"Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, drew a circle with a piece of red chalk and said:" ""When men, even unknowingly, are to meet one day, whatever may befall each, whatever their diverging paths, on the said day, they will inevitably come together in the red circle."" "A red light." "Tough!" "Good news:" "You get out tomorrow." " Thanks for the tip-off, boss." " That's not all." "Time's short." "The watch is due." "What's the game, boss?" "I've known you five years." "You're the only man for this job." "Job?" "Classic." "Easy." "No risk." "If done right." "And if not?" "Sorry." "I'm not coming back here." " Well, I want out of here." "When you hear the details, you'll warm up." "I doubt it." "What's with you, Corey?" "With your pedigree and your time inside, who'd offer you decent work?" "Bastards." "They're ahead of schedule." "Leave nothing to chance, boss." "That's why I fixed the lock so no one knows I'm in here." "I'm offering you the job because I can't take risks." "You can't foresee them all." "Let's hear it anyway." "My brother-in-law's worked for a firm for 15 years." "They've just installed a new security system." "One billfold." "Three hundred francs." "Three photos." "One driver's license." "One passport." " Expired." "One watch, platinum." "One set of keys, and that's it." "Corey." "Your photos." "The telephone, please." "Police here." "Get me the gendarmerie." "Have a map of the area?" " Behind you." " Where are we?" " Mersault-L'Hôpital." " This road?" " D23." "This is inspector Mattei, Criminal investigations, Paris." "The prisoner I was escorting got away." "Right." "Set up roadblocks on all roads between Arnay-le-Duc, Nuits-St-Georges, Beaune," "Chalon-sur-Saône, Le Creusot, Autun." "I'm at the level crossing at Mersault." "Right, on the D23." "What?" "Then tell your captain to come down." "I'll explain." "One other thing." "Ask the prefect to put the Rex Plan into effect, and use dogs for the dragnet." "I'll wait here." "And make it snappy." "What do I do?" "There are other trains running." "Bring me my coat and jacket, the handcuffs and the two hats, and get the train moving." "If anyone had told me you'd be my wake-up call..." "I was released early." "For good behavior." "Just a little poker game." "So I see." "If I haven't been in touch for the past four years..." " Five." " Sorry, five... it's because during the investigation and trial, you didn't mention my name." "So I figured it was better, for you and for me..." "You don't say." "Don't believe me?" "Now that you're out, you can count on me." "It's 7:30." "The banks open at 9:00." "I'll write you a check." " No checks." "Loan me a few thousand." "I'll pay you back." "You're nuts." "Wait till 9:00." "Let me give you something sizeable." "I owe you." "Just lend me what I need." "I don't have enough cash here." "Wait till 9:00." "And in here?" "Nothing." "Just a few thousand." "That'll do." "As you like." "I'll pay you back." "Sure you will." " What is it?" " Nothing." "Hello, Paul?" "We're closed, mister." "Ripping off Rico at home." "You lost your manners in prison." "Give it back, Corey." "Sure." "I lost, anyway." "Hello, police?" "NICEPHORE NIEPCE INVENTED PHOTOGRAPHY IN THIS VILLAGE IN 1822" "Papers, please." "You just bought the car?" "At 9:00 this morning, before leaving Marseille." "Register it in your name before next week." "Your address still the same?" "Yes, 19 Avenue Paul Doumer." "Would you open your trunk, please?" "Fine, thank you." "Go on." " Still nothing?" " We lost his trail at the stream." "We've got to find it again." "Comb every inch of the region." " Are they still searching?" " Yes." "But I think it's useless." "The interior minister won't put up roadblocks all over France." "This isn't a terrorist." "Think he'll slip through?" "He'll manage." "What makes you say that?" "Hunter's instinct, maybe." "And for once the prey is intelligent." "The chief wants to see you." "You don't say." "As soon as you get in." "Really?" "Good day, sir." "Registration, please." "It's not in your name." "I know." "Your colleague warned me." "I'll see to it tomorrow." "Open your trunk, please." "They forgot to give me the key." "I can't open all my crates!" "Expect me to dismantle the doors, too?" "Why not the wheels, the tires, and the toolbox, too?" "You're out of your mind!" "You're free to go, sir." "Come out." "The coast is clear." "Hands up." " Fine way to thank me." " You see me climb in?" "Sure." "Or I wouldn't suggest you get some air." "Why run a risk like that?" "Up!" "Answer my question." "After I lower my hands." "And rich, to boot." "Put your hands down." "This morning?" "That's unbelievable." "What'd you think seeing me hide in your car?" "That you're the fugitive the radio mentioned." "I'd just passed a roadblock at Chalon." "And you weren't afraid?" "What of?" "Me, to start with." "And of them finding me in your trunk, for instance." "Come on." "Paris is your best bet." "In case we don't meet again, thanks." "Hello, Fiorello." "Hello, you." "Hello, Grifollet." "Hello, Ofrène." "Time to eat." "Come on, children." "You're sulking because I was away for three days." "Come on, Grifollet." "Coming, Ofrène?" "Come on, baby." "Come on, Ofrène." "Take the forest road." "Get out on my side." "End of the line, Corey." "One move and you're dead." "Hands up." "Let's go, quick." "Someone might've heard the shots." " Only chance can help now." " Chance hasn't had much luck." "Mr. Mattei, didn't you know that a suspect must be considered guilty?" "Not for me, sir." "I've dealt with so many suspects who were innocent..." "You must be joking!" "No one is innocent." "All men are guilty." "They're born innocent, but it doesn't last." "Sir, my chief just told you that only chance can catch Vogel now." "Chance and myself, actually." "Mr. Mattei, I don't doubt your goodwill, but allow me to doubt your efficiency in arresting culprits." "Mattei has the finest service record in 15 years on the force." "So what?" "People change in 15 years." "You think I'm the man I was in 1955?" "We all change for the worse." "I'm ready to resign if..." "That would be too easy." "No, you're to find Vogel by hook or by crook." "No matter what the cost." "You know him the best here." "Traveling together in a sleeping car creates a bond, even if the journey's cut short." "Very well." "I'll find him." "I'm sure he will." "I hope so for both your sakes, since you vouch for your subordinate, my dear director." "Indeed." "I'll vouch for him." "And don't forget: all guilty." " Even policemen?" " All men, Mr. Mattei." "INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION" " Was he kidding?" " He meant it." "It's his doctrine:" "Crime lurks within us." "We have to flush it out." "Strange man." "A man to be feared." "Where will you start?" "The usual channels." " Did you hear?" " I did, sir." "But why the name "Mattei"?" "Blond hair, blue eyes." "That's not very Corsican." "Bring me his file, will you?" "Along with his concierge's reports and the list of his informers." " I can't imagine him as an informer." " That's because he isn't." " It's not the barmaid?" " It is." "It's hard to find a guy on the lam if he's smart." "Yes, I know." "Just find a way to bait him." "I don't even know the guy." "What's he bite at?" "Spoons, flies, worms, maggots?" "Is the fish you're after pike or perch?" "Spare me the fishing lesson." "You've got lots of imagination." "The neighborhood's changed." "Hoods use new tactics since the open-air market moved." "The neighborhood's dead." " Change neighborhoods." " People know me." "Do as I do:" "Work through others." "Sure." "But tell me one thing." "You sure he's guilty?" "I am." "So, Santi, forgetting our old friends, are we?" "Why come to my club, inspector?" "So that everyone sees you and thinks I'm a snitch?" "You really want to burn me." "Don't lay it on so thick." "Not at all." "Just say you had some problems with the police over some call girls." "If you won't help me, I have to try scaring you." "You've tried before to no avail." "Think so?" "Don't believe it." "I've nothing to say." "With this clientele?" "I don't know what's said here, and even if I did..." "You wouldn't tell me." "I know." "I'm warning you, Santi." "I hushed up your little affair..." "for the time being." "Don't make me regret it." "You slipped up." "I have to use it." "Even if it's against your nature, you have to help me." "If not, I promise you you'll be in deep water." "All police have informers." "You know that." "You read the papers, listen to radio, watch television." "Find me Vogel." "Is that all!" "I don't even know him." "And this?" "He a look-alike?" "So you'll hear about him." "After this visit, I doubt it." "I repeat, tell them it concerns your affair." "If you like, I can help out." "I can have you hauled in for 48 hours." "That way your honor remains intact." " Vogel never dealt with the mob." " But he will now." "To lay low, he'll ask for help." "You'll hear about it." "And so will I." "See you tomorrow." "Where to?" "You, wherever you like." "Me, I'm going to bed." "I've been dying to for 48 hours." "I know." "A job coming from a prison guard sounds dubious." "But we can start by checking it out." "That'll prove nothing." "But it'll be something to go by." "Okay." "Let's say we decide to go ahead with the job." "We still need a marksman." "That's why I'm talking to you." "Me?" "Get it out of your head." "Between shooting two men six feet away and hitting a target at 100 feet," "there's a certain difference." "It's the difference between an amateur and a professional." "And, despite appearances, I'm no professional." "I knew a really good marksman four or five years ago." "A policeman." "A crack policeman." "One of the best shots on the force." "But the corruption of his work environment finally got to him." "Between my prison guard and your cop, aren't we overdoing it?" "Go see him." "We'll take that risk." "Talk to him." "I remember his number." "He may not have moved." "Mister Jansen?" "Speaking." "Excuse me." "I was in the shower." "Who's this?" "You don't know me." "A friend of a friend." "Can we meet?" "Yes." "Of course." "When and where?" "I don't know." "Around midnight?" "Sure." "Where?" "Fine." "They killed each other over a few thousand francs." "If we find out whose money it is, we'd make sense of the killings." "We'd also have to track down the other car." "If its driver has anything to do with the money, we'd have a better fix." "Think there's a connection with Vogel?" "I don't know." "He escapes in the morning between Marseille and Paris, and the next day two guys are found dead on the same route." "Well?" " The tire casts of the second car." "Two makes of tire, three levels of wear." "The car's not new." "Probably a '66 or a '67 model." " What make?" " Ford, Chevrolet, Plymouth?" "Anyone asks for me, my name is Corey." "I'll be over there." "CAR REGISTRATION" "This friend wants to keep a low profile." "I want you to meet him to discuss a job." "Two whiskeys." "No, thanks." "I never touch it." "A double." "You're real scum." "Insulting an officer in the exercise of his duties." "Don't make things worse." "You know this arrest's for show, for your customers and staff, just to make things easy for you." "Just sit back." "It's like this, Santi." "As I said last night, I don't want to bring you down." "And I'm not changing my plan." "If I have to, I'll haul you in every week for two days of questioning." "Inform your lawyer, even though I can prevent you." "And phone your bartender to bring your meals here." "Everyone at the club will know, and my visit won't hurt your reputation." "You said even if I haven't an informer's nature, you'd force me to help you." "You've got your psychology all wrong." "Nothing can change a man's basic nature." "I'm not calling my lawyer or my bartender." "I'm not an informer." "Put him on ice." "He just pulled the classic opening routine." ""He is not and never will be an informer."" " Anything on Vogel?" " Nothing." "I'll speak to Santi again before releasing him." "They know each other well." "If we don't get Vogel in a day or two," "Santi will hear about him." "That's when I make my move." "And his phone?" " Round-the-clock wiretap." "No introductions needed." "How are you?" "And you?" "You haven't heard?" "I'm a wanted man." "Escaping arrest." " Wanted by who?" " Mattei." "A classmate of yours." "Lot of good that'll do you." "Five people will be in on this." "The three of us, the one who put us on to it, and the fence." "Only one fence can handle this kind of merchandise." "He has to agree first." "Vogel has to lie low, so I'll go see him." "And someone has to case the premises." "That person will be you." "MAUBOUSSIN JEWELERS" "Your bracelets, please." "Of course, sir." "This way, please." "What sort did you have in mind?" "We have emeralds." "This piece is quite lovely." "Or perhaps sapphires." "This is a recent design." "Very nice." "Watches." "That one." "We also make this kind of bracelet with rubies." "I think a bracelet would be best... for a very young woman." "I must think it over." "At your service, sir." "It all checks out as you said." "The bulletproof glass showcases double as safes." "No need to remove and put back the hundreds of different pieces." "The showcases are opened and closed electronically." "The wall key does exist." "It controls the showcases and the electric eyes that block access to the showroom from the landing." "There's no way in other than the way you'll use." "But beware:" "There are surveillance cameras, too." "It'll be about 20 million, market value." "Unset, recut, with the platinum melted, stones and gems are worth only 25% to me." "Don't expect more than five million." "How long?" "Leave me the goods for 24 hours, and I'll pay the next day." "If you can find a better offer..." "There are few of you." "True enough." "Well?" " I'll phone and come by." " No, come without phoning." "It's better that way." "Anyway, I imagine" "I'll read about the merchandise in the papers." " Probably." " Precisely." "If I'd known about his release, he wouldn't have hit me at home." "And three of my boys would still be alive." "I didn't realize there was trouble." "Otherwise, I wouldn't have..." "What's on your mind?" "Nothing." "Let's hear it." "Let's hear it!" "That's it." "Plouvier." "They're not much for talk." "A lot of good this does me." "SENSATIONAL PLACE VENDÔME HEIST" "DARING BURGLARS MAKE OFF WITH 20 MILLION IN JEWELS" " Do we throw it out?" " Not an anonymous letter!" "THE BURGLARS' NAMES IN THE NEXT LETTER" "If the follow-up comes, we may discover the author, thanks to both." "It's happened before." " Paris postmark." " File it with the letter." "It's too big for me." "Too hot." "I won't find a buyer for such merchandise." "I'd have to wait months to show it in any European market." "No one will touch it." "Thanks." "You just did me a big favor." "I won't forget this." "Corey won't forget this either." "He won't have the time to remember." "We have to talk to Santi fast." "No, he has the police on his back." "He's got plenty of contacts, and he's legit." "True." "And I've never seen him make a false move." "All right." "If you two say so." "My friend has to know quick if you can handle his affair." "His name is Corey." "Tell him to be at your place at 1:00 a.m." "and wait in the back booth." "Isn't it better at his place?" "Not for the first contact." "He'll be there." "You bet we have the evidence and your two friends..." "Come off it." "Nothing happens in my school." "Your father's coming." "He'll be delighted to learn his son's involved in..." "I'm involved in nothing." "You're just wasting your time." "Maybe not." "He's here, Chief." "He's coming up." "You, at last." "Sorry to disappoint you." "I'm not here for you." "Ah, the vice squad." "More hot water?" " Not at all." " What then?" "Nothing." "It's my son." "What did he do?" "Come into my office." "So, what's the problem?" "My son Jean-Marc." "He's 16." "He and two classmates were picked up today." "What for?" "Marijuana dealing." "But I know Jean-Marc." "I make sure he stays in line." " Oh, sorry..." " Come in." "Ask Narcotics about the business with the Santi boy." "Don't go thinking..." "Did I ask you for anything?" "Did I promise anything?" "Anyway, if he's mixed up in this marijuana business..." "That's it!" "I get it now!" "This is what you meant the night after Vogel's escape." "Cut the playacting." "Well?" "Sir!" "Hello, Doctor?" "Emergency in Office 67." "Attempted suicide." "Two tubes of aspirin he found in a drawer." "What happened?" "I tried to scare him a bit." "Then I promised that if he told us who smoked in his class, we'd let him go." " And?" " He told me." "This was none of your business!" "This was all done for the father." "Why go overboard?" "Sir, I was just trying to give you a hand." "Now the case goes to the Juvenile Squad." "Just get him to the hospital quick." "If anything happens to him, I promise you a "promotion"!" "I just told him." "This should simplify matters, in fact." "I dream up this charade, and it turns out to be true." "These kids..." ""They're born innocent, but it doesn't last."" "Your boy's in over his head." "Only you can help him now." "You see how?" "Will he be here all night?" "What was the bullet made of?" "Lead, antimony and tin." "A light, soft, low-density alloy." "How did you get the right mix?" "It depends on the trajectory." "In this case, 65 feet, 5/100 of a second." "The time it takes for partial fusion and cooling, before it flattens against the lock." "The little tumblers." "It sort of molds them." "Understand?" "No, but it's brilliant." "I studied ballistics 20 years ago with Marchand, who's now Chief Inspector of Internal Affairs." "IAD." "What's that?" "The police who investigate the police." "One other thing." "I don't want my cut." "You and Vogel can split it." "You'll need it more." "I still don't understand." "I'll stick with you until you're both in the clear." "And I'll see Santi's fence with you." "Make sure all goes well." "Why join us, then?" "It was thanks to you..." "Thanks to you, I locked the beasts away." "Beasts?" "Too long to explain." "I'll pick you up in an hour." "Hello, Fiorello." "Hello, Ofrène." "You dozing?" "Time to eat." "Come on, children." "Where's Grifollet?" "Here you are." "Did Santi fill you in?" "On everything." "Think you can handle it?" "I think so." "If I can see them, and if you're not in a hurry." "What do you mean by "not in a hurry"?" "An affair this big has to be done in stages." "Don't let anyone say otherwise." "Above a certain sum..." "How long?" "Between receipt of the merchandise and the first payment, not long." "But count on a week before the second payment." "A week?" "I know, but it's the best I can do." "And the first payment?" "Twenty-four hours after you deliver the merchandise." "Santi will be around to vouch for me." " Where do I deliver?" " To my home in Louveciennes." "I'll draw you a map." "I had a good impression." "It seems aboveboard." "Santi there?" "And Jansen?" "I'm picking him up." "He's coming along." " So am I." " Don't be a fool." "Wait here till I get back." "Tomorrow we clear out." " Jansen, too?" " He's staying." "He's not worried." "To each his own." "I'm off." "See you later." "Take it easy." "We've seen worse." "Wait here." "He's here." "Come this way." "Corey, take the bag and run for it." "Take the bag and run for it!" "I'm right behind you." "Why not tell him who I am?" "He wouldn't have left otherwise." "You!" "So... stupid as ever on the force, eh?" "All men, Mr. Mattei."