"Good morning." "Good morning." "Are they here yet?" "The screening has already begun." " Mr. Del Bosco is waiting for you." " Thanks." "Come." "Good morning Del Bosco." "Good morning Augenti" "Our butterfly is here..." "How are you Miss Beranger?" "Not much of a butterfly" "I was suspended by a cable 300 metres up" "Now it's all been done." "Thrillers, comedy, musicals..." "Ideas don't count anymore." "Just style" "Yes, you're absolutely right." "It's always women who bring us back to reality." "I buy Publimaster thinking I'm buying Augenti instead you leave!" "So, what do you think?" "I already knew that you guys were good." "Then I'll show you the costs..." "They're higher than I thought but the result was worth it." "But why do you want to leave?" "I don't know" "Incompatibility, I suppose" "But you began together in advertising." "I thought you two got on." "I am talking about my wife." "If I had the money I would have bought your part" "But I need a partner, so..." "And how about Fabienne, how shall we divide her?" "I'm sorry but I've been with the Augenti group for three years now." "What a shame." "Well... how about some lunch?" "I'm afraid I can't make it." "I'm already late, sorry." "He doesn't want to work for me..." "Not even lunch with me!" "And I'm giving him two hundred million..." "Now that we're partners... we can be open with each other!" "I had a great idea for a commercial..." "We've done it!" "When will I see you?" "I am going to talk to Luisa now." "Then I'll pick you up" "I'm taking you to Venice" "I think we need it" "Will you?" "I swear." "Explain to me why you don't want to sell?" "It's a bad deal." "How can you say that 250 million is a bad deal?" "Speak quietly, please." "Luisa, no one can hear, come on now!" "I can hear you." "If you don't have any respect for me... at least respect my nervous breakdown." "I'm sorry but if you don't mind after all these years" "I think I know how to handle things as well" "And I think that 250 million is a really good offer!" "For you, or for me?" "What are you trying to say?" "If it's wonderful for me it's wonderful for you as well, no?" "Can you imagine the things I could do with two hundred and fifty million?" "You see!" "You say 'I' not 'we'" "It's strange how you always exclude me from your plans." "No Stefano even if it was a good deal, which it isn't," "I would tell you that I'm not selling." "You could at least say 'we're not selling'." "As you prefer, darling." "No, thanks." "So..." "Since the share is registered in my name it would be hypocrisy." "I understand." "You, instead, are sincere and you've decided not to sell" "But what's the real reason?" "Because I like the way things are" "Or better still, because we like the way things are and there's no sense in changing." "One changes things when dissatisfied but I..." "we instead are satisfied" "I have a husband and you have a wife." "We have a home friends... and a business." "If I sold the company I would end up losing you, too." "Me, me, me, what about me then?" "!" "Please speak quietly." "You know what?" "Do as you please, but you'll end up losing me if you carry on treating me like..." "Like what?" "Like a jerk!" "Oh look, how nice." "Take it, it's yours." "No, no." "It's yours you touched it first." "It's yours." "Ciao." " How much?" " 1000 lire." "Thanks." "Bye" "No luck, tonight" "Shall we have a go?" "Put it on six." "The maximum on twelve." "Very well, the maximum on twelve." "I'll put a hundred on twelve." "A hundred on twelve." "Fait vos jeux." "Attention." "Twenty eight noir." "A vous, madame." "Bravo, bravo." " Shall we go?" " Yes." "How much did we lose?" "Oh, not too much." "Ah, it's very dark." "There's a boat over there." "May I give you a lift?" "No." "Don't bother." "We just felt like a motor ride and thought that this boat was empty." "Then I offer you my launch with pleasure." " Come on." " Shall we?" "You are welcome." "Come." "Thank you very much." "My pleasure." "Really glad." "Thank you." "No." "You stay here." "This is the third time we've met today." "Three threes are nine." "Three fours are twelve." "The stars say that the next encounter will be decisive." "Decisive?" "For what?" "For the two of us." "I was expecting so." "Three, fours are twelve." "I lost a hundred on that number." " Here, you can have it." " No, no." "Twelve for me is a sacred number." "Give this back to me when we become friends." "I believe in friendship between men." "Love, instead, is corrupting." "What about her?" "Oh, she's my slave." "Do you want her?" "She does what I say." "Once, in London I don't know why" "I sold her to someone," "No!" "Really?" "A disappointing experience." "I'm one of those who likes to try everything" "For pleasure, for enjoyment." "Perhaps the only pleasure left is the doubtful one of murdering someone." "Yes." "Murder is an experience I've never had, you're quite right." "To kill." "Listen... isn't there anyone you'd like to kill?" "Isn't there anyone?" "Sure... lots of people." "I, Matteo Tiepolo..." "We'll be at your disposal." "Thanks." "Thank you." "Good night." " Bye bye Stefano." "Good night" " Shall we go?" "Fabienne?" "Let me sleep, darling." "Are you tired?" "Go on, sleep." "Last night I did the talking" "Now I feel it's you who needs to speak." "I have nothing to say." "I don't have big problems." "And your wife?" "I'm afraid it's rather an indiscreet question." "There are no indiscreet questions just indiscreet answers." "Go on tell me about your wife." "but you could do something about it?" "Yes, I tried to sell the company shares but they are in my wife's name." "Look Why of all people should I be telling you this story?" "I don't know." "If someone called you saying that your wife was dead," "What would you do?" "You have a great talent in simplifying everything, don't you?" "No." "I asked you a question, you didn't answer." "In a way, your situation is like mine." "Why?" "Are you married too?" "No." "With me it's my brother." "There is only one purpose in his life to prevent me from living." "He wants to destroy me... sadistically" "He wants to convince me that I am a worm and that he is an exceptional creature." "I want him to die so I can free myself from him." "Sounds like a melodrama." "No..." "I love melodrama." "On the stage?" "No, in life." "Listen Stefano," "I have an idea." "I will kill your wife, and you, my brother." "It will be the perfect crime." "Do you remember what I told you last night?" "Yes you don't know my brother." "I don't know your wife," "And nobody, nobody will ever suspect us." "Don't you like the idea?" "Not very much." "For now, lets just be friends." "Ciao." "That was a spontaneous gesture." "Your wife called." "Why did you answer the phone?" "It wasn't my fault." "I was fast asleep." "I tried to think of something but she recognised me." "What did you say to her?" "Nothing." "But she was very nice very understanding." "She also wished us a lot of happiness." "Touch wood!" "She was so composed and calm." "Too calm." "I'm afraid there's something wrong" "I don't know how to explain it" "Oh, come on darling." "forget that mad woman!" "Come on, smile..." "I imagine I ought to thank you for these two days of unexpected vacation." "In Venice with your mistress, on the lake with your wife." "Who will you take to the mountains?" " Look." "I brought you here to distract you." " How boring." "You can be so unpleasant." "You know, with a little more effort I can even be awful." "I hope this unusual attention for me is not to convince me to sell the company." "I haven't said a word." "But you were thinking about it." "I preferred you when you were a plain designer not a businessman." "You encouraged me to get into the business." "So it was you who made me change." "No one can change you, but you." "I guess your real aim was to be a business tycoon rather than a simple designer." "and right now, what are you thinking about?" "I can tell you what you're thinking about..." "If the boat would just capsize..." "Luisa can't swim ...but I can." "This way, you would at last be free to do what you please and to go where you please, with whom you please." "I know you." "See!" "you didn't have the courage to provoke an accident." "Now you won't be able to sell the company, and get hold of the money." "So there, even your idea to murder me is, in a certain sense" "Is one of your misplaced ambitions." "Someone you know?" "Nobody." "This one isn't bad." "That's out." "Not good." "That's not a good photo either." "No, no, they are not good enough." "It wasn't his fault" "I wasn't feeling so well when I posed for these." "We'll talk about it again When you get back from Paris." "See you later." " Come here." "Listen" " What are you planning to do?" "I'm sending you away so that you can be closer, don't worry" " Stefano please don'tjoke!" " When you get back everything will be sorted." "So you took a decision and you took the wrong one." "What are you doing here?" "Leaving or arriving?" "You'll never find another woman like that." "Only a fool would lose a woman like Fabienne." "What brought you here?" "You always want to know everything!" "so logical... when what counts is fate, destiny you know Stefano" "I feel that this moment is really decisive." "Yes, but my decision is already taken." "Now that Fabienne has gone, what do you intend to do?" "Many things but I haven't got time to explain now" "Why not?" "I have to go back to town." "Then I'll come to see you at your office." "is that OK?" "All right..." "But don't be too long, or you'll find someone else in my place" "Stefano what are you hiding from me?" "Why wou won't tell me the truth?" "You don't trust me?" "Yes, but..." "You shouldn't be so pushy." "I would like to help you" "If you let me" "Thank you." "Okay." "Ciao, Stefano." "See you soon." "If you change your mind you know I'll be glad to have you as a partner too." "Thanks." "Now gentlemen, this contract will be valid when we have the signature of acceptance from the present owner of the shares" "Mr. Augenti's wife." "At which time I will pay the sum of 250 million stipulated in the contract." " All right?" " All right" "This will give you the right to act for Luisa." "If you want to look at it." "Seems all right." "When do you think you can come?" "Do you want to fix an appointment now?" "No, not right now my wife isn't feeling well." "Didn't you two just go to the lake?" "Yes, we went to the lake but it didn't help." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Perhaps you could pass by our house?" "Or I could bring it to her if it's alright with you?" "All right." "You bring it to her and have her sign here" " Here?" " That's right." "OK." " Ciao." " Ciao." "What did you do?" "It's my brother." "Why?" "I hurt him with words and he used his nails." "Stefano, I swear, he is mad." "He's mad" "Wait here" "I'll try and clean those wounds." "I only found some vodka, I hope that it will do." "Brothers like yours should be put away." "We arejust like Cain and Abel" "We seek each other, only to hurt ourselves" "To... destroy each other" "Can't you avoid him?" "I couldn't, he's too strong." "There's a strange force that attracts us to one another" "We can't live without each other" "We are like one person." "Wait a minute." "Here, hold this." "Yes?" "Hi!" "how was the trip?" "all well here" "Guess who is here with me?" "Matteo Tiepolo." "Speak louder, I can't hear" "No, you better not come back." "I would rather come to see you." "I prefer to come to Paris." "I'll take care of everything" "No, no, no, don't worry..." "I'll call you back tomorrow, or day after." "All right?" "Is it better now?" "So you're going away?" "Sure." "Where to?" "Is it a secret?" "You want to know too much." "Tell me." "I'm going to Venezuela." "You know I'm your friend." "You can't leave me now." "I'm your friend too, Matteo" "If you want, I'll prove my friendship." "Ask me to do something reasonable and I'll show you." "Please, forget your departure." "I told you to ask me something reasonable that wasn't reasonable." "Something absolute, Stefano is never reasonable." " Good morning Signor Augenti, all well?" " Fine and you?" "Well, thanks." "Please sit down." "Thanks." "What can I do for you?" "I have decided to sell the shares of my company." "I'm expecting a cheque for two hundred and fifty million." "I'd like to know how to transfer this money to Caracas?" "Understood..." "Well Sir, there are precise financial rules... for exporting money you can take with you only cash or traveller's cheques" "For the rest, the bank will provide to make the transfer according to the rules." "It will take some time, of course." "more or less, how much time?" "Three or four weeks..." "That'll be fine." "So, please..." "Mr Augenti" " Send two dozen white lilacs, please." " Yes." "In a nice red wooden basket to the usual address in Paris." "Do you want to send a message?" "right here." "Come in, come in" "Stefano." "Strange coincidence, don't you think?" "Quite a coincidence" "Alberto please do this now, and bill the office." " Of course Mr Augenti." " Come" "Believe me, this really is a coincidence." "Look, my hotel is here." "Look Matteo, it could be true, but at this point it looks more like you are following me, no?" "Could be just the opposite" "Excuse me?" "Will you come?" " To your Hotel?" " Yes." "But I have nothing to tell you." "I instead have lots of things to say and so have you, Stefano." "I know it." "So, I'll see you tonight." "I don't know really" " I'm not sure." " I know you will come." "Good bye." " Ciao." " Ciao." "Ciao..." "Are we leaving?" "No, I'm afraid that you are leaving." "I'm leaving?" "And where am I going?" "To Venezuela." "Well, if I'm going to Venezuela, you can come too no one is stopping you." "In a certain sense, I proposed it to you." "You proposed selling the company." "This is completely different." "Well, of course, but with selling the company" "I would have asked you to go to Venezuela." "And instead you proposed it to Miss Fabianne Beranger." "To whom?" "What are you saying?" "Louisa!" "Are you out of your mind?" "Speak quietly, please." "Luisa, wait a moment!" "Luisa!" "Try to be reasonable, won't you?" "Look at those flowers." "They are beautiful." "Who sent them to you?" "Matteo." "He must be a friend of yours or at least someone who knows you very well." "Because with the flowers there was a letter which explained in every detail, your escape after selling the company with a fake signature." "my signature." "you were planning to pocket the money, my money." "Luisa" "I wasn't going to steal from you." "I told the bank to put your fifity million on your personal account." "Disgusting!" "You didn't even have the courage to rob me completely." "Typical!" "Always compromising!" "You leave me but leaving me an annuity." "You rob me but in a reasonable way." "When I first met you, you were an insignificant designer who worked for two cents and now you expect 200 million by faking a signature." "I could even have you arrested and have you finish your brilliant career in prison." "If I still loved you, I would do it but the really sad thing... is that I don't love you anymore." "Good evening, sir" " Good evening Count Tiepolo?" "Count Tiepolo has gone out, would you like to wait for him in the bar." "Thank you." "Who is that?" "It's Matteo," "I'm a friend of your husband." "Please, come in." "Signor Augenti!" "Yes?" "Count Tiepolo has telephoned to say... he's not coming back to the hotel tonight." "and to please call him tomorrow morning." "Excuse me..." "Sir!" "Could you drive me to a taxi stand." "I'm desperate I can't find one." "Where do you need to go?" "I've got to get to Linate." " All right, get in." " Thank you" "That's nice." "Italians are very nice people." "Thank you!" "Does it take long to get to the airport?" "Twenty minutes or so." "Oh, you Italians are so nice." " I don't know how to thank you." " Don't mention it." "I missed the plane!" "I'm really sorry." "I don't know what to do now?" "!" "I'll have to find a hotel room for tonight." "The next plane leaves tomorrow at three" "I don't know where to go." " Would you come to my house?" " Oh Yes!" "that will be nice but first I must call Munich" " All right, I'll wait here." " Ok." "A long distance call, please." "Good evening." "I have lost the ticket." "I am sorry, it is 900 lire." " Thank you" " Good evening..." "Is there no one here?" "Not even a caretaker?" "Are you afraid?" "Oh, no." "I'm not afraid." "Do you bring all the girls that you pick up in the street here?" "You are the one who picked me up." "How lovely!" "Come in." "You can sleep here." "The bathroom is right there." "Thank you." "I sleep next door." " Good night." " Good night." "Hello?" "Miss Béranger please." "She's gone out?" "Thanks." "Is it is off the hook?" "I see." "Thanks." " What are you doing here?" " Have a little fun?" "Hello Mario, can you get my wife please." "Signor Augenti?" "This is Inspector Finzi." "Listen... your wife is dead." "What do you mean, dead!" "?" "You'd better come over here right away." "Is it suicide?" "Take a detail from this side." "You go ahead, I'll see you later." "You are Augenti?" "I'm Finzi." "Listen, what made you think it was a suicide?" "Because my wife wasn't well." "She was strangled with a silk stocking." "Was there any money in the house?" "not much, the money for the shopping" "Any jewels?" "Jewels..." "Yes, there were jewels." "Over there." "On top of the bureau." "They've been stolen." "Were they many, and were they of any value?" "About thirty million." "Have you a list?" "A list of the jewels?" "There's the insurance policy." "Can you show me?" "Yes, of course, this way." "Was your wife alone in the house?" "Yes, it was the maid's day off" "Yes, we have checked the alibi it's all fine" "Listen, yesterday we had an argument, my wife and I." "What about?" "A stupid reason." "she had a habit of asking me to keep quiet" "I lost control, I have a bad temper" "So I went away, slamming the door." "Taking your suitcase with you and leaving the keys of your apartment on that sofa." "It was a moment of anger, nothing..." "And then?" "then I went to the garage, took the car and drove around Milan." "And..." "later, I went" "I went to our villa by the lake." "Alone?" "Excuse me, sir." "Something very strange they just can't find a single fingerprint anywhere." "As if the house was not lived in." "What do you make of that?" "It's all rather strange and unusual, the murderer wiped everything clean." "He must have had a reason" "This is a list of jewels, send it over immediately" "Yes, Sir." "So I was asking you..." "Were you alone?" "Alone." "Alone." "The caretaker didn't see you going out" "The caretaker is never there." "What floor are you on?" "On the third." "One, two three." "The one with the small balcony." "To go up there, there are the service back-stairs or the creeper which reaches your balcony." "How strange, the killer doesn't go up the stairs of the back entrance." "He doesn't try the creeper." "He doesn't force open the kitchen door but he comes up using the lift." "Well, at this point one asks oneself, why doesn't he ring the doorbell?" "Did he have the keys?" "I don't know, Inspector, I don't know." "Now, this door was forced open" "Come on" "Today it is easy to get in" "It will be a good idea to fix all the locks." "Inspector," "I tried to phone here last night at two o'clock but I got no answer" "Then I called the operator, she told me the phone was off the hook" "And you didn't suspect anything?" "No, because my wife sometimes she unhooked the phone so she could sleep in peace." "Sorry, you can't go in there" "Mr Augenti knows me..." "I've got strict orders." "May I go inside?" "Mr. Augenti is my partner..." "Sorry, you can't go in there" "He's my dearest friend, let him come inside." "No." "I'd rather you leave here too while we continue to investigate" "Anyway, it would be best if you kept in touch with us." "All right." "Good night." "Stefano." "Have you no consideration?" "This is absurd, your not having an alibi" "I've got an alibi." "You've nothing to worry about." "I'm not so sure about that." "Where did you sleep last night?" "My house on the lake." "With a woman?" "Did you tell the police?" "No, I was confused at the moment I thought I'd better not tell him." "Do you want to go back there?" "No." "I'll tell him tomorrow." "Pull up over here, will you?" " What do you want to do?" " I'll be back right away." " Good afternoon" " Good afternoon" "Is Count Tiepolo here?" "I'm afraid he's left." "What is your name?" "Augenti." "He asked me to give you this letter." "Give me your car!" "What's wrong?" "You can have my car." " All right." " Here." "The car is in the garage." "Cristina!" "Cristina!" "Cristina!" "I could kill your wife and you could kill my brother." "Do you remember what I told you last night?" "I don't know your wife and you don't know my brother." "It will be a perfect crime." "Nobody will ever find out." "Don't you like my idea, Stefano?" "Even though you can't see me, I'm here." "Shortly your eyes will get used to the dark." "And you will not ignore me any longer." "What are you doing here?" "Ciao." "I want to tell you that your orders have been carried out." "What orders?" "Or your wishes, if you prefer." "I did what you didn't have the courage to do." "And I did it out of friendship." "You are out of your mind." "Like you, Stefano" "We both wanted this death." "It's exactly what you wished for." "I was only a hired assassin." "If you loved your wife she'd still be alive." "I only killed that which was already dead." "It's not true!" "Nobody else knows what's happened" "I fixed everything so the police will never find out." "I deliberately robbed thejewels to make them believe it was a theft." "I threw them in the lake." "Do you want to hear the details?" "I don't want to know anything!" "You've got to know." "She opened the door, we talked about you about the letter I had sent her." "Women have so little imagination!" "She didn't believe me when I told her I was your best friend." "Then what?" "I can see that now you want to know everything." "I want you to know that I have been very accurate." "And it gave me greatjoy." "Obviously I burnt the letter and erased all fingerprints..." "I left the the keys where you'd left them on the sofa." "I'm sure no one will ever suspect me." "Or you..." "For the time being..." "Are you threatening me?" " Stefano?" " Do you think you can scare me?" "It would be ridiculous" "That the killer should try to scare the instigator." "I'm cold, please take me into the house." "you see that you care for me..." "You look after me." "And now we'll go and tell the whole story to the police." "Why?" "Because you should spend the rest of your life in prison." "This is the least you deserve." "And you?" "You know that the law is more severe with the instigator than with the killer." "No one will ever believe I murdered your wife out of my own will." "What reason would I have?" "I didn't even know her." "So why should I kill her?" "While you did have reasons to murder her." "Have you forgotten the false signature?" "Your escape to Venezuela?" "And without her, Fabienne could be yours." "Ajury wouldn't think twice to condemn you to a life in prison." "If you had a clear conscience you would have already told the police everything." "Why didn't you?" "After all, you don't have much consideration for me." "And it makes me very sad" "It's the first time I killed anyone." "And I confess that it was very easy" "All you need is to be precise and calm" "You'll see it will be easy for you as well." "easy to do what?" "To respect our agreement." "To me your wife was a total stranger and so is my brother to you." "I can'tjust become a killer." "Well, perhaps it's a vocation, that's my case, or you can do it out of necessity, and that's your case." "You're not going back on your promise now that I've resolved all your problems" "Now you can marry Fabienne you can remain in Milan and continue your work in advertising." "You've no need to escape anymore." "I could have had all those things There was no need to kill." "You would have compromised..." "Your wife talked to me about that." "Too bad, Stefano, you could live with compromise she preferred radical solutions same as I." "Get out of here!" "No, Stefano, look in the mirror" "You are my real brother that is why you must kill the false one!" "So from now on when you see yourself in the mirror, you also see me." "Because I've done what you only dreamt of doing" "I am a projection of yourself!" "Go away!" "Can I use your phone?" "Hello?" "Hello, this is Augenti." "May I speak to Balsamo, please?" "Mr Augenti" "Hold the line" "Mr Augenti on the phone, he wants to speak to you." "I will speak to him" "Yes, Stefano." "Listen Balsamo" "I will explain it later, but if you get a call from the police please don't tell them anything about the sale to Del Bosco." "Yes, but I wanted to tell you that... the Inspector is here in my office," "I have already told him..." "Mr Augenti?" "Finzi speaking" "Would you please come to my office?" "I need to speak to you" "It's urgent." "I should get there in half an hour." "Very well, see you then." "So, you think that the police shouldn't have been informed of the sale." "It wasn't a sale, it was an option and it really didn't seem important in this particular case" "Leave it to us to decide what's important." "Of course." "You made plans to leave for Venezuela." "That's right." "Why?" "A big company invested a large sum of money in an advertising agency and they wanted me to take over the whole operation." "I was born in Venezuela and I'd like to go back for a while." "Mr Augenti would you say your wife agreed with you?" "In business matters we were in perfect agreement." "Even on the sale?" "Certainly." "Look, if you have any doubts, the shares of the agency belonged to my wife." "And she signed the documents drawn up by my lawyer" "In the entire apartment there wasn't a single fingerprint left behind." "Not even the ones that should normally have been there." "Yours, your wife's," "All cleaned away." "The body was placed on the bed." "The murder does not appear to be premeditated at first sight it looks more like a robbery." "In reality, it's just a cover-up for the real crime the killer did not force the door open to get into the apartment, the house breaking occurs, but later, from the inside." "A simulation." "We'll have to start all over again." "Mr Augenti," "Did your wife have a lover?" "No." "I really don't think so." "Husbands are usually the last ones to know about it." "I am sure she didn't." "It was not like her and how could she possibly know that we would have argued" "and that I would leave the house?" "She could have telephoned her lover immediately after." "Don't you think it is possible?" "No." "By the way, was it a special day that day, an anniversary?" "No." "A day like any other day." "That would have explained the flowers" "Twenty four white lilacs found in a waste basket." "Did you send those flowers?" "Look Inspector." "this is very strange." "I had sent twenty four lilacs, but not to my wife." "I sent them to Paris, to a friend of mine" "We know about it" "We've been in the florist this morning." "How strange you send twenty four lilacs to your lover and at the same time your wife also receives white lilacs." "Is Miss Beranger your lover?" "She's something more." "That is also true." "We know about it." "In fact it isn't a secret..." "Practically the whole of Milan knows." "I've come to meet you instead of Stefano." "I'm Matteo." "We met in Venice." "Stefano and I... are like brothers." "What a terrible thing!" "Stefano needs us now." "Why did you bring me here?" "what's going on?" "Don't worry," "Stefano asked me to bring you here." "But I shouldn't be here." "He needs us both." "You and I are his only true friends." "I offer you my deepest sympathy and condolences." "I am sorry." "My darling, you should have waited a while longer before coming back." "Well, if you didn't want me to come back why did you send me a telegram?" "What telegram?" "It's on the table next to my handbag." "I never sent this telegram." "Perhaps it was Balsamo or some other friend." "A friend I could do without." "What are you trying to say?" "Nothing." "If we need you again, we'll call you." "Good bye." "Hello, Enrico." "Your lawyer Enrico Lancia, received a telephone call from your wife, at seven o'clock" "asking information with reference to a document and declares to the lawyer" "that she knows nothing about the sale and accuses you of having falsified her signature." "My wife was hysterical." "We had a fight" "No, this happened at seven o'clock." "therefore, it was before you returned home." "She didn't tell me about this telephone call." "I don't know." "Why did you have a fight?" "I have to know!" "I've already told you, Inspector." "She was always telling me "speak quieter, lower your voice"." "That's ridiculous!" "if you don't believe me, well then... what..." "Let's suppose that your wife, somehow finds out about the sale." "So as you arrive home she attacks you." "Maybe she even threatens to turn you in." "And this would be your ruin." "You lose your head and strangle your wife." "and then you simulate the robbery." "You clean the fingerprints" "Take all thejewels, and then you go out to the villa on the lake." "and In the morning you telephone as if nothing had happened" "It's not true." "I can check the facts." "All it takes is a phone call." "Now then?" "Do you prefer going through the handwriting test or are you going to collaborate?" "All right, Inspector," "I did falsify the signature but I swear I did not kill her." "The false signature nails you." "With this information we could arrest you." "Look this was my money I was the one to earn it" "I decided to leave my wife fifty million." " If you phone my bank you can find out" " I'm not your wife!" "And my nerves are fine" "Yet I don't want to hear any yelling." "Sorry." "Do you recognise it?" "Yes, it's my wife's watch." "It broke during the fight." "a piece of glass blocked the hands" "The time is in accordance with other findings of the medical examiner." "Where were you at 11:22?" "11:22, I don't know." "but at around midnight," "I was at the motorway paying booth." "I paid..." "In fact..." "I couldn't find the ticket so I paid for another one." "listen, If I find that ticket..." "Will I be cleared?" "It will be enough." "Can we go look for it in my car?" "Believe me, I haven't lied." "I couldn't talk about this as I was embarrassed." "You see," "Inspector," "I spent that night with a girl." "Ah, so you have an alibi." "and you only tell me about it now!" "It's only now that you've accused me." "She is German her name is Cristina Müller." "Were you here three nights ago around eleven or midnight?" "Yes, yes." "Don't you recall when I when I stopped with this car?" "I had lost my ticket and I had to pay for another." "Maybe you remember my car." "I don't remember" "Please wait!" "Please!" "I'm sorry, I don't recall." "A lot of cars come by how can one remember everything..." "It's impossible." "I'm sorry" "Thanks." "Mind how you drive!" "Calm down." "when I am in your car!" "I had all the seals removed from your apartment." "Do you mind telling me, where you'll sleep tonight?" "Well, since you removed the seals" "I'll go there." "Fine." "if by chance you find this mysterious Cristina." "I will find her," "I will put an advert in all the papers even German papers." "By the way, tell Miss Béranger..." " Inspector!" "look, Miss Béranger has absolutely nothing to do with this." "Tell her to remain in Milan" "I may need to speak to her." " Hello." " Hello." "I would have called, why did you come?" "Stefano," "Who is Cristina?" "Who spoke to you about Cristina?" "Matteo." "What did he tell you?" "That you have to go to him in Venice if you want news of Cristina." "Was there anything else?" "No, just that." "He waited for me in the street." "He didn't want to call you." "He thinks the phones are monitored by the police." "Stefano." "What are you hiding from me?" "Nothing, I will explain later." "Now I must go." "Where are you going?" "To Venice." "My dear Stefano, I am so sorry," "It's true, I sent you Christina." "Where is she?" "I will tell you." "But first you must keep your part of our deal." "Do you know what this is?" "The motorway ticket you had lost," "Christina stole it before you got to the exit." "But this is only half of it." "I will keep the other half." "The part with the date and the hour." "You see, you only need this piece of paper to establish your innocence." "On that ticket there isn't the number plate number" "It's not enough Matteo" "Where is Christina?" "I will tell you" "I will tell you" "But first look." "Go!" "My brother will be here, seated at that table at noon this coming Thursday." "Yes, on that chair, by that table." "I've invited him and it is to late to cancel now." "See the paper on that table?" "Take it." "It is a ticket for a deposit box..." "You will take a brown leather bag containing a high precision gun." "Now, look at the window..." "Through the circle." "Look down under the dome between the two angels of the Annunciation" "there's a girl there, dressed in black." "you will bring the rifle, and you will aim exactly at the center of the circle." "At the twelfth stroke of the clock you will fire." "Now pick up the binoculars on the table and look out there." "No!" "Wait, Stefano!" "Don't be impulsive, listen." "She's too far away." "you would never get to her" "Cristina is already in the street by now, in five minutes she'll be far away." "It takes about ten minutes to cross the canal if you are lucky enough to find yourself a boat." "Don't be ridiculous" "don't you know that murders are ritual?" "You can't kill me like this." "Take me to Cristina or I'll kill you!" "I adore melodrama but I detest comic opera." "You see, Stefano" "I'm not the one you should kill but my brother." "And you must kill him out of friendship" "Not out of hate." "If you don't take me to Cristina right now I'm going to kill you." "Stefano" "I promise it will not be difficult." "I did it all by myself without any help." "Instead I will be near you." "I will help you." "You'll see how easy it is." "Also, you don't have any alternative." "You should consider life in prison or my eternal friendship." "There is no evidence against me." "You have forgotten thejewels." "You threw them in the lake." "They were much too beautiful so I decided to hide them in your house." "A telephone call to the police and they will find them right away" "In a place where only you could have thought of hiding them." "There are many oh, so many places in the house." "Search if you like." "Go ahead and search." "Thank you, sir" "Just a moment, please." "It's two hundred and fifty million." "I'll take care of it." "Could you hold the line?" "Good morning, Sir." "We did receivejust yesterday the cheque from signor Del Bosco." "But thejudicial authorities have blocked the account." "Oh, I'm sure it is a misunderstanding but for now we are held by orders." "May I get some money from my personal account?" "I am afraid not." " OK thank you - you're welcome" "Mr Augenti?" "Please come with me to the headquarters." "Inspector Finzi wants to talk to you." "Are you arresting me?" "Oh no, he just wants to ask you some questions." "In that case, I'll get my car." "No, please come in this one." "Excuse me, are you Fabienne Béranger?" "Inspector Finzi wants to speak to you." "Please come with me." "Will you take my case back?" "Listen, we know that you went to Venice." "And we also know where." "To Count Tiepolo's house" "What was the reason for that visit?" "Matteo Tiepolo killed my wife." "Count Tiepolo sent your wife twenty four lilacs he could have been your wife's lover, but certainly not her assassin" "Matteo Tiepolo is my wife's killer." "Seeing that you feel likejoking" "I'll tell you why you went to Venice." "Why would you visit a friend who is very rich?" "To ask for a loan or for an advance for something difficult to sell." "I did not kill my wife." "And seeing that your trip to Venice was fruitless this morning you appear at the bank, badly timed hoping to get the money" "And run off as planned with Miss Béranger" "He's my wife's killer." "stop with this Count Tiepolo" "It's like your story of Cristina Müller." "We tried to find her we've even contacted the police in Munich she's nowhere to be found." "No one knows who she is, no one!" "it wasn't me." "Matteo Tiepolo is my wife's killer." "I see what you are getting at, a scandal." "Trying to involve a high-profile person." "Well you've made a bad choice." "Very bad." "Now let's put your confession in writing, and I'll try to include" "extenuating circumstances." "I didn't do it." "Please send the girl in." "Please, come in." "Sit down, please" "I have to ask you for your passports both yours and Mr Augenti's" "Inspector, if you give me two days I promise you that I'll bring Miss Müller here." "At this point, promises are unacceptable." "I'm sorry Miss, I know you are about to leave Italy there are two seats booked under your name and Mr Augenti's on the plane leaving tomorrow morning at six forty for Caracas." "Nice country, Venezuela." "There's no extradition there." "I received it this morning with twenty four white lilacs." "Was my name on the card?" " No." " So, who then?" "But who else knows our flowers?" "I thought they were good wishes for our departure." "But if you didn't send them, who was it?" "How can I know?" "Stefano, stop these lies, tell me what you know" "What I know... what I know is that this ring belonged to my wife." "It was sent by the murderer to trap us and if the Inspector had noticed it it would be the end of me." "So, you know who is the killer?" "And you are trying to protect him." "If anyone needs protection, it's me!" "Stefano, listen to me let's go back to the Inspector and you tell him everything whatever you've done." "I've done nothing, you understand?" "!" "So you have nothing to be afraid of let's go back to the police and tell them the truth." "But I've already done that just before you came in." "And what happened?" "He didn't believe me." "I'm afraid the only alternative for me it is to accept his blackmail and go to Venice, to commit a crime to save myself from something I never did." "Whatever you decide to do I'll always be with you." "Wait a minute." "Just a minute" "The police!" "Are you sure he hasn't left?" "No, there was the light on." "and I saw him by the window." "The elevator!" "Wait here for me." "Stefano..." "let me come with you!"