"IRIS HOEGAARDE portraits" "Great photos." "WiIIem Steenhouwer, lawyer." "She has an affair." "With Couwenberg's lawyer." "He was out of town, he said." "Why?" "Your husband's doing it with another woman." "Her name's Iris Hoegaarde." "Why don't you just stay at home?" " Mummy needs time to think." "So I'm going to live at the studio for a few weeks." "I own this building." "And you?" " I'm a resident." "How do you do?" "Can't I do a job for you for once?" "The newspaper said uncle Louis was murdered and grandpa could be involved." "No, it was an accident." " The police sometimes drop by to ask me to sign a statement about seeing Bjorn that night." "If I'm lucky, she'II phone today." "If she does, we'II have a case." "Is grandpa a criminal?" "And Bjorn?" "I'm going to win this case, Ben." "Then the whole Couwenberg gang will collapse." "BETRAYAL" "DIE!" "IRIS HOEGAARDE portrait photographer" "Hoegaarde, without an 'n' at the end." "Ajudge." "Yes, it's me." " There's a problem, come right over." "What's up?" " Get over here, now." "well, bye son." "Do your best, eh?" "Hey, sweetie." "I've missed you." "would you Iike a coffee?" " No, thanks." "Yes, please." " I have one of those espresso machines." "Is that OK?" " Yes, fine." "Thirty cents a cup." "It only cost three cents with my old machine." "The difference is ridiculous." "Sugar?" " No, thanks." "Here you are." " Thanks." "What's the public prosecutor's name again?" "Pepijn Van ErkeI." "Is he coming too?" " No." "It's not necessary." "We'II give him the tape." "Is that a problem?" "For Louis I'm doing it for him." "It's ready, so would you Iike to sit down, Mrs KareIse?" "I'II turn it on, then you just answer our questions." "That's all you have to do." "I don't have to go to court." " No, that was the agreement." "shall we?" "If it's on video, can I still retract?" "A statement can always be retracted, right?" "No, but you can add to it." "I don't think that's relevant here." "Listen to your teacher, eh?" " Yeah, sure." "When are you coming home?" " I don't know, daddy's picking you up." "It's the tenth time you've said that." " Can I have a last hug?" "I'II go in on my own." "You know about Bjorn's accident, eh?" "If it was an accident?" " What do you mean?" "It changed him completely." "And with no mother too." "EIsie always bears everything." "Poor kid." "Mrs KareIse, could you..." " tell me will EIsie see this too?" "We can't be sure." "Hey, I'm late." "You were sound asleep, did you take a pill?" "Is this true?" "I was going to tell you today." "Is she beautiful?" "And young?" "And nice and slim?" "The children?" " They're at school, prick." "EIsie?" " I've been afraid of this all these years." "But recently I thought it will never happen now." "We'II be together for the rest of our lives." "Listen the one thing I don't want to do is to hurt you." "I just fell in love." "Just?" "I wasn't looking for it, but it happened." "Bugger off." "Get out." "Get out." "I'II call you this afternoon." " Don't." "Christ, how long will you keep this up?" "What's up?" "Sorry." "I was beaten up." "By what was his name again?" "But I'm not my brother or my dad, and definitely not my grandpa." "No, one big happy family." "Listen, I Iooked through my dad's papers and I found..." "Hey, Marit." "I found your necklace." " necklace?" "I haven't lost a necklace." " Your ring then." "Ring?" " Ah shit, I mean your..." "Have you lost anything by chance?" "Shit, that was it." "Your smile." "She knows." "You told her?" "I've just been thrown out of my own home." "well, come here then." "I have to work." "I'II call you." "So the conflict about that company..." " United Enterprise or whatever it's called?" "That Huub was so mad about?" "Louis told me it was just a company that did building surveys and maintenance." "So Mr Couwenberg's claim that..." " Louis owned the company?" "bullshit." "Louis told me so himself." "It wasn't how he did things." "while Huub Couwenberg would stop at nothing." "Like what?" " It doesn't matter." "black, for Joachim." "And a spoonful of sugar." "She takes photos." "She's with a judge, Pepijn van ErkeI." "Great, eh?" "Pepijn van ErkeI?" "He's not a judge." "public prosecutor." "Did you ever look in his papers?" "I never had to, Louis told me what was going on." "He was that kind of man." "And on that day Louis had been to see Huub and he said that Huub was really pissed off about United Enterprise." "And he'd left after an argument." "Bjorn was there." "So when he suddenly appeared on the bridge that evening with such a strange look in his eyes..." "We're arresting him." "Mr Couwenberg, you're under arrest." "I must ask you to come with us." " Under arrest?" "I can't say exactly when you'II be home again." "Dad." "Dad." " You can call your lawyer at the station." "Let's go." " No." "Bjorn, why all the scream...?" " They want to take me in again." "bloody hell, what's all this?" " Mr Couwenberg Jr. is under arrest." "Why?" "Because of a whore?" "Mr Couwenberg Jr. is suspected of the murder or manslaughter of Mr KareIse on 2 May last." " Louis?" "You don't have a leg to stand on." " Come with us." "He's not going?" " I'm afraid he is." "Over my dead body." "It's very simple: either he comes with us or I'II call a SWAT team." "They'II be here within 30 minutes and they're far less gentle than us." "Your days with the police are numbered, believe me." "Gee, I'm scared out my wits." "Have a nice day, Mr Couwenberg." "But I've told you everything." "This is not good, not good at all." "He was sick of rehearsing it with us, so he knows exactly what to say." "WiIIem, get over here." "Now." " What's up?" "Bjorn." "He's been arrested again." " I'II be right there." "How are things?" " Great." "You'II pick him up today?" " Yes." "You won't forget?" " No, of course not." "Then I'II have him at the weekend." "At the studio?" " Yes." "What?" "I'm not sure that's such a good idea." "What do you mean?" "I've done some research." "There are certain grounds on which contact with one or both parents is denied by the judge such as if the child's mental or physical development is in jeopardy." "You're having an affair with a man who associates with a murder or manslaughter suspect." "I don't want my child exposed to that." "So I'm not sure about this weekend." "Is this a joke?" "No, it's not a joke." "I don't think the judge will think so either." " He's a lawyer." "Lawyers can have kids." "Are you Iecturing me on the Iaw?" " Pepijn..." "I'm due at a meeting." "Let's meet later at about two in the cafe around the corner." "OK, see you then." "Bye." "See you later, Bjorn." "Is WiIIem on his way?" " Yes." "What's the world coming to?" "Are the seven years of plenty over?" "Did we climb too high?" "Are we being punished?" "I thought I'd had my share." "Haven't I been through enough?" "Can we still trust him?" " Who?" "WiIIem." "BETRAYAL" "BETRAYAL" "What else did they say?" " Murder or manslaughter." "Murder or manslaughter of Louis, they said." "When's he coming home?" " They didn't know." "What about the Ukrainian?" " No." "Listen, I know where he is." "I'II go right there." "Coming, Bjorn?" "Sorry to be so abrupt all the time." "But we're now certain you're not telling the truth." "About that evening." "On the bridge." "Someone saw you there." "Someone you know really well." "If you just tell the truth Bjorn, the quicker you're done here." "Lying only makes it worse, right?" " Yes." "The whore and pimp who claim you were at the club will soon come round now we have this witness." "They'II give in, I can assure you." "And perjury is a quite an offence in this country." "So what do you say?" "My dad has another new girlfriend." "She's an artist and paints nude portraits." "Of herself." "And my mum's doing an aromatherapy course." "As soon as I can, I'm leaving." "I know enough people." "And you?" "I don't know." "I must go, sorry." "hello, I'm Bjorn Couwenberg's lawyer." " Do you have some ID?" "Take a seat over there." "Don't be afraid." "If you hurt me..." " As if I would." "What are you scheming with Marit?" "Piss off." " Listen for the hundredth time I was drunk." "OK?" "I'm really sorry." "What can I do?" "I couldn't help the suspension either." " You can't help anything, eh?" "I want to put things right." "Go to hell." "As I told you, it's hard to say." "I need to know a Iot more about it." "The point is it's about this coming weekend." "My girlfriend wants her son with her." "The guy she's having an affair with, has his client been convicted?" "I don't know but it doesn't mean he's a criminal too." "No, not really." "I can't really say anything if I don't know more." "Her son can't understand why he can't see his mother." "It's wrong." "Why not ask your friend to come here herself?" "No, that's impossible." "would you look in the civil Code again, then call me later?" "Dad got Prison Break for his birthday." "I've seen lots of the episodes." "It doesn't look like this at all." "I was at the police station the Iast time." "I wasn't on the bridge." "I was at the club." "I feel sorry for Aunt Beppie." "They fished uncle Louis out of the cold water, eh?" "Remember the accident, WiIIem?" "The water was cold then too, eh?" " Very cold." "Bjorn?" "Bjorn?" "Listen carefully." "You have the right to remain silent." "You don't have to answer their questions." "Understand?" "I know exactly what to say." " Bjorn, you don't have to answer." "Don't worry, I know exactly what to say." "I wasn't on the bridge." "But someone saw me there, they say." "I know who." " really?" "Beppie, obviously." "But that's not enough." " Maybe." "But what do we have?" "AjaiIbird pimp, a whore who'II do anything for money and another whore who mysteriously died." "But it's not enough for murder?" "No one saw what happened." "Listen, Bjorn's on the bridge, OK?" "Beppie saw him." "She also noticed he was unusually agitated and persistent." "Thirty minutes later Louis's dead in the water." "Guess how?" "You'd had quite a big conflict that afternoon, and witnesses saw it." "What would you think if you were a judge?" "It all adds up, so you can't blame him." " He didn't do a bloody thing." "Just an argument, that's not murder." " But Bjorn also has an alibi." "Does it help?" "No, it sucks, and makes him even more of a suspect." "Is Beppie suddenly so reliable then?" "Why?" "would Beppie accuse her own nephew, who she's fond of, for no reason?" "No, she'd never do that." "That's how a judge reasons." "There's only one thing for it: you grovel and say sorry to her, as soon as possible." "You admit you accused Louis but you were mistaken." "And you don't want that money back." "You loved Louis very much and so did Bjorn." "We all bloody loved him and Bjorn was confused and you've no idea what happened that evening." "Listen she can't retract her statement but she can add to it." "What?" "That the police put her under pressure." "At first she was certain of events, but now she's having doubts." "And in hindsight, she's sure Bjorn would never hurt his favourite uncle." "That's how we get the judge doubting again." "Why would she do that?" "Because Huub asked her." "I can't do it." " Yes, you can." "Stupid bitch." "I won't do it." " Do you think he's enjoying it there?" "Don't you always say: 'He mustn't go inside or it will all go wrong?" "'" "'He can't do jail time.'" "He won't hack it in there, Huub." "It's not our fault, we're not difficult, right?" "Are we difficult, Christina?" " No, no." "I'm not going to play games or say weird things." "AII I want to say is that it's in your interest to tell the truth." "namely, you were on the bridge that evening." "And you were mad at Mr KareIse." "Why?" " I wasn't." "You were on the bridge but you weren't angry." "well, that's a big step..." "No, no, no." "I wasn't on the bridge." "I was at the club." "Want a drink?" "No." "Have you ordered?" "A ham roll and a fresh orange juice." "And you?" "Nothing." " Oh, that's nice." "It wasn't my idea, eh?" "I didn't start this." "How can you do this?" "well, you..." " To Menno?" "He wants to see his mother and you won't let him." "If you go to bed with some mafioso, doesn't mean my son must suffer..." "He never ever sees him." " That's what you say." "But well, you've been economical with the truth lately." "First it's Steenhouwer, then suddenly my son's sitting on Bjorn's knee singing 'horsey, horsey, cIippity cIop'." "They're gangsters, Iris." "Don't you see?" "people are getting killed there." "My son's going nowhere near them." "I talked to a lawyer." "He said what you're doing is illegal." "Wow, I'II enjoy seeing him in court." " I'm really sorry, honestly." "I didn't suddenly wake up and think:" "I'II have an affair." "But you did." " I couId've stayed with you guys and been really unhappy, and you would have been too." "Oh god, what encouraging words." "And from the mouth of someone who used to phone me to say she was so in love with me she had butterflies in her tummy." "I'm asking once more." "For Menno." " Iris, I'm trying to tell you..." "please, can't we make a normal child access arrangement." "please." "Ah, lovely." "Are you still going?" " Sure." "shall I go with you?" " No, of course not." "Sorry, I haven't had any time." "Everything's happening at once." "The situation with EIsie wasn't over before her brother was arrested." "Authorised by your ex." " Pepijn?" "And another thing:" "someone sent my wife a note." "Your husband's having an affair." "Her name is Iris Hoegaarde." "Who'd do something like that?" "Does the big boss know?" " Big boss?" "Your father-in-Iaw." " He's not my big boss." "Does he know about it?" " No, not yet." "And is that guy, is he guilty?" "Wait, damn it." " You bastard." "What are you doing?" " What did you do to my Louis?" "Piss off." "filthy murderer." "Fucking bastard." "I'II strangle you one day." "The stupid bitch." "Take me to AE." "bloody hell." "Guess what Pepijn just said?" "I hang out with gangsters, so I can't see Menno anymore." "Do you hang out with gangsters?" " He means you." "He says the judge will agree with him." " That's bullshit." "Iris, I'm a lawyer..." " How dangerous are these people?" "will you always collect me now?" " Yes." "Nice, eh?" "What about mummy?" " She'II come another time." "We're going home like two guys." "OK?" "Like two real guys?" " Yes, real guys." "With moustaches." "Let's go, I'm the winner." "WiIIem here." " Yes, listen." "I'II keep it brief." "The idea didn't work." " It didn't?" "No, damn it." " OK, we'II talk soon." "Yes, make it soon." "How are things?" "It's my fault, isn't it?" "I did things wrong." "But I can change." "We should do more together." "travel, go away for weekends." "You're not leaving me, eh?" " EIsie." "I feel ill just thinking about it." "I won't survive." " EIsie, please." "tell me it's not true." "Or if it is true that it's over." "That it was just a fling." "I forgive you." "please don't do this to me." "EIsie, I'm in love..." " Yes." "I'm in love with someone else." "I can't stay at home." "You want to kill me." "Sorry, sorry, sorry." " EIsie, please." "tell me what to do?" " EIsie, please." "Sorry, sorry." "I don't want to live without you." "EIsie, please." " I can't live without you." "Don't do this." "EIsie, please." " I did something wrong." "You did nothing wrong." "Come on." "WiIIem." "WiIIem." "How much money do they pump into hospitals?" "And they still let you wait for hours." "What shall we do about WiIIem?" "Are you certain he..." " No, but I need him." "She's a public prosecutor's wife." "He's not doing it with just any old tart but a public prosecutor's wife." "She's not just anyone." " I don't know." "I'II find out, but not today." "What's wrong with you?" " Any news?" "Did Beppie do that?" " Can I go and see Bjorn?" "Not yet." "I'm waiting for a doctor." " A doctor?" "Yes, I'II let a doctor examine him." "They can't just interview someone with brain damage." "will they release him then?" " Maybe." "Iris Hoegaarde here." " It's Nienke Schoenmaker I said I'd phone you back." "As far as I can see, your girlfriend can't be denied access to her child because of her affair with a lawyer." "She can't?" " No." "But you can never say for sure what the judge will decide in individual cases." "As the child's interest is paramount." "OK, thank you." "Forgotten your key?" "Is mum there too?" "She's taking a nap, I think." "But she was supposed to work?" "How are you?" "I've come to collect a few things." "And I think we must talk to the kids." " Go ahead." "As long as you don't think I'm proud of myself." "That's a huge comfort." "I'm so sorry." "But there's something else." "It's about..." " Just get your stuff and clear off." "Is mum still upstairs?" " Yes." "Isn't she going to the restaurant?" " Not this evening." "I have something to tell you guys." "That no one else needs to know about yet." "will you turn off the TV?" " Must I?" "Yes, you must." " Why?" "Go on." "I'm moving out for a bit." "A few things have happened so it's better if I go away for a while." "Do you have someone else?" " Why?" "No." "Of course not." "So what's happened then?" "Your mum and I haven't been getting on lately." "How come?" "So suddenly?" "It's alright, honey." "Everything's going wrong." " It's no big deal anyway." "You're never here." "Neither is mum." "I may as well leave home right now." " Great timing." "Hey, wait." "Let's finally go paintballing together." " PaintbaIIing?" "How old do you think I am?" "Those days are long gone, blind man." "Did you say sorry?" " Yes." "I did what you said but she hates me." " conflicts are no good." "The best businessmen rarely have conflicts." "I hardly ever have them." "What about uncle Louis then?" " What's that to you?" "Grandpa, that job, eh?" "I really want to do something." "I'II give you the address." "Drop by." "Become friends with them." "See what they're up to, and find out who the real squatters are." "OK, great." "But keep your mouth shut, don't interfere and be careful, OK?" "Say something to me." "What was it like at home today?" "bloody awful." "Want to talk about it?" "Hey, sweetheart." "It's weird meeting you here like this." "Don't tell me how big I've grown." " No, of course not." "But you've definitely grown." "shall I order drinks?" " I already have." "It's still DuveI beer for you, eh?" "Because we always used to go to see the penguins at the zoo." "And you took me to the movies." "Or picked me up from parties." "That's why I thought..." " Your dad was often busy your mum too, so your grandpa..." " That's why I thought Joachim will talk to me." "Hartman." "A big building contractor." "I'II be going home soon." "But you'II have to stay here." "Just tell us, man." "It's more relaxed." "Come on, we're not against you." "shall we talk about the accident for a bit?" "From way back, eh?" "No one knows what happened, so tell us about it." "He's the dad of my best friend who now wants nothing more to do with me." "But sweetheart..." " What did you say to her dad?" "You scared him off, eh?" "Listen if you don't give me an answer either, I have only one option..." "What's that then?" "Maybe I should just ask the police." "WiIIem, if they're criminals, gangsters, you must tell me." "I took an oath:" "professional confidentiality." "I can't talk." " And I have a child." "Is the man dangerous or not?" "I want him out today." " I'm not sure if that's possible." "AII the way from the Ukraine, only to end up dead in Amsterdam West." "I'm leaving you, EIsie." " The only honest lawyer in the world and he works for us." " Do you mean it?" "Do two things for me:" "Who is that Iris Hoegaarde, does she have kids?" "Fine." "And the other thing?" "God no, eh?" " You're one of us." "You can't quit." "You said you'd quit."