01x01 - The Snack Thief

[bunniefuu]

"THE SANDWICH THIEF"

- Hello.
- Who is it?

This is... No, what do you mean,
"who is it"?

- Sorry, but who are you?
- This is officer Catarella.

Ls that you, Dr. Montalbano?
You in person?

Yes, Catarella, it's me.
What's happened?

Excuse me, sir, but I didn't
recognise your voice.

- I guess you were sleeping..
- No, Catarella, I was dancing..

Of course I was sleeping,
it's o'clock in the morning!

Why are you calling at this hour?

A man was k*lled in Mazara
del Vallo.

- Mazara del Vallo?
- Yes, that's right, there!

- Sir, right in that place.
- And what the f*ck do we care?

- We cover Vigata!
- But you see, sir, the dead man..

..and so the long list of fishing
incidents with North Africa

countries grows longer, but
this time it cost a man's life too.

The fishing-boat Santa Maria
di Porto Salvo,

while fishing in international water,
according to its captain,

was att*cked by a Tunisian Coast
Guard motor-boat.

Deputy-Inspector Augello, who is
in charge of the investigation,

said that the motor-boat fired a
machine-g*n burst hitting a

Tunisian sailor...

Good morning, Inspector.

Would someone tell me what
the f*ck is going on?

Sir, don't take it out on me
if you're in a bad mood.

Early this morning, before informing
Augello, I had you called.

Yes, by Catarella! if you have me
called by Catarella about something

important, then you're a jerk.
The guy's an idiot.

- What's going on?
- A fishing-boat from Mazara,

- while fishing ...
- Yes, I heard about it on TV.

- ls the dead man from Mazara?
- Yes and no.

Fazio, not today, okay?!

No, no, Inspector, he was
Tunisian, but he embarked in Mazara.

In any case, they say his
work papers were in order.

And I guess you believe they were
fishing in international waters too?

- Who do you think I am?
- Catarella!

- Yes, sir?
- if the corpse is here,

then why did you
tell me he was in Mazara?

Because the dead man came from
Mazara, he was working there...

Yeah, okay, Catarella, but thinking
about it, if you're capable,

if a tourist from Bergamo was
k*lled here in Vigata,

what would you say: that a corpse
was found in Bergamo?!

Sir, the fact is that this dead
man's just passing through.

- So, he was sh*t when...
- Yeah, okay, Catarella,

l have to write up a report. I'm not
to be disturbed by anyone, okay?

Yes, sir, Inspector, sir!

- Hello.
- There'd be Livia on the phone.

- Should I pass her or not?
- Yes, put her through.

'cause since you told me...

Catarella, I told you, put her through!

- Hello?
- Hello, Livia?

- Hi, darling, how are you?
- Like hell, hi!

I've been trying to call you all
morning. No-one answered.

I forgot to put the phone down.
You'll laugh, but...

I don't feel like laughing.
l tried at . , at , at ...

Livia, I forgot to put the receiver down...

You forgot, yes, you forgot
about me!

Livia, this isn't the right moment.
I'm in a bad mood today, okay?

- Please....
- So am I ! Bye.

Pardon me for knocking so hard,
l didn't mean to.

If you come in like that again, l
swear I'll sh**t you. What is it?

Someone just called to say
there's this guy in an elevator.

What is it? What happened?
Inspector!

Look, find out what's this thing
about a guy in an elevator.

Why don't they call the firemen!
Get him out of here!

Come on, Catarella, let's go.

And so?

The body of a m*rder*d man
was found in an elevator.

Let me talk to Inspector Montalbano!

The body of a m*rder*d man!

Please, please!
A body!

- Good morning, Inspector, sir.
- Good morning.

Cosentino Giuseppe, security guard.

I was the one who found poor
poor Mr. Lapecora.

- At ease, Cosentino.
- Thank you.

Galluzzo, keep them away,
there's nothing to see here, okay?

Don't worry. Everyone here
does as I say.

I live here, in this building,
you know?

- Well that's good, well done!
- Thank you.

- Good morning, Inspector.
- Good morning.

Ls Dr. Pasquano back from
Montelusa yet?

He should still be at the port.

Go get him, and if Jacomuzzi
and forensics are there,

have them come too.

No, at ease, Cosentino.

Listen, was Mr. Lapecora married?

Yes sir. With Palmisano Antonietta.
They live on the th floor,

floors beneath me.

And where is she now?

She left this morning to
visit her sister in Fiacca.

She told my lady so yesterday
evening, since they

know each other. The widow doesn't
know she's a widow yet.

The dead man, Mr. Lapecora:
what did he do?

Shopkeeper. He had a shop was
at Salita Granita.

I see.

At what time did you
find the corpse?

I got off duty at ...

It must have been . at the latest
And I called the elevator...

- You called the elevator?
- Yes.

But wasn't it already on
the ground floor?

No sir. I remember very well
that I called the elevator.

Naturally, you don't know
on what floor it was....?

I've thought about it, Inspector, sir.
Because of the time it took

to arrive, I guess it must've
been on the th floor.

But didn't Lapecora live on
the th floor?

That's right.

You're a mine of information,
Mr. Cosentino.

Always at your disposal,
Inspector, sir!

- At ease, at ease. Cosentino.
- Thanks.

Come on now, let us do our job,
we don't know anything yet.

I'm going up to the th
and th floors, meanwhile try to

find out everything they know about
the Lapecoras and

I'll see if anyone
saw anything.

Oh, look, I already questioned
Cosentino, the security guard.

Tell us something, come on!

Hello?

Hey, wait!

Hello?

Mrs. Piccirillo, open up!

Who is it?

This is Inspector Montalbano.
I'd like to ask you a few questions.

We know nothing!

Madam, open the door or I'll
come back with a warrant, okay?

Who's in the house besides you?

My daughter. Why?

Have her come here, please, now.

Luigina! Come here!

Look, we didn't do anything.

A witness says Mr. Lapecora
was on the th floor when...

What do we have to do with it? Mrs.
Gullotta lives on this floor too.

Enough, Mum! Tell him,
tell him everything!

- What?
- All right then.

All right.

So, this morning my daughter was
going to the hairdresser,

she called the elevator, which
came immediately.

It must have been on
the floor below, the th.

What time was it?

It could have been , . ,
or later.

She opened the door, saw Mr
Lapecora on the floor,

and got a fright.

I saw him too, really, but I thought
he was drunk. He had a bottle

of wine. And Inspector, it looked
like he'd peed in his pants.

The girl found it disgusting.
And she closed the door,

and just in that moment, someone
below called the elevator.

So we went back in the house.

Came and told me that poor
Mr. Lapecora was dead,

and not drunk, Inspector.

- And that's all.
- No, that's not all.

The truth is a lot worse. Because l
think you understood Mr. Lapecora

was dead right away. But you
pretended nothing had happened...

You pretended not to see him.
Why?

We didn't want everyone
talking about us.

Inspector, we are
respectable people.

Respectable people?

I see

So, you thought it'd be better if
Mr. Lapecora was found by

someone less "respectable"...

and you left him there.

And what if he'd still been alive?

Eh?

Good morning, I'm Inspector
Montalb...

Shh... I know.
l know!

My wife mustn't hear

Did you bring me the bottle?

Which bottle?

The one that was next to
the dead man

Why? Wasn't it Mr. Lapecora's?

No, it was mine.

No... I don't understand. Explain.

This morning, coming back
from the market,

Lapecora was in the elevator,

he was dead.

I understood it immediately.

You called the elevator?

Why? It was already
on the ground floor.

Ah, and what did you do?

What could I do, son,
l have a bad leg...

the Americans sh*t me...

l was carrying four bags...

l couldn't climb the stairs, could l?

You went up with the dead man?

Yes, I had to.

And when the elevator arrived
at my floor,

the same floor as the dead man,

the wine bottle fell out of
the bag.

Are you following me?

Sure.

So, what did I do?

I opened the door of my flat,

l put the bags inside,

and I went out again to get the bottle.

But I didn't have time.

Because someone called the elevator
from the floor above.

- Right.
- Thank you.

And... what happened then?

Then the elevator went down to
the ground floor again.

Then I tried to go down
the stairs,

and when, finally, I got there...

l found...
what's his name...?

Cosentini, the security guard.

Yes, he was in front of.

The elevator,

and he wouldn't let anybody near.

I told him about the bottle,

and he told me he would inform
the authorities.

- Authorities - that's you.
- In a certain sense...

So did he tell you about the bottle?

No.

Oh my! And what am I going
to do now?

If my wife finds out l
lost the bottle,

she'll k*ll me. You've got
to believe me, Inspector.

She counts my money.

We'll find a way of resolving
the problem.

I have faith in you, Inspector,
thank you very much.

- Goodbye.
- Thank you.

Listen, come here. Go look
for Galluzzo.

Jacomuzzi, so?

I'm not done yet.
I'll let you know.

What about the Kn*fe?

Kitchen Kn*fe, pretty worn
out. Wooden handle.

By the way, I found a fish scale
between the blade and the handle.

- A fish scale?
- Yes, a fish scale!

Jacomuzzi, you've solved
the case...

Can I know what kind of fish it is?
Cod? Sole? Tuna?

No, tell me, please, or l
won't be able to sleep!

Tell me, Montalbano, why do you
always

take it out on forensics?

Jacomuzzi, try using your brain a bit!

If we were, say, in the Sahara,
and you told me there was a

fish scale on the Kn*fe that k*lled
a tourist, it might

make sense. But what importance
does it have,

in a town in which , out of ,
eat fish?

But...why don't the remaining

Because they're breast feeding.
Come on, Jacomuzzi! Galluzzo...

Yes sir, Inspector.

You go stand on guard in front
of the dead man's apartment.

When the widow arrives, don't let
her in until I get here. Understood?

Yes. All right.

- Fazio!
- I'm coming!

You go to the th
floor and ring at the Piccirillo's

doorbell: there are "respectable"
ladies, mother and daughter.

Failure to co-operate. Take them to the
station, making as much noise as

possible. The whole building
must think they've been arrested.

When I get there, we'll
let them go. All right?

I'll go on foot. I really feel
like a little walk.

Wait, do me a favour: after dropping
off the two women,

buy me a bottle of Corvo Bianco,
okay?

And then take it to
Mr. Culicchia, th floor.

A bottle of Corvo Bianco?

Yes, for Mr. Culicchia, th floor.
See you at the station!

Sir, sir! A phone call for
you, it's urgent!

Who is it?

The Chief in person.

Ls Dr. Augello back yet?

No, no, he's still with the Prefect.

Hello, Chief, good morning!

Dearest Montalbano!

I just wanted to tell you we've agreed
with the Harbour Master's Office

the case of the dead Tunisian
is being transferred to Mazara.

Are you handling the
matter personally?

No, my deputy is, Dr. Augello.

Then tell him that
the autopsy report

and the ballistic report must
be sent to Mazara immediately.

All right, Chief, will do.
Good day!

Good day, Montalbano.

Hi Mimi. How's it going?

All right.

I've that case about the guy
m*rder*d on the fishing-boat.

What about you?

Oh, nothing special!

Nothing compared to your case that
could become an international incident!

How'd it go with the Prefect?

Did you remember to bow?

Salvo, let it go! How long have we
been working together? Four years?

Now, if I'd really wanted to
take your place, in these years,

I'd be at least deputy chief of police!

Oh, come on...

'Cause you know what you are?
A sieve.

And I just stop up as many holes
as possible. Okay?

Well, someone else is going to
stop up this hole.

I just spoke with the Chief now.
Your case is being moved to Mazara.

What does that mean?

It means that your hands are empty,
and I keep the elevator m*rder case.

- .
Bye, Mimi!

I have to go to work. Give them
to the widow when she comes down.

She's on the th floor
talking with my wife.

How'd she take it?

She almost fainted.
We had to support her.

But when she recovered, she
asked us if he was m*rder*d.

No, no, maybe you didn't
hear me well...

if someone tells me my wife is dead, l
don't ask if she's been m*rder*d...

Excuse me, but it's logical.

I know, Cosentino, I'd got it.

Always at your orders,
Inspector, sir.

- At ease, Cosentino, at ease.
- Thank you, thank you.

Come on.

He went out without his wallet?

Really?
How did you work that out?

Because...

Inspector!

Go get the wife, move.

Was he sh*t?

No.

Was he strangled?

Neither.

How was he k*lled?

With a Kn*fe.

A kitchen Kn*fe?

Probably.

What did your husband do yesterday?

He went to the office.

He always used to go there on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

So, being today a Thursday,
he could've stayed home.

Yes

He got dressed in a hurry,
and... do you know where...?

No, I don't.
He didn't tell me anything.

When I went out he was sleeping.

Don't you find it strange that,
as soon as you went out,

your husband suddenly woke up,
got dressed in a hurry and...

He must have got a phone call.

Did your husband have enemies?

No. None at all.

Do you suspect someone...?

Suspect? No.
Know, yes!

And who would it have been?

His lover. Her name is Karima,
with a "K".

A Tunisian woman.
They'd meet in the office.

The coloured girl would go there
with the excuse of cleaning.

- A Tunisian woman...
- Yes.

But... how did you find out?

Last year, in the summer,

l got no less than anonymous letters

one after the other.

Could I see them?

I b*rned them.

I don't keep dirt like that around.

And what did they say?

All the same thing, they say:

your husband Aurelio, times a week,

receives a girl called Karima.

They were written with those
letters cut out of newspapers,

like in the films.

Did you confirm this in any way?

Are you asking me

if I spied on them to see when
the girl went in and out of

my husband's office?

Absolutely not,

l wouldn't ever humiliate
myself like that.

But...

l managed to confirm it anyway.

Yes?

And how?

A dirty handkerchief.

Lipstick?

No.

I b*rned it.
That too.

Galluzzo...

Inspector... the keys?

Open up.

Inspector, come see!

And this would be Mr.
Lapecora's office?

How old was he?

Sixty-five.

Wow!

Here, try this perfume.

So, come here early tomorrow
morning,

don't let anyone see you,
and wait.

If the Tunisian girl doesn't know
anything, tomorrow, she'll come here

and you'll catch her.

It's hard for her not to know...

Why?

Who could have told her?

Inspector, people talk...

Galluzzo... you didn't talk to your
brother-in-law at Tele Vigata?

No, no, no.

If you have, I'll be really pissed off?!

Inspector, I swear,
l didn't say a word.

That's a good reason for coming here
early tomorrow morning.

Let's go.

The authorities did everything
to hide the truth, but

in spite of the investigators'
complete silence, we of

Televigata were able to
discover the victim's identity:

Aurelio Lapecora, , an
honest citizen....

There, it was all a waste of time!

Two crimes in one day,
almost a record for our town.

But the cowardly Tunisian att*ck...

I'm eating pasta with broccoli,
who's that?

- It's me darling, Livia.
- Livia.

Who made you pasta with broccoli?
Adelina, I bet.

Yes.

And you're eating it?

How can a policeman have
a housekeeper who's the

mother of someone he arrested?

- She's going to poison you.
- Come on, Livia, please!

Adelina's a smart woman,
you know?

- And where would I find another like her?
- Yes.

- Listen...
- Tell me, darling.

I'm sorry about this morning.

I miss you.

Really? Are you sure?

A lot, Livia.

That's good, Salvo, 'cause next
Saturday I'm coming to see you.

Saturday?

Yes, I'll be there by
lunch time.

Ah, great! But...
are you sure?

- Absolutely!
- isn't it too tiring for you?

I've bought the ticket. And please,
throw that pasta away. Bye.

Bye.

- Good morning, sir.
- Hi.

- The Tunisian woman lives here?
- Yes.

- How did you find her?
- Mancuso of immigration.

By chance, he said.

Let's go.

- Hello.

Good morning.

No, madam... We need yes
But no, madam...

Let me... madam. Oh, forget it!
Fazio!

Madam, one second, please.
Madam, just a moment.

Madam, just a moment!

We...

We... what?

We... Karima.

We're looking for Karima.

- A child? Does she have a child?
- year old, they left together.

I want to know more about this.
Find an Arab interpreter, quickly.

Hurry up.

My name, Salvo.

My name is Aisha.

Aisha? Salvo, Aisha.

Nice to meet you.

Aisha.

Karima and François.

Yes.

- And her husband.
- No, her brother, Ahmed.

Brother. And, where is he?

I don't know.

- Inspector, I'm officer Buscaino.
- At your service.

- Aisha!
- I told him the story.

Ask her who's François' father.

Karima didn't tell her who
the father was.

Did she bring anybody home?

She's saying Karima was a good girl.

She'd never do "haram". She'd
never do anything shameful.

Tell her Allah is great and merciful
but if she's bull-sh1tting me

Allah will get mad, and we'll all
be in trouble.

- She says uncle's right.
- Who the hell's the uncle?

- The uncle would be you...
- Me?

It's a sign of respect.

Fazio!

So?

A man called Fahrid saw her several
times. He had a big car.

When did she see Karima
the last time?

Tell her that as soon as she hears
anything new, she must call me.

Tell her it's important.
it's a serious matter.

François and Karima lives are at risk.
Maybe hers too.

I hope we scared her enough.

Remember, okay?

Call me.

It's important.

It's very important.

Yes.

- Yes?
- Yes.

Good.

Mr. Inspector!

Come, come.

Go ahead, go.

- Karima.
- ls it Karima's?

million lire?

Quiet! Quiet! Quiet, please!

Quiet, quiet!

Inspector, did they bother you
for this sh*t?

No, I was just passing by. What's
going on?

It seems that a kid is
stealing other kid's sandwiches.

- Yes! It's true. It's true.
- Quiet now!

- He did the same this morning.
- Inspector!

Inspector, look! He hurt him.

- Did anybody recognise him?
- No!

Quiet!

Officer, continue the investigation
and keep me informed.

Of course, Inspector!

Everybody go home now!

It's Montalbano.

Good morning, Inspector. No
sign of the Tunisian girl yet.

There won't be any.

- Oh, so you're into crosswords!
- Just to pass the time.

- Can I go now?
- No, stay here. You never know...

- But why?
- You never know, Galluzzo! Never.

Galluzzo!

Inspector.

- Where did you get this?
- Here.

- Take all the others.
- Yes.

Hurry up.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Who is it?
- Mrs. Lapecora?

- Yes.
- it's Montalbano, sorry to bother you,

- but I needed some information.
- I'm at your disposal, Inspector.

Yes. Could you tell me when you
received the anonymous letters?

Sure, I remember well. The first
one in the middle of June.

Take the first issues of June.

- The end of July and in September.
- Yes.

Take the issues of August and
September too. Thanks a lot,

you've been very helpful madam.

- It was a pleasure.
- Good bye.

Good bye.

- These are the July issues.
- See?

Look here.

August, .

Hello?

Ls that Inspector Montalbano?
In person?

Yes. Who is this?

My name is Clementina Vasile Cozzo
and I would like to tell you something

- about yesterday's m*rder.
- How did you know I was here?

I saw you go in. And I can see you now.

Look out of the window,
Inspector.

Can you see me?

- Yes.
- I'm waiting for you.

- Come in.
- Thank you.

- Sit down, please.
- Madam.

Please, come in.

- Thank you Pina, you can go.
- Thank you, madam.

Come, Inspector, take a look.

See?

See how well I can see the office?
At night it's even better.

- And what did you see?
- I will tell you even if

my vocabulary is... somewhat
limited for such things.

Once, at night, it must have
been in the morning,

l couldn't sleep and I heard two
drunks passing by.

I looked out and I saw Mr.
Lapecora's office lights on.

But he wasn't there.

There were the Tunisian girl
who does the cleaning by day,

and a young man. He was on the
phone, but it wasn't hard to see

they weren't there to make a phone
call. I saw them again another

or times, always at night. They
acted as if they were the owners.

But they didn't do anything.

You didn't see her cutting out
pieces of newspaper?

No, she wouldn't do that.
l saw her answering the phone,

but she never used to pass poor
Mr. Lapecora his phone calls.

She was a dangerous woman,
Inspector,

and Mr. Lapecora was
completely bewitched by her.

Catarella, wake up! Any calls?

Yes, yes, sir! calls for Dr.
Augello, for Fazio....

Catarella, I don't care about others
people's calls, I want to know

if there were any for me!

- Just for you?
- Right!

- No!
- Thank you!

- Galluzzo.
- Yes, Inspector!

Listen...

Did you see headed paper like
this in Lapecora's office?

- No, I don't think so.
- Okay, here. Check it out, okay?

- Fazio, found out anything?
- Well, look, Inspector:

Lapecora owned an import-export
company, and he closed it down in ' .

But then after a few years, he
opened it up again.

And the strangest thing
is that from ' to now, there's

no trace of any transaction.

- Not even an invoice?
- Nothing!

So why did he open it up again?
l have a hunch...

Me too, but let me hear
yours first.

The company may have been a
front, to hide

who knows what.

Yeah, I know, but it'll be hard
to catch them, 'cause when they

k*lled Lapecora they took
everything away with them.

Inspector! Come to think
there was a call for you.

But I didn't understand who it
was...it must have been a relative.

- Whose?
- Yours, sir.

She called you by
your first name, "Salvo, Salvo!"

- And then what?
- She was moaning, as if in pain.

She sounded like an old woman.
She said, "Ai, ai, sha, sha..

Ai, ai, sha, sha.."

Aisha! Aisha!

Good morning, Inspector.

- Karima and François?
- They didn't come back here.

But someone else paid a visit.

No, come on, come on...

Was she here when they came?

No, last night she paid a visit
to a friend in Montelusa.

It was late, so she stayed there
for the night.

Ask her if they took the savings book.

No.

No, no, no.

Tell her to leave it there.

The old lady was lucky.

If she'd been here they
would've k*lled her.

Aisha!

Tell her to get her stuff.
Take her to Montelusa, to her

friend's, she must stay there
for a few more days, to be safe.

All right?

Come on, come on...

Calogero, good day!
ls there anything left to eat?

Dr. Montalbano, there's always
something for you, here!

- Thanks.
- Arianna!

Arianna! Dr. Montalbano is here!

- Good morning, Arianna.
- Good morning. Here you are.

Thank you. And to think I was
about to go home...

Damn.. ! Calogero, I'm making
a phone call!

Dr. Montalbano, you're the boss
around here!

- Thanks!
- Hello?

- Livia, darling!
- I just got here.

I'm sorry, but it wasn't my fault,
Salvo, the plane had a -hour delay.

I couldn't let you know.
Were you worried, my love?

Of course I was! I called
every minutes but no-one was home.

I was about to call the airport...

I'm sorry, darling, but as l
said, it wasn't my fault.

- When are you coming home?
- Look...

- Salvo?
- Look, I can't right now.

I'm in the middle of a
meeting in Montelusa.

I'll be there in an hour, okay?
Look in the refrigerator

or in the oven, there should be
something Adelina cooked.

Forget it. I'm not eating
anything Adelina cooked.

I'll wait, we'll go out to eat.

No! I already had
a sandwich.

- Well then...
- Look, I'll be there soon.

Bye, darling! I'm happy
you're here.

- Bye. Hurry up!
- Bye.

Calogero, Calogero. You're a devil!
You force me to sin!

- Hi.
- Hi.

Darling...you smell of fried fish.

Yes, of course, I questioned a
guy in a fish shop for an hour.

And so I had Fazio arrest them
like they were murderers.

- You're an assh*le.
- Why?

Yes, you're a chauvinist
and an assh*le.

But why?

Sorry, but you go and have
everybody think these poor women

are criminals, and that
other guy, what's his name?

- Mr. Culicchia.
- Yeah, just because he's a man,

even if he goes up and down in an
elevator with a body, you

buy him a bottle of wine!
Do you think that's fair?

- Come on, Livia.
- No, no, no, I'm talking, Salvo!

And what about that poor boy
in Villaseta?

He must be really poor to have to
steal the other children's sandwiches!

I think he was abandoned, and
that's a not nice thing at all!

Oh God!

Stop being silly now, okay?

- Jesus...
- What?

- Jesus...
- What's up?

You're a genius, Livia.

- Hello, Catarella, if Fazio's there..
- What do you want to do?

Fazio, is that you? In half and hour,
l want all of you, I mean all of

you, at the station, ready
to go. And if anyone's missing

I'll make a hell of a fuss,
you hear?

- Salvo...
- Get dressed.

- Where do you want to go?
- Get dressed.

- But where are we going?
- To arrest the sandwich thief.

It's almost a.m., are we going to
be here much longer?

Please, Livia! Please!

What? Why do you want
me here?

- What did he say?
- That we have to wait.

He's stressed out, I told him
he should take a holiday,

but he doesn't want to.

Livia!

Look.

I don't see anything.

There he is.

Listen: when we get him, caress him,
hug him, try to calm him down.

All right?

Go!

Easy, take it easy!

Gallo, you animal, I told you
to take it easy!

No, no. Come here, that's right,
relax. That's right, relax.

That's right, relax.

There you go, sweetheart,
don't be scared!

Don't be scared, don't be
afraid, it's all right.

Yes, it's all over now,

everything's all right, don't worry.

Are you sure it was a good idea
to bring him here?

Of course.

It's against the law, too.

What if he runs away?

I don't think he will.
I'm going to bed.

"I don't think he will"!

Livia?

Are you sleeping?

Livia?

Livia?

Come on over here.

Nice!

Not too much, not too much!
Just a little will do.

There.

Bend down here, that's right.

Wait a moment.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Where did you get those?
- What?

The shovel and the bucket?

Augello brought them this morning.

How sweet of him! You bought
pastries; don't you know they're

not good for children?

No, no, no! I do know,
it's your friend Augello who

doesn't, he bought them.
And now, please eat them,

or we'll have to throw them away.

Do you really have to leave
today, Livia?

Oh, I forgot to tell you,
l cancelled my flight,

l want to stay here, for a few more
days. How would you manage

- with François if I left?
- Oh...

What do you mean, "Oh.."?
Are you sorry?

- Who, me?
- Yes!

No, what are you talking about?!

What did you do together?

We talked a lot. I've been trying
all morning to convince him

his mother will be back for him.

- And did he tell you anything?
- Not much.

He said that the other day, his
mother, Karima, arrived in a rush,

scared, and told him
they had to leave right away.

While running away, a car came,
driven by a certain Fahrid...

He even told me the spelling...

- Yes, I know
- Run away, run, don't stop,

don't turn around, François,
run, run, run!

Run, run, get away from here!
François, run, run, run...

...run, run, run!

Run, get away from here!

And so, François was left on his own.

He hid for days in the bushes near
the sea, and didn't go back home

fearing that Fahrid was there
waiting for him.

But last night we found him.
That's more or less it.

What are you thinking, Salvo?

That the boy's an orphan.

Very clever, François,
how did you do that?

- Now I'll take this.
- Look.

It will take back home the
unfortunate sailor k*lled on his first

day at sea. All we know of him
is that his name was Ben Dhahab,

thirty-two, from Sfax...

Look, that's my uncle!

What did he say?

He said: "My uncle!".

I heard that! Ask him if that's
his real uncle.

What kind of stupid question
is that?!

Look, Aisha calls me "uncle",
am I really her uncle?

Please, ask him!

- Listen, François...
- Ahmed....my mother's brother.

Yes?

This is your uncle?
And what's his name?

Ahmed Moussa.

And so your mother is
Karima Moussa?

It'll be on air at midnight.

Could you put it on at
noon, too? I'm afraid not many

people will be watching at night...

Yes sir! But you've got to tell me
something...

..this boy is the sandwich thief,
right?

Yes, but no more questions now.
l promise, as soon as I know

more, you'll be the first to know.

Ragonese thinks it's a joke,
but I don't.

And you're right. I'll tell you what
to say over

the photo: put on a voice like
someone talking about

something painful and dramatic...

So, you're a director now?

Right. Say that a desperate old
Tunisian woman came

asking you to show the photo
because she hasn't had any news

of either the girl or the kid,
Karima and François.

- Karima and François.
- Exactly.

- Understood.
- All right?

- Thanks. Bye!
- Bye!

Let him sleep here.

Sorry, Valente, but don't you find
it strange that one night a Tunisian

guy is k*lled on a fishing boat and
the morning after this Mr. Lapecora,

the guy's sister's
lover, is too?

Come on...how can the two facts be
related?

Okay then, fine. We'll keep our
cases separate: you try to find out

why the Tunisian guy was under a
false name, I'll look for the

reasons for Lapecora's m*rder
and Karima's

disappearance and if by chance
we meet in the middle,

we never even met before.

Don't get so worked up!
And anyway, Ben Dhahab

may not be a false name, maybe he
was called Ben Ahmed Moussa.

Who knows, with these Arab names!

- I'm going back to Vigata.
- Wait! What should we do?

You're asking me?
Well, find out, for example,

who he knew here in Mazzara,
if his papers were in order

you need me to tell you?!

No, but it's nice to hear you
say them.

- Let's go.
- Where?

To talk to a someone who knew the
the guy, whatever his name was!

Well, I did notice something
was wrong..

I called Tunis yesterday to inform
the family of the tragedy.

When I told the father that Ben
Dhahab was dead,

he laughed and said Ben Dhahab
was in the next room.

Then he hung up.

So what? Maybe there are
two men with the same name?

Sure!

Look, does the name Ahmed
Moussa mean anything to you?

Ahmed Moussa? What does he
have to do with this?

We have reason to believe Ben
Dhahab was in fact Ahmed Moussa.

What?!

Why, what do you know
about Ahmed Moussa?

He's a t*rror1st. There's a reward
out for him, but no-one

even knows what he looks like.

So I helped Ahmed Moussa?!!

Whatever way you look at it,
something's not right.

- What do you mean?
- Forget about how he got on

board the boat. Ahmed leaves Mazzara
with a specific aim,

we don't know what. Did he
tell the captain what he was doing?

I think he did, and that they
were all in it together,

otherwise, they could have
changed course

- and put him off the boat.
- He was a t*rror1st,

he could have forced them
at gunpoint.

Yes, but then, once on land,
the Captain and his crew would

have gone to the police 'cause
they had nothing to lose.

Let's go on. Assuming Ahmed didn't
plan to get himself k*lled,

there are only two possibilities

either he wanted to land illegally
on the Tunisian coast;

or he had to meet someone

face-to-face.

- I find that more convincing
- Me too.

But the unexpected happens.

The Coast Guard motor-boat.

Exactly. At this point
there are many possibilities!

Let's say the Coast Guard isn't
aware that Ahmed is on the boat.

They order them to stop, they try
to get away, but are fired at...

..and Ahmed Moussa gets hit
by chance...it sounds like the

Warren report on the Kennedy
assassination.

Well, try to this one: Ahmed
instead of meeting the guy he was

expecting, meets another,
who sh**t him.

Or he meets the right guy, but they
argue and he sh**t him.

With the machine g*n?

What are you talking about, the
machine g*n?

It could g*n down a plane!

Are we sure it was the
Tunisian Coast Guard?

I saw the photo of the woman on TV,
the Tunisian who disappeared

days ago. Last Thursday, at about

from Vigata to Montelusa.
At Villaseta, on the other side

of the road, there was a car parked.

Do you remember what kind of
car it was?

Sure. A grey Mercedes. With a
man and a woman inside.

They seemed to be kissing.
But when I got closer,

the woman seemed to look
at me, as if to tell me something...

But the man pulled her and
embraced her again.

- And what did she do then?
- Nothing.

I recognised her right away,
when I saw her photo today.

- All right, thank you
- I haven't finished yet..

... since what I saw didn't look right,
l wrote down the license plate.

- And do you have it here?
- Of course!

Thank you. Fazio!

Thank you very much.
You were really very helpful.

- Goodbye, Inspector.
- Again, thank you.

Show father Jannuzzo out.

- Hello, police.
- Hello, this is Montalbano.

I'd like to talk to the Chief.
it's urgent.

- Just a moment, please.
- Thank you.

- Hello?
- Good morning, sir.

I'm calling you about the
kidnapped woman.

- Go on, Montalbano.
- Yes, I ...

need to trace a license plate

as soon as possible.

- All right.
- I'm sorry to bother you,

but the last time we had
to wait a month,

- and you understand..
- Give me the number.

Yes. RG ..

- .
- . All right.

- All right..
- I'll let you know, Montalbano,

- Thank you, Chief, sir, Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

What if the mother's disappeared for
good? What will happen to him?

I don't know, Livia,
l really don't know.

Don't get too close to him.

He's so bright...

Mimi came to visit today,
and brought him a jigsaw.

Mimi... Again?!

François said something wonderful:
that puzzles are boring, because

each piece fits into only one other
and so, to complete a puzzle, you're

forced to follow the pattern of
those who designed it.

He thinks a puzzle with lots of
different solutions is

much more interesting.

He said that?

Isn't that an extraordinary
thought for a child of that age?

Well, children today are very
precocious.

They even get used to sleeping
on their own.

What if the kid wakes up?

If he wakes up,
I'll comfort him.

I want my mummy.

You know, I lost my mummy too, when
l was smaller than you...

l spent many nights crying
with my head under my pillow,

so my father wouldn't hear.

You weren't on your own.

You're right.

I had my father.

What happens now, will l
go to an orphanage?

No.

No.

I promise.

- Galluzzo.
- Yes, sir.

Listen... Oh, Mimi, I wanted to
thank you for the puzzle.

It was really kind.

Listen...

This is the address in Montelusa
where Aisha's staying.

Got it? Now get one of our cars,

go there and take her to my
house in Marinella.

Tell her that uncle Salvo is
sending you, that's me.

And no luggage because she'll be
back in Montelusa tonight. Got it?

That's good.

And watch out.

Go now.

- So, Mr. Lopiparo...
- Lopipàro, sir, Lopipàro.

Exactly. Do you know the
Lapecora widow, whose husband...

Sure. She often visits her sister and
she always talks about her.

- And did you see her last Thursday?
- Sure. We even had a fight.

- You had an argument with her?
- Yes, sir.

- Why?
- That morning she left for Fiacca.

When the bus arrived at Cannatello
she wanted to get off because

she'd forgot something for
her sister.

Cannizzaro, the bus driver, let her
get off. Then I passed by.

I stopped and she got
on my bus.

- And why did you argue with her?
- Why did I argue?

She didn't want to pay the ticket.

She said that she had already
paid once.

But I have to have as many tickets
as passengers.

- Well, thank you Mr. Lopiparo.
- Good bye, Inspector.

Good bye.

Fazio.

You are a genius. How did you
know that?

François, the kid, while playing with
a puzzle, made me think of it.

But why did she do it? Was she
jealous of the Tunisian maid?

No, it was greed. And out of greed
She attracted Lopiparo's attention,

when she should have kept quiet.

Listen, here are the keys to
Lapecora's house.

Go there, in the living room you'll
find a shelf with cups and glasses.

- And what if the widow is there?
- Don't worry, she's out of town.

Get one of the cups and don't
leave any fingerprint.

- if she notices a cup's missing?
- We couldn't give a damn.

Listen, call Jacomuzzi and tell him
l need the m*rder w*apon.

If he can't bring it here, then you
go get it.

You've been questioning me
for over an hour,

what do you want from me?

The Tunisian government
officially stated

it was them to sh*t the Tunisian,
didn't they?

So..?

First, there are a few
contradictions:

you say that the att*ck occurred
in international waters,

whereas they state you
were in their territory...

They must have calculated
their position incorrectly!

We were in international waters,

and when we saw
them on the radar,

nobody thought it could be
a Tunisian Coast Guard!

And what happened then?

They signalled us to stop,

we thought it was an
Italian Coast Guard check,

so we stopped.

We heard them talking
in Arabic.

At that point, the Tunisian

went on deck and lit
a cigarette.

And they sh*t him.

Then we ran off.

Look, Mr. Prestia:

we know that your co-operative
society, Copemaz,

last week asked you to hire a
certain individual,

and you, instead, chose Ben Dhahab.

I didn't know him.

When he came on board,
minutes before sailing,

l thought he was the guy
Copemaz had sent me.

It happens often.
They swap place...

all I care about is that
no-one protests.

I understand.
So you couldn't know

Ben Dhahab was one of
the biggest

drug dealers around.

Right?

What are you talking about,
Inspector?

What drug dealers?

Dear Mr. Prestia, listen,

I'll be honest:

it doesn't look good for you,
it doesn't look good at all.

No! No, no!
They promised me ...

Promised what?

..that I wouldn't get any sh*t!

And who promised you that?

HEAD OF CABINET
PREFECTURE OF TRAPANI

- He named me?
- Not exactly, sir.

He gave us one of your visiting
cards he had kept

like it was some kind of
guarantee.

A guarantee? Of course,
that's what it is.

- Excuse me?
- Let me explain.

Some time ago,
the Prefect, received a request

He was asked to give a Tunisian
reporter carrying out a delicate

inquiry among his people
full support.

Among other things, he
needed a boat.

His Excellence gave me the
task.

I was told that Prestia was
trustworthy.

But Prestia was afraid he'd get into
trouble with the employment bureau...

All clear, sir.

I won't take any more
of your time.

I hope not to have to bother
you again...

- I hope so too.
- Thank you!

- This guy sure is an assh*le.
- You're right, and I think...

- Yes?
- The Chief's on the line.

- I told you I'm not...
- No, it's not for you, sir.

It's for you!
The Chief.

Chief, sir, this is Montalbano,
what can I do for you?

Montalbano, what kind of
sh*t are you getting us into?

sh*t?
Why, what did I do?

Yesterday I asked to check the
license plate number you gave me.

You know what they told me?

That if I wanted to know the owner's
name, I'd have to request it

in writing, specifying the reasons.

Okay then, sir, no problem.
I'll come and see you tomorrow

and tell you everything,
and you can send...

Montalbano! Didn't you hear what
l just said: the number's off limits!

The car belongs to the service!

Ah, sorry.

Did you tell your friend what
it was about?

Montalbano, are you taking the piss?

How could I have told him?
l don't know what you're up to!

I see, all right, sir,
thank you.

- Goodbye, Montalbano!
- Good bye!

- Hello?
- Livia?

Listen to me carefully and do as
l say.

I'm in Mazara and I think our phone
hasn't been bugged yet.

What's going on? What are
you talking about, Salvo?

Don't argue, don't ask questions,
just listen.

Galluzzo is coming: he'll get the
old lady and take her to Montelusa.

Don't waste time with goodbyes,
and tell François he'll see her soon.

As soon as Galluzzo's gone, call
Mimi, at the office.

You absolutely must find him,
wherever he is.

Tell him you've got to see him
right away, he'll be

right there. Meanwhile pack
a suitcase with all

of François' things...

- What do you want to..?
- Shut up. Listen,

tell Mimi that, the child has to
disappear from the face of the earth.

Don't ask him where he's taking
him, clear?

You mustn't know.

Livia, please don't cry.

I'm not crying...

- Okay, are you listening to me?
- Yes...

So, when Mimi's gone, call Fazio. And
tell him the boy ran away, maybe

he's gone to look for the old lady,
and that he must help

you look for him.
Meanwhile I'll be there.

Oh, a last thing: call Palermo
airport and book a seat on

a flight to Geneva, leaving tomorrow,
say, at noon, so I can find

someone to drive you there.
All right?

- Yes.
- I've got to go now. Bye.

Yes, bye.

- What's going on?
- Nothing.

More or less, this is what happened:
Ahmed Moussa has one of his

men, Fahrid, set up an operations
base.

Fahrid gets help from Karima,
Ahmed's sister.

They blackmail Lapecora, and use his
old company a front.

- Do you follow?
- Perfectly.

Good. Ahmed's going to an
important meeting,

let's say to buy weapons or to
get support for his

organisation. Anyway he
comes to ltaly under a false name

given to him by some Service of ours.
Okay?

The meeting occurs at sea,
but it's probably a trap,

because this Service made a deal
with someone in Tunis.

And I'm also sure Fahrid
was in on it too.

Not Karima, I don't think so.

So the boy is a witness.
And you're scared for him.

Well, sure, if he recognised his
uncle on TV,

he could identify Fahrid, too.

Who, I'm sure by now, k*lled
Karima.

So what shall we do now?

For a while you'll lay low,
Valente,

I'm going to set up something
to divert their attention.

Montalbano, what can I say:
good luck!

To you too, my friend.

- Good morning.
- Hi.

So, have you found François?

Did you go by your place before
coming here?

No, I came directly from Mazara.
Why?

Excuse me, Inspector, could we
step into your office a moment?

Okay.

So?

Sir, I'm a cop. Maybe not as good
as you are, but I'm still a cop.

And?

How did you know the kid ran away?

What's wrong with you, Fazio?
Livia told me over the phone

in Mazara, and I told her
to contact you...

Yes, Inspector, but the fact is
she told me she

was asking me for help because
she couldn't find you.

Anyway, don't worry, Inspector, l
understood what you wanted me to do,

- so I did it.
- Oh yes, and what was that?

Make a little noise. I went by
every house in the neighbourhood,

asked every person I met:
"Have you by any chance

seen a kid etc.?" Nobody had
seen him, Inspector, but now

everyone knows the
kid's disappeared.

Well done, Fazio, and thanks.

What should I do now?

Carry on making as much
noise as possible.

Call the m*llitary Police, all their
provincial stations, the firemen.

Give the boy's description and
show that you're very concerned.

But, careful: only phone calls,
nothing in writing, okay?

Inspector, are you sure they
won't really find him then?

Don't worry, he's safe.

Due to a delicate investigation
into the kidnapping and probable

m*rder of woman by the name
of Karima Moussa, I need to

know the name of the owner of a
Mercedes, license plate number.

Please respond urgently.

How long have we been together?

Four...five..., maybe.

Eight years.

We've been together years now.

And sometimes we even talked
of getting married,

but we didn't ever go
through with it, Salvo.

Because we're happy as we are,

and maybe because our
selfishness and laziness always win.

Laziness, selfishness?
What are you talking about, Livia?

There are some real
difficulties that...

assh*le! Always the same excuses!

Sorry.

Sorry, but sometimes, Salvo, I can't
stand your hypocrisy any longer,

at least your cynicism is more
genuine.

At this point, I want a clear answer:
when are we going to get married?

- So, Salvo, when?
- Livia, if it were just up to me...

- I see, that's enough now!
- No, Livia, wait..

I've already taken sleeping pills,
my plane leaves Palermo at noon.

- Good night, Salvo.
- No, listen..

No!

I'll tell you when we'll get married:
when we're too old to have children,

and we didn't realise that someone,
God, or someone else in his place,

at the right moment, had already
sent us a son!

Inspector, I've been trying to call
you for the past half hour...

Did you disconnect the phone?

Why, what's happened, Fazio?

The body of an old woman was found
in Villaseta, in Garibaldi street.

Galluzzo and Gallo are already there!

I don't think it was an accident.

They must've broken her neck.

Anyhow, I'll be able to tell you
more after the autopsy.

Goodbye.

Inspector!

I went to Montelusa today, to
the friend she was staying with.

She said no-one had looked for her.

But she had her mind set on
going back home.

Today, early in the morning,
she got on a bus and...

You and Gallo, go right back
to Vigata.

Lapecora's funeral's in half an
hour. When the ceremony's over,

go and tell the widow to go
with you to the Police Station.

If she starts making a fuss, don't
hesitate to use force.

See you at the police station.

If I understand correctly, the money
belongs to a woman you presume dead,

and the heir is her son,
who's a minor.

- That's right!
- So you want this money

placed in an account, and the boy to
get it when he comes of age?

- Exactly!
- Sorry, but why

don't you keep the savings book and
give it to him yourself?

Who knows if I'll be alive
in years time?

Right.

I'll study the matter
and we'll talk about

- it again in a week.
- All right!

It may be a good idea to make
the money earn something.

Oh yes?
You take care of it.

- Well...take the book back.
- No, no, no.

You keep it. I could lose it.

Well let me at least give you
a receipt...

Come off it!
Goodbye, Mr. Notary...

- Oh, one more thing, Inspector:
- Yes.

If the boy is to inherit the money,
the mother's death must be proved.

Oh...all right, thank you.

- Hi, Salvo.
- Hi.

Oh, Mimi, I was just
looking for you:

where'd you take the kid?

To my sister's place, in Calapiano.

- ls it a safe place?
- Yes, very safe.

They live km from the town,
in a house in the countryside,

and one of my nephews is
even the same age as François.

You'll see, he'll be fine.

- Hey, Mimi, thanks.
- Not at all...

No, thanks, really...

- Galluzzo!!
- Yes sir!

Did you send that fax to Rome?

The one requesting the name
of the owner of the Mercedes..?

- Yes, Inspector, sir.
- Okay, send

another specifying that it regards the
m*rder of the two Tunisian women.

- What do you mean: the two?
- The two women!

Aisha Adouani and Karima Moussa.
Hurry up, move it!

Come in!

- What do you want to film?
- A man sitting here.

- Sit down.
- I have to sit down?

Sit down, what are you waiting
for? Sit down.

Can you see it?

- No.
- Well, it's already filming you.

But it doesn't make any noise at all!

This here is a marvel!

- Now, let me explain it.
- Yes.

So, to film, you pull this up
and you press this red button.

To rewind, pull this down,
and to play you pull it up.

- Can I look at it from in here?
- No, you have to open this.

- There.
- Wow! That's me!

I'm not too bad.

You're doing the wrong job!
Now, let me explain it again.

- No, no, no, I got it
- Are you sure?

I told you so already!

You're treating me like a
criminal! Like a criminal!

Did you maltreat the lady?

Inspector, having
arrested her, we...

Who said anything of arresting
her? ls there a warrant?

No, Inspector.

Fazio!

Gallo, you can go now.

Madam, I'm really sorry,
excuse me for the

inconvenience. I'll take just a few
minutes of your time.

Please take a seat.

Madam, correct me if I'm wrong.
You told me that the morning

your husband was k*lled,
you didn't notice anything strange.

What should I have noticed?

For example that the study door,
which was usually open, was closed.

It was I who opened it, when I went
to your house.

Open or closed, what difference does
it make?

And another thing: that morning
you took the bus to Fiacca,

but you got off in Cannatello,
waited for the bus going in the

opposite direction and returned
to Vigata?

Had you forgotten something?

Did the bus conductor tell you?

The two bus conductors, to be exact.

Well, they're right.

Just that it didn't happen that
day, but two days earlier.

They got the day wrong.

This is the Kn*fe used to k*ll your
husband, it comes from your kitchen.

Do you recognise it?

It's a Kn*fe.

There's a lot of knifes like it
around.

And do you recognise this?

Oh, so that's what happened to
it. You took it...

- So it is yours.
- Of course it's mine!

It's the cup from my good coffee set.

Can I know what you want to
do with it?

It's very simple, madam.

I'm going to use it to have
you put in prison.

Are you out of your mind?!

Now I'll tell you what happened.

That morning you wake up,
get up and go to the bathroom.

You go by the study, and you
see the door's closed.

At first you don't think too much
about it, but then you think again.

You go to the kitchen, take the
Kn*fe from the drawer, and put

it in your bag and go out,
take the bus to Fiacca,

but get off in Cannatello, wait for
the other bus and return to Vigata.

There you find your husband ready to
go out, you get into a furious

argument,

your husband goes for the elevator,
you follow, and you s*ab him.

Then you get in the elevator,
go to the ground floor,

and go out from the main door.
And you were really very lucky,

because nobody saw you.

And why would I have done it?

Just because my husband hadn't
closed the door to the study?

No, madam.

Because behind that closed door
was Karima, your husband's lover.

But you said just before that l
didn't go in the study?!

You didn't need to, you smelled the
perfume Karima used.

It was still in the air, when l
walked in the study, that day.

Let me ask you something.

According to you, why didn't l
b the woman right away?

Because you knew that Karima,
seeing you walk in with a Kn*fe,

would have started screaming.
Your husband would have

come and disarmed you. instead, by
acting as if all was normal,

you could have taken
them by surprise later.

And, in your way of thinking,
why did I only k*ll my husband?

Because when you went back home,
Karima had already left.

Sorry, but since you weren't
there, who told you all this?

Your fingerprints, on the
cup and on the Kn*fe.

No! Not on the Kn*fe!

Why not on the Kn*fe?

The cup's mine, the Kn*fe isn't!

- The Kn*fe's yours too.
- No!

There's one of you fingerprints
on it, it can be seen very clearly.

It can't be so!

You say that because you stabbed your
husband wearing the gloves you had

on when you went out.

And in fact, the fingerprint wasn't
of that day, but of the day before,

when you used the Kn*fe to clean some
fish, after which you washed it

and put it back in the drawer. The
fingerprint's not on the handle,

it's on the blade, just at the
junction. if you want, we can go with

Fazio, get your fingerprints
and compare them.

He deserved the death he got.

He wanted to have a good time with
that whore in my own bed...

You want me to believe
you did it out of jealousy?

Sorry, madam, but I don't believe you.

You had already received anonymous
letters. You could have surprised

them any time, at the office..

I don't do that kind of thing.

I went mad when I discovered
they were meeting

in my own house...

l think, madam, that you went
mad some days before that..

When you found out your husband had
drawn a large amount of money

from his bank account.

Inspector...

million lire!

million lire for that bitch!

If I didn't stop him he would have
given her everything.

He would have even given her
the house.

My house.

million lire for that bitch!

Damn him, damn it all.

Good evening, Inspector.

You kept me waiting.

I'm Colonel Lohengrin Pera.

Lohengrin.

Your parents didn't have
much imagination!

I'm sure you know why I'm here.

I hope you don't mind, Colonel. I'm
a little hungry.

Let's lay our cards on the table.
it's better for both of us.

That's why I used that car.

- That car is interesting.
- I'm sure your chief told you

that the number plate is off limits.

I'm pretty sure, correct me if I'm
wrong,

that you didn't want us to come out
in the open.

- And I'm satisfying you.
- Adelina, my housekeeper,

is a great cook, but when it comes
to tidying up... Please.

Please, go ahead, I'm listening.

Have you ever read Mussolini's
writings?

They're not among my favourite
reading.

In one of them he states that people
must be treated like a donkey.

With the stick and the carrot.

Really? My grandfather used to say
the same, but he was a farmer,

so he was only referring to donkeys.

What's that got to do with us?

Just a metaphor.

Your faxes to find out who the car
belonged to,

the interrogation of the captain

and your call to the Head of the
Prefect's Cabinet,

were your stick to make us
come out into the open.

And the carrot?

Your statements to the press after
Lapecora widow's arrest.

You could've got us into trouble.

But you didn't.

You just wanted to let us know that
other elements were in your hands.

Right?

I have a bad taste in my mouth, or
maybe it's just this cake...

that is not good.

You still don't want to open yourself
up.

I understand.

So I shall continue.

I'll be brief and explicit.

Two years ago our colleagues in
Tunis asked us to

participate to a very delicate
operation.

Which was to lead to the arrest of
Ahmed Moussa.

One moment. You said "arrest", is
that right?

- You're saying that you didn't know...
- Precisely.

We didn't know they intended to k*ll
him.

And this was just the first

of many misunderstandings,

if I may use that word.

Let's step back. The operation began
when our colleagues in Tunis

found out that Karima. Ahmed's
favourite sister,

had been living in Sicily.

He was totally unaware that Fahrid

his right hand man,

had been bought by the service.

So when Fahrid suggested
opening a base in Sicily,

Ahmed accepted immediately.

As a front they chose
Lapecora's company.

The bait was in the water.

We just had to wait for the fish
to bite.

Excuse me.

Yes, everything's fine.

We're talking.

Excuse me.

Making him believe in the
possibility of an arms deal,

Fahrid convinced Ahmed to come
to ltaly.

The rendezvous with the mysterious
dealer was to be at sea.

Ahmed arrived in Mazara,

and the captain of the boat,
under pressure from Spadaccia,

accepted to take him.

I know the rest.

But why didn't the captain return to
Mazara after the m*rder?

Hadn't Spadaccia warned him?

Of course. The price of the ride was
the money Ahmed had with him.

million lire, in cash, that the
captain shared with the crew.

But he didn't expect the m*rder
either.

So he lost his head and headed to
Vigata, the closest harbour.

So he messed up your game.

Otherwise you would have
made the body disappear

and paid them to keep quiet, right?

I've told you everything.

It's your turn now.

Tell me everything you know about
this.

You've taken me out to sea, but
what about those on land?

For example, Fahrid,

when he heard about the m*rder he
decided to continue the operation,

to eliminate every witness.

Lapecora and Karima.

Or are you trying to make me believe
that you didn't even know.

You're free to not believe me, but
we didn't know.

I do. But in this case stupidity seems
even worse than bad faith.

But let's go back to Fahrid.

Before the operation, he convinced
Lapecora to let Karima in his house

by promising him a night of
wild passion.

And he said to Karima to watch him,
in case he decided to betray them.

In reality he did it to eliminate them
together without problems.

Unhappily there was...
a mishap.

As you call it.

The next morning, when Lapecora's
wife leaves,

Karima decides it's useless to stay
and comes back home.

And discovers by watching the news
that her brother has been k*lled.

She's terrified, she doesn't know
what to do.

She goes back to Lapecora's. He's
the only one she can trust.

But he is dead.

Why are you so sure she came back?

Because I saw her.

She was terrified.

She didn't know his wife had k*lled
him. She thought Fahrid did it.

So she goes back home and tries
to run away with the kid.

I must admit you understood
everything before and better than us.

But I must ask you to reflect now.

One moment.

I need to be absolutely sure of one
thing.

Karima was k*lled, right?

I'm afraid so. As I told you we
hadn't foreseen...

Spare me your f*cking excuses!

The only certain thing is that
two innocent women were

k*lled while we could've saved them!

Montalbano l... understand
your bitterness.

But I'm worried about
the consequences.

Of this unpleasant affair.

In the unfortunate case that this
information leaves this room.

I hope you won't be offended
by this,

but, at this point, you must tell me
your price.

My price?

But I come cheap. Very cheap.

Go on.

I want Karima's body to be
found by tomorrow morning.

And that it be perfectly identifiable.

- Why?
- That's my business!

I'm sorry but we don't know
where she was buried.

Ask Fahrid.

- He's back in Tunisia.
- Your problem! Call your little buddies.

No. The game's over. We've nothing
to gain from opening it up again.

Ask anything but not this.

Too bad.

Want to see how the recording
came out?

What recording?

Montalbano, you're kidding. it's
in your own interest not to...

See this?

See this?

If I show this recording, you can
start selling hot-dogs on the street.

If you tell me where Karima is, I will
destroy it, I promise.

You don't have any choice.

Understand?

Understand?

- Hello.
- Hello, Nicolò, it's Montalbano.

- And who else could it be?
- Sorry. You know that

that camera you lent me?

- Yes. Did you break it?
- Well,

No, I just needed some information.

To record, should the lever be
pulled up or down?

Down, or no?

Up.

Right, like I said. Thanks Nicolò.

What the f*ck are you doing
Montalbano?

Rete Libera, reporting from
the Sommantino countryside.

This morning, following an
anonymous phone call,

in this abandoned site, behind me,
was found the body of

a young woman, as often happens
in our wonderful land of Sicily.

It was found in an advanced state
of decomposition.

In a closed bag.

A suitcase beside the corpse
allowed its identification.

She was a Tunisian citizen, years
old, who lived in Vigata.

Karima Moussa.

Our viewers will remember the news
of her disappearance.

Together with her year old son,
François.

Who unfortunately, or fortunately,
hasn't been found yet.

Rete Libera, Nicola Zito.

Dear Livia, I know this letter will
surprise you for at least two reasons.

The first is that I only ever send you
postcards or called you.

The second, for which you
might also be glad,

are its contents.

It deals with François.

Neither you nor I have spoken his
name, since your last night here,

when you made me understand he
could have become our son.

Remember when he ran off?

He told me he didn't want to end up
in an orphanage.

I promised him that would never
happen.

The day before yesterday I went
to see him. Mimi took me.

By the way, you should write to thank
him for his friendship.

François hugged me tight. His eyes
were bright but he didn't cry

She doesn't cry easily.

He didn't ask me the question l
feared about Karima,

his mother. instead he asked me,
in a low tone:

"take me to Livia".

I realise I'm getting pathetic so I'll
change tone right away.

According to the law, François
doesn't exist, because his birth is

recorded neither in Tunisia nor
in Sicily.

The Judge in Montelusa
explained that, now,

is practically impossible.

According to him, to speed things up,
we should get married.

So, get all the papers ready.

I hug and kiss you.

Salvo.