"WOLVES IN THE SNOW" "He left by himself?" "He'll come back soon." "He always does." "Yes, but it's dark." "How is he going to find his way?" "Come on, Lucie..." "How did it happen?" "You let him go so you could go out, is that it?" " Did you have a date?" " Why do you say that?" "You smell of whiskey." "No, I couldn't find him, so I had a drink, that's all." "With whom?" "Nobody!" " With whom?" " Nobody!" "There was a bar and I was thirsty." "Dogs do get thirsty." "You don't think it's funny?" "I was alone." "You happy now?" "No, I'm not happy." "Imagine how he felt after you abandoned him in the middle of the street like a piece of shit." "What's wrong with you this evening?" "I don't care about the dog." "Why say you'll walk him when you won't?" "Why lie about the dog?" "You lie all the time!" "Everything you say sounds like a lie." "I don't know who you are anymore." "Did you ever?" "Where are you going?" "No, it's too easy." "I want you to answer me." "I'm tired of you bailing out on me and everybody." "What kind of life are we living?" "You have lost respect for everything, you've lost your ambition." "Your two-cent mysteries are shit." "Is that what you intended to do?" "Fuck, are you going to start with that again?" "Why don't you want to talk about it?" "What are you afraid of?" "Afraid?" "I'm not afraid of anything, Lucie!" "Maybe of your hysteria, but other than that, nothing." "I swear!" "My mysteries are good." "They reflect life, with people lying, cheating, living." "Does that repulse you?" "You're kidding, right?" "Do you want to read one together?" "Which one?" "No, don't bother." "You're right." "It's shit." "Do you remember what you dreamt of publishing in the beginning?" "Yeah, poetry." "I couldn't do it." "There was too much of it in my life already." "What does that mean?" "Nothing, Lucie." "It doesn't mean anything." "No, go ahead!" "Spit it out." "Do you have something to say to me?" "Go ahead!" "Be honest for once, say it all." " Is that what you want?" " Yeah." "Are you sure?" "Okay, great!" "But be ready, because you're going to hear an earful." "You're right, there was a girl waiting for me at the bar." "You know her, by the way." "I've been cheating on you for years, Lucie." "And do you know why?" "You don't?" "And do you know why I publish trash?" "You don't get that either?" "It's because of you, Lucie." "It's because of you and that fucking ambition you always had for me." "I don't measure up." "Who's the girl?" "Do you hear what I'm telling you?" "And you want to know who the girl is?" "!" "Get a grip, Lucie." "You're becoming dull." "Who is it?" "A woman who likes to laugh, lie, drink, and wear makeup." "A woman who's completely ordinary." "But she doesn't judge me." "It's easier." "Yes, I know." "I'm pathetic, like so many others." "Sometimes I just want to fuck." "Do you understand?" "Of course you don't." "All you do is dive..." "You're a real bastard." " Sitting at the bottom of the ocean." " Stop it." "No, I won't stop." "It's too late now." "It's Marie I fuck most of the time." "You know Marie, my assistant." "You like her." "You even thought she'd stimulate my writing." "Well now it's fucked." "She realized a good fuck story surpassed the best novels in the world." "So, I fuck, she fucks, and sometimes we fuck each other." "We failed, Lucie." "We don't belong together." "Shut up." " It's not true." " Of course it's true." "Could you fuck right now?" "Go out, get drunk!" "Pick any guy you want and live a little, instead of hiding in the ocean with these stupid bottles on your back." " Don't touch it!" " Of course, I'm going to touch it." "You see the world through this, with blinders on the side." "You don't see half the things that are going on around you." "You haven't seen anything and you're already sad." "You don't like people, you prefer fish." "Can I help you, ma'am?" "Ma'am?" "It's my husband." "What about your husband?" "He was there, and now he's gone." "I don't know where he is." "Don't worry, he'll come back." "We have to wait 48 hours to file a report anyway." " Is Antoine here?" " No." "Where's the bedroom?" " This isn't happening." " Where's the bedroom?" "This is ridiculous." "Let's talk." "What's going on?" "Antoine..." "Antoine has disappeared." "What do you mean, disappeared?" "We left with a woman." "That's impossible." "No, it is possible." "You aren't the only slut around." " Listen, I understand how you feel." " No, you don't!" "We need to speak rationally." " I'll make you some coffee, okay?" " Take off your robe." "What?" "Take it off." "I'll make you some coffee and we'll talk calmly." "What's the point of talking?" "What are you looking for?" "That's his." "He's got two of these." "Antoine?" "It's Marie." "Lucie is here looking for you." "It's 3:00 a.m." "Please call me back as soon as you can." "Did you get ahold of him?" "No, maybe he went home and he's waiting for you." " You should go." " Take your robe off." "Right now I want to sleep, okay?" "Sleep?" "You won't be able to." "You're going to spend the night wondering:" "Guilty or not guilty?" "In love?" "Bitch?" "You don't know how you feel." "Antoine is the same way." "You fool around, you lie, you're both despicable." "Take off your robe." " Hello, Lucie." " Hello." "How are you?" "I'm sorry to inconvenience you." "I want to see Antoine." " Antoine isn't here." " It's important." " He didn't come home last night." " Hold on, please." "I don't want to bother you, Lucie." "He fucked up." "He fucked up real bad." "He took money that belongs to me and my friends." "Don't be his accomplice." "It'd be dangerous." "I don't give a shit about Antoine's business." "I couldn't care less." " Hello?" " Lucie?" "It's Marie." "We have to talk." "Antoine?" "Where are you?" "It's me." "What the hell did you do?" "I got a call from..." "Is that you, Lucie?" "Listen, don't hang up!" "Going on vacation?" "Leave me the fuck alone." "You know very well I can't." " You can't stop me from leaving." " Of course I can." "What you're doing isn't smart." "If my friends hear you're trying to bail, they'll think you're his accomplice." "They'll try to make you talk." "You'll be better off with me." " Give me my passport." " I promise I will, but first we have to talk." "Let's go get a coffee." "Where can I find what I'm looking for?" "I mean, the money, not Antoine." "Antoine might as well be dead." "Don't waste your time on me." " I don't know anything." "Let me go." " I can't." "Sometimes it's good to have someone to confide in." " What did he tell you?" " Who are you?" "Don't worry, I'm a friend of Antoine's." "Get out of here!" "Why are you talking that way, huh?" "Do you want to die?" "Marco..." "Marco di Pietri." "I was an "exterminator" in New York, but I work here now." "I'm tired." "Where's the money that your husband stole from us?" " I swear I know nothing." " Make an effort." "Antoine is dead." "I killed him." "Is that right?" "And the body..." "where did you hide it?" "In the bathtub." "And what were you doing here?" "You were leaving?" "To meet him somewhere?" "You tell him... if he doesn't return the money in two days, he's dead." "And his little wife too." "Yes." "That's better." "I'm here to see Marie." "I met Marco." "I tried to warn you." "Did you guys do it in here, too?" "Yes, on the table, on the floor, and in the parking lot." "Don't you see the kind of shit he's in?" " They want to kill him, Lucie." " What if they don't find him?" "They'll come after you or me." "Which do you prefer?" "Do you know where he is?" "No." "In the beginning, it was a real publishing house, with real writers, but without a lot of money." "And then Antoine met Ruben, a so-called literary agent." "They became friends, and suddenly money started to show up." "A lot of money going around." "It was very easy:" "Ruben would introduce us to so-called writers, we'd sign a fake contract and they'd give us a few plagiarized lines once in a while." "We'd sell movie rights for a high price." "The movies are bad, so they just sit on a shelf." "That's how they launder the money." "Why'd he steal their money?" "I don't know." "He wouldn't talk." "He used to tell me everything." "Hear me out." "He did it because we went bust." "He feared you'd leave him." "He feared you'd consider him a loser." "Then he couldn't get real writers again, due to what we'd published." "It drove him mad..." "because of you." "I was thinking... if Antoine doesn't come back... you could take over." "Would you like that?" "He'll be back." "He has to." " Got any news?" " No." "I'd say so right away." "Little wifey didn't say where he was hiding?" " She doesn't know." " Why'd she run?" "What were you talking about for so long?" "You gabbed a lot back there." "You like women?" "I'd like to know... why little Lucie was so nervous when she left." "It's real simple." "Maybe she guessed Marie was fucking Antoine." "What?" "Some women get angry about such things." "You slept with that asshole?" " Maybe you were in on it." " He told me nothing." "I'd never let him do it." "I'm no idiot." " But he is." " Yeah." " So, you're fucking an idiot?" " Yeah." "When are you meeting him?" "I'm not meeting him." "Okay." "You're not meeting him." "Where and when?" "I don't know where he is." "Should I give Greg my razor?" "Greg, you want my razor?" "It's not necessary." "The other one's more important." " Marie was just a distraction, right?" " Yeah." "So I'll handle Lucie, and I'll do it my way... gently." "Okay?" "It was an accident." "I didn't want this." "We would've done it anyway." "I brought your things back." "I didn't know he'd taken money." "He told me nothing." "Don't be afraid." "What'll you do with the body?" "You got any quicklime?" "You know how to use it?" "Ask me to help you." "It'll be easier." " Why would you?" " To find the money." "Share it, maybe." "I don't know." "I already told you." "I don't want that money!" "Okay." "It's hard to believe with him in the tub." "If not for the money, why?" "Tell me, he'd been fucking Marie and you saw nothing?" "You pretended you didn't see?" "Just how innocent are you?" "I don't know..." "I don't understand what you want." "To believe you." "Help me." "Very well." "Here's the fucking bread." "If you knew, you'd be a real bitch." "I just wanted to know." "So what do we do?" "Deal with it, or Marco won't go easy on you, and his buddy Greg can be really mean to women." "Come on." "I'll take care of him... you return the money." " To whom?" " Marco, at the office." "Say you searched and found it." "Why don't you do it?" "Because we're a team, right?" " Right?" " Right." "Go get me some cord." "Wait." "Here." "Meet me there at 1:00 a.m." "See you later." "I forgot my keys." "Hello, Marie, it's Lucie." "Ruben did it." "He took the money." "He killed Antoine." "I won't let you down." "Trust me." "What are you going to do?" "I'll tell Marco." "He'll find him." "You report Antoine missing." " What are you doing here?" " And you?" "I heard a corpse was found." "I wanted to know who it was." " Who was it?" " I don't know." "Some poor guy." "What about little Lucie?" "It went smoothly." "You know where she is?" "In the trunk." "Want to see?" "Go ahead, check." "There's dollars, too." "Why do you talk to me that way?" "It really hurts." "You have no respect, not even for yourself." "It's depressing." "I can't stand working with you." "You'll have to get used to it." "You can't always work in comfort." "Why'd the boss team us up?" "To fuck with you." "That's it." "It's a test." "To see if I can control myself." "So, you're screwed." "You have to hold back." "A little, but not for too long." "You'll fuck up." "I can feel it." "You're all alone, you believe in nothing... you live like a bum." "You want the thermos?" "You know, it's a bitch." "If you weren't such a softie, we'd get along." "Don't worry, they all come home sooner or later." "Unfortunately." "Want some?" "Thanks." "Marie?" "The lights are out." "She's gone." " Go ring the bell." " There's no light..." "Go ring the bell, I said!" "She called to tell me Ruben killed Antoine." "She split." "It makes no sense." "Think!" "Her car's at the office." "And so is her purse." "What's the name?" "Cotineau, asshole." "Marie Cotineau." "And Lucie..." " where's she?" " With Ruben." "It makes sense." "Look, Marie fucks her guy, she wants revenge, hooks up with him, hands over the bread." "But he already had the bread when he killed Antoine." "Maybe they killed him together." "Fucking assholes!" "Yep." "That's not it." "Why'd Lucie tell Marie he killed Antoine if they were together?" "Who?" "Lucie and Ruben." "She's not there." "Give me a sandwich?" "I'd like to do the little diver." "See her eyes?" "She'd cry for hours." "Want to drop off your coat?" " It's okay." " You might be too hot." " What'll you have?" " Nothing." "You've got to drink here." "A tequila." "Satisfied, Ruben?" "Never been here?" "Never with Antoine?" "Does it disgust you?" "I know you, Lucie." "I knew you'd kill him." "I was waiting for it." "I don't believe you." "What was your best friend's name when you were a kid?" "You know, she was real daring, always getting you into messy situations." "You were scared, but admired her." "What was her name again?" " Aline." " Aline." "She talked about kissing in great detail, and it made you nauseous." "You swore never to kiss a boy." "When you were 16 or 17, you got your first kiss." "You loved it, but felt ashamed." "You cried all night." "With Antoine, you kept a distance, to avoid being like him." "Your real life is elsewhere." "It's easier that way." "There are no risks." "I saw your folks, Lucie." "Nobody kisses in your family." "Come with me." "Why'd you kill Marie?" "Why do you ask?" "You've been so smart, I thought you understood." "You condemned her the minute you asked her to send Marco after me!" "She's dead because of you." "Don't do that." "Don't screw up..." "They'll find you." "You're stuck without me." "Come on." "Help me up!" "You see nothing, you say nothing." "Fine with me, but it'll cost you more." " You bastard." " I'm taking a risk." "That's all I've got to dull the pain." "Are all your friends like that?" "Here." "Don't be too long." "I'm not sure I'll be back." "Maybe I'll manage alone." "Try." "I wasn't asking permission." " Did you find him?" " Who?" "Ruben." "We were about to ask the same thing." " What about Marie?" " You saw her last." "No, I... we talked on the phone, but after I told her what I saw..." "What?" "What did you see?" "Ruben with Antoine's body, dollars all over..." "She said she'd call you, and..." "I never saw her again." "I'm afraid." "I'm even afraid to go home." "I believe you." "You're right to be afraid." " Let me protect you." " Me too." "But you have to help me." "The police are looking for Antoine." " They called the office." " That's my fault." "It's all right, you couldn't know." "Except we've got to shut down the publishing house." "We figured that since you're his wife, and you can sign documents, you've got to take care of the papers." "That gets you involved, but it'll protect you." "Will you do it?" "Sure." "How will you protect me?" "I'll tell you, Lucie..." " can I call you Lucie?" " Sure." "Do you really know Ruben?" "No." "He wants out... but with us, you don't get out." "And he knows it." "If he's interested in you, it's just to find a reason to die." "You understand?" "You see, I'm not dead." "I can't lean forward." "You've got to help me." "Hold this." "What'll you do now?" "What are you hoping for?" "You're old, and you're wounded." "Look at yourself." "Dying in a fleabag." "There's not even a TV." "Come back." "You can't trap me, Ruben." "I can't reach my laces." "I've been wearing my shoes for two days." "Just undo the laces, please," "I'll manage the rest." "The only thing I've ever feared... is spiders." "One day, for school, I had to catch one to put it in a bottle." "I couldn't." "My father had to do it." "And you know what?" "I lost it." "I started beating on my father... like crazy." "I was 10." "I bloodied his nose." "I don't know why." "Maybe because I had to dissect it." "Or because I had... to carry it in my book bag." "Or because my father did it for me." "I don't know." "So my father said to me," ""If you fail science because you saved a spider," "I won't complain."" "So we sat down... on the stoop." "My father took the spider out, and put it on my hand." "It covered my whole palm." "And in the sunshine... it slowly woke up." "We played with it." "Finally, I let it walk all over my face." "That's all I remember about my dad." "He ran off after that." "There's no smoking here." "We didn't want to wake you." "Coffee?" "Did you sleep well?" "Yes." "Why?" "Did you spend the night here?" "Yes." "Why do ask?" "You look tired." "I'm nervous." "I understand." "These are the power- of-attorney documents." "According to the lawyer, it's urgent." "Okay..." "I'll sign everything." "But if you try to screw me, watch out." "I won't allow it." "I can get violent too... absolutely crazy." "I've got nothing to lose." "What is it?" "All done." "You're with us now." "Take Antoine's position." "I can't." " It'd be 50-50." " No, it's absurd." "I was never involved in this." " I'd be afraid." " Afraid?" "Of whom?" "Me?" "Not you." "Him, for example." "Yeah, he scares me." "Greg bothers you?" "Is that all?" "That's no problem." "Come on, we're going." "You stay." "You been working for them long?" "Yep." "I'm one of Greg's friends' cousin." "And you like the work?" "It's okay." "What do you do for them?" "Stuff." "Like what?" "You don't want to say?" " Well..." " It doesn't matter." "If you're hungry, help yourself." " So?" " Nothing." "She slept all day." "Get dressed." "We're going out." "Oh!" "This is Lucie." "Nice to meet you." "See this guy?" "He likes Ruben." "Isn't that right?" "Answer!" "I do." " Maybe you've seen him?" " No." "I swear." "You know what he does at the end of the month?" "It's crazy." "He refuses to be paid." "He just wants the boss to pay for his grub and that rotten car of his." "What's up with him?" "The money he stole from us isn't even for him!" "What would he do with it?" "He just wants to fuck with us." "A moron like that's dangerous." "He's got to be killed." "I don't go out with girls like you every day." "That's sweet." "Miss." "Thank you." " Enjoy." " You too." "When I look at you, like this, in that dress," "I feel like I'm doing something good." "Like lighting a candle in church." "You understand?" "With you, I could become a better person." "I'm going nuts." "I'm obsessing." "A guy like Ruben can't become a better person." "He can't advance in life." "He's finished." "And he's playing with it." "Don't kid yourself." "I know what I want." "So much the better." "You have to give me some time." "I understand." "I understand perfectly." "Give time... that's all I do." "And you can't imagine the pleasure." "Apart from God... who can give man time?" "Me." " What happened to you?" " This?" "It's an ugly story." "Every time I go into the bathroom... you know, I'm practicing walking." "I'm getting better." "I'll soon go down the fucking stairs." "Each time I go in, limping, there's this guy mocking me." "I come in... and he's laughing." "Whatever he does, I do, whatever I do, he does." "It was humiliating." "So I threw a punch at the mirror." "You dressed up as a woman?" "Yep." "You noticed?" "It's not for me, is it?" "You don't like it?" "Sure, but it's..." "It's what?" "Unexpected." "I'd never lied before." "I didn't know how." "I killed him because he lied, not because of Marie." "Now all I do is lie." "I do it very well." "I don't know who I am anymore." "That's why I came back..." "to know." "I could betray you just to save myself." "I could tell Marco you're here." "Why don't I do it?" "I don't know." "I wanted to believe." "You don't surprise me." "But her?" "Explain it to me... how you got her." "Get them!" "I didn't know!" "I swear I said nothing." " We're going to the hospital." " No!" "Go south." "To the border." "Go south, to the border!" "Border 6 miles" "I wouldn't have believed it." " What?" " That you'd be here now." "I wasn't sure." "Come on." "Leave me." "Get outta here!" "How nice to have waited for us." "Feeling lonely?" "Do you know where the money is?" "No." "That's a shame." " What do I do, kill her?" " Wait." " Marco!" " What?" "I'll take my time with you." "Where's the money?" "Marco... you're fucking dumb... but you believe in God, right?" "Swear... on your mother's life, you'll let her go if I tell you where the money is." "You think you're the boss?" "You'll have to give that money back." "The boss, you know..." "Hurry up." "Swear, 'cause I'm dying." "I swear." "It's in the trunk." "There's nothing." "He gave you up." "No." "It's here, all of it." " I was going to kill her." " Then it would have been over with." "Do I take her into the woods?" "No, Marco, don't do it." "She conned you." "What's the big deal?" "You're becoming just like him!" "Get outta here." "You swear some shit on your..." "Don't ask why I'm doing it." "I'm doing it, and that's all." "Don't move, you bitch!" "Let's be clear." "I take no fall for your slut." "Get your piece outta there." "She knows too much." "She'll give us up." " She could've already." " You're really out of it." "Let her go and I'll forget you drew on me." "All right?" "What will the boss say?" " Nobody tells him anything." " You sure?" "Listen to me, you wop, you take her out, or I'll smoke the both of you." "Is that what you want?" "You stay there." "Take her for a stroll." "Me?" "The boss will be proud of you." "Move!" "Don't think, Damien, just go." "For the boss!" "You're lucky, boy." "Don't fuck up." "Go on!" "I promised." "You don't get it, do you?" "If I force you, it's not your fault." "God sees it all, and you're a good guy." "I'm your pal." "I'm doing it for you." "Have a smoke, relax." "I don't smoke." "You know what?" "You overdo it." "With girls, with your mother, with God, all that..." "It's too much." "You're right." "I almost did something really..." "I knew it." "You'll thank me later." "Know what?" "I'm gonna tell the boss I want you full time." " Really?" "No shit?" " You bet." "You know, he already asked me." "Really?" "Keep going." "Don't stop, please." "Keep going." "I can't." "I just can't." "What a pansy!" "Ruben killed him." "Never let anyone talk to you like that." "You're not a child." "Put him in the car." "For Caroline..."