"From the Secret Police Files of a European Capital." "What's that one called?" " Which one?" " That one over there." "That one there." "Oh, that's the jib" "No, it's not the jib." "It's the spanker." "You answered incorrectly again." " And that?" "What's that?" " That's a hook." "Yeah, well done." "Even a baby could have answered that." "And those little ropes that climb up along the mast?" "What are they called?" "Those little ropes?" "How do I know?" "!" "They're called ties..." "No, no." "One is called halyard of the spanker." "And the other, halyard of the jib." "Bad, Bill." "Very bad." "Bill, is it possible that you didn't even get one right?" "You might be the son of a great industrialist, but as far as boats are concerned, you don't know anything at all." "You're only good at spending money." "It almost seems like you prefer it that way." "But I don't give a damn about the boat!" "Especially since I'm only on it once a year!" "Yeah, that's true." "What's the saying?" "He who has bread, doesn't have teeth." "Come on, now." "Don't get pissed off." "When you get right down to it, you're the only one of us who can afford to lose." "By the way, Jane... how many wrong answers have I given so far since this morning?" "How do I know?" "I don't give a damn at all." "It's a stupid game." "Plus, Bill knows how much you owe." "I'm not making much progress as a sailor." "I'm getting the names of the sails all wrong." "Those names are the basis for navigation." "Nevertheless, you owe me fifty sterling." "And you owe me, if I'm not mistaken... ten... thirty-two sterling." "Anyway, I think I've entered everything correctly." "Oh well." "Here you go." "Fifty sterling to you." "And thirty-two to you." " And to you, Jane?" " What is it?" "How much do I owe you?" "How much have I lost to you?" "Oh, that's OK, Bill." "You don't owe me anything." "I just want to enjoy life." "Well, I'm going to get some water." "Tell me, Joe." "How is it you know boats so well when you're from Andalusia?" "When I learned that Bill had invited us on his father's boat," "I studied all the names of the sails, then I suggested the game." "And you can't even sail, you big son of a bitch." "You scared me, Bill." "Here." "This is for you." "Excuse me." " For me!" " Yes." "Thank you, but you're crazy." "Will you help me, please?" "Thank you." "It's really a gorgeous gift." "They're marvelous pearls." "It's you who make them worthy, Mom, with your beauty." "Are you, by chance, making fun of your old Mother?" "But it's the truth." "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world." "Anyway," "I bought those pearls more for their strange legend, than for their beauty." "A legend?" "Yes, an antique dealer on Church Street sold them to me." "He told me they belonged to a crazy old woman believed to be possessed by the devil, who, according to her, came through the pearls." "And so, she went to a medium, who finally succeeded in exorcising her." "Then, filled with gratitude, she gave the pearls to the person who had freed her from the devil." "But a little while later, the exorcist and all of her family died mysteriously." "You bought them just the same?" "!" "Oh, come on, Mom." "Don't tell me that you believe in that stupid story." "No, no." "I don't believe it." "But I don't want to have something like that." "It's in bad taste." "You understand?" "Right?" "Come on." "Don't be offended." "You could give me another gift." "See, I made another extra deposit into your account." "So you won't have any money problems." "Thank you." "By the way, our manager is coming to dinner tonight." "If you'd like, you can skip it altogether." "After all, we have business to discuss." "And I don't want my boy to get bored." "Hey, don't tell me we're shoving off now that I'm starting to enjoy myself!" "It's better to leave while there's still light out." "No, let's stay a little while longer." "I find this place to be exciting." "Fine by me." "I'm in." "Are you ashamed to be smoking alone?" "You're so silly!" "And now?" "Great!" "Just what we needed." "What's the matter?" "It's out of gas?" "How can that be?" "There's still half a tank." "I don't get it." "What bad luck!" "What the hell are we going to do now?" "We're going to look for a gas station." "Who is it that said, 'My kingdom for some gas?" "'" "Did I tell you guys that this is a push car?" "I get it." "This might be the last straw." "Jane, get behind the wheel." " Come on!" "Come on!" " You have to push, too!" "Yeah, you can play ball if we find gas." "What do you want?" "What do we want?" "!" "What could one want in a place like this?" "Let's see the color of your credentials first." "Credentials?" "What do you mean?" "That would mean the color of your bank notes." "If not, no gas." "Oh, is that all." "Don't worry." "I have traveler's checks." "Here." "Is this color OK with you?" "Very good." "And some ID." "Oh, that too, that too." "But, where did I put it?" "Oh, damn!" "And who's to say that you didn't steal them, those traveler's checks?" "If they are, and I accept them as payment," "I could end up in jail." "What are you talking about?" "Rest assured, they're mine." "I don't need to steal anything." "Ask them if I'm telling the truth." "If I wanted to, I could buy a hundred dumps like this!" "Well, I never!" "No cash, no gas." "Come on, friend." "Calm down." "I assure you that those checks are his." "Here." "See?" "Even I have one." "I'm sorry, but I don't care." "But, where..." "Of course!" "Can I have left it on the beach, when we took down the tent?" "If I retrace my steps by cutting across the field," "I think I should be able to do it in two or three hours." " Where did you guys camp out?" " At Lighthouse Point." "Tell me something, do you enjoy being such a jerk?" "They're waiting for me at home, and this storm's about to break." "Wait..." "Oh, all right." "The old man, you know..." "Never left a beautiful girl stranded on the side of the road." "That's all?" "!" "It'll last you until you get to town." "Take the first road on the left." "It's a short cut." "Hey, what happened?" "Don't tell me that we're out of gas again?" "Are you kidding?" "Uh, yeah." "I'm afraid that we've just run out." "What a son of a bitch!" "That old piece of shit screwed us!" "He jerked us around!" "Hey, Joe!" "What the hell are you doing?" "!" "Calm down!" "Behind the path there are some cars." "And if there are cars, for sure there's gas, too." "What do you want?" "We're out of gas." "We need help." "Come inside." "Put your car in the garage." "Thank you." "Let's go, guys." "They said to come inside." "Come on." "Come on." "We're there." "Push." "Damn!" "What a load of catafalque they use over here." "Yeah, it's a Rolls Royce, but it's old." "It's a pre-War model." "Yeah, maybe even pre-War." "But I'd do who-knows-what to have one just like that." "Let's leave the Rolls alone for now." "More importantly, let's check out the garage." "Maybe it's behind the house." "Let's go!" "It's pouring!" " Come on!" " Turn it!" "Look, you guys." "Another Rolls Royce." "And this one's an older model, too." "It looks like they collect vintage models like stamps here." "Bill." "Check and see if there's any gas." "Good evening." "You've chosen a bad night to run out of gas." "However, there should be as much as you want here." "I would advise you to wait until the storm passes." "We thank you." "But we wouldn't want to impose on your hospitality." "We just need some enough to..." "I'm Lord Alexander." "And this is my house." "Hospitality is sacred here." "They're young people." "I let them in, and they're in the garage now." "And our friends?" "They're waiting downstairs." "Give it a try." "No go." "It won't start." "But what could have happened?" "Maybe the spark plugs got wet." "Let's see if it starts if we push it." "Come on." "Everybody push." "Go on, you, too." " Ah, man!" "What a pain!" " Go on!" "Come on, guys!" "Stinking whore!" "This shitty car won't start!" "Come on." "Try it again." "Naw, what for?" "Call them." "Have them come in and take shelter." "Hey, Joe, Bill!" "Come inside!" "For tonight, you can stay here in the servant's quarters, who are off until tomorrow." "Thank you." "You are very kind." "You can make something to eat." "Make yourselves at home." "But I have other guests, so I won't be able to stay with you." "You're wet." "You will sleep in the guest bedroom, next to mine." "I'm hungry, and I'm going to eat." " It's all ready for you in there." " Thank you." "A good, hot bath will do you good." "If you want a bit of tea, it's here on the table." "You wouldn't happen to have a cigarette, too?" "Mine are wet." "You'll find the cigarettes in the nightstand." "Finish it already!" "You're breaking our balls!" "Come on!" "No." "Leave him alone, Joe." "Continue." "I like it." "Fred is very good." "He could even become somebody." "Yeah, right." "In this world, if you don't have some rich brat to protect you, you can shove it up your ass." "Uh-huh." "Speaking of a rich brat," "I want to talk to my father." "He could help us." "That bastard has had everything in life." "Except love, though." "That's something that can't be bought." "Few people realize that." "Money can buy even that." "What do you say to a game of poker?" "I've lost my inspiration." "What do you say, Bill?" "All right." "But I don't want to be up until dawn." "Agreed?" "And I want to clear something up since we're on the subject." "Don't think about making a fool of me again, like you did with that sailboat game." "Ha!" "We played a little joke on you." "I had already decided to give back your check which I'm not able to find." "Ha, ha!" "Forget about it." "After all, you showed me a good time." " Ah, even the lights!" " It's the storm!" "Damn it!" "I'm going to see if I can find a candle." "What's wrong with you?" "Are you crazy?" "!" "What's the matter with you?" "!" "The gas station attendant was at the window." "He was spying on us." "C'mon, Bill." "How is that possible?" "You must have imagined it." "Who goes around in this kind of weather?" "Come on, let's go back inside." "Here it is." "That's all I could find." "Ha!" "It's better than nothing." "So, let's get back to our game." "Where the hell did they stick Jane?" "Ah, listen... she wouldn't be in any danger, would she?" "But how dangerous can it be?" "Even though she has a face like Dracula, the lady of the house is an educated person, generous." "Yes, but now she's alone." "And she could even be..." "Don't worry." "Jane is capable of handling herself, even alone." "Maybe so, but I still say that she could let us know she's still alive!" "Don't you think so?" "!" "He'll never admit it, but this one really hoped to get with her tonight." "Prince of Darkness..." "Once in Heaven, now ruler in Hell..." "Prince of Darkness, once in Heaven, now ruler in Hell..." "Prince of Darkness, once in Heaven, now ruler in Hell..." "Hallowed be thy name." "We elect you to be our God." "Hallowed be thy name..." "We elect you to be our God." "Hallowed be thy name." "Well, I'm going to go take a look around." "Rest in peace." "Hey, Joe!" "Joe, Look!" "We found Jane's clothes in a room." "I told you so!" "There's something downstairs that doesn't seem right to me." "Let's not lose our cool." "Those don't necessarily have to be Jane's pearls." "Maybe you're right." "But it's better to look for her." "My Lady!" "My Lady!" "No!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Don't stop!" "Let's go!" "My Lady!" "My Lady!" "Careful, Bill!" "Oh, good evening." "Good evening." "Thank goodness you've arrived." "Something wrong?" "Well, we missed the street to the house." "Where do you live?" "Not far." "At Chelsea." "There's a guide three miles from here." "You'll find a sign indicating where to go." "And above all, don't speed." "You'll get there just the same." " Good night." " Night." "Good night." "Good night." "Come on, Bill." "What do we do now?" "Well, I suggest that we go to your house." "Then we'll decide what to do." "Yes, OK." "But first, there's something more urgent." "I have to find some more gas again." "I say to go to the same gas station from earlier." "My house is out of the way." "Bad idea." "That foul old man won't give us anything without ID." "Is that all?" "I've found it." "I had it in my pocket." "Why?" "Did you have a better idea?" "No, but if he doesn't give us any gas this time," "I'll smash his face!" "It's his fault we're in the mess." "We need to kick his ass!" "Let's get going." "Jane!" "Aren't you coming?" "It's the same gas station from before." "I would swear on it." "But it seems like it's been out of business for years." "Something's not right here." "It's the same one." "If not, then I'm losing it." "But it can't be!" "Think about it!" "Let's try it on the gas that we have left?" "Let's get away from here right now." "Bill!" "What happened?" "I expected you to return tomorrow!" "The storm made us change our minds." "Plus, I wanted to put up my friends for the night." "Mom, I would like to speak with you for a moment." "Yes, yes, but not now." "I don't know if you realize what time it is." "Besides, the rooms aren't ready." "The servants had the day off." "Here!" "All of you, go to a hotel." "Come back tomorrow, and we'll fix everything." "Dad hasn't come back yet?" "Your father forgets that he has a home and a family when he's with his hunting party." "Excuse me, ma'am, but I think it's necessary for me to intervene." "I don't want to seem invasive, but if your son wanted to bring us here then he would have had good reason." "Don't you think?" "Possibly." "But this is not the right time to discuss it." "As you wish." "Take this money." "You'll need it for the hotel." "Very well." "I'll give it to Bill." "I don't want to seem rude, but I've already explained that I cannot let you stay here on such short notice." "I hope you understand." "It's not so easy to understand you." "Believe me." "Now, I beg you to leave." "Or you will be late." "You mentioned a hotel, ma'am, but there are conditions that make that resolution difficult." "If you would allow us to explain," "I'm sure that we will resolve our problem." "I will resolve it right now." "With more money." "You are a perfect mother." "Thank you, Ma'am!" "Let's go." "One moment." "Bill, the pearl necklace you gave me has disappeared." "Do you know anything about it?" "I'm sure that I left it in my bedroom nightstand." "Absolutely sure." "I don't know anything at all about it." "Good night." "They're gone." "I've always told you that your son is an intelligent boy." "Did you decide?" "Yes or no?" " Are we going to a hotel?" " No." "We're going to my father's country house." "And we're going by motorcycle." "There are two." "But why?" "That makes sense." "Bill's car could have been called in to the police." "Want one?" "Thanks." "Did you ever meet Sam David?" "No." "Who was he?" "The owner of this gas station." "He died some fifteen years ago." "So?" "He was a strange guy." "I think that there was a rumor going 'round that he was the Devil, or a close relative." "Thanks." "Go 'head!" "I thought this silliness only got around in Scotland." "He lived inside here all alone." "I assure you that he scared everyone stiff." "Even you?" "Attention Car 32!" "Proceed immediately to the crossing!" "Repeat." "Attention Car 32!" "That's us." "I remember that he was generous." "He gave away more free gas to those who couldn't pay for it." "So much so that he could have covered this whole street in oil." "Especially if it involved a girl who knew how to do it." "I understand." "The guy was not a devil." "He was a lecher." "Well, let's get to work." "Open it!" "Come on!" "I don't have the key." "The only thing left to do is to break down the door." "If you say so." " Oh, damn!" " Hey, look where you're going!" "We can relax here, and get our thoughts together." "Sure, but for how long?" "Well, the way my mother was talking, my father won't be returning for a few days." "You heard it yourselves." "Besides, she could never stand this place." "Let's hope that no one saw us." "We haven't run into the police." "The highway patrol?" "Yes, but fortunately we were very far from the highway." "The gas station attendant!" "Yeah, you're right!" "That son of a bitch!" "What ever happened to him?" "It was his fault we went to that villa." "Maybe that damn old creep was in on it with those people." "And then he took off when things turned sour." "I always said that that man wasn't right." "Anyway, I'm sure that he won't open his mouth." "Because if he talks, he'll get mixed up in all this, too." "I'm beginning to think that he never existed." "Actually, that could even be true." "But a gas station can't disappear like that." "Why are you all looking at me like that?" "!" "What are you all worried about?" "!" "If anyone's in the shit here, it's me!" "Because I killed that woman!" "I killed her with my own hands!" "And that's an indisputable fact!" "I wish I could convince myself that I only dreamt it!" "Calm down, Bill!" "We are all in this together." "We will find a way out." "You'll see." "But for now, calm down!" "Please!" "C'mon, Bill!" "If we lose our heads we'll find ourselves in a lot of trouble." "We've got to wait for the waters to calm, then we'll see what can be done." "The sight that was reported..." "The first blow..." "The call made by the villa's servants was mind-boggling." "It seemed that here, in the home of Lord Alexander, a monster or a steamroller had passed suddenly through." "And with bestial violence it snuffed out, in an atrocious manner, eight lives." "Eight corpses are found here, in fact." "Of which, one fell as a result of old construction, from a window on the second floor." "In the villa's courtyard a great confusion reigns." "Police cars come and go." "Even the Chief Commissioner of Scotland Yard has arrived." "Now, I also will try to enter the building, to see if I can get any more information about this tragedy, while the eight cadavers are carried out, after having been reassembled, to the ambulance that will transport them to the laboratory." "Here, now, I find myself inside the villa." "More precisely, in the room that was the stage for the tragic act." "It also must have been the stage, judging by its appearance, of a ceremony resembling a black mass which ended horribly." "A real slaughter." "The room is completely roped off." "Swords are being tagged and gathered, like this old antique, and firearms are being found everywhere." "Here is Chief Commissioner Ferguson, who is personally following the gathering of evidence." "Anyway, from the news gathered so far, it seems that investigators are focusing on three strange facts." "Even though of different degrees of seriousness, they appear to be inexplicable." "The discovery of a guitar in the servant's lodgings that does not belong to any of the service personnel." "Pearls, seemingly of value, that were a part of a necklace found spread out on the stairs in the room of the massacre." "And, lastly, the gravest and strangest fact." "Of the eight bodies accounted for, that of Lady Alexander's is missing." "Even in an enquiry so horrific, it would seem apparent that the noble woman also was killed." "It would seem that this gruesome homicide, strangely reminiscent of Sharon Tate's, could be linked to the presence of a small group of hippies in the castle, which would explain the discovery of the guitar." "This is how the investigation seems to be shaping up." "Jane!" "Where is Bill?" "Bill!" "Bill!" "Are you there?" "Jane!" "Jane!" "Fred!" "Bill is upstairs!" "Come!" "What happened, Joe?" "!" "Bill is..." "it's a terrible thing!" "How could that be?" "What do you mean a terrible thing?" "!" "Joe!" "What happened to Bill?" "!" "Do you want to answer me?" "!" "He's upstairs!" "I found him dead in a closet!" "Calm down, Joe!" "And try to explain!" "No, Fred!" "It's horrible!" "Come!" "Come and see!" "Hurry!" "You too, Jane!" "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "SHUT UP!" "Who could have killed him?" "Huh, Joe?" "He still has terror in his eyes." "What should we do now?" "The only thing that we should do is make the body disappear, and quick!" "Hurry, Joe." "Give us a hand." "Let's block the door." "Try to be strong, Fred." "He looked at me with those eyes." "He stared at me, he did." "Joe?" "What happened to him?" "He's not dead." "Who?" "Who killed him?" " Fred." "Calm down." " Tell me..." " Up." "Come and lay down." " Who killed him?" "Tell me..." "Tell me..." "I want to know..." "Tell me, Joe..." "What's happening, Jane?" "What does it mean?" "!" "Does it mean that we'll all end up like Bill?" "!" "What were you doing on that altar?" "I beg of you, Jane." "Answer!" "We will find a explanation to all this nonsense!" "Jane, answer me!" "Say something!" "There's been a death." "Calm yourself." "There's nothing to be done." "We only have to try to get out of here in time." "Please, try not to think about it." "You must only sleep... now." "Go ahead, sleep." "And when you wake up, you'll think all of this was just a bad dream." "I'm afraid." "I'm so afraid, Jane." "And so cold!" "Don't go." " Don't go, Jane." " I have to go." "But I'll be back soon." "Fred!" "Him, too?" "!" "Come on!" "Let's get away from here!" "There's no time to lose!" "Yes... yes..." "let's go!" "Jane!" "Help!" "Jane!" "Help me!" "My legs are broken!" "Help!" "Jane!" "Don't let me die!" "Jane!" "I can't hold on anymore!" "I don't think you will get anything out of this girl, Inspector." "At least for now." "But I must question her as soon as possible." "She's the only person who can shed some light on things, Doctor." "More importantly, she can explain the strange disappearance of Lady Alexander." "The girl is in a complete state of shock." "But I have to investigate, Doctor!" "I beg of you, do not insist." "Take her back to her room." "Do you need anything?" "Doctor!" "Doctor!" "Where to, My Lady?" "To the Villa, naturally." "Very well, My Lady." "Doctor, I made rounds just fifteen minutes ago." "Everything was normal." "But who could have killed her?" "No one killed her." "For the simple motive, Inspector, that the girl was already dead." "I'm aware that what I'm saying may seem absurd." "Certainly mad." "I'm sorry, but I can't possibly give another explanation for this mysterious death." "When Jane was in that room during the black mass ceremony, she probably found herself under the influence of a drug administered by Lady Alexander, to prohibit her from reacting." "Under those conditions," "Jane left her body, remaining united to her physical self via..." "A spiritual tie." "Then Lady Alexander killed her." "The Lady had exceptionally mediumistic powers." "At the precise time of death, when the extrasensory faculties are stimulated to their utmost degree, her spirit was ready to penetrate Jane's body." "From that moment on, the spirit of Lady Alexander dominated Jane's body, in spite of the other's efforts to return to its own body." "But it was all a useless struggle." "Now Jane's real death bears the rebirth of Lady Alexander." "Search for her!" "Find her and you will have the true guilty party." "And also the explanation of this mystery."