"WITNESSES" "CROATIA 1992" " Karlovac, a city near the front lines" "When Krešo and Joško come, give them my regards." "Krešo won't be coming." "Chin up, Marija." "Bye..." "What you're looking at me for?" "The house was supposed to be empty." "Supposed to be, yes." "Cut the crap!" "You said Vasic was in Hungary." "I did." "How did you know?" "I saw the Serb get into his car and leave!" "I'm afraid he came back..." "You're sure he's dead?" "Yes, we're sure." "He is dead." "But..." "What?" "There's a witness..." "Seal off the kitchen and the bathroom." "Barbir, I need you." "You're on the crime beat now?" "Turn that off!" "Can't stay in the garage..." "Can't leave..." "Why not?" "Are you serious?" "Yes." "Are you out of your mind?" "Gojo, maybe you didn't do the shooting, but you were there." "It's out of the question." "Understand?" "The police..." "I'll talk to them." "Stay away from the window." "Morning." "Sorry for bothering you..." "Your neighbor, Mr. Vasic, was murdered last night." "Yes..." "Did you hear any shots?" "Or perhaps see a car pass by?" "Someone running away?" "Anything suspicious?" "My condolences." "I'm burying my husband today:" "he was killed at the front." "Did anybody else see anything?" "No." "It's just my son and two other boys." "They brought my husband's body from a Serbian village." "Forgive me." "My condolences." "What did he say?" "He knows nothing." "Well?" "I'll talk to Uncle Matic." "Yes, him." "Mom..." "He can fix it." "Mom..." "It's Krešo." "Don't you dare drag Krešo into this!" "And Jesus answered them." ""The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified."" "He who loves his life will lose it." "and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." "If anyone serves me." "he must follow me." "and where I am." "there shall my servant be also." "If any one serves me, the Father will honor him." "Present arms!" "Load!" "Take aim!" "Fire!" "Fire! Salute!" "I need to talk to you." "What has been done, can't be undone." "But things are never as bad as they seem." "If the police have no proof, even if they do have suspects, the suspects may only be held for questioning for a few days." "Unless the suspects give each other up, everything will be OK." "In such cases, nobody insists on anything." "And what about..." "Take me to City Hall." "How could you let this happen?" "We were drunk." "We were only supposed to blow up the house." "Drunk?" "You let these kids kill, and now you're silent!" "What do you think, who'll clear this up?" "Gojo... you're the oldest." "You're the oldest." "I'll do it." "How?" "Baric and I will come with the car tonight." "Wait there." "Me?" "You'll do the shooting?" "We'll put the problem into the trunk and drive to the front." "Let's go!" "Come on!" "I'll stay awhile." "I don't feel like walking!" "What about you?" "Just let me finish this." "Wait!" "Wait, for what?" "Baric." "I don't need him!" "I won't go without him." "I can do it without him." "Wait till he pays the bill." "Let's get this done!" "It's still day!" "Want more witnesses?" "!" "Excuse me, are you Ljubo?" "I need to ask about Vasic." "Stupid fucking Baric!" "Where have you been?" "!" "Lets go!" "No. you won't!" "Seal off the kitchen and the bathroom." "Barbir, I need you." "You're on the crime beat now?" "Yeah." "I also need you privately." "Barbir, I'm off!" "I'll be in my office in a couple of hours." "I'll need the report, so I know what to say if someone asks." "Watch your step, this is all evidence." "He was shot at the front door." "Any witnesses?" "Doesn't look like it." "Vasic lived alone." "Any fingerprints?" "It's too early." "Any suspects?" "There will be." "Vasic was a shady character, and a Serb at that." "I'll keep you informed." "So what did you need me for?" "Well..." "You know the state I was in the other night..." "I do, yes." "We're done: the body is all yours." "Alright." "If just anyone came along..." "I understand." "Just anyone." "Don't worry about it." "Krešo is coming today, so I wouldn't want..." "Me neither." "I'll go ask the neighbor now." "Wait for me downstairs." "Vasic had a child?" "Yes, but the kid didn't live with him." "I used to have a teddy like this as a kid." "My condolences." "Turn that off!" "I'll come to the funeral!" "My condolences." "So Vasic had a daughter?" "Yes." "His wife was a Croat." "Took the girl with her." "She lives in Serbia now, with an officer." "And this criminal here, all the stuff he's smuggled, in from Hungary." "Perhaps through Hungary he brought the kid to visit?" "Bring his daughter here to visit?" "!" "No way!" "So now the entire force will investigate who killed that Serb and why!" "But see that house there?" "The owner worked honestly his entire life, went to war and got killed!" "It's his funeral today!" "Better investigate how and why he got killed!" "Shame on you and your investigation!" "Ask Josipovic if he's done there." "'Morning." "Sorry for bothering you." "Your neighbor, Mr. Vasic, vas murdered last night." "Yes..." "What do I care about Vasic?" "We do..." "Why are you fucking with that in the middle of the war?" "You tried to pay your debt with a truckload of tennis balls?" "So?" "People like Vasic usually want money." "He liked to play tennis." "You want to know what he ate?" "Start with how he died." "Army issue bullet 7.62." "A machine-gun burst medium range." "And another one from the other weapon." "7.62?" "Yes." "Weapons of this caliber are all over the place." "Nothing unusual about it." "Look at our casualties..." "All the same caliber." "It's an epidemic!" "This is Vasic here..." "The last thing he ate?" "Chocolate cereal." "Imagine, such a big Serb eating kids' food." "Who can tell?" "You know the stories about Vasic." "A spy, a Chetnik, funneling money to rebel Serbs, on weekends beating up Croats held in Serb prisons." "Half of the town wanted him dead." "You owed him money?" "2000 marks, due in 3 months!" "That's no reason to kill him." "People kill for less." "Everybody owes everybody, especially to Vasic." "Ljubo, for one." "They started together, then Ljubo opened his cafe." "Vasic got pissed off, and maybe Ljubo was the first one to fire..." "Barbir, I got no money." "The whole 109th Brigade was in here yesterday, but very few of them paid." "I came because of Vasic..." "Fuck, he can't lend you cash anymore." "Know anything about it?" "You're asking me?" "He was a loan shark, too." "That's got nothing to do with anything." "Oh?" "What does?" "Don't know..." "But that's got nothing to do with me." "So there's no reason to hide anything." "We'll open up your storeroom, check it out, then arrest you for smuggling." "And while we investigate, the bar will remain closed." "If it gets out that I talked, you can shoot me yourself." "There were three in here talking about Vasic." "Who were they?" "A lot of soldiers come and go." "They get drunk, get into a fight, the ambulance comes..." "One had a big head, another had a big nose, and one was ugly, really ugly." "Vasic would leave, if it weren't for his house." "A villa, not a house!" "And he keeps expanding it." "The smuggler has it good here." "A Serbian saint above the door, he's untouchable." "He turns on the heat, looks out the window, watches funerals go by, like people watch cartoons." "If he weren't in Hungary, he'd" "Time to pay the bill, guys." "A big head, a big nose, and an ugly guy?" "The 109th Brigade?" "No names?" "No." "And I should ask the MP's to open an investigation?" "Well, yeah." "The Ministry would laugh at me if I filed that request." "They're leaving for the front tomorrow." "Should I ask them to hold those with big heads, big noses and the ugly ones?" "You can't arrest them in the middle of the war just because they mentioned Vasic in a bar." "Besides, that snitch is a loan shark and a smuggler himself, you'd better check him out." "So it's NOT a good story that the police are on the wrong track, and that Vasic's daughter might have been an eyewitness, but it WOULD BE a good story to say Vasic was a loan shark," "smuggler, criminal, murderer, and that he committed suicide with two machine-guns, because of remorse!" "People, take care of our editor, he's too valuable to lose!" "He was shot at the front door." "Any witnesses?" "Doesn't look like it." "Vasic lived alone." "Any fingerprints?" "It's too early." "Any suspects?" "There will be." "So, what did you need me for?" "Well..." "You know the state I was in the other night..." "I do, yes." "If just anyone came along..." "I understand." "Just anyone." "My wife is in a coma." "Don't worry about it." "You can't just sit here and say nothing." "You should talk about nice things, love..." "Those who wake up say they heard everything people talked about." "Who knows, perhaps it will make her come out of it." "I'll be frank." "There's not much that can be done for her." "You can only wait for her organs to stop functioning." "You can take her wherever you want, but chances are nil." "I've no money to go abroad." "You're not listening." "Matic can do the operation here, but there's no point." " That Matic?" "He's still working here?" "If there were hope for her, she'd be on the list." "Can you get me in touch with Matic?" "He's terrific, but since he became Mayor, he only operates on Fridays." "Barbir, no connections will help you here." "And Jesus answered them." ""The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified."" "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone..." "I need you." "You saw the pathologist?" "My wife needs an operation." "Matic is your relative, right?" "Not mine, Krešo's." "Can you put me in touch with him?" "I guess so." "I wouldn't ask if it weren't urgent." "It's a bit awkward now, but I will ask him." "Any news about the kid?" "What kid?" "Vasic's daughter." "He was a loan shark, bumped off by another one." "There was no kid." "Did anybody else see anything?" "No." "It's just my son and two other boys." "They brought my husband's body from a Serbian village." "Let's go!" "Come on!" "I'll stay awhile." "I don't feel like walking!" "What about you?" "Just let me finish this." "I don't know what to tell you." "There are 6 patients on the list already." "If I take her first, it might affect somebody else." "She got wounded a month ago." "Perhaps there are some easier cases on the list." "Barbir..." "Vjekoslav, right?" "Yes." "You're on the police force?" "Yes." "The case of that murdered Serb?" "Vasic..." "We discussed it at the City Council..." "Any progress?" "Some." "There are suspects." "Some soldiers from the 109th." "I'll notify the DA tomorrow." "The 109th?" "The 109th..." "You think that's wise?" "What?" "They are our boys." "Is it necessary to rush the investigation so much?" "Better leave it for some better times..." "I don't understand." "See, this is a shrapnel." "A lot of people have gotten hurt like that." "When the war ends, there'll be enough time for investigations, suspects, trials and imprisonment." "The 109th leaves for the frontline tomorrow." "At times like these, perhaps it's best not to find out certain things." "They can do a lot of harm." "Go on to your wife now, I'll prepare for the operation." "So you'll operate on her?" "We can do it first thing tomorrow." "That would be great." "You be with her tonight, alright?" "Of course." "The nurse will prepare Vjera for the operation." "I'm sorry..." "Seal off the kitchen and the bathroom." "Barbir, I need you..." "Vasic was a shady character, And a Serb at that." "I'll keep you informed." "So what did you need me for?" "Sorry I'm late:" "I was busy." "I'm on desk duty anyway." "What was stolen?" "Two printers and a typewriter." "The place wasn't broken into." "Who has keys?" "Do you know who else has keys?" "Keys?" "No." "You have to ask the others when they come in the morning." "Were there any strangers today in the office?" "Did anyone come?" "What's with you?" "My condolences." "Thank you." "Turn that off!" "We're all going to miss him." "Yes." "He liked you." "Krešo is coming today." "Yes, I know." "You see all this about Vasic?" "I only feel sorry for the kid." "She won't find out till after the war." "I'll come to the funeral." "What's with you?" "I'm sorry..." "I was told my boyfriend was wounded." "I don't know if he's dead or alive... or where he is." "We have to go to the shelter." " Really I can't..." "Fine." "But I'll go downstairs, so you won't have trouble." "Please stay." "I can't be alone." "I'm sorry about this." "I don't want to bother you." "So this is why you forbade me to see you at the hospital?" "What was there to see?" "Who else didn't you tell?" "Joško told Mom and the others." "I'm the only one you didn't tell?" "What was there to tell?" "The wound will heal, I'll get a prosthesis and run again." "At night we turn off the light." "Where's the problem?" "The problem?" "There's no problem." "I don't understand why." "To surprise me and come home a disabled war hero?" "You thought I'd leave you?" "You can't be so stupid!" "That hurts!" "You should have told me!" "What am I to you?" "Nothing!" "What do I do now?" "What I was supposed to do before you came home?" "!" "Fine!" "You don't need them anymore!" "I'm sorry..." "I'm sorry..." "I'm sorry." "I've got to see Mom." "Mom... it's Krešo." "Don't you dare drag Krešo into this!" "You look skinny." "Come on in!" "How are you doing, Bro?" "I'm a Croat!" "I'm a Croat!" "A Croat!" "I'm going to turn myself in." "What?" "!" "What do you care, you didn't shoot!" "Joško and I did." "You'll get us into shit." "And Jesus answered them." ""The hour has come for the" "4 King Tomislav." "No, Slavonia Street." "I need to go to the office." "You're going back to work?" "I have to." "The idiot editor pulled my Vasic story, even though his daughter might have been an eyewitness." "That's why you're not coming?" "Well, yes. -4 King Tomislav." "It's good he pulled the story." "Who cares about a Serb?" "They killed an unarmed civilian!" "Dad was a civilian a few days ago." "People are dying." "You watch the news?" "Yesterday my dad, today another dozen." "While our people were dying, he was pilling up cash." "Did he donate anything?" "The fuck he did!" "Only to his rebel Serbs." "You think he'd have been prosecuted after the war?" "I don't give a fuck about him." "You're talking like your mom." "She'd enjoy your opinion." "No, she'd enjoy yours!" "Slavonia Street, please." "Hi!" "Krešo, let's have one for your old man." "Lidija is a fine girl." "but your mom resents you going aw ay to live with her." "Especially because she's older." "Your mother thinks now she'll brainwash you." "I know that isn't so, but when your mother objected to her, you moved away, and nothing for two whole months." "Make it right with her when we get back." "OK?" "And what about..." "No witnesses." "There are none." "If no one knows about them, that's how it should remain." "And what nobody saw, never really happened." "So wise up." "Bye, Marija." "Take me to City Hall." "75..." "Hi, Mom." "Get going." "Get going and settle it." "Will somebody tell me what's going on here?" "No!" "Goodbye." "Come, sit down." "You're all right?" "Well, yeah." "Is Joško OK?" "I mean, because of me." "He misses you." "Without you, he doesn't know what he's doing." "How do you make wine goulash?" "What?" "I should make something to eat." "Lidija is busy writing a story about Vasic killing." "She says his girl was the witness." "She's investigating." "And what's there for Lidija to investigate?" "Hanging around the police all day long, with that Barbir man." "People have started talking." "Mother..." "You buried your father today, and you feel like cooking!" "Enough, mother." "Fine..." "Cook if you have to." "Wait!" "Wait, for what?" "Baric." "I don't need him!" "I won't go without him." "Fuck, where is he?" "!" "Wait till he pays the bill." "Let's get this done!" "It's still day!" "Want more witnesses?" "!" "Excuse me, are you Ljubo?" "I want to ask you about Vasic." "What is with you, assholes?" "Want to know who killed a Serb?" "I'm writing about it." "Know anything about Vasic's affairs?" "I do." "I saw everything, and I know everything." "What are you looking at?" "You sit safe here in town wondering how a Serb died." "He died like anybody else, only a lot easier." "You think dying is easy, with music, like in the mo vies?" "My ass!" "You're holding your buddy's guts, he's screaming and you pray he dies." "Not for his sake, but for your own." "What do you think will happen to all of us?" "We are the witnesses." "Who the fuck needs us?" "We should all be shot, us, women, children, that girl, the witnesses in the garage, everybody!" "What are we good for?" "Where have you been?" "Let's go!" "I'll do it." "Baric!" "They're going to kill her." "Oh, motherfucker!" "Fuck!" "Gojo, get in!" "Get in, let's go!" "Get in, will you?" "!" "Let's go!" "Come on, Gojo!" "Motherfucker..." "I'll do it myself!" "Do you know about the girl?" "Calm down, will you?" "I need the certificate." "What certificate?" "He said they have a girl in a garage!" "He was nuts." "I need that certificate for the insurance." "I don't issue certificates!" "Where is Barbir?" "He's with his wife, and you'll get it from MP's!" "I'll get shit from the MP's!" "When they kill her, you'll have her blood on your hands!" " I need that certificate." "I'm sorry..." "The 109th is leaving tomorrow, the investigation hasn't come up with anything, so I guess that's that." "How come Inspector Barbir tells me there are suspects, and you know nothing about it?" "Well, um..." "There are leads, but there'll be no problems." "I was convinced you'd make a better DA than a clerk in a hardware store." "I hope I wasn't mistaken." "Krešo, they're going to kill the girl!" "Imagine!" "To kill Vasic before his daughter's very eyes, then take her somewhere to wait for her own execution, and the fucking police don't give a damn!" "In spite of toys in the house, they say the kid's in Serbia, and that a grown man eats chocolate cereal!" "They don't care that Baric blew his brains up saying they're going to kill the girl." "For them, she doesn't exist!" "CHOCOLATE CEREAL" "I'm going to turn myself in." "What?" "!" "What do you care, you didn't shoot!" "Will somebody tell me what's going on here?" "No!" "They're going to kill the girl!" "Where are you?" "In front of the hospital." "Wait for me, I'm on my way." "One day you're going to get yourself killed!" "Tell me it wasn't you!" "Answer me!" "Tell me it wasn't you!" "Both Gojo and Baric are gone." "I got the Mercedes." "You just had to go blow up that house with them?" "God, the shit you get into..." "When you're not around..." "Now I'm here." "Are you?" "What the fuck is wrong with you?" "!" "You're fucking up again." "Just like at school." "You were never at school!" "Joško, this isn't school." "You steal the roll book," "I burn it to save you, and they catch me instead." "How are you going to use a clutch now?" "No, really... how?" "It's no problem." "You take a brake handle from a bike, mount it on the gear shift, attach the cable to the clutch, and you shift gears." "Done in two afternoons." "It's best to drive an automatic like me." "No clutch..." "Give me the car keys." "When Mom falls asleep, I'll pick up the girl." "You'll never see her again." "Go on home now." "Don't, we've boobytrapped it!" "You dragged Krešo into it..." "Bara?" "Bet you 50 bucks I'll hit that sheep!" "I hit it!" "You'll take care of everything?" "Yes." "You said I won't see the girl ever again." "You won't." "You're lying." "I'll take her across the border and let her go." "Someone will take care of her." "You're going to fuck me up!" "You'd rather kill her?" "Want me to end up in jail?" "!" "Yes." "I'll report you." "No, you won't." "I will." "No, because of Mom." "I will, Joško." "No, you won't!" "First you'll have to kill me." "I won't keep my mouth shut." "You're doing it for her?" "For Lidija, huh?" "You just don't get it." "Who'll be there for you when it's all over?" "Who'll listen to you?" "Who will be there for you?" "Only me!" "You hear?" "!" "You only have me!" "So maybe she was?" "No. she wasn't." "What if she was?" "She was." "You just said she wasn't." "I did." "Was she a Croat, or not?" "She wasn't." "Are you sure?" "No." "So maybe she was." "I'm a Croat!" "Then she was." "I'm a Croat!" "What the fuck was she doing in that house, if she was?" "Why couldn't a Croat woman have lived there?" "Her house and everything else was there." "Where would she go?" "Vasic would leave, if it weren't for his house." "A villa, not a house!" "And he keeps expanding it." "The smuggler has it good here." "A Serbian saint above the door, he's untouchable." "He turns on the heat, looks out the window, watches funerals go by, like people watch cartoons." "If he weren't in Hungary, he'd express his condolences to me." "Don't, we boobytrapped it!" "VINKOBRESAN" "BASED ON "ALABASTER SHEEP" A NOVEL BY JURICA PAVICIC" "INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY"