"Gentlemen," "I'm pleased to present the prototype MFW, the Mini Flying Webcam that Mr Pollock asked me to design." "We aimed for a simple, handy device able to roam around the house, remote-controlled by laptop, even when you are far from home." "To demonstrate," "I'll stage a classic scenario in our model home, a water leak while you are away." "Please start the flood, Bruno." "When the water touches a sensor in the baseboard, my cell phone will buzz." "It's texting me," ""Flood in bathroom, 3:32 p.m."" "I go to my computer." "I check the static camera in the bathroom to confirm there's a problem." "Notice how the static camera doesn't let you see the leak clearly." "It's a job for our flying webcam." "It's parked on a dock somewhere in the house." "Thanks to the MFW, I can pinpoint the problem and act accordingly." "With one click," "I shut off my water supply to prevent any damage." "Problem solved." "I return the MFW to its dock." "Now I can call a plumber." "That's it." "The camera can recharge." "My name's Alain Getty." "I'm a home automation designer." "After a very generous offer from the Pollock Company," "I had quit my previous job, and we'd moved to Bel Air." "We'd been here three months." "Benedicte was glad to move south." "My boss, Richard Pollock, thought well of me." "That evening, he'd invited himself and his wife to dinner." "That's when everything started to go wrong." "Felix, come here!" "Get back in the house!" "Benedicte?" "Benedicte?" "Good riddance." "Don't I get mouth-to-mouth?" "You're rather gabby for a corpse." "Did your presentation go okay?" " Perfect." "I was brilliant." " Oh yeah?" "I swear." "If you're so brilliant, you could finish fixing the Beetle." "Then I could drive to the shops." "I can't." "I'm waiting for some parts." "I saw the neighbour slap his son." " When?" " Now, coming home." " Any idea why?" " No." "He saw me and looked embarrassed." "Your Pollocks aren't vegetarians, are they?" "I didn't think to ask." "Brilliant!" "Should I call them?" "Too late now." "What's cooking?" " Stew." " Stew?" "I'm all clean." "Can you unscrew the S-bend under the sink?" "It's blocked." "Next time you try, put a basin under it, dear." "Yes, sir." "Damn!" "Met your match?" "There's fight in me yet." "Shit!" "Lousy wrench." "Want to call a plumber?" "Lt'll cost an arm and a leg." "I'll get a new wrench tomorrow." "Okay." "Where the hell are they?" "Maybe they forgot." "Unlikely." "He mentioned it at work." " Can't you call them?" " Yeah." "Voice mail." "What do we do, eat?" "I don't know." "Quick shag while we wait?" "What if they turn up?" "They won't." "Stop it!" "Fight me, I love it!" "Don't be silly!" "Drat!" "Too bad." "Alain, sorry we're so late." "It's unforgivable." "Had you given up on us?" "Should we take a rain check?" "I'd understand." "Certainly not." "We were expecting you." "Are you alone?" "Alice is in the car." "I'll get her." "Coming?" "Nice to meet you." "Alain Getty." "Evening." "Benedicte, meet Mr and Mrs Pollock." "Richard and Alice, please." "All right." "Benedicte, Richard and Alice." " Good evening." " Good evening." "Welcome." "I'm so sorry we're late." "Don't worry about it." "Nice place!" " Pleasant area?" " Pretty good." "Quiet, at any rate." "You live in Bel Air, too?" "No, we're over by Beaumont Park." "That's nice." "Must be pretty." " Lots of greenery around." " Yes." "Care for a drink, or shall we eat?" "As you wish." "Let's eat." "We've kept you waiting long enough." "Alice, why don't you sit there and Richard here?" "I'll get the first course." "Some wine?" "I opened a bottle of Saint-Joseph." "Perfect." " Alice, may I?" " Yes, thank you." "I'll just see if she needs any help." " Want a hand?" " I'm fine." "She gonna wear shades all night?" "Who knows?" "I'll go back." " Alain." " What?" "Come here." "Come here!" "What's up?" "I'm looking for the bathroom." "Yes, sure." "Thank you." "Do you cook with gas?" "No, it's a glass-top." "I can only cook with gas." "There's no comparison." " You like to cook?" " A lot." " The wine is excellent." " Thank you." "Adding insult to injury!" "I apologise." "Some bread?" "Thank you." "Was it one of your whores?" "Alice..." "What?" "You can answer." "Don't start." "You know why we're late?" "Alice!" "He was with a whore." "Don't talk nonsense." "It's not nonsense." "I'm facing the facts." "Okay." "Fine." "Now let us eat in peace." "More salad, anyone?" "Alice?" "Richard?" "Gladly." " Excuse me." " Yes?" "Do you have children?" "No." " Don't you want any?" " Yes, maybe." "Not yet." "Some day, sure." "How many?" "I don't know." "Two." "Why two?" "I don't know." "I wasn't thinking." "A boy and a girl?" " Alice, please." " "Alice, please."" "You want to let off steam?" "Go ahead." "I can let off steam?" "If it relieves you." "There." "I'm relieved." "We've disgraced ourselves enough." " Come, Alice." " Don't go." "Knowing her, we should cut our losses." "Come on!" "You can go." "I'm staying." "That's enough." "Get up and come!" "Don't touch me." "My purse." "Don't give me that offended look." " I'm not." " "I'm not."" "Alice!" "You think you're superior?" "The model couple in a grotty house?" "Not at all." "You know what?" "You're pathetic." "You, too." "Shut up and get in the car!" "I'm sorry." "If I ever get like that, please have me put down." "I'll think about it." "The model couple can finally eat." "Gotcha!" "What's that?" "I unblocked the sink." "There was an animal in the pipe." " An animal?" " Yeah." "A kind of hamster." "A hamster?" "What did you do with it?" "I put it in the laundry room on a piece of plastic." "Now send it back." "Shit." " Morning, Francine." " Morning, Mr Getty." " Go on in." "He's expecting you." " Thank you." "Oh, excuse me." "Can you fill in for Mr Crozy in Biarritz at the meeting on automated lighting Thursday and Friday?" "He has appendicitis." "Mr Pollock thought you could." "I don't see why not." " Will you confirm?" " Yes." "Should be okay." " Good morning, Alain." " Mr Pollock." "Please stop calling me Mr Pollock." "Right, sorry." "You wanted to see me?" "I apologise again for last night." "I'm sorry to have inflicted that grotesque scene on you." "Don't worry." "Alice has always been eccentric." "I hoped she'd enjoy meeting young people like you." "I was too optimistic." "Was Benedicte offended?" "It takes more than that to faze her." "I enjoyed meeting her, despite the circumstances." "I'm going to Korea tomorrow for a few days to meet some subcontractors." "When I get back, I'd like to invite you and Benedicte to my mountain cabin." "It's my slice of heaven, a remote lakeside chalet." "We could go for a weekend." "Sounds great!" "Thanks a lot." "Alice never goes." "She thinks I take women there." "VETERINARY CLINIC" "He seems to be in bad shape." "What's his name?" "He doesn't have one." "Was he yours?" "I mean before you found him in your plumbing?" "No, we've never had a pet." "It's not a hamster." " Really?" " No, it's not." "Hamsters have bigger ears." "Funny." "It looks like a lemming." "A what?" "A small rodent from Scandinavia." "Look." "How did it get here from Scandinavia?" "That's what's intriguing." "My nephew's a research scientist, an expert on small mammals." "I'll contact him." "He's sure to be interested." "He'll come and see it." "I'll call you." " Your phone number's on the card?" " Yes." "Good." "Any sign of Richard?" "I think he left a while ago." "You're working late." "Yes." "Do you often?" "No." "I'm doing some repairs." " Repairs?" " Yes." "Can I help?" "Did he apologise for last night?" "Yes." "He's very good at apologising." "Did he talk about me?" "No." "Didn't he say I'm eccentric?" "No." "Very good." "You're loyal to your boss." "Did he tell you he tried to kill me 20 years ago?" "No." "He doesn't brag about it." "I should be dead, but he missed the jugular." "I had it coming." "Now I can do what I like." "He doesn't give a shit." "I hate him." "Why don't you leave him?" "Because." "I want to see him croak." "Do you want to sleep with me?" "Well?" "Do you?" "No..." " I'm too old for you?" " It's not that." "What, then?" "What are you afraid of?" "Richard?" "Like I said, he doesn't give a shit." "I'm married." "I love my wife." "I'm not interested." "You need to be married to have sex?" "I don't believe you." "Hear how hard my heart is beating?" "You can do what you want with me." "I mean it." "Go on, Mr Getty." "Do what you want." "I won't be shocked." "We'll stop here." " No." " Yes!" "What self-control!" "The body says yes but the head says no." "What a shame." "Big shame." "Mind the smell of perfume." "Good-bye." "Hi." "Hi." "You smell weird." "You smell like soap." "I freshened up at the lab." "Hungry?" "There are leftovers." "Sounds good." "I told the Water Board about the hamster." "Did they come?" "No." "Unless they came while I was at the vet's." "You went to a vet's?" "I took the little animal." "It was twitching." "Still alive." " Really?" " Yeah." "The vet said it wasn't a hamster." "Maybe a lemming." "Are you listening?" "Sure." " You know what it is?" " What?" " A lemming." "Do you know?" " No." "Why don't you ask me?" "Sorry." "What's a lemming?" "A rodent that only lives in Scandinavia." "How did it get here from Scandinavia?" "No idea." "The vet kept it." "He'll let me know." "You eat like a pig." "Sorry." "Go ahead." "Mrs Pollock?" "Are you feeling okay?" "More or less." "Care to come in?" "I wouldn't mind." "What are they doing outside?" "Inspecting the drains." "We found a rodent in the sink pipe." "Don't you work?" "Not at the moment." "Don't you miss it?" "Not a bit." "I was a sales rep for a drug company." "Nothing thrilling." "What did it involve?" "Going around doctors, presenting new medicines." "What do you do all day?" "Don't you get bored?" "We just moved in." "There's tons to do." "Are you offended about the other night?" "No." "Why not?" "You could be." "I was obnoxious." "I don't know." "I'm just not." "Last night at the lab I tried to seduce your husband." "He was exemplary." "He wouldn't hear of it." "But you probably know all this." "He must've told you." "Do you want your coffee?" "I think it's ready." "Don't you ever get angry?" "You always seem even-tempered." "How long have you been living with Alain?" "Three years." "Aren't you scared of when it'll turn sour?" "When what'll turn sour?" "I don't know." "Everything." "You think it has to turn sour?" "No." "Of course not." "May I lie down somewhere?" "I'm tired." "Do you feel ill?" "Just tired." "I need some sleep." "I'll feel better after." "There's a spare bedroom upstairs." "No coffee, then?" "No." "No, thanks." "I need sleep." "Shall I make the bed?" "No, thanks." "You're an angel." "I lied to you just now." "Something did happen with Alain." "He let himself go a bit." "That's why he didn't tell you." "Hi!" "What's new?" "Alice is here." "What?" "Alice is here." " Alice Pollock?" " Yeah." "She came by this afternoon." "She's still here?" "Yeah." "She's resting upstairs." "What did she want?" "I'm not sure." "What?" "She turned up and said," ""Sorry, I'm tired." "Where's the spare room?"" "More or less." "I went up just now." "She was sleeping." "What should I do?" "Invite her to eat with us?" "If you want." "Mrs Pollock?" "I wasn't sure if you were still asleep." "Would you like to eat with us?" "No, thanks." "I'm not hungry." "Can I bring you something?" "I said I'm not hungry." "Will you fucking leave me alone?" "I'm getting sick of your boss's wife!" "I'll talk to her." "Mrs Pollock?" "You'd better go home." "I'll get you a taxi." "Alice!" "Let me in, please." "Get Pollock to pick her up." "He's in Korea." "Alice." "Open up, please." "Alice?" "I'll call an ambulance." "Hello?" "Mr Pollock?" "Yes." "This is Alain Getty." "You okay?" "Yeah." "And you?" "I'm okay." "Mrs Getty?" "Yes?" "You found the lemming?" "Yes." "Hi." "I'm Nicolas Chevalier." "I'm a small mammals expert." "Did my uncle say I was coming?" "No." "He said he'd call you." "Is this a bad time?" "No." "My uncle was right." "It's a lemming." "A Norwegian lemming, to be precise." "Lemmus lemmus." "A female." "Sure it's not a bad time?" "Not a bit." "Did my uncle tell you they only live in northern Scandinavia?" "Yes." "Where exactly did you find it?" "In the sink waste pipe." "The sink?" "My uncle thought he misheard." "Could you show me the place?" "Sure." "Come in." "It was here, just after the S-bend." "My husband found it." "You have no idea where it came from?" "No, none." "It's the first I've heard of a lemming in France." "Fascinating!" "There must be an explanation." "Could it have escaped?" "But where from?" "There are none kept as pets." "No research labs in France work on lemmings." "Where did it come from?" "I'll think about it." "Sorry to have bothered you." "I'll leave you my card in case more lemmings show up." "You never know." "You've heard about their mysterious migrations?" "Apart from their seasonal migrations, every 30 years or so overpopulation starts a mass migration." "Thousands of them stream across the tundra." "People used to think it was a sort of mass suicide." "Suicide?" "When they reach a river or the sea, they try to swim across it." "They're good swimmers, but if it's too wide, they drown." "A woman committed suicide here last night." "I'm very sorry." "Was she a relative?" "Not at all." "It's a strange coincidence." "No." "No, no, no." "Don't imagine there's a link." "Lemmings aren't suicidal." "It's a dumb romantic theory." "They drown from exhaustion." "Right." "I saw her at the morgue." "She did quite a job on herself." "Thanks for having the guts to phone me." "It's only natural." "Not so natural." "You could've asked Francine or the police to do it." "I appreciate your doing it yourself." "I'm sorry she did it in your home." "Did the police hassle you much?" "Not at all." "Good." "Do you mind if I come to Biarritz with you tomorrow?" "Be honest." "I need a break." "I don't mind at all." "Good." "Thanks." "See you tomorrow." "You got up in the night?" "Yes." "Why did you stay up?" "I slept in the spare room." "Upstairs?" "What for?" "Just because." "Just because what?" "Just because." "Benedicte." "Yes?" "Are you okay?" "Yes." "Should I cancel my trip to Biarritz?" "No." "Sure you're okay?" "Yes, I'm okay." "Stop asking me, damn it!" "I'm fine, for fuck's sake!" "Okay." "Fine." "You're fine." " Candy?" " No, thanks." "Is it true you tried to kill Alice?" "Who said that?" "She did." "I saw her the day before her suicide, at the lab." "I was working late." "She was looking for you." "What did she want?" "Did you talk?" "Yes." "Did she make a pass at you?" "Yes." "Did you sleep with her?" "No." "You can tell me." "I won't hold it against you." "Did you?" "No, I swear nothing happened." "Why?" "Weren't you tempted?" "No, it just didn't seem appropriate." "You were afraid of getting into a tricky situation." "That's it." "In relation to Benedicte." "Yes." "And to me, maybe." "Yes." "Otherwise you'd have done it." "If you'd been sure Benedicte and I would never know, you'd have done it." "Maybe, yes." "I think you should have done it." "She wanted you." "Couldn't you give her that?" "If you had felt no desire for her, okay." "But you did, damn it!" "Good night." "Sorry I lost my temper back there." "It doesn't matter." "See you at breakfast at eight?" "Right." "I like you, Alain." "Really." "See you tomorrow." "Hello?" "Hello?" "It's me." "Who?" "Me, Alain." "Alain Getty." "Your model husband." "Benedicte?" "Hello?" "What are you playing at?" "Benedicte?" "Go to hell!" " Something wrong?" " I'm not sure." "Excuse me, I'm not alone." " What's up, pal?" " May I borrow your car?" " What for?" " I have to go back to Bel Air." "I just called Benedicte." "Something's up." "Are you sure?" "300 km each way?" " It's not wise." " I know but I'm worried." " Promise you'll be careful?" " Of course." "Okay, hold on." "I'll get the key." "Benedicte?" "Benedicte?" "Benedicte?" "How are you?" "Are you feeling okay?" "You're in the hospital." "Everything's fine." "Don't worry." "Take it easy for now." "Don't try to get up." "Your wife's been informed." "How are you?" "How do you feel?" "Okay." "The doctor said not to worry." "You were lucky." "You got off lightly." "They're keeping you for observation, but in a day or two you'll be out." "What happened?" "You crashed the car." "When?" "The night before last." "Pollock said you called me from Biarritz and got worried and drove off." "He feels badly about letting you." "Where did I crash?" "20 km before Bel Air, on the expressway." "You must have dozed off." "You ran off the road." "Before Bel Air?" "No." "I got to Bel Air." "You were asleep." "I couldn't wake you up." "There were lemmings all over the kitchen." "Lemmings all over the kitchen?" "That's what they call a nightmare." "Don't you remember hanging up on me?" "It's news to me." "I don't remember any phone call." "You've had an accident and a shock." "Everything's fine." "See?" "I bought a new skirt." "Very nice." "I wanted to look pretty for your resurrection." "Like it?" "Very much." "Hi." " Am I intruding?" " No, come in." "How are you doing?" "Okay." "You scared us." "I shouldn't have let you go." "Sorry I missed the meeting in Biarritz." "For God's sake!" "Give your sense of duty a rest." "Be thankful you're alive, okay?" "I brought you some quince candy." "Thank you." "Benedicte said you liked it." "I do." "If you'd like to use my mountain cabin for some fresh air and a change of scenery, do." " Did Alain tell you about it?" " No." "It's a dream place." "Scarcely three hours' drive." "You'll love it." "But I won't push you." "Talk it over." "Thanks." "It's good of you." "I'll be off." "Get well." "See you soon." "And you, too." "Thanks for coming to the cremation." "You're welcome." "I was very touched." "The cremation?" "Already?" "This morning." "It was a bit weird." "Just three of us." "Just three?" "Pollock, Francine..." "His secretary, right?" "Yes." "And me." "It was odd." " You asked for a doctor?" " Yes." "I'm listening." "They say I crashed just short of Bel Air, coming from Biarritz, but I clearly remember reaching Bel Air and going into my house." "Yes." "Surely it's not normal?" " Have you seen the psychiatrist?" " No." "You had a slight concussion." "Your brain may have invented images that seem real." "It happens." "Don't worry about it." "It's normal." "Try to sleep." "What you need is rest, okay?" "Okay." "How's your arm?" "It's okay." "I see why he calls it his slice of heaven." "It's beautiful." "Yes, it's beautiful." "Aren't you coming in?" "Shame!" "It's really nice." "Why didn't you tell me Alice made a pass at you?" "Who told you?" "Pollock?" "No, she did." "The day she came and killed herself." "Exactly what happened?" "I can't really remember." "You must remember roughly." "I don't know." "I was working in the lab." "She came in and started talking." "What did she say?" "I don't know." "Like, "Do you often work late?"" "And then?" "I can't remember." "She asked if I wanted to sleep with her." "Just like that?" "Point blank?" "I think so." ""Do you want to sleep with me?"" "Yes." "Had she moved closer?" "Was she touching you or standing back?" "Was she up close?" "Yes." "Like this?" ""Do you want to sleep with me?"" "She said that?" "Yes." "How did you answer?" "I can't remember." "You can." "Think back." "I can't remember." ""I'm married." "I love my wife." "I'm not interested."" "Something like that." "And she said?" "Is this some kind of game?" "What did she say?" " Why do you want to know?" " What did she say?" "I don't know." "She said," ""Do you need to be married to have sex?"" "And then?" "Stop." "This is absurd." "Say it." "What did she say?" "She said, "Hear how hard my heart is beating?"" "Hear how hard my heart is beating?" "You can do what you want with me." "I mean it." "Go on." "Do what you want." "I won't be shocked." "Benedicte." " I'm not Benedicte." " Stop it." " No." " Benedicte." " Call me Alice." " No." " Call me Alice." " No." "Do it." "Say it." "Alice." "Again." "Alice." "Again." "Alice." "Yes?" "Mr Getty?" "Yes." "Nicolas Chevalier." " Sorry, did I wake you up?" " Yes." "I'm so sorry." "Is Mrs Getty home?" "No." "We met about the lemming." "I took charge of it." "It recovered." "She seemed fond of it so I'm returning it." "Can I leave it with you?" "Leave it there." "I've left some food." "One dose each morning." "Change the water regularly." "Okay." "Did you find any more?" "Lemmings." "Did you find any more?" "No." "Well, my regards to Mrs Getty and sorry I woke you up." "Hi." "Hi." "You okay?" "Yeah." "Where were you?" "Why did you leave me stranded?" "Running off like that?" "Won't you tell me?" "No." "I don't think it's a good idea." "Tell me anyway." "I was with Pollock." "With Pollock?" "Yes." "See?" "It wasn't a good idea." "You ran off on me to go see Pollock?" "You've got to be joking." "No." "I want an explanation." "What's it all about?" "I don't want to discuss it." " Well, I do." " Don't touch me!" " Mr Getty..." " Is Pollock in?" "You can't go in!" "He's in a meeting." "Can we talk?" "Alain Getty, one of our designers." "Looks like an emergency." "Please excuse me a moment." "Come on in." " You've seen Benedicte?" " Yes." "What have you done to her?" " Calm down, Alain." " What have you done to her?" "Nothing at all." "Did you put her up to it?" "Leaving me stranded up there?" "I had no hand in it." "You're lying." "I've never denied that I find her attractive." "While you were in the hospital, we got closer, but I assure you she made the advances." "I was as surprised as anyone." "I never dreamed she'd fall for an old fart like me." "It must be a blow for you." "I'm sincerely sorry." "It's a tricky situation for me, too." "What can we do?" "That's life." "When you're old, you'll be glad to start a new life with a pretty girl like Benedicte." "Start a new life?" "What do you mean, start a new life?" "Be brave, Alain." "I must get back to my meeting." "Can you leave through that door?" "Alain?" "Alain?" " Chevalier brought the lemming back?" " Yes." "I haven't fed it." "Can you?" "Where are you going?" "You're not going to him!" "You can't sleep with that old creep." "You know he fucks whores?" "You can't sleep with him!" "I won't let him touch you!" "21, Myosotis Drive." "Dirty rat." "Scumbag!" "Where's the little shit?" "Fuck!" "I found this in my backyard." "Obviously not up to scratch." "You disappoint me, Alain." "I didn't think you were so childish." "So I am approaching the judges." "35 seconds." "That's it." "On your mark." "Three, two, one..." "Getting sloppy, Mr Getty?" "It doesn't suit you." "Don't call me Mr Getty." "You didn't mind it last time." "When?" "At the lake." "When you called me Alice." "We left something out." "Don't you remember?" "I'm sure you do." "You forgot to ask me," ""Why don't you leave him?"" "I'd have answered," ""Because" ""I want to see him croak."" "Benedicte." "You miss your model wife?" "You want her back?" "Do you want her back?" "Yes." "His house key." "It opens the gate and the front door." "We go to sleep around midnight." "The alarm is off when we're home." "Make it look like suicide." "Where were you?" "Come next to me." "What happened to your hand?" "The lemming bit me." "It got away." "I don't know where." "I dreamed about Alice." "You were making love to her." "You thought it was me." "I was watching." "It was weird." "Will you still love me when I'm old?" "Yes." "Really?" "Or are you just humouring me?" "I'm humouring you." "Idiot." "Aren't you going to work?" "It's Saturday." "Oh, right." "I'll get it." "It was Francine." "Pollock's committed suicide." "He turned on the gas and blew up the house." "Because of Alice, you think?" "I don't know." "Could be." "The next day, we got to talking with the neighbours." "They told us they recently went up to Finland on vacation." "Their 13-year-old son secretly caught a lemming and smuggled it back to Bel Air." "When he found out, the furious father had flushed it down the toilet." "A month later, my cast came off and we found out Benedicte was pregnant." "A Swiss firm bought the Pollock Company." "I still work there." "The MFW will soon go on sale."