"IRIS HOEGAARDE portraits" "Are you okay?" " No." "Great photos." "WiIIem Steenhouwer, lawyer." "Can we see each other again?" "In the accounts was an invoice from a company called United Enterprise." "Whisper has it the invoice is fake." "Why don't you go to your father?" "He could help you out, eh?" "Can you say straight to my face you haven't screwed me?" "I know you really want this case." "." "Is it wrong to be ambitious?" "How are you, Rosie?" "." "Fine." "Why did you lie, uncle Louis?" "." "I didn't lie, son." "BETRAYAL" "THE BEE'S KNEES" "What the hell is going on?" "." "This stupid bastard has gone nuts." "He's gotten us in big trouble." "But did you kill him?" "Damn it, Bjorn." " No, no." "We were on the bridge." "And all of a sudden we found ourselves in the water." "Water?" "He was in the water?" "." "It was so cold." "He taught me to play cards." "At first I didn't know what the trump card was for." "Such a weird word, trump." "Do you realize what you've done?" "You've fucked it up." "He's confused." "." "Him?" "I'm confused." "Because that prick made a mess of everything." "Witnesses?" " No idea." "He's rambling, I can make head nor tail of it." "Is he really dead?" " It was on the news." "We've been through so much, and now he's a corpse in the freezer." "WiIIem speaking." " Hi, it's Iris." "Hi." "Can you talk?" "Yes." "I feel guilty." "You came all the way to Limburg, for nothing really." "No, not for nothing." "really?" "really." "If you want, maybe we can see each other again?" "Can I call you tomorrow?" "Sure, OK." "I'II talk to you tomorrow then." " OK." "Bye." "Hi." " My darling." "AII the way to Limburg for some gloomy writer." "Poor thing." "To bed with your handsome husband, or would you Iike a drink first?" "Yes, please." "Tess and I had a laugh baking pancakes." "There's one left if you want it." "Did you eat well?" " Yes." "What did you have?" "italian." "That writer, what's he like?" " Very kind." "I'II go and see him for a sec." "Can you arrange that he wasn't on that bridge?" "Are you mad?" "I can't do that and you know it." "call Joachim." "What on earth can I think of?" "Does he still go to that club?" "OK." " Do it immediately." "I'II call you tomorrow morning." "What on earth happened to him?" "The Hague Fortress, that business with Van den Houwert." "What was he doing there?" " How should I know?" "Damn it, Huub." "Louis." "I'II talk to you tomorrow." "EIsie doesn't know yet." "Hi." "." "Jesus." "guilty conscience?" "Why are you sitting in the dark?" "Thinking." "Thinking, why?" "O, I'm almost bankrupt." "That's all." "Hey Bob, I need to speak to carla and MireiIIe for a second." "They're taken." "I can wait." "A beer, please." "Was it busy yesterday?" "Just normal." "I only have cash on me." "I mean, who was here yesterday?" "I'm a good acquaintance of Mr Couwenberg." "Do you know him?" "darling, I'm tired." "I'm not." "Yes, go ahead." "This evening?" "And there's a connection with..." "really?" "Yes, of course." "OK, I'm on my way." "What was that?" " A body, murdered probably." "Then why are you grinning?" " I have the case." "A major case." " Now?" "They gave the case to me, and not to De Ruiter." "Where are you going?" " To the crime scene." "Be careful." " Of course, darling." "Be careful." "Not again." "The money will go to you and Bjorn later." "Yes, but later is not the same as now." "How so?" "Is dirty money less dirty later?" "." "It's just different." "I don't want it now." "." "But you don't mind me working for him." "No, I don't want that money." "Not a cent." "OK, I'II talk to my tax specialist." "If he says it's not possible, then that's OK." "If it's not possible, so be it." " I'II try." "really?" " Of course." "What would I do without you?" "I have something to tell you." "I feel like I'm about to be shocked." "Is it shocking?" "To be honest, yes." "uncle Louis." "Dead?" "Is he dead?" " Yes." "bloody hell." "Heart attack." "I knew it, his blood pressure was too high." "He drowned." "Your father just called me." "Last night, they don't know what happened." "Why are we always late?" " Sorry." "I don't want to get detention." "Have fun." "Hey, still here?" " Do you mind?" "What do you mean?" " You've got your case." "Now you can make a name for yourself." "No one is happy you're ill, Pieter." "Me least of all." "." "I'm just picking up some stuff." "Can you get me up to speed?" "You know most of it." "." "Most is not everything." "We've got everything on file." "Can't you read?" "I'm...we're going to win this case." "You've worked on it for five years." "Once again, my condolences." "Did you take anything to stay calm and sleep?" "family support?" "I don't have much family left." "children?" " No." "Brothers, sisters?" "." "They've all passed away." "You shouldn't stay alone, that wouldn't be wise." "My neighbours took care of me." "Mrs KareIse, I know it's painful but I have to talk to you about what happened." "businessman found dead in lock" "Have you heard?" " What?" "KareIse is dead, murdered probably." ". KareIse?" "The issue last November, about captains of industry." "I photographed him, and they've used my photo without a source." "How did they get my picture?" " well, I don't know." "I'II find out, OK?" "OK." "We walked to the restaurant together." "A Greek place." "We love Greek food." "We always go on holiday there." "I mean, went." "We were almost there." "But on the bridge we bumped into someone." "Someone?" "Someone you knew?" " Bjorn." "Bjorn Couwenberg, my husband's nephew." "That's him." "Him?" " In the pink jumper." "He's Mette's son, my husband's sister." "She died a Iong time ago." "He had to talk to my husband immediately, right there and then." "It was strange." "Strange?" "I realized that afterwards." "Did your husband know Bjorn well?" "Very well." "He was one of the family." "We went through a Iot with him." "He's a bit unbalanced, you know." "In what way?" "." "He used to be a smart, handsome lad." "He had an accident." "hello, old man." "Come on, I'm not angry anymore." "Joachim's here." "We need to have a chat." "Damn it, Bjorn." "I started on the case five years ago." "We got a tip from the tax inspectors." "Couwenberg owned a string of internet shops." "Money laundering." "We started an investigation." "He was a big player in real estate." "We think he's involved in a third of all deals, with stocks or loans." "He's connected to building contractors." "In that world, he's got bigger and smaller fingers in many pies." "And I assume that's not everything." "No, we heard of blackmail, intimidation, fraud, but never had enough evidence." "And now this." "He's got a good lawyer." "That's part of the problem." "Do we know him?" "WiIIem Steenhouwer, a total rat." "Photo?" "Of who?" " The lawyer." "Why?" "." "A face." "No, I don't think so." "Iris." " Hi, it's WiIIem." "Can you talk?" " Yes." "How are you?" "Busy, how about you?" "Not too bad." "AII I can think of is you." "When can I see you?" "This afternoon?" " This afternoon..." "No, I can't." " Tomorrow?" "Hi, Bjorn." " Joachim." "I don't think we have much time." "I think the police will be here in a couple of hours." "I've talked to some people and I know a Iot more now." "His wife was there on the bridge, right?" "No." " When you bumped into him." "She was there." "She saw you, didn't she?" "Did aunt Beppie see you with uncle Louis?" "Damn." " Aunt Beppie isn't getting any younger." "She forgets things, doesn't see well." "Listen to me." "Last night you spent the whole evening at your club, from about seven o'cIock." "You were there with carla and MireiIIe." "And Bob saw you too." "No, that was the day before." " No, last night." "The day before yesterday." "." "Last night, I remember." "You were never ever on that bridge." "Is that clear?" "When were you at the club?" "Last night." " The night before last, right?" "You just said..." "." "When were you at the club?" "What do you want?" " Last night, you were there last night." "Yes." "Last night." "." "Or was it the night before last?" "Last night." "." "With who?" "With carla and MireiIIe." "You sure it wasn't the night before last?" "No, it was last night." " You're lying." "Last night." " Goddamn it, you're lying." "Last night, I swear." "Ask carla and MireiIIe." "He knows what to say?" "Are you 100°/° sure?" "OK." "Sure, bye." "How much is outstanding?" "About 15,000 to 20,000 in total." "When will we get that?" " In the course of this month." "How much are our expenses?" "Besides my high salary, you mean?" "The usual things." "You also invested in IT." "Ask Couwenberg for an advance." " When will our fiscal friend be here?" "In half an hour." "May I know why we need 150 grand all of a sudden?" "WiIIem." "Hi." "I can't do it, EIsie." "It's too much." "It's too big." "." "Poor thing." "We stood here only yesterday." "It happened less than 24 hours ago." "It hasn't sunk in yet." "And Bjorn..." "Bjorn?" "would you Iike some coffee?" " No." "I'II come straight to the point, Mr Couwenberg." "Last night when your uncle drowned what did you want to talk to him about?" "talk?" "What do you mean?" ".You stopped to talk to him on the bridge." "We have a witness." "Who?" ".Were you there or not?" "No." "Where were you then?" "In the club." " The club?" "A table tennis club?" "Or an investor's club?" "Learning words, he was good at that." "english, German." "." "Where is the club?" "He didn't do much else, but learning words was enough." "Grammar school was a breeze." "That was before the socialists ruined education." "He graduated." " Who did you see there?" "And the accident?" ". carla and MireiIIe." "You just mentioned a club." "." "One of the few things that didn't change." "You know that club." "What time did you get there?" "Seven o'cIock." " That's early." "Right after dinner?" "Sex after dinner is unhealthy." "Didn't your mother tell you that?" "I never knew my mother." "." "I'm so sorry, Bjorn." "You can sit down now." "Bjorn?" "KareIse's nephew." "well, that'd be something." "will she repeat that in court?" " No chance." "That's what I've been told anyway." "I can feel a headache coming on." "Why?" "She's afraid." "." "Of Van Couwenberg." "Or Bjorn." "She thinks:" "If he killed my husband, I'm next." "He knows she's the witness." ". AII in the family." "Their birthday parties must be fun." "They won't get far with Bjorn." " They're checking his alibi." "We'II have another crack at the widow." "So weird." "He's quite a nerd." "Yes, a hypernerd." "." "He's a geek." "I don't get it." "." "Shit, I forgot my diary." "Wait for me." "Hey." "Did she forget something again?" " Her diary." "What are you doing tomorrow night?" "Why?" "Are you going to the party?" "I don't know." "MarceIIis will be the DJ." ". MarceIIis?" "He's the bee's knees, right?" "shall I pick you up around nine?" " What about Marit?" "Marit doesn't want to come." "well..." "Nine o'cIock at my place." " OK." "See you then." "AIderman Rooijakkers." "Yes?" "Why?" "Last week it was 2.5 and now 4?" "Did they find oil in the garden?" "transaction nieuwe uiIenburgerstraat" "If they play like that, count me out." "Yes, tell them that." "They can look for someone else." "hello, darling." "Are you behind this?" "." "Excuse me?" "Did you make him do it?" "hello, dad." "How are you?" " You had a row with uncle Louis, right?" "Was he to put pressure on him?" "Did you come to tell me that?" "well, then you can bugger off." "If I find out you're somehow involved..." "I'II never let you see Marco and Marit again." "That's what the police think anyway." "." "That he was there on the bridge?" "Why?" "." "I don't know." "Do they think he killed uncle Louis?" "No, they only think he was on the bridge too." "Let's talk about something else." "Why?" "." "How was school?" "When are we going paintballing?" " Come on." "This isn't just some client, it's family." "Yes, but I don't want to talk about my client." "The newspaper said uncle Louis was murdered." "And grandpa could be involved." "." "Let's change the topic." "Grandpa?" "Murder?" " End of discussion." "And?" "." "They found it online somewhere." "Without paying me anything." "He was at your exhibition, wasn't he?" "He seemed nice." "A businessman from pre.euro days." "I offered to email his portrait, but he didn't use email." "email was for kids, he said." "." "And they fished him out of a canal." "What time will you be home tomorrow?" "." "Late." "I've got yards to read, not to mention this KareIse case." "Then I'II call Tess." "I have a job tomorrow." "What kind of job?" "." "An old building." "industrial heritage." "Where?" "I forgot, somewhere in North-HoIIand." "And I get to play with Siem." "Excuse me." "I've got a bag full of files to read." "First some dessert and then it's time for bed." "Do you want to watch a movie?" "How about Batman?" "My Bjorn, my boy." "Did you call them?" " Yes." "I've found a fishmonger." "No doubt he'II send a huge bill in a few days." "darling, the tax specialist says nothing can be done." "Yes, I understand." "What will you do?" "." "Fire RoeI, cook myself close the place a few days." "I'II think of something." "No one ever knows what goes through your mind." "Are you trying to set an olympic record today?" "I can try one more thing." "No, really I don't..." " I can't just let you go bankrupt." "Don't you have something else to worry about?" "Was Bjorn on the bridge?" "For once, can't you just..." "I'II shut up." " I'II try one more thing tomorrow." "Good afternoon, said the zebra." "Then he ran away." "The blue crocodile sighed." "We'II continue tomorrow." "sleep tight." "Good night." "Do you want some more coffee?" "What's wrong?" "What are you looking at?" "Nothing." "Coffee?" " Yes, please." "Who's that?" "." "A lawyer, in dirty affairs." "Dirty affairs?" "I can't say too much, but that Couwenberg case I'm on he's their lawyer." "We have indications that Couwenberg has something to do with KareIse." "Are you tired?" " Why?" "You look tired." "He doesn't say a word." "I can't figure it out." "AII he says is that the water was cold and he didn't know what trump was." "Funny, he looks like him when he's drunk." "Who looks like who?" "." "Bjorn looks like Louis." "Mette had the same." " What do you mean?" "Maybe it's something Scandinavian." "She'd been to to 47 doctors before she told me anything." "meanwhile, my son is the prime suspect and I just lost three million." "Speaking of money, I want to ask you a favour." "No one outside this room can know about it." "How do you feel?" "Crazy." "We can't go on like this." "It's worse than I thought even." " How so?" "I'm married." " We knew that, right?" "With a man." "Do you want to know what he does?" "It's best if we know as little..." " He's a public prosecutor." "And he's leading the Couwenberg case." "No." "Are you serious?" "And now they found someone in the canal, who I photographed..." "Bye, Iris." " Bye." "Yes?" "hello." " Hi." "No, really?" " really." "And the tax specialist?" " Fuck him." "darling." "How are you?" "Enjoying it?" "Yes." ". I'II be waiting in the bedroom, OK?" "OK." "A good friend of mine lives cIose-by but he's not home and I have the key." " What?" "Do you want to come?" " No." "No." "What do you mean no?" "The whole evening you're all over me." "No, I wasn't." "Stupid bitch." "I've got a rushed job." " When did you start doing rushed jobs?" "What's this?" "You're dead, you know that?" "We must know what happened on that bloody bridge." "You killed him." " No." "It's vital we get your statement about Bjorn and for you to repeat it in court." "You were in his hands while I stood next to him." "It can't go on, it just can't."