"Hanging Offense" "And suicide..." "Do you still think about it?" "Well, yes, I do." "But not as a final solution." "Strange, but it doesn't frighten me now." "Maybe since I know I won't do it." "It's always an option at some point or other." "It's just a question of timing." "I assure you, I'm fine." "I just need to sleep better." "When did the insomnia start again?" "Gradually, over several weeks." "It must be the leap year." "My son died the night of Feb. 29." "I guess it'll be back every four years." "21 February - 9:50 p.m." "Become aware of your breathing again." "Breathe in and stretch as if you were trying to grow." "As much as possible." "Now relax." "Once again." "Move your arms and legs." "Breathe deeply." "Become aware of your breathing again." "Mrs. Varin?" "Mind giving Catherine a lift?" "I think it's on your way." "Sure." "Think my husband would come get me?" "I wish you wouldn't." "I quit six months ago." "That why you're taking yoga?" "I quit before starting." "They say you need at least a year." "Where do you live exactly?" "Just drop me off by the cultural center." "You try the patch?" "Excuse me?" "Bazinsky here." "We found a body." "Where?" "Essarts Wood." "After the canal lock." " Want me to send you someone?" " I'll find it." "The light's green." "Sorry, I have to leave you here." "I'm off the other way." "We've looked everywhere!" "How could she possibly lose it?" "Maybe someone took it." "A dog?" "If it was a person, they'd have taken both." "Where'd you get your raincoat?" "I bought a bunch of 'em." "I could use one." "We know who she is?" "A woman in her fifties." "That all?" "No ID, no note." "Just a set of keys in her pocket." "The doctor's here." "We're waiting for Criminal Records." "She must've done it late afternoon." "Who reported it?" "Ajogger." "He got home about 9 p.m., then took an hour to collect his wits." "I called him in tomorrow." "Wanna get out of the rain?" "Well?" "The DA ordered an autopsy." "So he's not coming." "Not with what's going on." "Any evidence?" "There's nothing to look for." "Why bother?" "And the other shoe?" "Lost." "Like Cinderella." "Keep looking." "Know what they ordered for the Club lunch?" "Couscous." "It can't be far." "Know they're having couscous for the lunch?" "Again?" "They never consult us." "As usual!" "Heard about the group?" "What group?" "The musicians." "Nice raincoat you got." "22 February - 12:14 a.m." "I don't usually go that way." "But I was tired, so I decided to cut through the woods." "It was a real shock." "I almost ran into her." "A woman, to boot." "What d'you mean by that?" "A woman hanging herself isn't common." "I mean, it's pretty rare." "Usually they take pills orjump out the window, don't they?" "Her face familiar?" "Hard to say." "It's a mess." "Is she Asian?" "You often jog at night?" "Often enough." "After work, it helps me unwind..." "You at your office tomorrow?" "Yes, why?" "The fingerprint lab's working on it." "We can only hope it's an ex-hooker." "Hookers rarely commit suicide." "They usually just disappear." "Who's checking the tattoo parlors?" "Adario's checking out local ones." "But the letters on her wrist look homemade." "I'll wake you when we get there." "They must have poured gas there." "There was another spot." "Over here..." "Check it out." "Why several?" "To get the fire started faster." "I mean, you said "they" started the fire." "My business almost went up in smoke!" "I sure didn't set it!" "Know how many people I employ?" "Gimme a break!" "You have to report it." "I'll be by tomorrow afternoon." "That's about it." "Had you received threats?" "No gambling debts, no jealous husbands?" "Don't wait to report it." "It's got a big pocket, too!" " Got any others left?" " It's my last." "Thanks for giving me yours." "Bright colors on a man look weird." "I'm going to a friend's stag party tomorrow." "I'll be a hit." "Think he did it?" "I'm sure it was him." "The place is falling apart." "I'll drive." "I see her every two weeks." "When I was on night duty, I saw her once a month." "How old is she?" "Seven, the age of reason." "I don't know who made that up." "It's stupid..." "As if a kid could..." "You just ran a stop sign." "Yes, you did." "I have my girl next week." "Want me to drive?" "Who is it?" "Michèle Varin." "Police captain." "Is Mrs. Kopmans there?" "Nope." "No one's home." "Know when she'll be back?" "Soon." "Then I'll wait out here." "What'd she do?" "Nothing." "I just want to speak to her." "About what?" "What's your name?" "Leo." "Were you home last night, Leo?" "Your mom, too?" "Notice anything unusual?" "Hear anything special?" "Coming from the woods?" "I'm not allowed in the woods." "Want some?" "I'm a police captain." "Your son kindly let me in." "A woman committed suicide last night in Essarts Wood." "There are only two homes in the forest." "You're the closest." "I was wondering if you heard or saw anything unusual?" "Nothing at all." "The victim had no ID." "We're alerting the vicinity to see if anyone knew her." "How did she die?" "She hanged herself." "I won't keep you any longer." "If you hear of anything, please contact me." "I don't usually go that way." "It was a real shock." "I almost ran into her." "The rain stopped, but it's freezing!" "I'm sorry." "Well?" "A young couple in a big house." "They gave me coffee." "How about you?" "A woman and her kid in a trailer." "Charming." "23 February - 3:05 p.m." "I can wait a few days." "I assure you, I'm okay." "Someone to see you." "See you Saturday, Doctor." "I just reported the fire to your colleague." "I'm sorry about yesterday." " No reason to be." " There is." "I wasn't very nice." "How long ago?" "I'm on my way." "I have to go." "My name's Daniel." "Michèle." "It's the second club they've hit wearing Dalton boy masks." "Who's in charge?" "Crime Squad." "Well, us until 15 minutes ago." "It has to be a local gang." "They only strike in the region." "How old?" " Who?" " The boss." "45." "No stray bullets." "One in the eye, one in the throat." "They pissed on him." "One's a hothead cowboy." "How's your hanging victim?" "Autopsy's tomorrow." "You hear what band's playing?" "Why the Dalton masks?" "Sorry, but Dr. Ogel's office hours are over." "Tell him it's the police." " What's his name?" " Jo." "Why not call him Peter?" "It was my son's idea." "So what's Jo's problem?" "No appetite." "Still don't know who the hanged woman is?" "What's he got?" "Your rabbit's on his way out." "He could improve within two days, or get worse." "If he does, I'll do what must be done." "Eight years isn't bad for a rabbit." "I held out a week, then went to Canada." "I lived in Manitoba near an Indian reservation." "I learned a lot there." "Fingers part of it?" "Among other things." "I was in Toronto once." "Did you see Niagara Falls?" "I was there two days on a case." "So the police travel?" "With a court order, they can." "I'm glad you came to dinner." "I don't get asked often." "It's their loss." "I'd like to kiss you." "Forgive me." "I'm not kidding." "I know." "It's nerves." "Forgive me." "I really like your laugh." "You have a choice:" "Either cut the charm act, or keep it up, in which case, we skip dessert." "24 February - 2:38 a.m." "Where you going?" "Home." "Will I see you again?" "I don't know." "Fracture of the left fibula." "The second one on that leg." " That makes how many?" " Four." "With the right arm, that makes five." "My record is 132." "Like Yul Brynner." "Before acting, he was a trapeze artist." "One day, he fell..." "He pulling my leg?" "No, I swear, it's no joke." "It's Varin." "I'm at the morgue." "Call me back." " Bazinsky?" " No, it's Daniel." "Sorry, I thought..." " I can call you later." " It's okay." "Captain?" "Sorry, I have to go." "It's no record-breaker, but it's interesting." "Think she did that on her own?" "I couldn't say." "The newest ones aren't even two weeks old." "We might not hear from Records for two months." "Supposing she has a record..." "And the toxicological tests?" "In progress." "What do you suggest?" "There's little we can do." "I requested a national search among dental offices." "Meanwhile, delegate the other cases to Bedaji or Figal." "For now, it's still a suicide." "See that it stays one." "...Caesarian indicates this woman had a child..." "Four suicides since April." "The C3 reports are due in, but there's nothing much." "Can you do a regional search?" "We've looked everywhere." "No sign of the shoe." "Wait!" "Come back!" "What're you doing here?" "You left me a message." "Stop scaring me, Bazinsky." "Sorry." "You stink of alcohol." "I got to bed a bit late." "Someone was watching me." "He was by the tree before I got here." "I didn't see a soul." "Someone was there." "I have to tell you something." "I goofed up." "You'll be mad." "I think I lost your raincoat." "First you think of the kids, that you ought to stick it out." "Then you get used to it, you let it slide." "With you, I always do all the talking." "I haven't much to say." "I doubt that." "I don't know what happened to you but it still hurts." "I sense lots of old ghosts." "There aren't all that many." "I look at you, you talk to me, but it's like you're not there." "Sure you won't talk about it?" "You can't keep things in forever." "Or people." "What's that mean?" "We won't work out." "We won't feel the same way at the same time." "I think we've been in tune until now." "Look, I'm glad about what happened, but it's behind us." "I don't understand." "What'd I do wrong?" "You should go home." "You call me." "I'm the one who set the fire." "26 February - 4:18 a.m." "Go on." "Do it." "What're you waiting for?" "This time I didn't do it." "Why wait so long to contact us?" "Mrs. Atken was a psychiatric day patient." "She attended workshops twice a week." "She sometimes missed sessions and didn't always call us." "We had no reason to be concerned." "What was her problem?" "Acute melancholia." "Last year, she was hospitalized here for six weeks." "Her condition had stabilized." "Why'd she hang herself?" "I have no idea." "The human mind is full of surprises." "Isn't that what makes it interesting?" "Any family?" "Administration will give you all the information we have." "Strange place." "Any news from the sawmill guy?" "And?" "And what?" "Mr. Evens, what did you talk about with Mrs. Atken?" "Lots of things." "We prayed." "Did Mrs. Atken believe in God?" "She was scared." "Scared of what?" "Scared of the devil." "And you?" "Me, too." "Did she mention taking her own life?" "I told you, they're friends." "She could see them." "Who?" "The ghosts." "What are these ghosts like?" "They wear capes... with hoods over their heads." "Like raincoats." "Can you see their faces?" "I can't tell you." "Why not?" "Because they're watching us." "I'd like to see his back." "There's a world championship every two years." "I didn't know." " You been doing 'em long?" " Four years." "That long!" "Not too boring?" "Once you're into it, you get hooked." "It's an escape." "That's the whole point." "Already done one that big?" "5,000 pieces, a few years back." "Were you serious about seeing his back scars?" "Did I not seem serious?" "Take what you find interesting and meet me back here at 4." "She lived with her daughter last time I saw her." "So it's been a while." "My aunt already had mental problems, but they started getting worse." "In what way?" "Suicide attempts, hospitalization..." "I saw her 4-5 times in 20 years." "She was my mother's half-sister." "We weren't close." "Even Mom had no news for years." "And the girl's father?" "I never met him." "They divorced after Claire's birth." "The father's family left my aunt lots of money." "Don't stop, Leo." "Keep going to the end." "And Claire?" "Know what became of her?" "No." "And frankly, I don't care." "You know the Kopmans boy?" "She whip herself watching TV?" "What's this?" "Nipple clips." "Obviously, there's one too many." "I searched." "No note, nothing." "Here..." "Her bank statements." "The bed was made, the drapes drawn, everything was neat..." "As if she were taking a long trip." "The neighbor was out." "Shall I call him in?" "For you." "Get me the number of the Galatea Agency." "It's Denis." "Didn't I mention it?" "I don't think so." "We stop over in Bruges a few days, then sail on to Hamburg." "Sylvie's friends join us in Copenhagen to travel north into Sweden." "Apparently it's a must." "What's a must?" "Lapland in winter." "The Lofoten Islands." "The midnight sun." "Isn't the midnight sun in summer?" "Thanks for stopping." "It's direct from Nevers." "Don't smoke anymore?" "Go on." "I'll call you on the 29th." "Don't bother, Denis." "I want to call you." "We can't keep hating ourselves." "I'll hold on." "Jo?" "I'm still here." "I'd like to order a Regina pizza." "Nothing to drink." "I'm at 6, rue Alain..." "Hang on." "Hey, wait!" "He didn't take anything?" "I don't think so." "Will you be okay?" "Don't want me to call for help?" "I'm okay, I said." "You should see a doctor." "26 February - 11:25 a.m." "I was hired to find someone." "Who?" "I don't remember." "It's been a while." "Two months." "Like I said." "The head of the Galatea Agency kindly put us on to you." "So help us out." "I left them." "I work on my own now." "Strange, you're not registered." "You know it's mandatory?" "I don't have to answer that." "Anyway, I'm not in any shape to." "Who, Mr. Maneri?" "I'm almost out of cigs." "Go on." "You don't look like a cop." "I'd love to spend the day chatting, but I really can't." "You really gonna hassle me about this registration thing?" "It all depends." "Mrs. Atken wanted to find the daughter she abandoned 30 years ago." "And?" "I have my Social Services contacts." "With her foster name, I tracked her down in a few days." "She'd never left the area." "She lives at some guy's near Fontainebleau." "A guy called Fiel or Bielle." "A name like that." "She say why she was looking for her?" "I figured my client was full of remorse." "Did Mrs. Atken strike you as normal?" "What's normal?" "Balanced." "For me, only accounts are balanced." "What happened?" "I ran into something." "Keep me posted?" "About what?" "About what happens." "But you will anyway." "How can people still smoke such crap?" "Since we're here, wanna have your throat checked?" "The coroner found nothing suspicious, that's what counts." "This woman hitched five miles to hang herself in the woods!" "She's not the first distressed woman to take her own life." "People often die because of someone." "Maybe she had help with the rope." "I said "because of," not with someone's help." "So maybe someone helped her." "In the positive sense." "Positive sense?" "What're you talking about?" "Are you theorizing over a shoe?" "It still hasn't turned up." "That woman was ill." "Forget the rest." "Stick to investigating all those holdups." "Isn't the Crime Squad on it?" "How's your throat?" "Want to dance?" "No, thanks." "A slow number." "I don't dance." "Is Bazinsky coming?" "I wouldn't count on him." "Wasn't this couscous a good idea?" "27 February - 12:16 a.m." "Does my neck brace do this to you?" "If so, I'll take it off." "Forget it." "I'm beat." "Have a nice weekend anyway." "I don't believe this!" "Engine trouble?" "Out of gas." "Need a lift?" "You have a rabbit?" "What were you doing at the pool?" "My job." "You alone?" "You like asking questions but not answering them." "You always wear a pistol?" "It's not a pistol, it's a revolver." "Ever use it?" "You kill the guy?" "Where've you been?" "I've looked all over!" "Come on!" "She'd never left the area." "She lives at some guy's near Fontainebleau." "A guy called Fiel or Bielle..." "A name like that." "This is Captain Varin." "I'd like to speak to Yvan Thiel." " The pony yours?" " My brother's." "I'm investigating a suicide." "I need to clear up a point." "Have a seat." "Ever hear of a Mrs. Atken?" "No, not really." "A few months ago, she hired a detective to find her daughter." "Last Saturday, she hanged herself." "Where do I fit in?" "She was found behind the canal lock in Essarts Wood." "Recognize her?" "I don't know." "I met a woman like her but I doubt it's her." "Take your time." "Take a good look." "It could be." "Maybe a customer." "A customer where?" "At my shop in Fontainebleau." "It specializes in sex toys." "Club 69." "Heard of it, maybe?" "It may sound crazy but, a few months ago, this woman came in to buy some things." "And this woman..." "how can I describe it..." "She took me for the devil." "Before she left, she started screaming." "I had to help her out the door." " Ever see her again?" " Never." "Does Claire Prieur live here?" "She left three months ago." "What're you getting at?" "Excuse me." "Did you contact his family?" "The Crime Squad is handling it." "How'd he been lately?" "Fine." ""Fine" means nothing." ""Fine" guys can kill themselves for the wrong reasons." "Even 15 miles from home." "It's mine." "I lent it to him." "We had another holdup today." "I know." "I ran into Moravien." "A cashier's life is hanging by a thread." "A bachelor." "Aren't we lucky?" " Bazinsky had a daughter." " I know." "The Ministry hates cop suicides." "There'll be an inside inquiry." "What was he working on?" "The Atken case." "The case is closed." "I'm not so sure." "We found both of them with a shoe missing." "What'd she do?" "Nothing." "I just want to talk to her." "She could see them." "She was placed in a foster home when she was three." "Know what became of her?" "No." "And frankly, I don't care." "Last year, she was hospitalized here for six weeks." "Her condition had stabilized." "I always think they'll call one night to say he's back." "That it was all a bad dream." "That I'll wake up... and find Paul in his bed." "I think... that he'll come back and rush into my arms." "It's hard losing a child of eight." "I can't go on, I won't make it." "Sometimes," "I'd like to go to sleep and never wake up." "I can help you." "Give him back to me." "Stop it!" "You're smothering me!" "28 February - 9:40 a.m." "Does this relationship satisfy you?" "I don't know." "For the moment, at least it exists." "I'm not sure I want to end it." "And your nightmares?" "I have them more and more often." "Even during the day." "Tell me about them?" "At first, it doesn't seem like a dream." "The situations are linked to what I did that day." "Investigations underway..." "It fills me with anguish." "Are your ex-husband and your son in them?" "Never." "But my colleague was." "Did I tell you he's dead?" "It's strange." "What remains over time aren't the deaths, but the details on the side." "A place, a thing." "A piece of clothing." "I don't think it was a suicide." "It wasn't his style." "It's no one's." "I already told you." "It's just a question of timing." "He was to see his daughter this weekend." "Would you want to be in his shoes?" "They say women bungle suicide twice as much as men." "Seems they have more second thoughts." "Take a vacation." "A change of scenery." "Spend a few days at a friend's." "Don't you have relatives in the south?" "My mother." "At Leucate." "Here's your chance." "And the nightmares?" "First, the insomnia." "The rest will follow." "I'm a friend of Sylvain's." "He spoke of you often." "He was fond of you." "It was mutual." "I didn't know him long but..." "He loved life too much to kill himself." "Will you find whoever did it?" "The Crime Squad is on the case." "He wanted us to live together." "But that's not my thing." "Know when the funeral is?" "But I'll be away for a week." "We were to visit Canada next summer." "I'm sorry, but I have to pack." "I understand." "Call me if you want to talk." "His family didn't know about us." "I goofed up." "You'll be mad." "I think I lost your raincoat." "Mrs. Atken wanted to find the daughter she abandoned 30 years ago." "The newest ones aren't even two weeks old." "Think she did that on her own?" "And your work?" "It's okay." "Did you notice?" "I changed the wall covering." "Yes." "It's darker." "No, it's the same." "It hasn't changed in five years." "How often have you come in five years?" "I don't know..." "Seven or eight times?" "Three." "Including today?" "So I'd better come more often." "Don't do it." "Please, Mom." "Don't do it." "29 February - 8:25 a.m." " You work every day?" " More or less." "He must have lost it Monday night." "Where was he?" "At a stag party in a club." "Sylvain came by in the morning." "He wanted to lie down after the club." "But I wasn't alone." " Which club?" " The Nectar." "A cabaret..." " Did you see him Thursday?" " We only spoke later that day." "You were to meet later." "He was glad." "He'd just remembered where he left his coat." "He was pissed about losing it." "It was in his car." "So he found it after talking to you, but before he died." "He say anything else?" "Yes, he did." "That he loved me." "Thank you for this journey." "I wish you a pleasant evening." "And don't forget:" "Your body is a means of transport." "I got so mad." "So now he picks me up." "I was just talking about you." "Daniel, my husband." "Haven't we met?" "Is it still raining?" "See you next week." "I've seen that woman before." "Let's go." "It's Denis." "I can't talk now." "Call me later." "Carl!" "I was going to make some tea first." "Want a cup?" "No, thanks." "You going out?" "I'm on duty tonight." "I saw you at the hospital the other day." "You won't find what you're after at our end." "Actually, I want to see Leo." "Alone, if possible." "What?" "Come here." "I thought you weren't allowed in the woods." "Was it you I chased that day?" "I'm not allowed there." "But you go anyway." "No." "I'm not allowed." "Listen." "I like you." "You're a strange little kid." "If you want to see your movie, tell me the truth." "Or nasty men will come and search the trailer and make a real mess." "And I bet I find something that's not yours." "Like a red shoe, for instance." "What're you hiding?" "Nothing." "Captain Varin." "Can I have the duty officer?" "The one with you in the woods wouldn't do that." "You don't know him." "I do so." "His name's Bazinsky." "I met him coming home from school." "When was this?" "Two days ago." "Keep going." "He'd left something next door." "He showed me his revolver." "A young couple in a big house." "They gave me coffee." "You have dialed the police." "Please hold." "Don't move." "Spread your arms slowly." "Spread your arms!" "Look how I wake up Sleeping Beauty." "Is that better?" "So your colleague mentioned us?" "You killed him." "Gotta be stupid to die for a coat." "He say he was coming here?" "What'll we do with you now?" "See, Manu?" "I shoulda bled her earlier." "No names, goddammit!" "You broke into my place." "Never leave letters in a pocket if you lend a coat." "Anyone with you?" "We gotta get moving." "I'll go pack the bags." "I feel like taking her for a walk in the woods first." "What'd the little copper say?" "Go to hell." "They all practice hypnosis." "Some yogis can hold out for hours." "My girlfriend lent me a book on it." "Amazing how many diseases hypnosis can cure." "I was skeptical at first." "But since she started doing breathing exercises, her migraines have gone away." "What time is it?" "Shit!" "1:06 a.m.!" "Can we wait a few minutes?" "I'm sure you can hold out." "Please!" "I don't want to die before he does!" "Wait!" "You have to think of something pleasant." "Something nice." "Like a landscape." "No, wait!" "A landscape." "Even imaginary." "It can take a few minutes, but you manage in the end." "You gotta believe." "My girlfriend thinks of the same image." "A vast beach with a really calm sea." "And a blue sky which blends with the water." "And dolphins leaping out at sea, inviting you to go swim with them." "If I had to choose," "I'd think of an Indian camp by a lake." "You know the saying..." "Cowboys are proof Indians fucked buffalos." "Catching our breath, are we?" "I'll ask you one last time." "Who sent you here?" "No one." "You saw the light and came in." "I called HQ before coming." "They tried to reach me." "They know where I am." "Great, we have some beer left!" "So let's cut the bullshit." "Here's what I'm gonna do:" "I'll start by nailing your hand down, then move up your arm." "How about that?" "Is that okay?" "That all right with you?" "One..." "Two..." "Two and a half..." "The woman in the trailer send you here?" "Go on, Claire." "Don't touch the kid, Miss Prieur." "Your real name is Claire Atken." "Your real mother took her life last week in Essarts Wood." "Kill her." "Where'd you get all this crap on Claire?" "Until today you were just a poor cop." "But as of now, on top of it, you're a lousy snitch." "You gotta know when to go." "Shit!" "What's going on?" "A fuse must've blown." "Don't go away." "Got enough breath left to do that?" "I'm impressed." "I mean it!" "That faggot wasn't as tough." "He shitted his pants." "Where's the mallet?" "You bitch!" "I'm gonna murder you!" "I'll kill you!" "You fucking bitch!" "Fucking asshole!" "Get up, nice and easy." "Oh, shit!" "I don't know how the bitch did it..." "You all alone?" "Claire went to the neighbors..." "No names, I said!" "Manu, she almost broke my wrist!" "You bearded fuck!" "You get on my tits!" "What're you doing here?" "Gimme that, kid." "Let's talk this over." "You first." "Let's calm down." "On your knees!" "Wait outside!" "Think this is over?" "Hurry up!" "Get in!" "Get down!" "1 March - 12:02 a.m." " Where's your mom?" " She's working tonight." "Shouldn't we go faster?" "Speed's not my strong point, especially with a kid next to me." "I think we have to stop." "Run to the house and call the police." "And you?" "I'll wait here." "Go on!" "You're not gonna die, are you?" "Hurry up!" "4 March - 2:45 p.m." "2 April - 10:38 a.m." "Ever see him again?" "Why not?" "I doubt his mother would like it." "And you?" "I'm fond of him." "He saved my life." "I don't think I'm of much use to you now." "What do you plan to do these next few weeks?" "Live." "I think I'm gonna live." "To date, Mrs. Atken's suicide has not been solved" "Michèle Varin still has a few bad dreams but the nightmares are totally gone" "Subtitles:" "Lenny Borger  Cynthia Schoch" "Processed by C.M.C." " Paris"