"LOOKING FOR SIMON" "You can't imagine how tedious it was at the police station." "You sit there for hours, no interpreter appears." "I'm glad you're here." "I hardly recognised you at the airport." "Have you changed your hairstyle?" "I hope you don't resent my having been surly that time." ""Surly"." "I haven't heard that in a while." "I thought we'd visit the apartment first." "Perhaps you'll find a trail." "You've been here a few times, right?" "What's all this?" "The firemen broke the door down." "Mad." "It's 2010 and they still use crowbars!" "Hello." " Hello." "Hello." "And the lock..." "Simon won't be able to enter his own apartment." "The post was on the floor." "There's nothing personal." "Just ads and bills." "I emptied the fridge." "The contents were a fortnight old." "Well?" "Well what?" "What would you say?" "What am I to say?" "It's none too clean here." "Though I've seen it worse." "Oh, indeed?" "Simon isn't here." "That's all I can say." "I'm sorry." " You think I'm having fun?" "No!" "But I'm worried." "Something's wrong." "I said our last phone conversation was weird." "He was very curt." "We often argued over the phone." "Sometimes that can't be helped, but this time it was different, he hung up abruptly and then ignored my calls." "Not just then, but altogether." "What about the clinic?" "Don't they miss him?" "I don't understand them, they speak so fast." "But it seems he had taken time off." "I told all this to the police." "I gave them everything: photos, his new car's registration number." "They couldn't care less." "What new car?" " You don't know?" "Simon bought a sports car three months ago." "I found photos." "Here." "The car's missing, too." "I've hunted through all the roads around here." "I didn't know about the new car." "No?" "But you'd spoken to him, right?" "See you in the morning." "I'd like you to come to the clinic with me." "When did you last stay with Simon?" "In June." "Four months ago." "But... can I ask you... you aren't a couple anymore, right?" "We haven't been for two years." "You know that." "Are you waiting for someone?" " Not really." "I'll have a look around, see you downstairs." "What is it?" "It's from Simon's wastepaper bin at the hospital." "I don't understand." "They're print-outs about ferries to Morocco." "Prices, times of departure." "They're five weeks old." "But his date of departure was the start of his holidays last week." "Are these tickets?" "No, price quotes." "I spoke to a male nurse." "To two of them." "One of them said" "Simon had often spoken of taking a long trip." "Did he now?" "Why are you so sure something's happened to him?" "I have a strange feeling." "Simon never mentioned the trip to me." " Is that all?" "Where did you get those?" " They were at Simon's." "I found them in the rubbish." " You went through the rubbish?" "A tranquiliser." "Simon takes them at times to come down." "That's why you brought me to Marseille!" "In part, maybe." "The phone call, the apartment... the police..." "Then these phials." "When the police finally left, and I was alone in the empty apartment," "I felt I was in a stranger's apartment." "That was the worst moment." "I've spoken to him regularly on the phone for years, but at that instant I felt I know nothing about my son." "How he lives, what his plans are." "Strange, right?" "I suggest we do the following:" "We go to the ferry company tomorrow." "They'll have lists of passengers." "Then we'll know where he went and when he returns." "The rest is your affair." "Okay?" "Thank you." "No." "I don't need that, thank you." "Oh, I recognise you!" "You were at the airport." "The Audi!" "You almost ran me over." "I was on my scooter." "I wore a grey helmet." "On a scooter." "Forget it." "Unfortunately I can't help you." "Now get lost..." " And how will you do that?" "It's urgent, you know." " Oh, urgent, too!" "Tomorrow, I'd say." " At what time?" "Come back tomorrow at three." "All right." "Did you really run her over?" "I've been driving for 35 years and never had an accident." "Can I see the photos of the car?" "What other photos do you have?" "Where did you get them?" "From a box in Simon's wardrobe." "Are there more?" " Just a few letters." "Do you know them?" "Some of them." "Can we watch them here?" "Simon wouldn't like that." "I want to watch them." "Please." "What?" "You were sleeping so sweetly." "What's wrong?" " Stop, please." "Stop it." " You're in a bad mood?" "Do me a favour and stop it." " Stop what?" "I'm not recording." "Really." "You don't have to get physical." "I wanted to sleep a bit..." "Let me be, would you?" "Please." "Oh, God!" "Here. 2006." "As you were a couple." "I'd like to watch it." "There's no point." " I'd like to watch it." "You're a bit shy, right?" "What do you want?" " Aren't you having fun here?" "That looks pretty good." "Who was the other boy?" "One of Simon's friends." "I forget his name." "He stopped introducing them to me ages ago." "He introduced me to you." "You just didn't speak to me." "You mean your visit back then?" " Right." "That was different." "Simon always knows how to provoke me." "By introducing me?" "By making fun of me." "I didn't know you were coming." "He didn't say." "You just turned up." "Hello?" "One second, please." "Yes, hello." "Who do you say?" "Okay." "Where?" "In the canteen?" "Okay." "5:30?" "All right." "We'll be there." "See you then." "We're to go to the clinic." "That was a colleague of Simon's." "We can take the metro, right?" "Yes." "Valerie?" " Hello." "Hello." "We can speak German." "I'm Camille." "Come along." "I'm surprised he didn't tell you." "He wanted to take a trip to Morocco." "He'd been talking about it for ages." "Coffee?" " Yes please." "We heard that but don't know if he went." "Why wouldn't he have gone?" "I didn't speak much to him recently." "He was working nights, we rarely saw each other." "And before that?" "How well did you know each other?" "I've worked on this ward for a year." "Did you know Simon had bought a new car?" "That was just one of his crazy ideas." "He was suddenly obsessed by that car." "Do you know where this is?" "Where he bought the car?" "Yes." "I'll write it down for you, if you like." "Why did Simon have this idée fixe about Africa?" "I don't know." "The Atlas Mountains, for example." "Over 1500 kilometres." "That's days in a sports car." "Wouldn't you like that?" " 1500 kilometres alone?" "No." "Who says Simon's alone?" "What does that mean?" " I get "strange feelings", too." "Thanks." "That's it." "Valerie?" "Are you there?" "I can't open the door." "The damn bolt broke." "Lie down, I'll take care of that." "What did Mama Flour Worm say as night fell?" "Kids, off to bread!" "What kind of relationship do you have to your mother?" "How do you mean?" "Are you in regular contact?" "We speak by phone." "How long have you lived in Berlin?" "Two years." "A bit longer." "Has she visited you there?" "She once..." "almost made it." "Didn't work out." "Does she know you're here?" "How's that?" "Did you say you were coming here?" "No, I just came..." "Should I call her?" "Tell her?" "She'll be asleep, but..." "I'll do it." "Quit it!" "I'll call her now." "I'll go enquire." "Hello." " Hello." "Do you work here?" " Yes." "Why?" "Do you recognise this car?" "Maybe." ""Maybe"?" "What difference does it make?" "You might know the owner." "His name's Simon." "What do you want from him?" "Hello, I'm Valerie." "This is Simon's mother." " Hello." "He bought it in August." " And then?" "Search me." "He hasn't been back to the garage since." "What's your name, by the way?" "Your first name." "Jalil." "Why?" "Jalil..." "That's a pretty name." " Thanks." "Jalil, we're in a hurry." "Good luck with selling cars." "What was that in aid of?" " I want to go." "We've no time for that stuff." ""That stuff"?" "You heard, he knows nothing." "Want to go for coffee with him?" "What are you looking at?" "What's your problem?" " My problem?" "My son's vanished." "Right?" "No one's seen him in a week." "Not a trace, nothing." "And you flirt with a car salesman!" "How old is he?" "18?" "You find him sweet?" "I think he's sexy." "Where's this heading?" "He's Simon's type." "Simon will have enjoyed his advice." "Listen up." "I'm here because my son's vanished." "I don't need to know whose behind he likes looking at." "The photos from Simon:" "In the hills, on this lot." "He didn't take them himself!" "That boy's involved in Simon's disappearance?" "Search me..." "No." "Come on, we'll be late." "Okay?" "Hello." "There they are:" ""The Fast and Furious!"" "Oh, yes..." "There." "Together with the police, we checked the last month's passengers." "Particularly those travelling to Morocco and Algeria." "There was no "Wodraschke"." "How did you spell the name?" "Being conscientious, we tried various spellings." "I'm sorry." "Really." "Did he buy a ticket or not?" "Did he buy a ticket or not?" "I'm sorry, I can only tell you your son didn't sail with us." "Please." "One car, two adults." "Paid by credit card." "Two adults?" "I'm sorry." "That's all the information we have." "Thank you." "Why would Simon go to Africa?" " You already asked that." "Being alone, peace..." " Come on." "That's a cliché." "Just like that book you told me about." "Or that sports car." "Something's fishy." "Who's the second ticket for?" "My guess is as good as yours." "I don't want to guess anymore." "There's no more room in my head for guessing." "We'll have to wait and see." "Let time work for us." "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Police!" " Help!" "Police, stop!" "That's it!" "It's over." "Stop." " It's okay." "Stay calm." " It's all right." "It's over." "Okay?" "Are you two the "misunderstanding"?" "Thanks." "Have you watched this yet?" "No." "Is it from Simon, too?" "We were there together over a weekend." "In a friend's apartment." "It was in spring." "Not far from here, by the sea." "Tell us about it, please." "I started working in the clinic... last year." "In October." "At the beginning I was working nights." "That's when I met Simon." "You knew he's gay?" "I knew he had relationships with men, but... things were fine with us." "For a while we considered taking a larger apartment together." "You wanted to move in together?" "Yes." "We visited apartments together in June." "But then..." "I don't know..." "It was to do with the clinic, too." "Working all those nights." "It's terrible." "Every week he sent a salami to the clinic." "As thank-you to the German doctor." "Very soon the whole office was full of salami." "The boss got crazy:" ""Get it out of here now!"" "But Simon didn't want to:" ""C'est le salami ou moi," he said!" "It's the salami or me!" "When I last visited Simon in Marseille, he wanted to pick me up from the airport." "I waited an hour, then got a ride with a young woman." "On the motorway she said:" ""Stick the stuff under your seat."" "I say, "What stuff?"" "She says, "The stuff!"" "So she sussed she'd picked up the wrong guy." "She went mad, shouted at me:" ""Get out, you bum!"" "She set me out on the motorway." "Funny, isn't it?" "But why didn't Simon pick you up at the airport?" "He did." "He arrived five minutes later." "Well?" "Well what?" "He was too late." "Hello." " Hello." "I heard you're looking for the young German who lives in this apartment." "Hello." " Hello." "Well, I happen to go swimming at the port's pool twice a week, and, well..." "I saw your friend... yesterday morning." "Are you certain?" " Yes." "I didn't recognise him at once, but he said hello, and I got it." "Did you see his new car, too?" "A yellow Fiat." "His new car... right, yes!" "I think so, yes." "Although..." "I don't know really." "I wasn't paying much attention." "Thanks a lot." "Not at all." "All right." "I'm going off on my own." "Can I help you?" "Do you want to buy a car?" "I don't know if I can afford it." "What do you think?" " You tell me." "Nice car." "Is it in good condition?" "The brakes, the motor and so on?" "Yes." "Can I take it for a drive?" "Can you really afford it?" "Of course." "Are the tyres okay?" "Fine, I'll get the keys." "But I don't have a licence." "I thought maybe you would drive." "Do you live there?" "No." "I used to." "I had a small apartment." "My first one." "It was small but good." "Can I ask you something?" "Do you know Simon well?" "He came to the garage a few times when he bought the car." "And?" "We went out in the car, like now with you." "Where are you actually from?" " I'm French, why?" "It's weird." "Everyone always ask me:" ""Where are you from?"" "Gee..." "My father was born in Morocco." "Have you ever been there?" " No." "Simon wanted to go." "It was meant to be last week." "That could be." "I don't know." "You're talking crap!" "What?" " You know what I mean." "No." "Of course you do." "Listen, we're worried." "Something may have happened to him." "He might need help." "I can't help you." "Sorry." " Of course you can help us!" "Talk!" "Tell me what happened." "All right, he wanted to go to Morocco." "He wanted me to go with him." "I agreed." "He was crazy about the idea, spoke of nothing else." "Then he simply bought the tickets." "And what did you say?" " Nothing." "At first I was glad." "Then I changed my mind." "I can't just take holiday and leave when I want." "When did you tell him this?" "Two weeks ago." "On the phone." "HELLO, MY BOY:" "TONIGHT AT THE FOOTBALL PITCH?" "WE'RE GOING ON A TRIP AT 9 AND ARE STAYING OVERNIGHT" " VALERIE" "Well, can anyone tell me what we're doing?" "You're not the only one with secrets." "Look at the label." "The wine is from a restaurant." "It's close by and has its own vineyard." "Simon and I were there once or twice." "Simon loves the place." "I thought, since he's on holiday, he might have passed by that way." "And if he did, he might have told someone where he's heading." "It's said to be beautiful, too." ""La Provence."" "Right, Camille?" " That's it." "We'll look elsewhere, then." "But where?" " We've got a map." "There will be other vineyards on it." "Just because this didn't work out..." " Stop." "It's enough." "We're staying." "I want to eat." "And I'd like to see the stars." "I can ask if we can stay." "Yes?" "That was a good idea." "It's good to get out of town." "It may sound funny but I am... glad to have met you both." "I wanted to live in a flatshare once." "In my mid-twenties." "At your age." "And what happened?" "You married and moved into a nice terrace house." "No, I... was pregnant and had to make other arrangements." "Life is hard at times." "I'm fascinated that... you and Simon want to live together." "Why not give it a try, right?" "Why?" "Why not give it a try?" "Because it's nonsense." "I don't know what you think of Simon, but you don't just decide to live with a woman." "I talked to the young car dealer." "You know what?" "The second ferry ticket Simon bought, it was for him." "He wanted to travel with him, not Camille." "Sadly, Jalil couldn't get time off." "Who do you think you are?" "Think you know Simon, do you?" "Can I ask you, Camille, how things were... with Simon?" "He can be tender and loving." "Did the two of you sleep together?" "Do you really want to know?" "Yes..." "It's none of your business." "Like the young car dealer." "None of your business." "That's all just flirting." "It's not serious." "To you it's not!" "Here's the coffee." "Excuse me." "Young man..." "Not for me." "All right." " Thanks for the meal." "I'm off to bed." "Would you care for a digestif?" "It's on the house?" "Huh?" " You want schnapps?" "No, thanks." "Thanks, no." "You may be right, perhaps I didn't... take Simon's gay friends seriously." "But how was I to?" "I don't know what Simon told you, but he hadn't confided in me in ages." "Maybe you should have asked." " I did." "The car!" "It's Simon's." "Watch out!" "There!" "Should I drive?" "Yes, that would be good." "I'd like to show you another place." "Yes." "Great." "Come on!" "Come on!" "Cold!" "Cold current!" "Come along." "Come along." "Someone from the police was here." "They've found Simon." "In a holiday apartment." "Down the coast from here." "He's dead." "That was all he could tell me." "He'd got a call." "I'm going there." "If you want to come, put something on." "Okay?" "Hello." "What?" "There must be a note." "Some word." "Right?" "You can't just go without a word." "He hadn't even emptied his fridge." "I'm sorry." "Are you on your break?" "Yes." "Can I join you?" "As you wish." "Very sexy..." "your hands." "That made you smile." "Do you have time later?" "Yes." "Did you know Simon well?" "You'd become friends, right?" "Did you kiss Simon too?" "Like you just did me?" "Well?" "Did you kiss him?" "Did you get undressed?" "Did he whisper in your ear?" "Caress you?" "Tell me!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Simon was found today." "In an apartment." "He's been dead a week." "The holiday apartment's door wasn't closed." "Simon's said to have been lying on the sofa." "There was a sports bag." "It hadn't been unpacked." "Just a few DVDs were lying on the floor." "From the video store." "But there was... just a television." "No DVD player." "I think the same thing on and on." "I want to at least speak to him once more." "Take him in my arms." "Stroke him." "Tell him it will all be all right." "It's all salty from yesterday."