"Help!" "What the hell?" "Help me!" "Open the door!" "Open the door, for God's sake!" "Tissues." "Call the police." " Damn, it's sticky." " Or an ambulance." "Come on." "Get in. lt's the cops." " What're you doing?" " Calling an ambulance." "Are you crazy?" "There's blood on my windscreen !" "So?" "So switch that off." "We have to wash the car." "What about the girl?" "What girl?" "Oh, hello, Gran." "It's your mother." "What a pity." "Paul just left." "Yes, of course." "I'm late, but that's okay." "Come on up." "What a pain !" " She has a gift for you." " l'm not here." "Gran." "Hello, Helene." "I'm late." "I've brought this." "It's walnut oil." "I'll tell him you're in Paris." "He knows." "Busy, is he?" "Frantic." "Can he call you?" " l'm at the Alton." " As usual." "How's Fabrice?" "Fine, he has his own place now." "You must miss him." "He's always in a rush like us." "Tell Paul to call me." "I will." "Bye, Gran." "Good-bye." "Paul!" "She's gone." "I'm off." " She brought you" " Walnut oil, as usual." "Take the lift." "You go." " lt's your mother." " Tell her I've left." "Sorry, he's at his class." "Never mind." "I have a kettle for him." "A kettle?" "Mind if I leave it?" " Come on up." " Here I come." "She's coming up." "That's great." "See you soon." "Yes, yesterday evening." "A young woman attacked near Pigalle." "Yes, I'm a relative." "Which hospital is she in?" "St. Georges. intensive Care." "What number" " ls that for me?" " No." "Excuse me..." "A girl was brought in on Sunday." "Yes." "Follow me." "Here you are." "Good evening." "Number 16, please." "Any messages?" "I bought Fabrice a kettle." "Yesterday, at lunchtime." "I took it round." "You're busy?" "And then I..." "Working?" "No, picking flowers." "What if she calls?" "Who?" "Your mother." "I called her." "I'll let you finish your bouquet, then." "What's wrong?" "Shit, cardiac arrest!" " Call Filland." " l already did." "Stand back." "Defibrillator!" "Are you a relative?" "Actually, I witnessed the attack and just called in to see how she is." " You don't know her family?" " No." "We must find them." "She's in cardiac arrest." " lt's touch and go." " Meaning?" "It's touch and go." "You're well, at least." "Yes, very well." " l'll pay, then." " No, let me." "Let me, Mum." "Excuse me!" "I may visit after grape picking." "Are you freer then?" "Helene, are you ready?" "Helene, we're late!" "Could you wait outside, please?" "Yes, forgive me." "This is my seventh message so far." "Why have a mobile if you never listen to the messages?" "It's 10:00 P.M. I cancelled the Benoits." "I suppose you forgot." "They'd done a roast and all." "They were very polite." "Polite but furious." "How's the girl in number eight?" "Stable." "No change." "You should go home." "Can I sleep here?" "Sorry, no one sleeps over, except for people with kids here." "Good night." "Helene?" "I cancelled our dinner at the Benoits at 8:30." "The roast and lemon pie were already cooked." "It won't be easy to get back on good terms with them." "Where's your mobile?" "My mobile?" "It has a message service." "So?" "When did you last check?" "Where were you?" "Are you getting jealous on me?" "Well?" "She's over the worst." "Some people want to see you..." "The police." "We have a few questions." "What's wrong, exactly?" "I need some time off." " A holiday?" " No." "is it Paul?" "No." "Well, this isn't really a good time." "I'll take the urgent files and fax you my notes." " Why did you call the cops?" " l didn't." " So why do they want to see me?" " For their inquiries." "How did they find me if you didn't call them?" "I went to see the girl in hospital." "I said I was a witness, and the cops questioned me." "What hospital?" "You're crazy!" "What do you care about her?" "I don't care." "But she might die." "I don't know why." "What did you tell the cops?" "You realize what we risk?" "We risk nothing." "Nothing at all." "I never said you locked the doors when you saw her and didn't even help her." "I said I was there alone." "You needn't lose any sleep over it." "The cops just want some pimps who beat up a hooker." "I bet they won't be too diligent." "In any case, I don't want any hassle, okay?" "I get the message." "No hassle for his Lordship." "It's easy to walk away from trouble." "You actually had the nerve to say that?" "To me?" "Have you noticed anyone missing?" "Missing?" "A girl." "Ten days ago." "Not really." "Beaten up by three guys." "No. ls she dead?" "We don't know yet." "Good morning, miss." "I have an injection for your drip." "It may sting, but it won't last long." "How are you today?" "Are you in pain anywhere?" "You talk to her?" "Can she hear you?" "In a coma?" "They tell us about it after." "Well, if you can hear me..." "My name's Helene." "I don't know what to say." "I don't know you." "I'd like you to live." "Hi, Dad." "Hello, Paul." "Good evening, Florence." "Isn't Mum in?" "She's away for a few days." " Where?" " No idea." "I've come for a few albums." "We're kind of splitting up." "It's not official, but..." " You couldn't care less." " l do care." "You don't." "It's just we've got some friends waiting." "Go on, then." "See you." "Are you relatives?" "No, friends." "Seen the supervisor?" "It's the first on the right." "We need information on her." "When can she leave?" "Not for a while." "She'll change wards soon." "Where?" "Down the corridor." "We'll see the supervisor, then." "You saw number eight's visitors?" "No." "They said they'd come." " They've left." " What?" "I saw them take the stairs." "Do you know them?" "Your heart's working again and your lungs too." "You'll change wards soon." "I don't know what to bring, there's so many tubes." "There were two men here." "They looked a bit shifty." "I don't know what they wanted." "I'm hoping this message will get to your world in the next six months." "I need my linen suit ironed for dinner tomorrow." "I don't have Rosario's number, and I can't leave my meeting to call her at home." "Could you get her to iron the black linen suit on our bed?" "Thanks." "I can't give you a patient's bed." "A mattress and a blanket on the floor will do." "Until she can manage alone." "It'll be some time." "What do you mean?" "Will she stay paralyzed?" "No idea." "Will she be able to speak again?" "I need to make a phone call, but I can't use my mobile because I haven't been home for... several days... and all the appliances, the plugs and all that... to recharge a mobile, well, they're at home." "It's a nuisance, 'cause a mobile is a good way to talk each other." "You can stay in touch, see." "So now I have to find a phone." "A pay phone, I mean, because" "Please, where's the pay phone?" "In the basement." "You see, I didn't need six months to check my messages." "Anyway, if the ironing was an excuse to get in touch with me, well, we're in touch." "If you called because you really need someone to do your ironing, all I can say is... find some other sucker." "You want something?" "If you do, squeeze my hand." "Can you blink?" "Try to blink." "Squeeze my hand." "Never mind." "The nurse said it'll all come back." "I'm not going." "Bloody mobile." "Shit suit." "I'm not going." "You wonder why I'm here." "I wonder too." "My life's a mess." "So is yours." "Will someone look after you when you leave?" "What was that?" "Am I seeing things?" "You're moving?" "You're moving a foot?" "You're moving your right foot." "Hello, Paul." "Can I have a word with you?" "Florence, is something wrong?" "I need a word." "Excuse me." "I tried to see your wife." "Fabrice is cheating on me." "With Charlotte, another student." "She's pregnant by another guy..." " Who?" " Charlotte." "When I accused him, he didn't deny it." "Really?" "He said he's going out with her." "Oh, damn." "We're engaged, officially." "I know." "When I said I'd leave him, he answered, "Feel free."" " But I don't want to leave him." " You don't." "He told me he was at the flat with her." "At your place?" "I have all my things there." "We're not married, but even so-- He's heartless." "Sorry, but I'm at a business lunch." "I can't talk now." "What should I do?" "You know him." "Forget him." "Find another guy." "Love only exists in magazines." "You think so?" "I'm sure." "Stare straight ahead." "Take a deep breath." "Move your right foot." "Good." "Now move your left foot." "Move your left foot." "Move your left foot." "The left side should be moving too." "Won't it ever move again?" "Partial paralysis is better than total." "I'm not trying to get in touch with you, but we do share a number of things." "The mail is piling up;" "Fabrice is cheating on Florence;" "people keep leaving you messages;" "the dishwasher's blocked." "Don't get in touch with me, just try to act like an adult and sort out what you need to sort out." "That's all." "Paul." "Damn, she's in." " Can we go to your place?" " My guy's in tonight." "Wait here. I'll talk to her." "Don't be long." "I need cigarettes." "Wait for me in bed." "Give me a kiss." "Where've you been?" "It's a waste of time talking to her." "Let her stew in her jealousy." "We'll find a hotel." "It's not as sexy as what you had on." "Pajamas." "I got some tops too." "Look." "Like them?" "Try to blink." "You can't?" "I'll wash your things." "So there you are." "You're hard to find." "Sign the old man's proxy." "Want me to unplug this thing?" "Do you?" "Sign it!" "Someone there?" "What's going on?" "You're hurt?" "They came back?" "What do you mean?" "One of them?" "Just one man was here?" "I've set him right." "I have to pop out." "I need to let the police know." "I won't be long." "Don't worry." "He won't be back." " Want to make 200 francs?" " You bet." "Nothing sexual, just a phone call." "Hello, is that the police?" "I have a message for you." "There's a guy under a tarp at St. Georges Hospital, by the path to the Clorau Ward, near the exit for cars." "Yes, under a tarp." "The guy's a pimp." "You've been after him for a while." "She moved her left thumb." "Just like this." "It was her left thumb, the one nearest the window." "Tell Florence I don't need your romantic problems." " She called?" " No, she turned up at lunch." " Did she come on to you?" " No way!" "Not your type?" "I've got 15 women in my office ready to lick me all over just because I'm the boss." "I also have a list of girls for an evening-- nice, unemotional girls who vanish by dawn." "Keep your Florence." "I don't need the trouble." "Youngsters are useless in bed." "They want a daddy." "I get my real kicks from my job." "From winning in my job." "A woman is two minutes of pleasure and years of hassle." "You didn't see anyone?" "It's very busy." "We've caught a pimp who may know her." "He was out cold near the ward." "Really?" " Out cold?" " With a lump on his head." " Why?" " Some gangland score." "is she talking yet?" "Do you know her name?" "Noemie Totka, 22." "She works the city fringes." "Hello, Mum?" "I can't stay at my place." "Florence wrecked it." "It may need some work done on it." "Seen the grater?" "Isn't it in there?" "I don't know, then." "I'll buy some grated cheese." "Watch the pasta." " The fridge is full of cheese." " There's no grater." "So look for it!" "I've been looking for an hour." " When's Mum due back?" " She isn't." "How do we manage, then?" "This kitchen's a disaster." " l want to see Fabrice." " What time is it?" "It's 3:00 in the morning!" "I had trouble getting in." "I can imagine." "Where's his room?" "This way, miss." "The name's Charlotte." "I don't believe this." "I don't believe it." "The stupid little shits." "I must be dreaming!" "Fabrice, it's 9:45." "Don't you have a class today?" "Okay, I'm getting up." "I need to go home to pick up my mobile phone things, to check up on my son, my job and all that." "But I'm stuck here." "I'm scared to leave you." "Wash your dishes before you go to bed." "Dried tomato sauce makes me heave." "How do I clean it?" "Try a sponge." "It might work." "That's not for me." "Nor for me." "You go. I'm not dressed." "Pain in the ass." "What are you here for?" "Guess." "To trash this place too?" "is she here?" "I don't care." "I'm staying till she goes." "You'll need the cops to get me out." "Can you swallow yet?" "She can't manage it." "It takes a while to come back." "Speech is even longer." "Stewed fruit tomorrow." "Do you like stewed apples?" "That's all they have." "Shall I buy something else?" "Yogurt?" "Cottage cheese?" "Chocolate dessert?" "Chocolate?" " She really wants to." " Good." "Nice and easy." "It's too wide." "Okay, Charles?" "Not great, Pelagie." "What's wrong, Charles?" "Gladys is leaving me, Pelagie." "Really?" "When did Gladys tell you, Charles?" "Hello, Charles." "Hello, Pelagie." "How are you today, Gladys?" "Very well, thank you, Pelagie." "And you?" "I'm well, thank you, Gladys." "I'm Pelagie." "I'm Charles, and I'm not well." "I don't believe it." "I'm not washing your things." "Who asked you to?" "It's their bras and panties in the machine." "No one told you to do a wash." "No chance of that." "I don't know how the thing works." "The nurse will give you chocolate dessert." "It's Nicole today, the nice one." "I'll be back later or in the morning." "I have to pop home." "Are you sulking?" "Don't worry." "They'll be watching your room." "Your toothpaste is in that drawer." "Let them brush your teeth." "Noemie, look at me." "Okay, don't look at me, then." "I'm not abandoning you." "I'm coming back." "Look at me." "Look after her?" "No problem." "Rosario?" "Hello, Florence." "Hello, Helene." "Rosario's already left." " ls Fabrice here?" " No, he's at university." "He sleeps here?" "We had a problem at the flat." "We're back here for a while." "Intensive care?" "is Noemie Totka still there?" "I'm her uncle. I just flew in." "How is she?" "She's walking." "But still not talking." "Can we come to see her?" "Could you tell Fabrice we've gone shopping until about 7:00?" "All right." "There's no bread." "That's okay." "You could buy some." "Oh, right." "The fridge is empty too." " Are you going to take a bath?" " l don't know." "We've hung all our laundry over the tub, so maybe a bath isn't a good idea for now." "Just stay nice and quiet." "If the nurse comes in, I'm your uncle." "Or I'll redesign your face." "Madam leaves; madam returns;" "madam drops everything." "The house is going to the dogs." "How can I shop?" "I leave at 8:00 A.M." "and work till 8:30 P.M. when I don't have a dinner." "Are you listening?" "You have nothing to say?" "No, that sounds like myself speaking." "Will she write again one day?" "Once they walk, the rest follows." "Can we take her out?" "It's a nice day." "Just for an hour or so." "It'll do you good to get out, Noemie." "Staying in is bad for you." "She can't walk." "I'll get her chair." "Don't get so excited, Noemie." "Calm down, okay." "I'll catch up on the work." "Just one more week." "It's the first time I've taken off in 20 years with you." "Okay, I'll call you tomorrow." "Where are they?" " Who?" " The girls." "No idea." "Ah, shopping until around seven." " Together?" " Yes, together." " Together how?" " Well, together." "They were at war last night." "They've made up now." "I don't get it." "Hello, intensive Care?" "Nicole?" "It's Helene, Noemie's friend." "is everything okay?" "What kind of shopping?" "Her uncle?" "She has an uncle?" "Fine, so everything's okay?" "Yes, some fresh air will do her good." "Tell her I'll be back tomorrow morning." "When'll they be back?" "Here we are." "Your friend will be back tomorrow." "What friend?" "She's been here all month." " All month?" " Yes, she sleeps here." "Really?" "She sleeps here?" "You don't know her?" "They're all the same." "They trap us and stick like glue." "Maybe you're not in love." "I am, I swear." " Who with?" " Both of them." "And them?" "They're both chasing after me." " Maybe it's not just a walk." " What?" "Maybe they've come back." "Who?" "What a fool I am." "What an idiot!" "I don't believe it." "I don't believe it." "Where are you going?" "See you later." "It can't be." "Nothing." "Drive faster, please." "Who's this friend?" "The one who put Touki in hospital and jail?" "Give us the old man's proxy, or we'll start again, and there'll be 15 of us in a room with a bed." "It'll be dead easy with a mute." "Stop here." "If you wait for me, I'll give you two more." "Stop!" "How are you, Noemie?" " You're taking her out?" " For a walk." "You can't." "What do you mean?" "Who are you?" "I'm a nurse on her ward." "You have to sign a release." "We signed it." " And does she want to go?" " Of course." "You want to go with them?" " Clear off, you old bat." " Pardon me?" "Cut the crap." "You clear off, or I'll get security." "I'm her uncle." "Bastard!" "Scum!" "Piss off!" "We're being attacked!" "Call the police!" "Stop them!" "Help!" "Drive!" "Drive anywhere, but just drive!" "You screamed." "Now you'll talk." "Gran?" "Are you home, Gran?" "Well, fancy that." "They kidnapped her." "The hospital's pressing charges." " They didn't take her." " So who did?" "A woman." "If they can prove they didn't take her, they'd better do it fast, because we've got witnesses." "The nurses saw her leave with them, and we have a precise description." "Meaning?" "Meaning we'd better find her fast." "Do you like asparagus?" "There's walnut oil in the dressing." "Do you like it?" "I don't have quilts." "I know they use quilts now, but I only have linen sheets." "Wedding presents-- you have a lovely sleep in them." "What's the matter?" "You're crying?" "What are you crying for?" "No classes today?" "When do you start?" "9:00." "8:30." "Cutting it a bit fine." "I'll go to the class at 10:00." "Like a fitness club, huh?" "Classes every hour." "Make an effort, or your allowance goes." "Inspector Marsat." "I'd like to speak to Mrs. Helene Vidal." "So would I." "I've got some leeks." "Shop ones are never any good." "Gran, we can't cook." "We'll be using hotels." "They're already cooked." "We can always eat them with some lemon as a snack." "I've brought cutlery too." "You find cutlery everywhere." "You never know." "We may stop for a picnic somewhere." "I'm so happy." "I'm going to enjoy this!" "Okay, girls, the sea or the Poitou Marshes?" "The sea." "Did you speak?" "Cool!" "Led Zeppelin !" " What?" " A cool ancient group." "It's Fabrice's." "I'll put it on." "You'll love it." "What about his clothes?" "Put them in a bag in the cupboard." "I need you to go to Paris to do something for me." "What?" "You have to go and get my passport." "I want addresses of anyone she may have gone to." "Where do we start?" " Her parents." " They're dead." "Yours, then." "Not my mother's." "Why not?" "It's the last place she'd ever go." "We'll check." "Any brothers and sisters?" "I had him late in life." "I mothered him too much." "How?" "It annoyed him." "He won't see me now." "He won't?" "I go to a hotel in Paris once a year." "I wait a month or a month and a half before I see him." "Then he gives in, I see him in a bar for half an hour, and come home." "I'm cheesed off with this case." "Why do we get cases like this?" "It's just an old bag and a hooker." "What does the hospital care?" "She's run away." "That's all." "It's just one more hooker on the streets." "In her state, she won't be on the streets just yet." "Look lively." "Are they ours?" "They're too young." "What if it's a trick?" "She's my boyfriend's mum." "Seen her lately?" "Not really, not for a while." "Could I see some id, please?" "This is crazy. I've got nothing to do with this." "Odd." "Mr. Vidal said this place was empty, trashed by vandals." "is he lying?" "Well, actually, no, he's not lying." "Actually, I dealt with it." "We tidied up, actually." "We didn't tell him, actually, so he's not lying, actually." "Hold on." "Can you run that by me again?" "Have you got it?" "I've got them both." " Who's this Malika?" " Me." "What about Zora?" " My sister." " Can you explain?" "I was born in Algiers in 1978." "My mother was 17 when I was born." "My father was 52." "He was a construction worker in Paris." "He had a French passport and made good money." "The marriage was arranged." "He'd paid my grandfather 10,000 francs." "In Paris, he was living with another woman." "They had two children." "He'd come to Algiers every two years to get my mother pregnant." "When I was eight, my mother fell in love with a neighbor." "They were found in my mother's bed." "My mother was beaten unconscious by her father." "Three days later, my father took us away." "There were four of us:" "my two brothers;" "Zora, my two-year-old sister;" "and me." "We had to leave my mother." "I never saw her again." "Her lover married a girl in another town." "My mother hanged herself." "We moved to a two-room flat in Paris with my father's other family." "His woman told him," ""You take care of them." "I won't cook a thing for them."" "At night, after school, I'd cook for my sister and brothers after the others finished." "We slept on two mattresses on the floor." "I was a good student at school, and so was Zora." "I read everything I could find." "My brothers hated school." "I raised them like that for eight years." "When I was 16, we had a visitor." "This was in May, a month before final exams." "I'd skipped two years." "An old man came and told me he was taking me to Algiers for a holiday." "He looked at my teeth and told my father I was skinny." "They got me a passport." "That's when I learned I was French." "On June 30th, I went by train to Marseilles with my father, but at the ship, I asked:" " Dad?" " Yes." "Are you marrying me to that man?" "Why do you ask?" "If you are, I'm glad." "I like him." "He's kind." "I'm pleased." "He paid 20,000 francs for you." "I took to my heels." "Malika!" "Where are you going?" "Come back!" "Malika, come back!" "My father had my passport." "I ran for an hour and a half." "I hid in parks or the yards of buildings." "But after two days, I was hungry." "I begged." "One guy was nice to me." "His name was Touki." "Hi, how are you?" "What are you doing here?" "How about having a drink with me?" "He bought me food." "He offered to put me up." "Sleep here." "I'll take the foldaway." "No problem." "I told him my story." "I didn't suspect anything." "He was a pimp." "One day, he took me to a house in the country." "In fact, it was a schooling house." "Touki?" "Touki, open the door!" "I spent two months in a room, beaten and raped eight to ten times a day." "There were seven girls." "I never saw them, just heard them." "The men started me on heroin." "By the end, I was hooked." "In Marseilles, they kitted me out and put me on the streets." "I was so wasted, God knows how many tricks I turned." "They watched me at first, but they backed off when they saw I worked well." "They gave me a fake passport to show to the cops... and provided my daily dose of smack." "One day, I ran off with the day's takings." "I managed to last three days, but withdrawal was tough, and I couldn't find dope." "I went back to my turf." "Let go of me!" "You fuckers!" "Let go of me!" "I don't want to go in there!" "They sent me back to the house for four weeks, two without drugs." "After that, I kept a low profile for a year or so." "The day I turned 18, I said to Touki," ""How about going to Paris?" "We'd make more there."" "The bosses gave the go-ahead." "They like to keep the goods moving." "I did the outer boulevards." "I made more money." "One Wednesday, I went to the housing project." "I hid until my stepmother left, then rang the bell." "Zora was 12." "She was alone at home." "Malika." "I searched the wardrobe in my father's room where he kept important documents." "I found my passport, and I took Zora's too." "In case you live with me." "Me?" "Yes, but don't tell anyone I came." "When my brothers came home, they didn't know how to react." "Okay?" " What're you doing here?" " What do you mean?" "Dad'll murder you." "My stepmother came back." "She started screaming." "Get out!" "Get out!" "You're not one of us anymore!" "So get lost!" "I left, and I haven't seen them since." "But I had the passports." "Back on the streets, all I could think of was quitting that life." "Every day, I'd put money by:" "50 francs, 100, in different places." "I started kicking the drugs in secret." "I'd hide one dose a week, then two or three." "It was tough, but no one found out." "After eight months, I was clean." "They kept supplying me." "When I behaved, I'd get nights off." "Got the dough?" "I could sell my doses and hide the dough." "Then I got into finance." "I asked Touki and the others how they laundered money." "What's going on?" "Get to work!" "Touki was useless, but others explained." "I'd read about the stock market." "One day, I tipped off a big shot in the organization, Pali." "Luckily, it worked." "He made a fortune." "Pali then told me about computers, the Internet and so on." "I learned fast, and he gave me a portfolio to manage." "It was easy." "I got in on start-ups, and he made a bundle." "I wanted to try with my own money, so I got Touki to open an account." "He was wary until I told him he could make money." "I used my fake passport." "I was scared they'd find the passports with my family's address." "If they know where your family is, they've got you." "I made good money in stocks." "Unfortunately, Pali found out... and sent me to a schooling camp in Italy for a month." "When I got back out, I had a bout of septicemia." "I could still work, so they didn't just let me die." "They stuffed me with antibiotics and let me rest." "I tried to find someone to help me." "I tried SOS Racism to start with." "I told my story to this man my father's age." "After two minutes, he told me his job was to fight racism, not help women who disgraced Islam." "I went home, called Pali, and told him," ""l want to move on." ""l'm too classy for the streets." "Give me the big shots."" "He said okay, we would try it." "I took a train to Geneva to do rich old men in swank hotels." "Touki held on to my fake passport." "I'd hidden mine and my sister's in the lining of my bag." "I had experience." "I'd talked to other girls." "I knew about rich old men." "In 18 months, I'd ruined four." " That one." " Very good." "All the dough for the network." "Nothing for me." "They were happy." "As for me, I had a plan." "Blanchet: seriously ill, divorced, lonely, very rich." "I turned the flamethrower on him." "It's a technique, see." "You meet at a cocktail party, dressed up fancy." "I'm so sorry." "Are you all right?" "Let me get you another glass." "Cheers." "You look sad." "He takes an interest." "You say you're an orphan." "He wants to help you." "You refuse." "You say you hate younger men and feel so alone." "Things stay platonic." "Miss Noemie Totka, please." "She's out." "He calls all week." "You don't reply." "Miss Totka, please." "One day, you call." "You're depressed and need to see him." "I'm not well, and I'm really depressed." "Can you come to room 3614 at the Richmond?" "He comes in." "You run to his arms, weeping..." "Thank you for coming so soon." "and turn the flamethrower on." "I want you." "You fake an orgasm that wakes the neighbors." "He lets himself go." "Round one." "Usually he dozes off." "You let him stew, then the second round." "That's when you hook him for good." "At 5:00 A.M., he gets his wake-up call." "Third round: you leave." "No news for a month." "He goes crazy." "He searches for you." "He can afford to." "You hide out." "When you finally reappear, you lay your cards on the table." "By the lake?" "If he wants to play, he has to pay for it." "That's what I did with Blanchet." "Just before dying, he said:" "I'm going to die." "Do you love me?" "No, sir. I'm a hooker." "I love you." "You'd love any young flesh." "No, you're different." "I love your toughness." "Just doing my job." "I want to give you something." "As you wish." "What would you like?" "Money, sir." "Stop calling me sir." "How much do you want?" " Not how much." " Meaning?" "All of it." "Meaning?" "I want everything:" "your Swiss account, stocks and shares, and your bank safety deposit." "I don't want the real estate." "That's a lot." "It'll never be enough for me." "$.5 billion." "Tomorrow at 9:00?" "At the bank, he transferred all his money and shares to my account in another bank, opened under my real name, Malika Tarek." "I took the jewels away in a plastic bag." "I gave him one last good time." "That night, on the net, I moved the money from Luxembourg to Panama, via Hong Kong and the Caymans," "before depositing it all in Basel." "Blanchet died a few days later." "The network asked for what he'd left me." "They were happy with the jewels." "I came back to Paris." "They gave me my old turf." "I hid my passport then." "I could tell things would get nasty." "Blanchet's son and ex-wife kicked up one hell of a fuss." "It made the headlines." "I knew the money was safe, but the network figured it all out." "You'll end up trash, shithead." "Count on that!" "They wanted to know where the money was and make me sign a proxy." "Bastards!" "Let go of me!" "But I denied everything." "Where's the money?" "I didn't do anything!" "Where's the money?" "I don't know what you mean !" "I'd have died rather than lose my money." "Sign the proxy." "I'm not signing it!" "Okay, I'll sign it, but I need to pee." "Go on." "I nearly did die, in fact." "One night, I tried to escape." "She's done a runner!" "They came after me." "I ran like crazy down the street." "I headed for a car." "It stopped." "I tried to get in." "There was a couple inside, but they locked the doors when they saw me." "So the others caught me." "I'd love to meet the shits in that car." "Then I ended up in hospital." "I know the rest." "How come?" "The hospital, I mean." "That's where l met you." "You're not a nurse." "What were you doing there?" "I'm glad you've told me all that." "Bye, Gran." "I can call a taxi for you." "There's no need, thank you." "You're always welcome in Basel." "Good-bye." "Until I get my credit cards, this'll tide us over." "Everything's fine, okay." "Don't get carried away." "What?" "What do the police want me for?" "The hospital's pressing charges?" "Illegal discharge?" "Kidnapping?" "She was in danger, so she ran away to hide." "That's all." "I just happened to be with her." "Stop shouting." "I hate it when he shouts." "You won't be bothered." "Your life'll be as smooth as Lake Geneva." "We're not arguing on the phone." "I'll be back on Thursday." "You can bark all you like then." "No, I can't say where l am." "Thursday, around midday." "No, I'm not with her." "No, I don't know where she is." "Okay." "See you." "Was that your husband?" "Something like that." "Heavy." "Inspector Marsat?" "Paul Vidal here." "My wife just called to" "You know?" "I don't know where she was, but..." "Really?" "Basel." "I see you know everything already." "Exactly, Thursday morning." "Looks like my phone's well tapped." "Good to know one's not alone." "We'll split up in Paris." "The cops will be there." "What on earth for?" "Your man seems fishy." "What?" "I bet he locks his car door when someone calls for help." "What do you mean by that?" "It's just an example." "Hold on, not every man's a bastard." " You think he'd call the cops?" " l don't know." "Oh, come on." "How could the cops know where we are?" "By tapping his phone." "You're being paranoid." "They mustn't learn my real name." "At the airport, we're strangers." "This is my card." "And my mobile number." "Back to your ordinary life?" "You know those bastards who locked their doors when you needed help?" "That was me and my husband." "After, I looked for you, found you, and haven't left you since." "I don't give a damn." "Will you ever love?" "What do you mean?" "Love someone." "Love or fuck?" "I don't know." " That's Paul." " Who?" "Paul, my husband." "I just saw him walk by." "Where?" "There." "He's coming back." " ln the beige raincoat?" " Yes." "Maybe he's looking for me." "How can he know I'm here?" " The cops sent him, okay?" " You think so?" "So that's the door locker, mother hater, and police informer." "Your Paul's going to be my last client." "With my flamethrower, he won't know his name." " No, not him." " Why not?" " lt'll cause too much fuss." " Oh, yeah?" " You stand no chance." " He loves you too much?" "He doesn't care about me or anyone else." "He's rock-hard." "It's years since he felt any emotion." " Here I go." " No." "I'm okay." " Are you sure?" " Yes." "Could you help me to the rest room?" "I'm sorry." "My head started spinning." "I don't know why." "I need to freshen up." "You're sure you don't mind?" "I'm taking up your time." "You look sad, say your life's hell." "He takes an interest." "I'll be all right now." "I can't leave you like this." "I'm sorry." "You're so kind." "That's rare." "I can't control myself." "Please, kiss me." "It feels so good." "And you turn the flamethrower on." " l want you madly." " Me too." "You fake an orgasm that wakes the neighbors." "He lets himself go." "Round one." "You're here?" "I came from Paris to warn you." "The police will be waiting." "So if you have something to hide" "What do you mean?" "How did you know I was here?" "The tap." "They've tapped my phone." "Lost something?" "Looking for someone?" "No, I'm not looking for anyone." "I've lost-- No, I've lost nothing." "What were you doing in Basel?" "Visiting." "Visiting what?" "Basel." "Why?" "Why not?" "What?" "At least pretend to be interested." " ln what?" " ln what I'm saying." " Why?" " Why what?" "What are you saying?" "Give me strength." " l want to see you again." " Me too." "I've never been so-- l mean-  lt was--l'm" " Happy." "So am I." " Can I call you?" " l travel a lot." " Well-- - l'll call you." "My numbers." "It was lovely." " Mr. Vidal." " Yes." "If you please, we have a few questions for one of our inquiries." "Some elements concern you." "So Mrs. Vidal has found Mr. Vidal." "And you, Mr. Vidal." "I'm talking to you." " Please, follow us." " lt won't take long." " Something wrong?" " What?" " Looking for someone?" " No." "Who?" "You keep looking." "I'm just worried." "About the cops." "Yes, of course." "Third round:" "you leave." "That's that, then." "The case is closed." " Thank you, anyhow." " Thank you." " What're you doing, Mum?" " Cooking." " l know." "Cooking what?" " Fish." "Isn't there any steak?" "No, there isn't." "I hate fish." "Pain in the ass." "What was that?" "I hate fish." "No, after." "After what?" " You said something else." " l did?" "Didn't you say, "pain in the ass"?" "Maybe." "Maybe." "In any case, today's the last time I cook for you and your father." "Manage alone from now on." "You're crazy." "Will you please shut up?" "What is this?" "War?" "All-out war, yes." " See you, Dad." " See you." "Farid and Boudjemah Tarek?" "Over there." "What's up?" " A delivery." " What of?" "Motorbikes." "He's Boudjemah. I'm Farid." " What motorbikes?" " Got some id?" "You a cop?" "No, but show me some id, and I'll let you have the bikes." "You what?" "From Malika Tarek, your sister." "Let's see." "You've got your bags?" "This is Raoul." "You're back together again?" "For now." "I got thrown out of my place." "Me too." "My mum threw a fit so I'm back." "Where?" "Well, here, to my place." "How'll we fit in?" "With Florence" " Florence?" " She's with Didier now." "Who's he?" ""For Dad."" "Again?" "Here." "An iron." "It's tiny." "Foreign sales, national sales, the" "It's not mine." "No, it's mine." "Got a problem?" "No, no problem." "I thought it was for me." "I mean, I hoped it was." "It's for you." "Who is it?" "Noemie." "Helene?" "I need you." "It's urgent." "Good-bye, sir." "Be careful." "Give me an hour, then call the cops." "I'll be in that bar." "Are you free?" "100 francs." "Hi, Zoriza. lt's me, Noemie." "I didn't recognize you !" "What's up?" "Friday at 11 :00, by the Sevres-Babylone garden," "Touki will be there." "He'll be expecting me, not you." "Give him this envelope from me." "He may give you a passport, but I doubt it." "Anyhow, once you've given it to him, start running fast." "Don't wear heels." "There'll be trouble." "If you do all that, I'll leave your money with the Lutetia Hotel concierge that evening." "If you talk, you get nothing." " l'm scared." " So am I." "Hello, Touki?" "It's Noemie." "I was in Switzerland." "I give you money for my passport." "500,000 Swiss francs, in cash." "Friday at 11 :00, by the Sevres-Babylone garden." "Bring my passport." "I'll be there with the money." "Hello, Pali?" "It's Noemie." "I'm sick of getting the blame whenever Touki hoodwinks you." "A girl's bringing him cash from Switzerland on Friday." "500,000 Swiss francs." "At 11 :00, by the Sevres-Babylone garden." "Over to you now." "Call your pal Inspector Marsat." "He can catch someone in the act this Friday." "A hooker paying off her pimp." "He can nab the ringleader and his sidekicks too." "But why?" "I don't give a monkey's fart about her." "What'll happen to me if she doesn't call?" "You're not on the phone?" "I heard you shout." "I thought you were on the phone." "No, I wasn't on." " You've got them?" " Yes." "Shall we go?" "I'll meet you in an hour, after I pack." "I can wait for you." "Actually, I'm meeting my son here." "We're fighting a lot." "We need to talk." "Here he is now." "This is Noemie, a friend." "Fabrice, my son." "is that mine?" "No, it's Big Ben." "It's not a spice mill." "Press the button to answer." "Very funny, Fabrice." "Hello?" "I can't hear." " Can I see you again?" " Saturday, here, at 6:00?" " 6:00 P.M.?" " Yes, 6:00 P.M." "See you later." "Did anyone call today?" " No idea." " l wasn't here." "It's for you." "Florence has left Didier." "I can go back." "I'll go tomorrow." "I'm sick of moving." " That's the armrest." " What?" "You're shredding the armrest." "I don't mind about the chair, but at least pick up the fluff." "What if she doesn't call?" "I'm scared." "It'll be all right." "I can stop everything." "They didn't stop when I first saw you." "There's no pardon, no truce with them." "I need to talk to someone." "I've met a girl." "I don't understand." "I think I love her." "I don't even know her name." "I've been waiting for her call." "It's driving me crazy." "Look at them." "Plainclothes cops." "It looks like it's working." "I hope Zoriza shows up." "If she talks, it's curtains for me." "Maybe they know I'm here." "Lock the door." "Everyone in position?" "Here comes Touki." "I can't see Pali." "It'll never work if he isn't here." "Isn't that him?" "Where?" "Behind the tree." "Unless it's a cop." "That's him!" "He's hiding." "The gang guys are with him." " Here's Zoriza." " Where?" "There, in trainers." "Oh, God, I hope this works." "There should be an envelope here for Zoriza from Noemie Totka." "Absolutely." "Can I see her?" "I'm afraid Miss Totka's checked out." "Gare de Lyon, please." "Do you recognize him?" "He's one of the three men who threatened her in hospital." "How about this one?" "Gosh, he's taken a beating." "I recognize him, though." "He was very violent." "He runs a major prostitution ring." "Just fancy." "So where's Noemie?" "No idea." "I gave you her message after she called, but I haven't seen her since the hospital." "Well, if ever you see her, thank her from me." "You can count on me, Mr. Marsat." "You're weird." "You never speak." "It's relaxing." "What do you want to do?" "Nothing." "I really want you." "No. I've given up sex." "Given up sex?" "Zora, make tea and bring the glasses." "Bring some stools." "Come outside." "How come they get presents and I don't?" "Because." "You don't love me?" "When are your exams?" "In three weeks." "Did an old Algerian man visit recently?" "Yes." "Why?" "Are you going to Algeria?" "Yes." "A week on Saturday, Dad's going to show me Algiers." "Listen, I didn't give presents to the others." "I bought them so they'd let me come to see you." "I want you to come to live with me." "Now." "Why the hell would I?" "You'll end up married otherwise." "You're nuts." "Why do you think I left?" "Why did that old man come?" "I bet he looked at your teeth." "Did he look at them?" "Yeah." "Get your exam id and come with me." "To save your life." "You can't make me." "If you won't listen, I can." "Come with me, study, and become someone." "You're acting like Dad did with you." "Wake up." "You want to be a slave?" "Your brothers already treat you like one;" "your husband will too." "And he'll take your kids away." "You want that?" "Look at your brothers." "Look at the jerks on their bikes." "That's all they want:" "motorbikes, mobile phones, easy money, and obedient women." "They play the rebel, but it's all they want." "They were supposed to kill me, for family honor, Arab honor, and Islam's honor." "With one shitty motorbike, their honor melts away along with their religion." "Think they care how I earned the money?" "I've been forced to be a hooker." "Does that mean they'd be nice to me?" "Like hell!" "I'd only get hatred and scorn." "They turn against society but still treat you like a slave." "They don't mind Dad selling me and trying it again with you." "It suits them." "This fucking system, they want to use it, not change it." "But for poor, uneducated immigrants, theft's the only way out." "They'll end up in jail, and I won't weep for them." "You're full of hate." "I can't come with you." "Why not?" "Because I love them." "I thought you'd never call." "I'm at Montparnasse Station." "I leave in an hour." "Coming with me?" " Tell me your name." " Noemie." "Noemie, that's sweet." "My Noemie." "I love my Noemie like no other." "We'll never have sex again." " Why?" " You were my last time." " What do you mean?" " Never again." "I want to stay with you." "We won't have sex." "That's final." "If that's how you feel now, fine." "We'll see." "But leave an address next time." "We're going to see a lady whom I'm very fond of." "If you love her, I will too." " Funny we should come here." " Why?" "I know this area very well." "Very, very well, in fact." " Beautiful, isn't it?" " Very." "You've brought me Paul?" "You two know each other?" "She's my mother." " l know." " How come?" "I had an accident recently." "A lady took care of me in hospital." "Helene." "She brought me to see Gran." "Helene, my wife?" "The girl running down the street and the guy locking his doors." "See, we'd already met." "To leave... I want a house by the sea." "Like it or not?" " lt's not hygienic." " Don't blame me." "Zora, what's for dinner?" "Zora, what's she cooking?" " What?" " What's she cooking?" "Ask her yourself." "Get off my back." "Hey, what did I do?" "Zora, set the table." "No, I'm revising." "What's for dinner?" "Yesterday's fish." "Pain the ass. I hate fish." "Zora, set the table." "I'm revising!" "Do it." "We're hungry." " l'm not doing it." " Just set the fucking table!" "Watch your tone." "Shut your mouth !" "Watch your tone!" "Set the fucking table!" "I'll kill you." "Let go of me!" "Cut it out, Farid!" "Not her face!" "You're out of your mind." "Don't touch her!" "What can I do with her, if you wreck her face?" "Don't lay a finger on her till we leave!" " Till we leave?" " For Algeria." "She never speaks, but I think I'm in love." "There's something sad about her." "Know what?" "We've never had sex." "I don't care." "I'm in no hurry." "How about you?" "I saw her again." "And?" "It was great." "But it's all over." "Shit." "I have to see Helene urgently." "Come in. I'll get her." "Dad, she's here." "Come on, I'll introduce you." "Dad, this is Noemie." "I told you about her." "Noemie, meet my father." "We've met." "Was that the door?" "I need to talk to you." "Two tickets to Marseilles, please." "Got your exam id?" "Here." "Come here!" "Zora's coming with me." "You won't just marry her off." "No one's running away this time." "Any trouble, and I'll get the cops." "There's a lawyer with me." "You can go to hell!" "I already went there, but I'm back."