02x03 - De familie

[bunniefuu]

Hi, Dad.

What are you doing?

You have to light the stove, Dad.

There you go.
You can't fry an egg without fire, eh?

Professor.

- Do we have an appointment?
- No, but I have a problem.

- What problem?
- Nightmares.

I haven't slept
for several days now.

I can't see you now.
I have another patient waiting.

I can't see you now.
I have another patient waiting.

- 5 minutes.
- It is part of your therapy

to try to stick
to the agreements we make.

- You can't just walk in.
- So you refuse to help me?

On the contrary, I want you
to seek out the cause yourself. OK?

The only time a psychiatrist
speaks the truth

Is when he calls
another psychiatrist a liar.

I'd get out while you still can.

DR J. VERMEIR
ONCOLOGIST

- That didn't sound good.
- It isn't.

switch that off, will you, Annelies?

- Gas?
- Only the son.

And the rest?

And the rest?

The father probably OD'd on Versed.

The daughter's neck is broken.

The daughter's neck is broken.

The mother, we don't know.

There are things
you don't want to see.

- Who was last?
- Probably the father.

- We'll have to wait for the autopsy.
- A note?

No.

- Hey, don't I know this guy?
- Don't you recognise him from TV’

- He's that euthanasia doctor.
- Ah, I see.

- Dr Vermeir.
- Vermeir.

Right, everybody,
I've brought along...

I've brought along
a couple of examples,

In order to make
one or two things clear.

Now, if this... Yes.

Family drama, everything.

People, please.

Family drama,
everything points in that direction.

Very interesting stuff.

And there's also this one.

The Dr Vermeir family drama.

It happened
very recently, very recently.

In these cases, the newspapers always
headline with their breaking news,

like this family drama.

There's not a single journalist,
by the way,

who does his best to be accurate.

“Family drama”

is an outdated
and poorly chosen term.

It sounds like an accident, even
though there's a m*rder*r involved.

In 90% of cases, by the way,
the k*ller is the father.

Unless...

unless the children are the victims,

then the mother is the perpetrator
just as often as the father.

Medea.

Medea.

And in those cases,
we have m*rder...

followed by suicide.

But if we're talking about
an entire family...

Familicide.

So, when we Say familicide,

then m*rder
must be followed by suicide,

otherwise
it's simply ordinary m*rder.

Colleague.

Can I speak to you
in my office briefly?

Yes.

Thank you.

That was interesting material.

They're usually only that quiet
when I'm lecturing.

The psychological motive
in familicide cases

was the subject of my dissertation.

Also...

I also thought that
the Vermeir case might interest them.

Very good. It's a shame there
might not be a second lecture.

No second lecture?

It seems you don't possess
the necessary qualifications.

- You must be joking.
- The rules are no Joke.

Mrs Sneyers is very strict about them.

Naughty Hugo.

Sneyers.

I should have known.

Fortunately, in my kindness,
I have found a solution.

You'll have to sit
an additional exam.

And you will write that exam?

- That's a pass for logical reasoning.
- Time for revenge, eh?

Tame to prove that you can do better.

Tomorrow morning at 9
in this office. That will be all.

- That will be all.
- OK.

A flat tire.

That's what you get
with all the students.

And there really are lots of them.

Sorry.

Paul, come and take a look. I found
something on the daughter's computer.

Paul?

In this drawer there are
all the people who want to die,

and in this one
all the people he's assisted.

It's...

Yes, Jurgen?

No, no problem.

Tonight? Yes, that's OK. Great.

It'll be good to talk again. I'll...

You're really going to have
to explain something to me.

Professor.

Mrs Sneyers.

After all the effort to get Professor
Van der Weyden out of here,

you bring him back
behind my back.

Yes, that doesn't
sound logical at first.

Not at second, either.

Mrs Sneyers, which kind of victory
tastes sweetest, do you think?

One over a strong
or a weak opponent?

The one that takes least effort.

I don't think so.

Right.

OK, Twitter has exploded.
#DoctorDeath.

The things people
post online, unbelievable.

Right, the way I see it.
Dr Vermeir is our prime suspect.

Because of his occupation, of course,
but also the expensive champagne,

his shoes off
and feet up on the table.

He was probably
the last to sit down.

He was probably
the last to sit down.

Cause of death:

an overdose of Versed.

- A sleeping pill.
- No, for palliative sedation.

Enough of it will stop you breathing.

- Was Versed kept at the house?
- In his desk.

- Anyone could access it?
- Probably.

Mrs Vermeir: asphyxiation
caused by carbon monoxide.

- Probably exhaust fumes.
- So he sat down after her death.

There were sedatives in her blood.
but not lethal and not Versed.

- So we can rule her out as a suspect?
- Yes, unless it was a double suicide.

It's familicide, not family drama.
The term is used incorrectly.

It suggests an accident,
while there's clearly a m*rder*r.

Familicide is better.

- Is that the file?
- Yes.

Oh, sorry.

Familicide.

Familicide.

- We were discussing the causes of...
- One moment.

- Coffee, anyone?
- Yes.

We should concentrate
on irregularities.

- What triggered it?
- He cancelled a euthanasia.

A 14-year-old girl.

- Paul, milk.
- Thanks.

- The family lodged a complaint.
- Anything else?

- Financial problems?
- Not that we know of.

The son was the problem.
Arend, heavily autistic.

How high on the spectrum?

Well, heavily.

- How did he die?
- Gas.

And traces of a tranquilliser
were found in his blood.

Copy of the file.

Check this out. I found it
on the daughter's computer.

- Arend, I'm filming.
- Stop making a racket.

- Arend, I'm filming.
- Stop making a racket.

- Not now.
- Stop making...

Hey, arsehole.

Mummy.

- What's going on in here?
- Mummy.

- He's ruined my recording again.
- You know he can't help it.

Was that really necessary?

I've had it up to here
with that f*cking ret*rd.

I'm out of here.
I'm going to see Ine.

Who is Ine?

A friend of hers.
She was here earlier.

She wanted
to come and live with us.

She was fed up
with all the sh*t at home.

Why?

She couldn't take it.
It got worse by the day.

- Arend?
- Her mother always sided with him.

He could be completely impossible.

We talked about it an awful lot.

What would she say?

Ine, what would she say?

- That she couldn't take it anymore.
- Did she want to hurt Arend?

- No, not Arend.
- Then whom?

Did Chloe want to commit suicide?

Her father caught her.

I really didn't see it coming.

So, the daughter had
a motive and was unstable.

Unstable?
She's a teenager, remember?

Must be tough,
with a brother like that.

What do Vermeir's colleagues say?

"Great guy". "Fantastic doctor’.

Never speak ill of the dead.

- And that complaint?
- An occupational hazard, eh?

I want to talk
to the people at the hospital.

- You? Inside a hospital?
- See you tomorrow.

- First thing in the morning, OK?
- Yes.

Annelies, my office?

Yup.

- Yes, sit down, Annelies.
- How's it going?

Close the door.

I went through Dr Vermeir's files
looking for evidence of foul play.

- Well?
- Not quite... but...

I did find something.

- What is it?
- An advance directive.

Your father's.

What does it say?

I think you know.

I know you'll handle this sensibly.

Paul, I'll tell you,
but you have to stay calm.

- I'm calm.
- I know you.

Denise, I am calm.

- Paul.
- Sit down.

- Isn't Katrien here?
- She's at a friend's.

She'd only distract us
from our conversation.

Would you like some coffee?

- Something else?
- No, I don't have time.

- I can't stay long.
- That's good,

that your daughter's not here.

I'm not sure where to start.

You know what? I'll start then.

I don't know what light you saw
in your Indian temple,

but I think it's time you quit that
yoga nonsense and Yin-Yang crap,

and found yourself
a house and a Job.

It's time you became
a proper father.

And if that's difficult financially,
then we'll be glad to help.

But, if you take our granddaughter
to some far away land,

then I will fight you with every sinew
In my body. Do you understand me?

Every sinew.

- She's my daughter too, Paul.
- Pardon?

She's my daughter too.

Yes, but she's also
our Ilse's daughter.

She's all we have left of her.

She's the only tangible
memory of our daughter.

Jurgen.

I'm begging you,

don't do it, please.

Don't do it.

This is Irangi.

We got married last month.

She'll be a great mother.

sorry to keep you.

Sorry to Keep you.

No problem, we had
a nice opportunity to catch up.

FAMILICIDE - PSYCHOLOGICAL MOTIVES

Great work.

Thank you.

The distinction you make
between family drama and familicide

should be required reading.

Could we talk about my exam, please?

First, I must ask you
to guarantee discretion.

Concerning what?

The criminal case you'll learn about.

- An ongoing investigation?
- A real-life case study.

- An ongoing investigation?
- A real-life case study.

Dr Vermeir?

What's my strategy?

You can count on my discretion,
by the way, absolutely.

Don't waste time on theory.

The more tangible
your findings, the better.

Professor?

Good luck.

Are you sharing...?

Isn't your wheelchair
boyfriend coming?

No, Daan isn't coming.

It no one's fault.

Annelies,

Paul, you...

Everybody has done their best
to make my life as easy as possible.

Apart from the toilets,
that's been a bit of a rigmarole.

For the rest.

there really isn't
anyone to blame.

Are you absolutely sure?

Aren't you giving up too soon?

Sleep on it.

I should never have returned,
Christina.

OK.

Daan, I'll tell everybody...

- What am I going to tell them, Daan?
- The truth.

Simply the truth.

Simply the truth.

Tell them...

that Inspector Daan De Winter
has already been gone for some time.

We all liked
having Dr. Vermeir around.

We got him a bottle of champagne
because he'd been with us 10 years.

They say that
he opened it the night...

That bottle brought him bad luck.
He didn't want it, actually.

- Why not?
- Elke Vandenbrande.

- The girl he refused to assist?
- Yes, we didn't understand it.

He'd made all the preparations,
spoken to the family,

and then at the party,

said he couldn't do it,
didn't dare anymore.

It was so odd.

He looked sad and wanted
to give the bottle back.

- This is his office.
- Is Ms Vandenbrande still here?

- Yes, she is.
- May I see her?

- Yes, she is.
- May I see her?

- That wasn't the deal.
- Elke can't talk, you know?

she's being kept
In an artificial coma.

I asked only to see her.

How is euthanasia
usually administered?

Thank you.

Vermeir couldn't do it because
she reminded him of his own daughter.

How do you know?

He projected his fear
of losing his daughter onto Elke.

He projected his fear
of losing his daughter onto Elke.

He couldn't let her die, like he could
never harm his own daughter.

He couldn't let her die, like he could
never harm his own daughter.

OK, if not Vermeir,
then who? The son?

- That's unlikely.
- Why?

Because he's autistic?

No, autistic people have fears

that may be expressed violently,
just like us all.

Propping victims on the sofa
is something I don't see him doing.

Daan has quit.

Yes.

He never acted on impulse. He did
what was best for everybody concerned.

- He's not dead, is he?
- Daan isn't.

But Inspector De Winter is,
of course.

Commissioner, I have
a small matter to discuss with you.

You gave an outsider access
to an ongoing investigation?

It's the mother
of all procedural errors.

- Let's hope the k*ller doesn't sue.
- It's wrong.

I'm ready.

Right.

So. Excuse me.

I thought I'd deal
with the victims one by one,

so I can go through
all the possibilities.

It's your exam.

The first victim,
the daughter, Chloe Vermeir.

- A broken neck, internal bleeding...
- Time of death?

Between 3 and 4pm.

What are the possibilities?

For those,
we need to go to her room.

From traces found on her fingers,
we can conclude that Chloe...

was playing the guitar
shortly before her death.

And then something
must have gone wrong.

Why don't you tell us
what went wrong?

Option 1: her brother.

- Stop making such a racket.

- Stop making such a racket.
- Mum.

But that makes no sense.

Arend was at the care centre
when Chloe died.

Then who did it?

- Vermeir himself?
- Ah!

Option 2.

- Where are they?
- What, Dad?

- Where?
- What?

- There are pills missing.
- It's not me.

If I can't account for those pills,
I'm in big trouble.

It's all about you again?

Impossible, Vermeir was celebrating
his 10th anniversary at the hospital.

Exactly.

And by process of elimination,
that brings us to Option 3:

the real perpetrator.

Can't I just record a song in peace?

- I'd like to chat.
- Does it say that in your books?

Is talking to your daughter
good for you?

- Mieke, don't be so angry.
- It's Chloe.

If that moron didn't keep
coming in, I wouldn't be so mad.

- He can't help it.
- He's a ret*rd.

- Don't say that.
- You always take his side.

- Don't say that.
- You always take his side.

- Don't say that.
- You always take his side.

That's not true.

I don't want you to play
when he's home.

- Who'll stop me?
- I don't want you...

- Who'll stop me?
- You won't play when he's here.

Mum.

This is where she would have lain.

Mieke.

What happened next?

She carried her into the living room.

- Why?
- A final gesture of concern.

A gesture of...

denial.

And affection at the same time.

And then,

she proceeds to the place
where she feels at ease.

- The kitchen.
- Exactly.

It was very clean.

Yes, I like it in here, too.

Then what?

She panics.

And she becomes impulsive.

No, with her it was CO2, not gas.

Was it the smell of gas?

The telephone?

Maybe it was a moment
of temporary insanity, whatever...

But something happened
to make her turn a tragic accident

into what
we're discussing here today:

familicide.

she decides to collect her son
from the care centre.

- Her motive?
- To protect him.

To protect him?

It is a response that is seen
more often in fathers:

the conviction that the family
will not be able to live without them.

Why respond that way?

Think.

Look around you.

- Because it's so clean in here?
- Yes. Exactly.

It's too clean. The mother
suffered from Asperger's.

- Yes, a somewhat outdated term...
- Was she autistic, too?

It's far milder,
but sufficient for a diagnosis.

Why do you think

that my colleague likes it in here?

This isn't a home,
this is a clinical zone.

- That's a good analysis.
- Thank you.

In conclusion.

The mother was in a tunnel,
a tunnel without an exit.

she no longer had faith
in anything but her own solution.

Arend, let's play a little game.

Would you like to drive?

Am I allowed to?

Yes.

But you have to take driving pills.

She let Arend sit at the wheel,
probably to humor him.

- How do you know?
- Fingerprints.

That's right. However, the mother
was the first to lose consciousness.

Mum? I'm hungry, Mummy.

Mummy?

He walked
from one danger into another.

- Only much worse.
- The gas coming from the stove.

Exactly. He won't have got
much farther, than the kitchen.

It's as if a mechanism
had been set in motion

It's as if a mechanism
had been set in motion

In which everything that
could go wrong did go wrong.

Oh, no.

- He thinks it's his daughter.
- That was his first instinct.

No.

Tanja.

Tanja.

Tanja. No, Goddammit. Tanja.

Tanja.

Tanja. No, Goddammit. Tanja.

Why didn't he stop?

Why didn't he stop?

Because It was only going
to get worse.

You've never been
this laudatory of a student.

Yes, I have. Annelies Donckers.

- You know what this means?
- They'll extend my suspension.

- Yes.
- Yes.

Maybe you should...

I mean, if you didn't shower him
with so much praise,

then...

Well...

Understand?

Are you suggesting
that I should cheat?

Cheat?

Cheat?

It's not cheating, it's simply
adopting stricter appraisal standards.

Don't sh**t yourself
in the foot too much.

It's taking ages.

Never a good sign in a deliberation.

- Will you give him his grade?
- Me? No.

You can do that yourself.

You can do that yourself.

Professor Van der Weyden.

Professor Teerlinck has your grade.

You have done very well indeed.

I can give you nothing
less than a magna c*m laude.

- Thank you.
- Congratulations.

That's not to say that I'm happy
about the consequences.

Which consequences?

The fact that you remain
in the chair that belongs to me.

A chair I'll fight for to the death.

If you'll excuse me;
I have work to do.

Remember this, Dad?

Dad?

Don't you remember it?

So, how does euthanasia
work in practice?

- Who takes the initiative?
- The family, usually.

As long as
there's an advance directive.

So no file means no euthanasia?