"Are you looking for something?" "I wanted to speak to you." "About what?" "Is that a reason to rifle through my office while I'm not here?" "I wasn't." "Sorry." "I spend so much time here." "It's like a bubble." "And when someone comes in unannounced I feel like I'm being spied on." "I understand completely." "No, you don't." "Otherwise you'd be like me." "Someone who has no life outside of his work." "In fact, I came back for some work." "I was worried I'd get bored at home." "You recognise this?" "Poor Elina Andrescu's diary." "To think I might have spent an evening without it!" "SPIRAL" " So, do you have it?" " No, I don't." "I nearly got caught." " You don't have the diary?" " I tried to find it but Roban turned up." "And you didn't stay?" "He came back." "Shit!" "Where is this bloody diary?" "I'm risking my career for you." "What about me?" "I don't give a shit, Benoit!" "I haven't done anything." "I'm not mixed up in your shady affairs, yet it's me taking the risks." "I'm sorry." "We're screwed." "Do you understand?" "He took the diary home with him." "He'll be sleeping with it." " He took it home?" " Yes, he took it home." "Nice and cosy." "You're right." "We're screwed." "Oh well." "Is that all you can say?" "Five minutes ago you wanted to send me to the lions' den." "What changed?" "I've learned one thing from business:" "When it's over, it's over." "There's no point in persisting." "So you're giving up?" "I was petrified when he came back." "I can't imagine." "Gilou, it's Laure." "You won't believe this." "I've just seen Benoit Faye." "Something fishy's going on." "You have to meet me." "Wait, he's leaving." "I'll call you back to let you know where I am." "Nancy, I wanted to see you." "Ah, there he is." "I'll be with you in a minute." "Hi." "You can talk." "She doesn't speak French." " Or even Romanian." " Hello." " Well?" " The judge has taken the diary home." "Are you sure?" "I've let Faye go and I'm following the other man." "About time!" "Rue Crozatier, behind the Bastille." "Are you OK?" "Chief Inspector Berthaud." "A pedestrian has been run over." "45, Rue Crozatier." "Twenty to twenty-five years old." "He's still conscious." "Thanks." " Shit!" "I ran over that guy." " Why is he running away?" " Come back." " Idiot!" "Stop!" "Come here." " What did you just put in your mouth?" " Give me your arm." " Why are you running away?" " If you bite me, I'll shoot!" " Why did you run off, you idiot?" " What is this?" "It's coke, isn't it?" "He has no ID and smooth fingertips." "He burned them with acid." "It's the latest fashion." "It makes them feel above the law." " Has he said anything?" " Not since we brought him in." "I know a way." "Have you got a soldering iron?" " A what?" " A soldering iron, to make him talk." "Calm down." "You can't be serious." "I'm joking." "Oh, OK." "What we do have is an X-ray." "I was afraid he'd be injured." "Look what I found." " Is it coke?" " Yes, it is." "You know your stuff!" "Where did you learn all this?" " A bit suspicious, eh?" " What are you trying to say?" "I'm joking." "At least he doesn't have cancer." "Keep an eye on him." " That's for the drug squad, not me." " I'll get him later." "Call me when he delivers the goods." "Wait till he shits it out." "And when he does, call me." "It was a marble fireplace." "Good morning." " Morning." " Good morning, sir." " Beautiful house." "Makes a change." " No, not really." "Where's the victim?" "That way." "The victim is a man, about fifty years old." "He has a watch on his right wrist." "He's dressed in indoor clothes." "The body is lying on its stomach." "The thorax, right arm and face are in the fireplace." "Cremation is incomplete." "He's more marked on the upper body, which is covered by a layer of ash about 3mm thick." "The right hand is completely carbonised." "Turn the body over, please." "Was he burned alive?" "No, I don't think so." "He has a fractured skull." "There was a hefty blow to the head." "Even if he was alive, he would have been unconscious." "Was that used as fuel?" "That together with waste paper from the bin." "We found burnt matches by the fireplace." " Who is he?" " Jean Lessage." "Fifty-three years old." "Married." "Two children." "He was alone last night." "His wife and children are at her mother's." " Have they been informed?" " Of course." "They're on their way here." "He owns a porcelain factory." "Lessage Porcelain." "Do you know it?" "My in-laws have cupboards full of it." " They're imitations." " In-laws?" "Any sign of a struggle?" "No." "No breaking and entering either." "We've taken samples from the blood stains on the armchair." "He was probably struck here, then dragged to the fireplace." "The poker's been taken to the lab." "You're at the scene." "Start questioning the neighbours." " Will you keep me posted?" " Of course." "I need to speak to you." "Judge Roban has asked us to put one of the witnesses under surveillance." " You mean Benoit Faye?" " Yes." "I was there when he asked you." "Have you found something?" "I was in court last night." "I saw you leave with the judge." " I followed you." " I'm sorry?" "I noticed you." "I watched you leave." "I saw you with Benoit Faye, sir." "What about it?" " He's a suspect." " He knew the victim, that's all." "Like dozens of other people." "I don't have to justify myself to you." " Does the judge know you know him?" " You should mind your own business." "Concentrate on the Lessage case." "That's why you're here." "Have you seen my notes on Elina Andrescu's diary?" "No." "I haven't touched anything." " Didn't I ask you to make a copy of the diary?" " No, Judge." "I'll do it for you now." "No, thanks." "There's no need." "Come in." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Have you got a moment?" "I'd like to talk to you in private." "Of course." "Could you leave us for a moment, Mrs Merlin?" "Thank you." "You've had Benoit Faye placed under police surveillance?" "That's right." "Interesting character, isn't he?" "He's a friend of mine." "You have some dodgy friends." "We were friends long before I was called to the Bar." "You're right to warn me." "I'll bear it in mind." "It won't change anything." "Benoit didn't kill Elina Andrescu." "She was leaving his house." "She died several hours later." "I spoke to him as part of this investigation." "He went out of his way to avoid assisting me." "He was very uncooperative and told me a mere fraction of what he knows." "He must be badly affected by the victim's death." "By not speaking, he's protecting the criminal." "Let me speak to him." "If he knows something, he'll tell me." "He should have told me." "However..." "I'll give him the benefit of the doubt." "You, too." "I hope this friendship won't blind you." "I'm looking for Inspector Fromentin." " That's him standing over there." " Thank you." " Mrs Lessage?" " Yes." "Inspector Fromentin." "Would you mind giving us five minutes?" "Thank you." "Do you think Dad was alive when he put him in the fire?" "There might have been several of them." "You don't know." "Do you think he struggled?" "According to the police, Dad was already dead." "They smashed his skull with the poker." "The poker?" "That's disgusting." "Really disgusting." "Will you question my children, too?" "Only if it's absolutely necessary." "I hope not." "They'll do it, of course, but if it can be avoided..." "They're very shocked by all this." "I wouldn't like..." "I'm really sorry to have to inflict this on you but we have to piece together the chain of events that led to..." "Right." "So, you were in Paris last night?" "No, I was only there during the day." "I left for Cabourg at about seven o'clock." "The children had been there for a few days." "I was joining them." "Did you see your husband before you left?" "No, he was still at work." "I phoned him to say I was leaving." " And did you leave straightaway?" " Yes." "So you must have got there no later than about nine or nine thirty?" "I can't remember the exact time." "Of course." "Did he have any enemies that you know of?" "Enemies?" "In tableware?" "Here's the photo I took of our friend with the Romanian." "They seem to be well acquainted." " Exactly." " He really does keep strange company." " Do you know who the other one is?" " I have his file." "So he's got a record." " Prostitution, drugs?" " A bit of everything." "But it's his brother we need to worry about." "He's a ringleader in the world of prostitution back home." " Does he work in the family firm?" " Not really." "Without his brother, we wouldn't even know his name." "He's an amateur." "So we were right to take an interest in Faye!" "By the way, you should know that Faye and our deputy public prosecutor are childhood friends." "Yes, Judge." "I wanted to tell..." "Did you know?" "Well, next time, tell me before I find out for myself." "Goodbye, Your Honour." "The forensic scientist is waiting for us in the autopsy room." "He has a problem with the equipment." "The victim received a fatal blow to the top and back of the skull." "The weapon was probably a metal rod." "The body was placed in the hearth after death." "The intention was doubtless to reduce it to ashes." "Under optimal conditions, cremation takes eighty minutes at one thousand degrees." "The brandy and screwed-up paper routine is pure amateurism" "What did the tests on the poker show?" "No trace of blood." "It wasn't the weapon." "Taking into account the damage to the skin, there is no evidence of injuries incurred by any sort of struggle." "That confirms our findings." "Lessage must have known his murderer." " The time of death?" " Impossible to say exactly." "Not before nine but before eleven." "That leaves a margin for error." "One other thing that might interest you and then I'm done." "The victim has a sizeable fissure as a result of trauma to the anus." "I'm sorry?" "Do you mean anal penetration occurred before death?" " After?" " Before, before." "Violent, deep penetration, unrelated to the murder, although the penetrating object was of considerable size." "Fisting?" "The absence of sperm does seem to imply there could have been some hand action at play." "As to whether or not the act was consensual," "I would say it was." "There's no sign of any restraint." "The victim wasn't tied up." "It can't have been his first time." "Far from it!" "Any questions?" "I wanted to apologise for this morning." "I don't want to talk about it." "Well, I do." "I was horrible to you." "You were right." "I should have spoken to Roban about it." "I told him afterwards." "I know." "He pointed out that I should have told him." "It made me feel stupid." "You should have warned me." "I was at school with Benoit." "He was in the year above me." "He's more than a friend." "He's like a big brother to me." "I only have sisters, and Benoit." "I wasn't spying on you yesterday, you know." "I wasn't spying on you." "I was looking at you." "Do you have your car?" "Can I give you a lift?" "No, thanks." "I've got my car." "There's one other thing..." "Last night after you left, I did my job and followed your friend." "He went to meet a notorious Romanian crook." "He's a pimp." "I told Judge Roban." "About Faye and the Romanian, not about you." "The judge wants to get the Romanian." "I need your help." "I don't know him." "But your friend does." "If we get the Romanian, the judge will leave your friend alone." "Isn't that what you want?" "It's what the judge wants, too." "What if you are seen with me?" "I'm being watched, remember." "You told me yourself." "The judge knows I know you." "Shit." "He thinks you're keeping something from him, and preventing us from identifying the murderers." "I told him everything." "What did you do yesterday after seeing me?" "Yesterday evening?" "I don't know." "I can't remember." "You were seen chatting to Michel, a Romanian who's a bit of a pimp." " I didn't know he was a pimp..." " Don't lie to me!" "So what?" "He supplied me with drugs, not girls." "Drugs?" "Terrific!" "Not for me, for my clients." "Some want wine, cigars or pens and some want that." " It depends on the client." " I need Michel." " I don't know where he is." " You must have his mobile number." "So you found out he had sex with men from the autopsy?" "I didn't know you could tell that from a dead body." "So you knew?" "Yes." " And you didn't tell us." " Should I shout it from the rooftops?" "Look, it's the only lead we have for now." "We would have liked to pursue it sooner." "Well, go ahead." "It's all true." "My husband was into men." "Only men and for a long time." "Do you know how long for?" "When my daughter was born he stopped pretending." "Where would it happen?" "At your home?" "Never at the house." "Did you have an agreement about that?" "There was no need." "It went without saying." "Did he go to private members' clubs?" "No." "It happened at work, at the factory." "Jean had converted two rooms next to his office." "The first was like a museum of porcelain where he exhibited samples currently produced by the factory and for future production." "The other room..." "The second room wasn't a museum." "When he took over from his father" "Lessage Porcelain was very different to what it is today." "It was like any other factory, not very prestigious." "He was the one who started producing luxury tableware." "You only need to look at the pieces in the museum to see that." "We would rather see the other room." "Don't tell me you don't know about it." "Mrs Lessage told us herself." "It's here." " Did you join in?" " Occasionally, yes." "Often?" "It was part and parcel of working here." "Lessage was a demanding boss." " In every way." " How long have you been here?" "Six months in June." " Who was here before you?" " Another man." " He must have chatted on gay websites." " That's how he met Kevin." "How do you know that?" "I was the one who started the online chat while he finished his meeting." "And did you see him, this Kevin?" "I left work at seven o'clock." "Kevin hadn't arrived by then." "Listen, I was in a bar on Rue Oberkampf all evening." " Twenty people can confirm that." " We'll ask them." "Let's take the PC." " OK, how are we doing?" " I'm off." " Where to?" " Just give him an enema." " I can't without his consent." " His consent to what?" "He hasn't said anything." " Can't you get him to talk?" " Are you joking?" "You put me in here all day." "Who do you take me for?" "You're in deep shit." "I think he's..." "Drop that!" "Drop it!" "I think I'm going to be sick." " Calm down, Gilou." " You pile of shit!" "Shit!" "Fuck off!" " Don't move." " This job stinks!" "Let me see that." " What happened to the third capsule?" " Eh?" "I gave it to the drug squad." "We've tracked down the Kevin that was meeting Lessage." " Hello." "Florian Dupré?" " No." "That's not me." "Florian, the police want to ask you some questions." "This isn't my flat." "I'm just staying here." "Hello." "Chief Inspector Berthaud, Inspector Fromentin." "Have you ever used the name Kevin to log on to a chat room?" "Is that your computer?" "Yes." " I asked you a question." " Do you want me to go out for a bit?" "No, stay there." "We need to know where you were last night." " I went out." " With who?" "Someone I met online." "I don't know his name." " Did you use the name Kevin?" " Yes." " Are you seeing him again?" " No, I'm not." "I'm sure it's Lessage." "You mean Jean Lessage?" " He doesn't know what he's saying." " After what he did to you..." " What?" " Nothing." "He kicked him out when he was sick of seeing his face." " Maybe not his face..." " Shut up!" "And you used to work for him?" "I agree with you, sir." "It's horrific, a terrible tragedy." "It's one of the worst cases I've come across." "She killed our grandson." "She should go down for that." "That's impossible." "She has been examined by several doctors." "They all concluded that she was not responsible for her actions." "She should have never been left with the baby." "I know what I'm saying." "You don't leave your baby with a madwoman." "Your daughter-in-law had no way of knowing." " That's what she says." " No, but..." "She could have let us look after her baby." "We have plenty of space at home." "But she chose to ask a complete stranger." "Now we have no one." "She kept saying the child was ruining her life." "We could have taken him." "What do you mean?" "Are you saying the baby was too much for her?" "We're not blaming her." "Life wasn't easy for her, what with Philippe's death and the rest." "The baby brought back bad memories for her." "That's understandable." "Stop talking rubbish!" "All because Lessage whipped you?" "Come off it!" "Let's start again." "You pass yourself off as Kevin." "Lessage is surprised to see an employee he has sacked." "He lets you in, you spend a bit of time between eight and nine o'clock in his love nest." "Then what?" "Then I left." "Yesterday you said..." ""We had sex, then Mr Lessage asked me to leave." ""I said I was in love with him." "He said it was over." ""I followed him home and rang the bell." "He refused to let me in."" "I can try to explain it a bit better for you, but that's all." "You force your way in and strike him over the head." "No!" "Did you use the iron rod as a toy?" "First you rip open his arse and then his skull?" " What iron rod?" " The one you used to hit him with." "I'm telling you, I didn't hit him!" "I loved him." "So much so that I wish I had died instead of him." "All the witnesses agree." "They describe the nanny as dangerous." "Not just mad, dangerous." "And all the witnesses say the mother knew that it was impossible not to." "Yet she entrusts her baby to her and then tries to get her convicted." "The grandparents want her convicted, too." "But they didn't choose the nanny" "And on reflection, the mother seemed to feel guilty." "Guilty of having made a bad choice of nanny." "Perhaps she made the right choice." "I think she wanted to get rid of this baby and she did everything to achieve that." "She employed the nanny to kill her baby?" "Maybe not consciously, but it's what she wanted." "I think we have enough for a case against her." " We can't judge the subconscious." " That's not what I'm saying." "She's not guilty of murder, but of putting her baby's life at risk." "That was conscious." "She knew what she was doing." "It's possible." "But was she in breach of the law?" "If so, we must pursue this." "You want me to rewrite my closing speech?" "No, I can't agree with you." "I understand your reasoning, but I can't agree with you." "Never mind." "I've told you what I think." "Do you have a number for the grandparents who were here earlier?" "Mr Androux, Mr Roban speaking, the judge you saw this afternoon." "I've been thinking about the case and I'd like to clarify something." "I'm going to need your help." "I can't do anything unless you lodge a complaint." "That's right, with an action for damages." "Otherwise we can't proceed." "No, I can't do it for you." "That's not legal." "You just need to see a solicitor." "Go to any law firm." "It doesn't matter where." "No, there's no other way." "Very well, Mr Androux." "That's right." "I'm relying on you." "Goodbye, Mr Androux." "What?" "I know I'm not supposed to." "Will you tell on me?" "I got to Cabourg at about nine o'clock." "My daughter was at the theatre." "My son let me in." "Doesn't your son like the theatre?" "He's studying for his exams." "Nine o'clock." "Are you sure?" "Ask my son." "Do you really want us to force your son to admit he lied to us?" "You used your pass to go through the motorway toll gate." "It was after midnight when you passed through." "So you must have left Paris at about ten o'clock or later." "I should have given myself up earlier." "But I've spent my life pretending." "I've got out of the habit of being frank." "Could I have a glass of water?" "Jean had sworn to me that his filthy antics never took place in the house my children live in." "He kept his word." "Nothing more happened on that day than on any other." "A little queer who had come to have a domestic at the door." "You call that nothing?" "Of course." "What did you hit him with?" "With the golf club that he had just given me." "And the fireplace?" "Were you hoping to extinguish all traces of him?" "Only fire can purify such filth." "I wanted to see his body roast like he's roasting in hell now." "I would have liked to stay and watch for longer, but..." "I thought the children would worry." " I'm Ghislaine Androux." " Come in." "Hello." "I could have explained things to you over the phone." "I didn't understand your message." "It's quite simple." "It is likely I will have to proceed with an investigation as a result of a complaint that has been lodged against you." "A complaint lodged against me?" "By the baby's grandparents, your husband's parents." "Why?" "They think that you were partly to blame for the death of their grandson." "But the nanny killed him." "I don't have the right to lodge a complaint against her, but they can do this?" "The nanny was found to be not responsible for her actions." "You are, however." "What am I guilty of?" "For the time being, no one is saying you're guilty." "You might be facing an investigation, that's all." "Your in-laws think that because you entrusted the baby to this nanny you are guilty of negligence." "I'm sure you would disagree with them." "If there is an investigation we will be able to examine both cases." "You will be able to defend yourself." "Defend myself?" "In so far as you must have been aware that the nanny was dangerous, you must defend yourself." "You will receive a summons with the date of your investigation." "You can enlist the help of a solicitor and I would strongly advise you to do so." "That's it." "Thank you." "Goodbye, Mrs Androux." "Mrs Androux?" "Thank you for waiting." "Joséphine Karlsson." "I'm your appointed lawyer." "I'm not familiar with your case." "Perhaps you can fill me in." "From the start?" "The more I know, the better placed I am to defend you." "From the start." "We've tried everything." "We can't get a word out of him." " Has he emptied his bowels?" " Er, it was messy." "He ate his own shit?" "Keeping an eye on a man having a crap isn't so easy after all." "I meant to ask, what about the third capsule?" "You did say there were three capsules, didn't you?" "Go and get it, Gilou." "No need." "It's right here." "Here." "Right." "Let's deal with this mute." "Help me." " Easy." " Come on." "Want me to punch you in the guts now?" "If it explodes, you'll be dead in seconds." "I'm a minor, OK?" "You can't do that." "I'm a minor." "So you understand now?" "Come on." "We're going to have a little chat." "There's an art to dealing with junkies." "Stupid bastard!" "Who does he think he is?" "Are you on drugs?" "Is that what it is?" "You're back on it?" " Hi." " Hello." "I've got less than ten minutes." "I'm meant to be at Claire's." "Right." "Happy birthday." " It's too much, Pierre." " You've always said you wanted it." "Try it on." "Did you buy it?" "Did someone give it to you?" "I have met someone else, Pierre." "So I gather." "The judge is right to question why she hired that particular nanny." "She's kind-hearted." "She hired her out of kindness." "No one else wanted her." "That's not a bad argument." "Remember it." "I've had enough of these Legal Aid cases." "They're all either sordid or uninteresting." "This one's both." "Uninteresting!" "Is Turkish music interesting to you?" "Hello." "The nanny is mad." "The mother was in such a mess." " This investigation is sheer lunacy!" " The baby dies and they persecute her." "Why?" "The bourgeois grandparents have been deprived of an heir." "Retired caretakers, you mean!" "You have everything you need in this case to make a splash." "Social injustice, the dynastic madness of the in-laws..." "It's all there!" "I tell you what - let's start by phoning a couple of journalists." " Do you have any Mustafa Sandal?" " No." "Am I supposed to get the journalists to testify?" "You do what you always do." "You lay into the grandparents." "You expose their selfishness and their meanness." "They are accusing her, so confront them." "Well, what do you say?" "So weren't you ever in any doubt about your choice of nanny?" "Of course." "When you entrust your baby to someone, you always have doubts." "My client means apprehension, not doubts." "She did say, "doubts"." "Having spoken to the nanny myself, I can tell you that it is doubts we are talking about here." "Serious doubts." "Can you imagine how trying that was for your client and the effect it will have on the case?" "It could go to trial now where anything could happen." " She could be convicted." " Have you seen this?" "They're quite hard on Judge Roban." "Look." "I don't care about the press." "If there's a trial, it will be a full page, not just a paragraph." ""A judge without scruples"" "The Romanian has taken us for a ride." "We found his mobile in a café toilet, nice and clean on top of the cistern." " It can only mean one thing." " I know." "Your friend warned him that he'd given you his number." "I mistook stewing steak for prime fillet again." "I've never heard that expression!" "It's been around for a while." "You're working late..." "I was about to stop." "Excuse me." "Do you still have your car?" "Yes." "I'm on foot this time." "Would you like a lift somewhere?" "Whichever you prefer, my place or yours." "Can I get you a drink?" "Yes." "Tea, please." "It's hard to imagine you being friends with Faye." "You're complete opposites." "That's because you all have the wrong impression of Benoit." "Me and who?" "I mean you and Roban." "All the people Benoit comes in contact with." "Roban's after him because of the impression he has of him." "But Roban has got it wrong." "He thinks Benoit is Elina's pimp." "Roban doesn't care about the victim." "He just wants to stir things up." "Will you help me?" " Help you?" " Find out who killed Elina." "Look..." "For now, Roban is right." "Faye is our only lead." "Roban only sees one side of Elina's life." "He only sees what she did at night." "What about what she got up to during the day?" "You have to help me." "I'm not a policeman." "I just wanted to sleep with you." "Yes, but you could still help me." "You're on your own next time." " You said you had some." " It's been two weeks." "What do you mean, "two weeks"?" "Ah, Michel." "Come in." "He's got some." "I think you've met." "I don't think so." "Just because I'm Romanian and a girl got killed you and your colleagues seem to be looking for me." "That's police logic for you." "Don't you dare point at me." "I know you owe someone money for the powder." "A lot of money." "I know because it was me who supplied it." "Good news." "Your debt's been written off." "Even better - from now on... it's free." " In exchange for what?" " Nothing." "I help you out, you help me out." "In other words?" "If you come looking for me, you warn me in advance." "The drug squad..." "They know me, they leave me alone." "But you're stirring things up with this Romanian whore business." "I'm not asking you to go against your work or your principles." "I don't like murderers, either." "I just want to be left in peace." "I've had to chuck away my mobile to get some peace and quiet." "I want to be kept out of all this." "Do you understand?" "Nothing more, nothing less." "I knew you two would get along."