"A BAY OF BLOOD" "It's so nice, the calm after the storm." "What is it?" "Can you hear it?" "What?" " It's a squonk." " A squonk?" "And what's that?" "The squonk?" "You surprise me." "A girl of your intelligence doesn't know what a squonk is?" "It's an animal covered in moles that can camouflage itself perfectly." "I think it's exclusively female, but it's easy to find because it's very vain and it never stops whining." "And when it's captured..." "it dissolves into tears." "You act like a thief where love's concerned." "You take it and run." "Other characteristics of the squonk are sulkiness, diffidence and possessiveness." "Very inconvenient qualities for a personal secretary." "Well, more than that... a partner in an affair as important as this." " Where are you going?" " To the bay." "We're on the home stretch, I've got to close the deal." "The police suspended investigations into the Countess' death, there was no evidence." "A case of suicide." "Everything's fine." "I just need a signature." "Bye!" " Franco!" " Yes?" " Take me with you." " Better not right now." "Maybe later." "But call me first." "Bye, squonk!" "Bye." "Be careful!" "Give them to me!" "You'll have a heart attack chasing after that bug!" "How do you know it's the same one?" "Because it's the only insect that's escaped you." "Not the only, but he is very intelligent and remembers last autumn when I put a ring round one of his horns and let him go." " Why?" " To study his habits." "Sure... to see if he's horny!" "Men should leave others to enjoy their freedom." "Even that poor octopus was free once, Simone." "I study beetles because I love them." "Yes, you pin them to boards or preserve them in display cases." "At least I eat my octopus." "I don't kill as a hobby like you!" "My God, Simon, you make me feel like a murderer!" "I didn't say that, Mr Fossati." "When one kills contrary to the laws of nature, one becomes a monster." "But man isn't an insect, dear Simon." "We have thousands of years of civilization behind us." "I don't know about that." "I wasn't there." "You've changed ever since Federica was killed." "Suicide..." "Mr Fosatti." "Suicide." "The police said it was suicide." "Of course..." "Sorry... a slip of the tongue!" "Don't worry, Your Honour." "By tonight I'll have all the documents signed by the heir." "Of course." "No, everything's in order." "We'll wait a while before starting work, out of respect." "The poor Countess... well, she came to a rather nasty end." "Of course, I don't think I'm underestimating your problems." "But it's an important enough deal to justify a bit of a risk." "Leave it to me, Your Honour." "Everything will go smoothly." "Just take care of the permits." "Okay, Your Honour." "Certainly." "I'll drop by and see you." "My respects, Your Honour." "Ready, sir." " Here." "Goodbye." " Thanks." "Look how beautiful it is!" "Look, it's lovely!" "It's like a paradise on earth." "Well, we mustn't fall from grace here then!" "Why not?" "That's what we came for!" "Go, Roberto!" " Hands off!" " I haven't even started yet." "Yes, you have!" " Fetrol, gentlemen?" " Petrol!" "You've been here a year and you can't say it yet!" "You Italians only teach us the dirty words!" "Come on, Roberto!" "Who cares, we didn't come here to teach them Italian." " Don't you like me anymore?" " I'll show you how much!" "Look how lonely it is here!" "Come on, Robert." "Come on..." "We've found a night club, come on!" "There's even a dance floor!" "Let's go!" "At least we can dance!" "Louise, give me the tape recorder." "Here it is!" "Sylvie, put on some music." "It's like a mausoleum in here!" "No point trying to set the scene for some Latin seduction!" "This place is more Sibelius than Puccini!" "Hold the culture!" "Come on, climb up!" "You too!" "Great, there's a platform too!" "Come on, Robert, let's do the shake!" "You and me will do the tango." "The Aleph the one... the all... the void..." "The lines of air, water, fire and earth are complete." "Paolo!" "You could at least answer when I call!" "Don't yell, you'll upset the little fellows." "You and your hateful bugs!" "It's be absurd to think you're capable of love." "Me?" "I love many things, but you'd never understand." "We don't understand anything, right, Ferdinando?" "Clouds of blood are gathering over the bay." "Really?" "Just think, Ferdinando!" "Now what?" "The Aleph came out at the end of the line of fire." "The Zaren was suspended between the lines of water and air." "The sickle of death is about to strike!" "Oh really, your cards sometimes!" "Last week the Aleph came out first and gusts of joy were going to blow over The Bay." "Instead someone hanged poor Federica!" "You're more insensitive than your beetles!" "Can't you feel the chill of death's icy breath?" "All I hear is Ventura holding the usual orgy in his cottage!" "You hate Ventura for the same reason you hated Federica's husband, because he enjoys life and you don't!" "The formalin, be careful!" "I hate him because he wants to turn The Bay into a sea of cement." "But I won't let him!" "Even if I have to..." " Not dancing, Robert?" " I'm no good at it." "Come on!" "I'll take you to a private room." "Stop it!" "You're tickling me!" "I only do it in bed." "And it must be comfortable!" "Bourgeois!" "I'm coming!" "You big, sexy doll!" "Come and see the swimming pool!" "God, what a stink!" "Here I go!" "Careful, you'll trip!" "I'll dive in!" "I'm coming, Roberto!" "Are you mad?" "Want to get typhus?" "There might be a corpse in there." "You always say terrible things!" "Maybe I found the bed." " I'm going to swim in the sea." " You'll get pneumonia." " You want to die here?" " Let's go." "Come on!" " Let's go and find this bed." " But let's bring Roberto too." "Why him?" "Don't leave me with this maniac!" "Come on, boys!" "What do you want?" "Go for a swim!" " In this cold?" " Yes, this cold!" "She's used to it." "In her country they eat whale blubber." " It's like a museum." " Maybe there's a watchman!" "If you're scared, beat it." "Go on, push!" "I knew it'd be locked." "Let's not be stupid!" "This is private property." " And the bed?" " Luca will take care of that!" "Don't worry." "A locked door won't stop me!" "Come on, Luca!" "Show us what you're made of!" "Don't you like girls?" "What is this, a threesome?" " Actually, I..." " You did it, you're fantastic!" "Come on, Roberto, you're invited too." "Where are you going?" "Look, yours is in the water." "The bed!" "Sylvie, go check out the bed." "I'll be right with you." "The party's over for you." "You dumped the other one to bother us?" "Are you a voyeur?" "Here, be a native, but do it outside!" "Where's Roberto?" "Just when I've found the bed!" "What do you care about Roberto?" "I'm here, aren't I?" "Leave me alone!" "Rapist!" "Don't be so rough!" "Where are you taking me?" "Roberto, is that you?" "Roberto, answer me!" "Don't fool around!" "I found a body!" "Hell's bells!" "He always pretends he can't hear!" "Well, Alberto?" "Are you coming?" "The kids." "It took me half an hour to get them to go to sleep." " Why leave the light on?" " You know they don't like the dark." "If you'd listened to me, they'd be at their aunt's now, but your sentimentalism..." "At that harridan's?" "Kids should be with their parents." "Don't start!" "Think about what to ask the Fossatis." "Me?" "I thought I didn't know how to think!" "It's the truth, or we wouldn't be reduced to this!" "Good evening!" "Are you Mr Fossati?" "I'm Donati's daughter." "I'd like some information about my father." "Is it convenient?" "Excuse me, may we come in?" "I'd like to talk to your wife too." "Of course, Filippo Donati's death threw a very strange light on dear Federica's death." "Suicide, said the police." "But..." "Suicide!" "Her!" "I knew her well." "She clung to life, and how!" "And she clung to her property even more!" "As I understand it, what you actually want to say is that Federica wouldn't have committed suicide but..." "Excuse me if I'm frank, ma'am, but your father wasn't suited to this place." "Right, Ferdinando?" "Drink!" "Another drop, and then to bed!" "And tomorrow morning a nice flight in the woods!" "Excuse me, but, you father was... a bit..." "you understand?" "Women... gambling... escapades of every kind..." "The idea to turn The Bay into a luxury resort was always doomed to failure because, as you can see, dear lady, this place is full of insects" "I imagine that's why the two of you came to live here then." "My husband believes that even insects have a soul." "On the other hand, if Filippo Donati has a soul, insects also do." "Maybe Renata meant that you settled here for the natural life." "Natural or unnatural, one could even kill one's wife if it meant would one could enjoy life more fully." "I came to find out about my father's disappearance, not to hear judgement passed on him." "I don't understand what you're getting at." "Nothing." "Nothing, my dear lady." "I just hope you don't intend to reopen the night club, the gas station and all the other devilries installed by your father that have almost destroyed the fauna here." "If you manage to inherit The Bay." " Remember all that, Ferdinando?" " Ferdinando doesn't remember." " Ferdinando doesn't remember..." " No!" "Inheriting isn't so easy." "Maybe Federica's will leaves everything to her biological son." "Biological son?" "Yes!" "Federica did have her brighter moments." "Didn't you know Simone is the fruit of her secret love affair?" "No, actually." "Who is this Simone?" "He lives in a cabin by The Bay." "He's part watchman, part woodsman, part petty thief." " Anna!" " What?" "He's a good chap, but lately he's had some strange ideas." "Federica kept him in college until he was 16." "Then she had him build that cabin and kept him there like an animal." "A constant reminder of her weak flesh." "Maybe he knows something about my father." "I doubt it, he always avoided him." "He didn't approve of your father's marriage to Federica." "But we should ask him if he knows anything." "Maybe Franco Ventura might know something." "He owns the cottage nearby." "He knows your father very well." "It's better not to take the car." "See that path?" "It'll take you straight there." "What did you do to your hand?" "I cut myself with the penknife." "Your father's disappearance wasn't enough, now there's a son too!" "We're even worse off than before!" "If you'd stop whining and use your brain, you'd find a solution." " There's no way out." " There, you've already given up." "There's only one thing between us and that inheritance." " What?" " Nothing!" "Okay, Simone, tomorrow..." "Go and see who they are!" "Are you Simone?" "No, everything's fine." "Tomorrow we'll celebrate together." "As soon as we get the go ahead, I'll take a long holiday." "No, you've got to keep things moving." "I can't right now." "Nothing, just a little complication." "No, nothing serious." "Come on, don't start!" "I said no!" "Okay, get all the details and I'll take care of it." "Okay..." "Bye, squonk!" "You don't remember when you last saw Filippo Donati?" "You must have had some dealings with him." "You've lived here for years, this isn't New York!" "He was the owner of The Bay." "But you knew him, right?" "You're a man of few words!" "It's horrible!" "It's my father!" "I feel sick!" "I found him in the sea." "Take her to Ventura's cottage, it's over there." "Mr Ventura!" "Come on, calm down." "Looks like there's no one here." "How are you?" "Feeling better?" "Get the car, hurry!" "I heard your wife scream." "We found Donati's body." " Where?" " In Simone's boat." " Have you seen my wife?" " Down there, on the path." "That busybody!" "Anna!" "Alberto!" "Come here, quick!" " Did you see?" " Yes, I did it." " You did it?" " Why that face?" "This isn't the right moment to get all sensitive!" "Stop that idiot before he calls the police and ruins everything." " But how?" " Go on, move it!" "Go on, go!" "Police... 332..." "Three... three... two." "Hello?" "Police?" "Three... three... two..." "Give me a full tank." " Is there a 'phone here?" " Yes, it's inside." " Should I check the oil?" " Yes, thanks." "Stop yelling, are you crazy?" "I killed him." "Those two could have saved themselves if they'd minded their own business." "Now there are no more witnesses." "You mean that you..." " The wife too?" " Don't be such an old woman!" "In certain situations you have to act decisively." "Old woman?" "I just killed a man!" "Listen, let's get out of here." "Things will turn nasty." "If you're such a coward as to dump everything on my shoulders, do it." "I won't give up The Bay when it's ours for the taking." "But how?" "Haven't you understood?" "Simone!" "We just have to get rid of Simone." "Who's that?" "What if she saw us?" "We'll do what we have to." "Laura!" " My God!" "What happened?" " Get Simone, quick." " But you're wounded!" " Simone!" "Bring Simone here, quick!" "Don't waste time." "Ventura's wounded, quick!" "He needs help!" " Why did you close it?" " You finally came back to The Bay." "What do you mean?" "You convinced that bastard, Donati, to kill my mother." "Your mother?" "Me?" "Don't play the innocent, you whore!" "Whore!" "You drove him to murder!" "You wanted him to marry you at all costs!" "You wanted to become Mistress of The Bay!" "But now I'll you like I killed him!" "I had nothing to do with it!" "I was dragged into this against my will." "I didn't want to, let me explain." "I was forced!" "It was Ventura, that's the truth." "It was all Ventura's idea." "He wanted to buy The Bay." "It seems immoral to let The Bay disappear under the vegetation when it could..." " Disappear under cement?" "I already suffered enough over The Bay." "I prefer the chaos of vegetation over what you'd like to bring here." "But it's not for love of property that I keep it." "If my house wasn't here, I'd have sold The Bay long ago." "I assure you that I would retain it's natural beauty." "I'd only build villas..." "very exclusive, modern." "Your reasons are not sufficient to convert me to modernism." "I already made the mistake of entrusting The Bay to someone with a penchant for modernism." "Excuse me, but your husband..." "I don't want to hear another word about that man!" "We could review the price if that's the problem." "A gentleman would not insist so much, Mr Ventura." "Excuse me, it's time for my nap." " Young lady..." " Countess..." "Even the most stubborn can be persuaded to think again." ""January 8th." "I am now sure that Filippo feels estranged from me." "I agreed to his project for developing The Bay in the hope of saving our marriage." "Instead it's floundering."" "Stop it, I don't care about the Countess' love life." "Here!" "It was all over between them on February 13th." "Listen." ""February 13th." "It's over." "I'm tired, my life has no purpose."" "Poor thing!" "She must have been devastated!" "Read that page again." ""It's over." "I'm tired, my life has no purpose."" "What is it?" "February 13th..." "Tell me, didn't Donati once take a liking to you?" "Don't be ridiculous." "I met him when you took me to that night club at The Bay." "It's time to let him start courting you again." "In fact, you're the one who'll court him." "What do you intend to do?" "It's simple." "Look." "What does it mean?" "The Countess is tired of life and commits suicide." "Suicide?" "Yes." "On February 13th, just like it says here." "On the night of the 13th, Donati will kill the Countess." "The next day the body will be found with a suicide note beside it." "Donati inherits the bay and sells it to me." "Clear?" "If Donati falls in love with you, things could be a lot easier." "He pushed me into seeing Donati." "Then Ventura intervened himself." "He was the one who carried out the plan." "That bastard!" "And you're worse than him!" "I loved that poor cripple!" "You killed her for this shitty bay!" "And me..." "I was stupid enough to let you involve me in your dirty deal." "I'll kill you!" "Bastards!" "I'll kill all of you!" "No!" "I said no!" "You can't keep teasing me like this!" "I don't want to be the other woman." "Get rid of Federica." " Then we'll see." " I thought about it, but it's not that easy." "But it seems to be the only way." "So, will you do it?" "I had to do it, they found Donati's body." "You've got yourself into some serious trouble." "Put them in the bathroom for now, then we'll dump them in the sea." "You'd better get out of here, go abroad!" "Where will I get the money?" "That can be arranged." "If you sign over The Bay to me, you could get a loan." "But get me a copy of that will so it's all above board." "Okay." "Here, sign." "Good." "Tomorrow morning you'll get your money, air ticket and passport." "Thank you." "There are two more things... come on." "They're here, I've found them." "What's happening?" "Renata, where are you?" "Yes?" "I didn't think you had it in you." "It's the least I could do for my family." "We'd better clear out of here." "We'll come back as owners, when The Bay is legally handed over." "It was lucky we found my father's body." "Now no one can accuse him of being a murderer." "All's well that ends well!" "Mummy!" "Daddy!" "They're good at playing dead, aren't they?" "Let's go to the bay!"