go on treating me bad." "Last night I was working... so that they'd leave your little darling in peace." "Now there's a dead man to take the blame." "Estela, come with me, please." "Now your son doesn't look so innocent." "Mateo told me he only did it once." " Have they arrested the photographer?" " The law doesn't allow us... to arrest the dead, even if they deserve it." "If Mateo had told us about the photographer earlier, perhaps we could have prevented the thing with the Lupoff girl." "Superintendent, Soria is asking if you can go down to the cells." "You and the lady." "No!" "Leave me alone!" "What's wrong, darling?" "What's wrong?" "No, please!" "Mummy!" "Please, help me!" "Mummy!" "He's burying her alive!" "He's burying her alive!" " Mummy!" " He's going to kill her!" "Help!" "Mummy, help!" "Where is he burying her?" "Could you tell us where he's burying her?" "Yes." "This is the place, but this house wasn't here." "It's all right, darling." "Very good, lady." "You can take the boy home." "Let's hope the death of the photographer... will put an end to this nightmare." "Make sure he learns how to write." "With the stories he invents he could become a great novelist." "Do you still believe the boy has visions?" "I don't know." "Perhaps the opiate I injected him with altered his perception." "Don't you think that maybe the boy's experiencing a memory?" "This house must have been built not long ago." "You read too much, Soria." "Are you going to let him go, just like that?" "Mateo doesn't see visions, but he knows something." "He says that there's just one murderer, that Arturo was strangled to death..." "In Cebrián's photos there are no signs of violence." "Arturo seems to be collaborating, like Mateo, for money." "But the birds at the back of the house... indicate the presence of an undesirable." "Someone who could have seen how they take the photos... and then attack the boy." "This is not finished." "We're going to keep Mateo under discreet surveillance." "Perhaps he'll give himself away, or lead us to the real murderer." "Something wrong?" "I know." "It's that Spanish tart you're screwing." "She's driving me crazy with that bloody kid of hers." "The thing is that bitch has got you well and truly by the balls." "If you like, we can get the boy in the street." "Those people baulk at nothing." "And where are you going to work now that Blas has kicked you out?" "I don't know." "Maybe I'll get some odd jobs... here and there to earn some money." "Well..." "If you like, you can come with me and keep watch." "No, I don't want to steal." "I..." "I tried it and I don't like it." "What's up?" "You go if you like." "I'm saying it because I don't intend to work all my life as a lamplighter." "I prefer staying at home and sleeping, not going out robbing like you." "You're a thief." "I'm a thief?" "Give me the bottle back, because it's stolen, too." "Go on, give it back to me!" " What, Ramirito, who's winning?" " The elephant." "Very good." "You have to forgive me, Estela." "I only wanted to help you." "I bought you a present." "Not even the finest ladies have a ring like this one." "Try it on." "Are you crazy?" "This ring must have cost a fortune." "Well." "You see, darling?" "I know how to do things properly too." "Let's get married... and have a child together." "Yes?" "I've already got a child." "Yes..." "Where did you get the money from?" "A job." "You know..." "Did you kill the photographer?" "You blame me, but it was the chief who threw your son in the slammer." "Without my help, your little treasure would be in real trouble." "Take the ring back." "It's too expensive." "And keep your voice down, you'll wake up the boy." "What did you give the chief to let the boy go?" "That's why you don't want the ring." "He said that with the photographer's death everything was solved." "Of course, because they'll blame the Lupoff girl on him as well." "And do you know why?" "Because they don't give a damn about what's going on around here." "They just want a culprit to keep the press happy." "Then, if the kids are in danger, they don't care about that!" "They need someone like me to solve the problem for them." "You're chucking me out of my house, Estela." "Where do you expect me to sleep now?" "Go and sleep in a whorehouse like you do whenever you fancy." "He attacks children because he likes hurting them." "But can't you tell us anything about him?" "Anything." "I don't know, whether he's blond... or has a big nose." "I can't see him." "It's as if I saw through his eyes." "Okay, okay." "Don't worry." "Don't worry." "We're proud of you." "You saved that baby's life." "I think it's the same man who did this to me," " at the fairground when I was a kid." " You didn't tell us about that." "Was it the same fairground you see in your nightmares?" "Yes, but now it's different and it scares me." "There, I saw how he buried the girl alive, how he burned a boy's eyes with a cigarette." "I also saw him beat another one to death with a club, and in a tent I saw him set that girl on fire." "Palacios, have them check the archives." "I want to know everything about attacks on minors in the last five years." "What are you waiting for?" "As you wish." "Thank God!" "Son!" "Son!" "Where have you been?" "Mateo's fine." "Let's go inside and I'll tell you everything." "Thank you so much." "Well..." "Are you going to tell me what happened to Mateo... or do I have to read it in the police reports?" "The nightmares started six years ago." "It was the local celebration and I took Mateo to the fairground." "There, I met a neighbour who asked me to dance." "I left Mateo at the edge of the dance floor... and when the dance ended he had disappeared." "I searched for him everywhere." "Everywhere." "When they found him, he had that wound on his face." "Someone had hit him and thrown him against some wires, but my son started to scream," "and a policeman heard him and went to help him, and the other one escaped." "And you've felt guilty every since." "You know?" "I couldn't stand it if anybody ever hurt him ever again." "That boy needs you." "Try not to leave him alone." "By the way, even though it's none of my business," "Mateo said that Octavio wasn't his father." "No, Octavio is the policeman who found him." "I owe him my son's life." "If he hadn't been doing the round that night," "Mateo would be dead now." "You are very brave, Estela." "If you need anything, whatever it is, let me know." "Thanks, superintendent." "No, you don't have to see me out." "Don't worry." "I only came to get my things." "You can take whatever you like." "This is still your house." "Right." "What was the superintendent doing in my house?" "Octavio, please." "Octavio, please, what?" " Octavio..." " What?" " I wasn't doing anything." " Nothing?" "Nothing." "Octavio, don't..." "So now you want to screw with the boss?" "Octavio, please, no." "Your man's not good enough for you now." "You prefer that toff..." "Well, I'm going to show you how a pimp fucks." "So you can get used to it, whore!" "Come with us." "Give us money, please." "Fuck you, bastard." "Idiot." "What are you doing here?" "Didn't I tell you I never wanted to see you again?" "Boss, I want to work again." "If you stole the bottle off me, how the fuck do you expect me to trust you?" "Get out of here." "Get out of here!" "Out of here, you piece of shit!" "You'll be sorry, you old bastard." "Fucking brat!" "And what's the police station like?" "Did you see any dead bodies?" "And murderers?" "How do I know if they're murderers or not?" "You up for a race?" " A short one." " As far as Marcial's bar?" "Okay." "How are you doing, Estela?" "It was up to here!" "That devil was playing at races with the others." "I don't know how he managed it." "The girl has bruises, burns, and a cord around the neck." "This time I was too late." "Too late." "Did you see anything new?" "It's Josefina, who that man took photos of me with." "The killer burnt her eyes with a cigarette to make her scream, and when he got bored of that he strangled her with a cord." "But I couldn't see him." " Take the boy home." " But sir, the boy was..." "Didn't you understand my orders, officer?" "Yes, sir." "She was strangled to death, about six hours ago." "With the same type of cord?" "Yes, the kind used for pulleys in construction." "And the burns?" "Cigarette burns." "The girl was undoubtedly still alive when they were done." "In my opinion, it's a sadist who enjoys... seeing people suffer." "The same person who tortured the birds in Pavón St." "Excuse me." "I have to ask you some questions." "Lady, you were the last one to see the girl, right?" "No, it was Gregorito, our son." "I read in your declaration... that you believe a man accompanied her and offered her money to go with him." "That's what Gregorio says." "But it wasn't a man, it was a boy." "That boy took my Josefina off with him." "Excuse me." "The Lupoff girl has died." "The burns were too serious." "Should we continue investigating the death of the photographer, or do we assume it was suicide?" "Following the tracks of a pimp in this city... is like trying to put fences around the Pampa." "Stop fucking about, Palacios." "I want everyone off their arses... to find out who bought photos off Cebrián." "Everyone?" "We're going to keep Mateo under surveillance, aren't we?" "Are you deaf?" "I want all the officers... after the maniac who bought those photos." "Excuse me..." "Mr. Estévez, I presume." "Yes, that's right." "I'm sorry to speak to you at such a difficult time," "but I want you to know that they're covering up... the main suspect of your daughter's murder." "Why are you ignoring me?" "What?" "Is something up?" "Did you hear about what happened to Josefina?" "She's dead." "Mateo found her." "Oh, yes?" "Did it frighten you, Mateo?" "A bit." "Look what I brought you." "Mateo." "Do you want one?" "I came because..." "I've changed my mind." "I've got something for you, if you're interested." "Money?" "I'll tell you on the way." "Well, okay." "Mateo..." "Be careful where you go." "Excuse me." "You are the father of the girl who burnt to death, aren't you?" "Cayetano, someone's coming!" "Shit, it's you, you son of a bitch!" "I'll skin you alive!" "Fiore, did Cayetano come home?" "Awhile ago." "What's he done now?" "Where did you put my money?" "Little bloody devil!" "Come here, come here!" "That boy's a devil!" "He's a devil!" "It's because of the attacks that torment him!" "Come here!" "Little bastard, come here!" "Mum!" "Mum!" "What's wrong, son?" "What's wrong?" "I know who is the murderer." "I saw him." "Read all about it!" "The streets are not safe!" "The police are covering up the killer of children!" "Read all about it!" "The streets are not safe!" "The police are covering up the killer of children!" "Are you sure?" "I know him, too." "He lives in the neighbourhood." "I once met his mother in Lupoff's store." "She told me he'd just come out of the Marcos Paz reformatory." "More or less when the nightmares started?" "Yes, that's right." "About two months ago." "Here he is." "Cayetano Santos Godino." "He lives at General Urquiza 370." "He was a witness... to an attack on a boy who was beaten to death." "The case was never solved." "He was also a witness in another unsolved case." "A boy burnt on the eyelids." "Very good, Palacios." "Have someone take the lady and the boy home." "We'll go to Urquiza Street." "Excuse me, does Cayetano Santos Godino live here?" "Yes, he lives here." "But he's not here right now." "Who are you, the police?" "May I?" "Where does the boy sleep?" "There, in the little bed." "He run away last night." "We can't cope with him any more." "Take him away." "Take him to the reformatory." "We don't want him any more." "This time it's because of the robbery of old Blas, isn't it?" "Petrie, come and see this." "Those marbles are nice." "When I was little I liked them a lot too." "Do you want it?" "Do you?" "If you want a bigger one, this big, come with me, I've got more." "Do you want one?" "This is it." "Come in." "I've got the big sweet in here." "Where's the sweet?" "There, under that metal sheet there." "Help!" "Help!" "Somebody help me!" "Please, help me!" "Stop, Cayetano!" "Are you speaking to me?" "What's wrong with you?" "What?" "You're dead?" "You're dead!" "You're dead, you're dead!" "Were you calling?" "What's wrong?" "He had an attack, but it's over now." "Poor kid." "Please, help me carry him into the bedroom." "Why did you die?" "Don't you want to be my friend no more?" "Well, if you're not going to speak to me, I'm off." "If you want to get out of here, tell your mummy to come and help you." "Gesualdo!" "Where have you been?" "Excuse me, you haven't seen a boy of about five years old, have you?" "He's called Gesualdo." "No." "But don't worry." "You go to the police station, they'll tell you what to do, and I'll look for him round here." "Thanks." "Thanks." "He told us he was weak." "Excuse me, sir." "This man has come to report the disappearance of another boy." "Show him into my office immediately." "May I?" "Come in." "Sit down." "Do you know that boy?" "I don't know him, but I've just spoken to him." "He told me he'd help me look for Gesualdo." "Could you take us to the place where you met him?" "Of course." "Don't take him!" "Please, don't take him!" "Hand the body over to the family." "He's already suffered enough." "I'll take charge." "I don't know if you're still interested." "An informer told me the address of Cebrián's client." " Please don't take him!" " Don't worry." "Don't worry." "The superintendent told me..." "The superintendant told me you can take him home." "Thank you." "What have they done to you, my little boy?" " Who is it?" " Superintendent Petrie." "Mateo had another attack, didn't he?" "Yes." "Cayetano has killed another child." "Would you mind if I saw the boy?" "No, not at all." "He had a nose bleed again." "He's in there." "How are you doing, friend?" "Tired." "Does your stomach hurt?" "A bit." "Mateo, you're the only one I can trust." "Cayetano has escaped, and as he knows we've discovered him, he almost certainly won't go back home." "I don't know where to look for him." "We've asked around, no one knows anything." "There's a boy." "He's called Roque." "They're friends." "He lives near Marcial, two blocks from here." "Thanks." "Lady." "I'm very sorry I didn't believe your son from the start." "No, don't worry." "You've been very kind to us." "You deserve it, lady." "Good night." "We don't know where the boy is, but Roque said he'd go to the wake of that boy who was killed." "My God, if they don't do something about this... we're going to have to tie our kids to the doors." " Who is it?" " Where's the murderer?" " Where's the boy?" " What are you talking about?" "Your son!" "Come on, he's getting away!" "Die!" "Die, you son of a bitch!" "Cayetano Santos Godino." "What is it?" "You're going to have to come with us." "Die!" "Die, son of a bitch!" "My love!" "No, my darling, no!" "No, my love, no." "What's up?" "Tonight I just want to get drunk." "You said it." "What good is talking?" "Life's a bitch." "I remember after killing that boy," "Arturo," "I went to the shed and I masturbated," "like when I killed Josefina." "Don't you feel any remorse for what you did?" "I don't understand what you're asking me." "You don't know what remorse is?" "No, sir." "Do you think you have the right to kill children?" "But I'm not the only one, there are others that do it as well." "Why did you kill them?" "Because I like it." "And the wake?" "You went to the wake of the last child you killed." "I wanted to see him." "Why?" "I wanted to see if he had the nail in his head." "You still love me." "No, Octavio, not anymore." "Have you ever tried to strangle a man?" "No, no." "Men are too big, and I can't." "Well, if I find him asleep, yes." "What do you feel when you strangle someone?" "I don't know." "I like it." "My whole body shakes... like if I want to bite." "The way I did with that boy, I sank my teeth into him like a dog..." "Then, I'm thirsty... and my throat burns as if I had a fever." "I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry." "The culprit has already paid for it." "That's not justice, Estela." "That's revenge." "For us there never can be justice." "I'll make do with revenge." "One more question." "Have you ever cried?" "No, I..." "Yes..." "Once, when I wanted to kill a boy and he escaped." "The victims of Little Big-Ears!" "Buenos Aires awash with blood!" "Read all about it!" "The victims of Little Big-Ears!" "Read all about it!" "Read all about it!" "The victims of Little Big-Ears!" "Buenos Aires awash with blood!" "Cayetano Santos Godino, "El Petiso Orejudo" ("Little Big-Ears")" "Died 32 years later... in the "Fin del Mundo" prison, Ushuaia, Argentina."