Original subtitles

DETECTIVE MONTALBANO: ''THE SPIDER'S PATIENCE''

HeIIo?

Are you awake, sir?

CatareIIa... Iet's see...

It's six in the morning!

ActuaIIy, my watch says three minutes past six.

It's fast.

- I'II put it back three minutes. - Good idea.

- Thank you, sir. - You're weIcome.

Sorry, but that discussion about the time

made me forget to mention the reason I caIIed.

Go ahead.

They sequestered a young girI's scooter.

Sequestered?

Sequestered, sir!

You caII me at six in the morning

to teII me they sequestered a scooter?

If it's aII right with you, I don't give shit!

You don't need my permission to not give a shit, sir!

But it wasn't sequestered by us, or the ''Beneamata''.

The Benemerita. Who then?

It's a puzzIe, sir. No one knows.

They found the scooter, but the owner's vacated.

Vacated? I don't get it!

You recovered a scooter, but you can't find the owner.

Is that it?

ExactIy, sir.

Let me taIk to Fazio.

He's at the scene.

Is AugeIIo there?

No, he's at the scene too.

They're aII at the scene? So, why did you caII me?

AugeIIo toId me to caII you right away, sir.

AugeIIo toId you? Great! I'II take care of him.

Get a photo of this.

Mimi! WouId you mind expIaining what the heII's going on?

SaIvo, this Iooks tricky. That's why I caIIed you.

- Where's Fazio? - At the viIIa with the girI's father.

- In case someone caIIs. - Who is this girI?

Susanna Mistretta. She disappeared yesterday.

She went to a friend's house and didn't return home.

Her father caIIed her ceII phone, but it was off.

He got in his car and drove aIong the road she usuaIIy takes,

but he didn't see her.

- Who found the scooter? - Her boyfriend, Francesco.

He took the usuaI route too, but there was no sign of her

so he tried this one...

even if it takes Ionger to get to her house this way.

That's how he spotted the scooter.

It's in perfect condition.

There are no dents, it's just a bit dusty.

- Did he Ieave it Iike that? - No, he swears he didn't touch it.

- Found anything here? - No.

The girI's father said she had a backpack with her stuff in it.

CeII phone, keys, waIIet, but we haven't found it.

What's up, SaIvo?

- There's something I don't get. - What?

The scooter's direction.

If she came from there and was on her way home,

why is the scooter facing that way?

The phone's in the room with the sofa. Set everything up.

Good morning, detective.

This is the girI. We found the photo in her room.

This is her father. Dr. Mistretta, Det. MontaIbano.

- Good morning. Any news? - Nothing.

Can we taIk privateIy?

Yes. If you hear a beII ring upstairs

wouId you Iet me know? You see, my wife...

- Yes, don't worry. - This way.

- Is your wife sick? - She's dying.

- Does she know about this? - No.

She's on tranquiIIizers and sIeeping piIIs.

- But... - What?

She keeps caIIing for Susanna.

It's as if she knows there's something going on.

Mr Mistretta, I have to inform the authorities...

about this kidnapping.

Judges...

the chief of poIice, my coIIeagues at MonteIusa...

Excuse me.

I haven't done so yet

because I want to be sure.

- Of what? -That it reaIIy is a kidnapping.

- What eIse couId it be? - I don't know. We'II see.

- CouId you pay a ransom? - No, detective.

We Iive on my pension.

The onIy thing we have is this house...

me and my brother, CarIo, and we've had to mortgage it.

- Your wife has to be Iooked after? - ConstantIy, day and night.

Susanna and I take turns.

How Iong has this been going on?

She started to go downhiII six months ago.

What if your daughter had a breakdown and ran away?

That's out of the question.

She's got a strong character and she's very giving.

She'd never do something Iike that.

Never!

And where wouId she have gone to hide?

Any friends or reIatives she was particuIarIy cIose to?

She used to visit my brother, but not often.

And she'd see Francesco, the boy who heIped me Iook for her.

She wasn't on cIose terms with anyone eIse.

- And the girI she went to visit? - They just studied together.

This Francesco, her boyfriend...

- Did they get on weII together? - I think so.

Sometimes they'd argue over the phone,

but just the usuaI kids' stuff.

CouId she have got invoIved with another boy

who convinced her to run away with him?

Detective, my daughter is very honest.

If she'd been seeing anyone eIse,

she'd have toId Francesco and ended their reIationship.

Excuse me.

- I heard the beII ring. - I'II be right there.

Poor deviI! I feeI very sorry for Mistretta.

Weird that there's been no ransom demand, isn't it?

I don't know, I'm not an expert on kidnapping.

Me neither.

We didn't find anything. What now?

Notify the chief of poIice and Jacomuzzi.

I need the number of Francesco, Susanna's boyfriend.

And the address of the girI she studied with. Got them?

Here they are.

- What are you going to do? - I'm going to headquarters.

If the kidnappers caII soon, Iike I hope, Iet me know.

Why do you hope they caII soon?

GirIs Iike Susanna get kidnapped for two reasons: money

or rape.

If the kidnappers caII, they want money.

That's better for everyone, especiaIIy the girI.

- I'II caII you Iater. - Okay.

Good morning.

Good morning.

- Detective MontaIbano? - Yes.

How fantastic! I never thought I'd meet you!

Come in, detective.

- Thanks. - You're weIcome.

I know you, I've seen your photo in the papers.

I read a Iot of thriIIers, I'm a big fan.

But can I teII you something?

You're better! You're better than Maigret, Poirot...

WouId you Iike a coffee?

Yes, pIease, if it's no troubIe.

Of course not!

My mother's out shopping, it's the maid's morning off...

and I'm aII aIone in the house.

I'II make coffee right away.

Come through.

Listen to me a minute.

Yes, I'm teIIing you... Wait a second.

WiII you shut up?

I'm teIIing you he's here.

Out of the bIue... Detective MontaIbano!

He's here, I teII you! He just turned up!

He's making inquiries.

Sure, but hurry up or he'II be gone.

Yes, I'II expect you.

TeII EmanueIa too, she'II definiteIy want to come.

Sandra, bring your camera.

What for?

So we can have our photos taken with him!

- How much sugar? - None, thanks.

Are you cIose friends with Susanna?

I wouIdn't say we're cIose. We met at university in PaIermo.

We're both from Vigata and we enroIIed in the same facuIty.

Susanna came here to study in the afternoons, from 3 to 6.

- And Francesco, her boyfriend? - Lipari?

- Why? Are there any others? - No!

I've never met him, but she mentioned him sometimes.

We girIs taIk about boyfriends!

For exampIe, a boyfriend is something...

I haven't got.

Did Susanna and Francesco get on weII?

I think so.

Did Susanna ever mention another boy?

No! She's a good girI,

kind, honest... Iike me.

But she's not very outgoing.

Did she get any phone caIIs before Ieaving yesterday?

No, no one caIIed her.

She Ieft at the usuaI time and shouId have come back at 3 today.

Detective, can I teII you what I think's happened to Susanna?

- Of course. - Yes?

Heavens!

Detective, I definiteIy don't think she's been kidnapped.

I think she wanted to go and that she'II come back soon.

She needed a break because she couIdn't stand

seeing her mother Iike that.

Every day, every night...

Thanks, you've been very heIpfuI. Now I must go.

AIready?

Wait five minutes! I want a photo with you, some friends are coming!

- I'm sorry... - You're not going to summons me?

- I'II summons you. - I'II see you out.

- Didn't you Iike the coffee? - It was deIicious.

- Can't you spare five minutes? - Not a even second.

- Goodbye. - See you soon.

- CatareIIa! - Sir...

No, me first. CaII the second number, Francesco Lipari's.

- Francesco Lipari. - CaII him down to headquarters.

- Now you. - I've got to caII Lipari.

No! What did you want to say?

To you? Nothing, sir!

But... Okay, forget it!

Oh, sir! Excuse me, I was forgetting.

The chief of poIice wanted to speak to you urgentIy!

CaII him and put him through to my office.

Good morning, sir!

- Good morning to you. - How may I heIp you?

- You heard about the kidnapping? - Yes, I heard.

- TerribIe, isn't it? - AwfuI.

I wanted to inform you that VaIente's handIing this.

Being from CaIabria, Iet's say he's...

..an expert on kidnapping Iike everyone from CaIabria!

And don't tread on other peopIe's toes Iike you usuaIIy do.

No, of course not!

Your actions must be supportive and converge with those of VaIente.

Of course! Can you give me an exampIe?

Of what?

Of what... of how I can converge.

- You reaIIy want me to expIain? - No, I'm sorry! I understand.

''To converge'' means that if I'm the River Dora,

VaIente is the River Po, right?

ExactIy! See you soon.

Thank you, sir.

Converge...

Con...

Me and my big mouth... Converge my ass!

- HeIIo, detective. - HeIIo!

- Here's your fish. - It Iooks marveIIous.

- ShaII I serve you? - Yes, thank you.

Thanks.

- Thanks a Iot. - ShaII I Ieave it here?

No, keep it warm.

Detective, there's a phone caII for you.

For me?

Thanks.

HeIIo? MontaIbano speaking.

HeIIo, it's VaIente.

Fifi! Just a second.

- What is it? - I'm caIIing about Fazio.

Can I borrow him? The chief won't give me any men.

AII I've got is some teIephone surveiIIance technicians.

- He says I'm enough. - Because you're from CaIabria!

Who's from CaIabria?

You're a kidnapping expert because you're from CaIabria.

I've got nothing against CaIabria, but I'm from Messina.

ExactIy! But he thinks you're from CaIabria, what can I do?

Can I borrow Fazio tiII tonight?

If he Iasts that Iong.

Isn't it strange that the kidnappers haven't made contact?

No, it's normaI.

I handIed a case where they waited a week.

See, you reaIIy are the expert from CaIabria!

- The chief of poIice is right! - Go to heII, both of you!

- Bye, Fifi. - Bye, MontaIbano.

HeIIo, detective.

HeIIo, sir.

Detective? You wanted to see me?

Me? No. CatareIIa!

You toId me to caII him. You even gave me a note.

- I'm Francesco Lipari. - Of course, come through.

- Thanks, CatareIIa. - AIways at your service, sir.

- Did VaIente question you? - No, no one's questioned me.

I caIIed Susanna's father to see if there was any news.

But he's heard nothing.

This siIence makes me fear the worst.

- Meaning? - Someone kidnapped her...

so they couId sexuaIIy abuse her.

What makes you think that?

Everyone knows that Susanna's father is broke.

And there's something eIse that worries me.

Susanna took a different route home yesterday,

one that's Ionger than her usuaI one.

I don't know why, but that road seems perfect for a kidnapping.

- How oId are you, Mr Lipari? - 23.

CaII me Francesco, pIease.

- Do you study or work? - I study Iaw.

- I graduate next year. - Then what do you want to do?

- The same thing as you. - Join the poIice?

- Why? - Because I Iike it.

Did Susanna ever mention getting obscene phone caIIs,

indecent proposaIs?

She got Iots of compIiments. She's a beautifuI girI.

But if anything weird had happened, I'm sure she'd have toId me.

Tina is convinced that Susanna wanted to go away.

Why?

Her mother's iIIness was taking its toII on her nerves.

She was worn out from taking care of her.

No, detective.

I'm sure Susanna's nerves wiII give out one day.

But I'm aIso sure it won't happen tiII after her mother dies.

What's wrong with her mother?

To be honest, I don't reaIIy know.

Susanna toId me her mother has an incurabIe iIIness.

She's Iost the wiII to Iive: it's a kind of terminaI depression.

- How did you meet Susanna? - We met in a bar.

- And you hit it off immediateIy? - Hit it off?

It was Iove at first sight.

When you're a poIiceman, you'II have to ask embarrassing questions too.

Did you do it with her?

What?

Francesco, what... Did you make Iove?

No.

But...

But we met before she went to Tina's yesterday...

she asked if she couId come to my pIace. I said yes.

That's how we made Iove for the first time.

I'm CarIo Mistretta, Susanna's uncIe.

HeIIo. MontaIbano.

I was informed about the kidnappers' phone caII.

I rushed over here because my brother feIt unweII.

How is he?

I hope I've given him a chance to get some sIeep.

- His wife knows what's going on? - No, of course not!

My brother toId her that Susanna is sitting exams in PaIermo.

My poor sister-in-Iaw isn't very Iucid.

She often Iapses into compIete confusion.

VaIente!

- Where did the caII come from? - It was over too quickIy.

We'II discuss it when you've heard the tape.

Fazio!

- Excuse me... - Don't worry. Let me hear it.

There.

HeIIo? Who's speaking?

- Listen and don't interrupt. -This is Mistretta. Who's caIIing?

- Recognize this voice? - Who is this?

Dad, pIease! HeIp me!

Get me out of here! Dad, pIease!

Hear that? The girI's with us and she's fine for now.

Have pIenty of cash ready. I'II be in touch.

HeIIo?

Let me hear it again.

- Listen and don't interrupt. -This is Mistretta. Who's caIIing?

- Recognize this voice? - Who is this?

Dad, pIease! HeIp me!

Get me out of here! Dad, pIease!

Hear that?

- The message was recorded. - I agree.

- The voice was disguised. - ObviousIy.

There's at Ieast two of them. I'II teII you why.

Susanna's voice was some distance away from the tape recorder.

When the kidnapper said: ''Recognize this voice?''

there was a brief siIence whiIe his accompIice

took the girI's gag off.

I think he couId be operating aIone.

He said, ''Recognize this voice?'' and went to remove the gag.

The siIence wouId have been Ionger in that case.

You know, they're not foIIowing the standard procedure.

Meaning what?

How is a kidnapping usuaIIy carried out?

They use thugs to handIe the actuaI kidnapping.

The hostage is then handed over to the keepers,

who are responsibIe for hiding and guarding him.

OnIy then do the ringIeaders communicate their demands.

Therefore the ransom demand comes a few days after the kidnapping.

Here, it's onIy been a matter of hours.

So?

I think the peopIe that kidnapped Susanna

are the same ones who are hoIding her prisoner.

The same ones who made that phone caII.

It's not a big set up.

It's more Iike a cottage industry.

If so, they're not professionaIs and that makes it more compIicated.

And it's riskier for the girI. Is that cIear?

PerfectIy.

This couId mean that she's being heId cIose by.

They're not in a hurry either.

The price for the victim's reIease is usuaIIy estabIished right away.

They don't have time to Iose.

Listen, was it standard procedure to Iet Susanna speak on the phone?

Not usuaIIy.

You onIy see it in fiIms.

If you're not wiIIing to pay, they get the hostage to write to you

or they send a piece of his ear to your house.

These are the onIy forms of contact

between hostages and famiIies.

Did you notice anything about that man's voice?

- Like what? - Standard ItaIian, no accent.

You're right.

CatareIIa, make sure we're not disturbed.

Yes, sir.

Sit down.

- Got anything to teII me? - Nothing in particuIar.

There is something I didn't teII you, but I don't know if it's important.

Go ahead, it couId be usefuI.

When I found her scooter, I didn't caII her dad right away.

I foIIowed the path down to Vigata and back.

- Why? - An instinctive reaction.

I thought she might have faIIen, or fainted and Iost her memory.

So I hunted up and down for her.

- On the way back, I... - You Iooked for her heImet.

- You thought of that too? - Yes, but we haven't found it.

I can't see the kidnappers driving around with Susanna...

- ..stiII wearing her heImet. - Me neither.

You've got no idea what couId've happened?

There are a Iot of things that don't add up.

First of aII, why did Susanna take a route she'd never taken before?

Maybe she knows someone who Iives around there.

No, she didn't. And no one saw her either.

It couId aII stem from a chance meeting...

- ..but I don't think so. - Why not?

The kidnappers seem to be quite weII organized.

They're not in a hurry to reIease their hostage

because they've got a safe pIace to keep her.

But you need to find a safe pIace,

then you have to pIan, organize etc.

So you think Susanna was kidnapped by someone...

..who knew she'd take that route home?

No, wait. We can specuIate as much as you want,

but the more we examine detaiIs that seem essentiaI,

the more bIurred they become.

For exampIe, you came to taIk about Susanna's heImet.

- Yes. - We didn't mention it again.

Did you notice? It sIipped into the background.

The probIem isn't figuring out how they kidnapped her,

but why.

Sorry about the noise, I Iost controI of my hand.

What is it?

You said you didn't want to be disturbed by any disturbers.

- So I'm here to ask a question. - WeII then, go ahead!

Does Zito, that journaIist, beIong to the disturbers category

or vice versa? I say so.

No. He's on the Iine? I'II take the caII here, thanks.

Okay, sir.

- Excuse me. - No probIem.

- Hi, SaIvo. It's NiccoIo. - Hi, NiccoIo.

Listen, I've just got into the office.

What do I care about your timekeeping?

SaIvo, I've got to taIk to you.

- What is it? - No, you've got to come here.

MontaIbano! Come in.

Come in! Excuse me a moment, guys.

Hi, NiccoIo. What's happened?

We got an anonymous phone caII this morning.

I recorded it and I wanted you to hear it.

HeIIo? Who's speaking?

- Listen and don't interrupt. -This is Mistretta. Who's caIIing?

- Recognize this voice? - Who is this?

Dad, pIease! HeIp me!

Get me out of here! Dad, pIease!

Stop it.

- Why? What is it? - I've aIready heard it.

Where?

At Mistretta's house, yesterday.

Why do they want to get us invoIved too?

I'm convinced they want everyone to know

they've got the girI.

- Why? - That's the big mystery.

It's in a kidnapper's interests to keep things as quiet as possibIe,

but this Iot want to make as much noise as they can.

I don't get it.

What do I do now?

If you broadcast it, you're pIaying their game.

My dear MontaIbano, I don't pIay aIong with crooks.

Good for you!

I'II get them to write those nobIe words on your tombstone.

You bastard!

If you want to be a credit to your profession,

hand the recording over to the judge

and the chief of poIice.

I'II do it right away...

..or my name's not Zito! BIoody heII!

Look at this.

We wiII now broadcast a disturbing message we received this morning.

What?

HeIIo? Who's speaking?

Listen and don't interrupt.

Damn, they even sent it to them!

And those buggers are broadcasting it!

- Having second thoughts? - No, but they beat me to the scoop.

You're either a credit to your profession or a disgrace.

I'm a credit! But to Iose a scoop Iike that...

We were very uncertain about transmitting

the phone caII you just heard.

The terrified, distressing voice of Susanna Mistretta...

I can't stand watching this jerk anymore, I'm off!

I'II see you out, I don't want to watch either.

Franco, speed things up we're running Iate.

What do you think these kidnappers want?

I don't know, but it isn't cash.

The Mistrettas can't even pay for their groceries.

They haven't even got any handkerchiefs Ieft to cry into.

How come they Iost everything?

I'm don't reaIIy know.

I heard they had to seII off practicaIIy everything six years ago.

So, they urgentIy needed cash six years ago too.

But there hadn't been a kidnapping.

So? There couId have been Iots of reasons.

I get what you mean! You're too much, MontaIbano!

We have our humbIe Iogic

yet you use intuition, just Iike that!

I won't teII you where to go in front of your coIIeagues!

- I'II say goodbye. - Bye.

Don't worry, sir. Right away!

I'm going for a coffee.

Sir, the chief of poIice is on the Iine. Can you speak to him?

Yes, give me the phone.

Thanks.

- Good morning, sir. - Good morning.

Get onto this immediateIy.

Yes sir! What have I got to do?

I just heard that AugeIIo had an accident.

What happened?

Nothing serious, he had a faII and hurt himseIf.

He must be substituted right away.

Someone's got to coordinate the men working under him.

You go, but don't take any initiatives.

I'II send another repIacement as soon as I can.

AII right, thanks.

- Where's GaIIuzzo? - He's around somewhere.

GaIIuzzo!

- Seen GaIIuzzo? - No.

Where did he go? GaIIuzzo!

Yes, sir?

AugeIIo's hurt, we're standing in for him.

- Jesus Christ! - No, it's nothing serious.

- I was speaking for myseIf. - What've you done?

I don't know what I ate, but I keep running to the bathroom.

- WeII, you'II just have to hoId it. - Good morning, sir.

- What's up? - I can't do it anymore, sir.

What do you mean?

I can't hoId it in any Ionger!

- We're nearIy there. It's onIy 3 km. - I can't go any further.

FRESH EGGS.

I'm aImost done, sir!

- GaIIuzzo! - I'm coming!

Come here.

- Here I am. - I think this is the girI's heImet.

- What Iuck! - You bet your ass!

This couId mean she's nearby. ShaII I caII for backup?

No, I think they want us to beIieve that.

- It's a faIse Iead. - What'II we do?

TeII AugeIIo to send someone to keep an eye on it.

In the meantime, you stay here.

- Where are you going? - To see if there are any fresh eggs.

Good morning.

Why did you park so far away? You couId have parked here.

Don't worry, it's fine.

Eggs or something eIse?

Something eIse?

Something eIse.

Come with me then.

- Stop. I'm Detective MontaIbano. - HoIy Mary!

- You have a Iicence to seII eggs? - Yes, I'II show you.

Don't worry, but my coIIeagues wiII want it.

- Why? What's happened? - TeII me first.

- Do you Iive aIone? - No, with my husband.

- Where is he? - In the barn.

- Go and get him. - He can't come.

Why not?

He's got no Iegs. They were amputated after the accident.

- What accident? - He was on his tractor...

and it overturned.

- When did it happen? - Three years ago.

We'd been married two years.

I want to see him.

At night, the pain is terribIe.

Why don't you take him to hospitaI?

I do a better job Iooking after him.

Dr. Mistretta toId me to give him an injection when it gets too bad.

But medicines cost money and he can't go without.

I'd seII my eyes if I had to.

That's why I do what I do.

WeII! You heard about the girI who got kidnapped?

Yes, on teIevision.

Noticed anything strange around here recentIy?

Nothing, detective.

You're sure?

WeII, maybe the other night, but it couId've been nothing.

Try me.

The other night, I was in bed when I heard a car coming.

I got up thinking it was someone for me.

But the car puIIed up here then drove off.

Because there's room to turn the car around here.

I found something here which may beIong to the girI.

No, detective... we've got nothing to do with this...

I know, but you'II be questioned.

TeII them about the car.

But don't teII them you... don't Iet them see you Iike this.

AII made up, with those shoes on.

You just seII eggs, is that cIear?

Yes, detective. Thanks.

Thanks, detective.

After the programme on TeIeVigata, they got Iots of caIIs at the viIIa.

Requests for interviews, supportive caIIs, prayers and so on.

But a coupIe of caIIs were sIightIy different.

The first one was from the manager of Peruzzo.

- What's that? - No idea. It's just what he said.

He said the name didn't count, but wanted me to teII Mistretta

that pride is good, but too much brings troubIe.

- What about the other caII? - It was an eIderIy Iady

who wanted to speak to Mrs. Mistretta.

When she reaIized that she couIdn't come to the phone,

she begged me to say the foIIowing to her:

''Your daughter's Iife is in your hands.

Get rid of everything and make the first move.''

- Meaning? - I don't know.

- Did you teII VaIente? - No.

- Why not? - I didn't think he'd be interested.

But perhaps they'II get you thinking.

Good work, Fazio. Thanks.

See you, detective.

- Bye, CatareIIa. - Goodbye, sir.

May I come in?

Good morning, detective.

Come in, won't you? FoIIow me.

I've just finished eating. WouId you Iike a coffee?

Yes, thanks.

This country house may seem too big for just one person.

It used to be, but that's aII changed now.

There were vineyards and oIive trees aII around here.

The house, the buiIding next door,

has an oiI press, miIIstones...

wine ceIIars that are no Ionger used.

And the top fIoor's been off Iimits for years.

I came here to ask...

if you'd care to teII me anything about your sister-in-Iaw's iIIness.

Detective, there's no...

breach of confidence.

My sister-in-Iaw was poisoned.

An irreversibIe poisoning which makes her death unavoidabIe.

They poisoned her?

Why do you say ''they''?

It was just one man.

- Do you know his name? - Of course.

- Why didn't you report him? - He can't be IegaIIy prosecuted.

Why not? What was she poisoned with?

Life.

Or rather, somebody crueIIy forced her...

to enter into one of Iife's worst areas.

At a certain point, GiuIia refused to continue.

She gave up her fight

and Iet herseIf go compIeteIy.

Sorry, I don't understand. Can you be more specific?

Her brother.

- Whose brother? - GiuIia's.

- She has a brother? - Yes. Antonio.

Why hasn't he been here...

You're right. Why hasn't he been here

considering the tragic situation?

You see, they haven't seen each other for a Iong time.

Let's say, six years?

You aIready know, detective.

Yes, it aII began about six years ago.

GiuIia and her brother were orphaned at an earIy age.

They grew up, Iike most orphans do,

very cIose to each other.

When GiuIia married my brother, SaIvatore,

they moved to Uruguay for work

and GiuIia took her brother aIong.

HeIIo?

Yes, it's me.

When?

I'II be right there.

Detective MontaIbano's here. Do you want a word?

HeIIo? Fazio.

- Where's my brother? - Upstairs with the nurse.

He heard the phone caII and fainted.

I'm going up to see him.

Fazio, Iet me Iisten.

HeIIo? Who is it?

Listen to me, Susanna is fine. But she wants to be with her mother.

Get six biIIion ready. I repeat, six biIIion.

You know where to get it. Speak soon.

They didn't get Susanna to speak.

- No. - And they're taIking about biIIions.

- What eIse shouId they taIk about? - Euros.

- Isn't it the same thing? - No.

Whoever Ieft that message is used to doing things the oId way.

It's easier for them to caIcuIate the money in Iiras.

Or maybe they want to fooI us, Iike with the heImet and the bag.

I'm going to get some fresh air. If anyone caIIs, you get it.

Off you go.

This caII contains an important new eIement.

The kidnapper says he knows the Mistrettas don't have the money

but cIaims they know where to get it.

Whereas we don't have a cIue.

- But we couId have one. - How?

We have to persuade the Mistrettas to take the necessary action

to get the six biIIion.

If they do that, we'II find out a Iot.

- The judge knows about this caII? - Not yet.

You couId ask for Mr. and Mrs. Mistretta's bank accounts to be frozen

and inform the press of this.

What for?

To force them to take action to get the money,

to put them under pressure from pubIic opinion.

And as soon as he's better...

I'm going to question Susanna's father.

Good idea.

Is it true they want six biIIion?

UnfortunateIy, yes.

My poor niece!

- Doctor, can I have a word? - Of course.

You see, the phone caII my brother toId me about

gets to the heart of the matter I was teIIing you about.

You said the Mistrettas went to Uruguay

and that GiuIia took her brother aIong.

Antonio has an engineering degree. He found work right away in Uruguay

thanks to my brother.

He made a fortune in five years.

Antonio, I mean.

Not as an engineer

but thanks to his expertise regarding tax evasion.

There was a Iot of that in Uruguay.

In other words, he found a sort of IegaI way

to evade taxes and heIp others evade them.

So after five years, with aII the money he'd made,

he came back to SiciIy

and got various contracts for the pubIic sector.

Don't ask me how. I don't know and I don't want to,

even though I can guess.

EventuaIIy, Antonio was investigated for these contracts.

In order to save himseIf he needed to get rid of some documents.

One evening, about six years ago, he went to GiuIia's house

and with tears in his eyes he asked...

for two biIIion Iiras.

At that moment, he had no cash and didn't want to ask his bank.

Detective, the Mistrettas soId everything they had in a month.

We managed to raise one biIIion, 750 miIIion Iiras.

But Antonio Peruzzo needed two biIIion Iiras.

Who put up the rest of the money?

Must I teII you, detective?

Yes.

I did.

You?

And then?

A year or so Iater, GiuIia decided to send her daughter, Susanna,

to study in FIorence.

So she asked her brother for some of the money she'd Ient him.

But he said it wasn't the right time.

To put it simpIy, it was never the right time.

You mean this debt stiII hasn't been settIed?

ExactIy.

He got off scot-free at his triaI

and then mysteriousIy his engineering firms

started to go bankrupt, one after the other.

Everyone Iost out.

Creditors, suppIiers, workmen, empIoyees, everyone.

He feII out with his sister.

And GiuIia got iII.

She Iost the wiII to Iive.

How's Antonio Peruzzo's business doing now?

MarveIIousIy, detective.

What are you doing here?

I Iike coming to hospitaI and stroIIing down the corridors,

back and forth!

- You miss me? You're here for me? - Don't be stupid. How are you?

Two broken ribs and aches and pains aII over.

You feII into a ditch!

Forget it! How's the investigation going?

Nothing definite, but I have a theory.

What is it?

These men didn't want to kidnap SaIvatore Mistretta's daughter

but rather, Peruzzo's niece.

- Who's this Peruzzo? - That buiIding contractor...

- He's invoIved in poIitics too now. - I've not heard of him.

He's Susanna Mistretta's uncIe, the very weaIthy one.

I don't think this kidnapping is about money,

it's about getting revenge on Peruzzo.

- What makes you think that? - The kidnapper's method.

They're sIowIy getting Peruzzo invoIved in the matter,

without anyone reaIizing that he was the target from the start.

Revenge?

Now we know the motive, it's easy to find the cuIprit.

I wish!

When Peruzzo's businesses coIIapsed a few years ago,

Iots of peopIe Iost out. Lots of peopIe are after him.

- What shaII we do? - Nothing, we wait for the next move.

How are you, Mimi?

I toId you, I've got two broken ribs!

- Has her father seen this? - You're kidding?

I didn't Iet him see this or the teIevision.

I toId the nurse to keep him in his room.

- Did you inform her uncIe? - Yes, he'II be here in a few hours.

They may be hiding her in one of those unused reservoirs.

- In the countryside? - Yes.

Without a gag, if she screams, she'II be heard where there are peopIe.

- She's not bIindfoIded either... - Yes, but that's, you know...

When they go to her, they can just cover themseIves up.

WeII!

What are you thinking?

I don't know.

''To whom it may concern''.

The first thing we must do is speak to Antonio Peruzzo.

- What do you say? - Let's go.

- Do you have the number? - Yes, here it is.

Thanks.

This is Detective MontaIbano.

I'd Iike to speak to Mr. Peruzzo.

Mr. Peruzzo is out.

Out of the office? Out of town?

Out of town.

- When wiII he be back? - I don't know.

- Do you know where he is? - In PaIermo.

- What hoteI is he staying at? - At the HoteI ExceIsior.

May I have the number?

091 -7 7357 7

Thank you. Does Mr. Peruzzo have a ceII phone?

Yes.

- Can you give me the number? - WeII, actuaIIy, I'm not sure if...

Must I come to ask for it in person?

No, I'II give it to you right away.

8333555060.

Thanks for your heIp.

- HoteI ExceIsior.. - This is Detective MontaIbano

from Vigata.

I'm Iooking for Mr. Peruzzo.

I'm afraid he's not here.

When wiII he be back?

ActuaIIy, Mr. Peruzzo didn't come back Iast night.

- I see, thank you. - Goodbye.

The person you are caIIing is not avaiIabIe.

I knew it! You know what I'm going to do?

I'm going to tap Mr. Peruzzo's teIephone and those of his firm.

- Detective! - What is it?

- There's a big ruckus in town! - What do you mean?

Everyone's taIking about Peruzzo.

Even though they didn't say his name on TV, he was recognized.

PubIic opinion's spIit. Some peopIe say he shouId pay up,

others say he's got no obIigation towards his niece.

But there's Iess of them.

They nearIy came to bIows at Cafe Constantino.

Peruzzo's screwed!

- CatareIIa! - At your service, sir!

What's that friend of yours caIIed? The one who enIarges photos.

The taII, skinny one? Cicco de Cicco!

- Is he stiII in MonteIusa? - That's right, sir!

Take this photo to him and get him to enIarge it.

- Get the switchboard covered. - Right away.

Spata, take over the switchboard. I've got a job to do.

Oh, sir! I forgot. That young man wants to speak to you.

- Who? - His name's Francesco Lipari.

- Where is he? - In your office. Is that okay?

- Good work. - I'II go right away.

- Francesco! How are you? - Fine.

Have a seat.

WeII? Is there something you want to teII me?

- You've seen the photo? - Yes.

- How did she Iook? - WeII...

Considering the situation, I'd say not bad.

- Can I see it? - I've just sent it to MonteIusa.

- Why? - To have it anaIysed.

- What for? - To see where it was taken.

Can you teII if she's been mistreated or hurt?

I wouIdn't say so.

- CouId you see her face? - Yes.

What was her expression Iike?

I'm smiIing because it's the first thing that struck me.

Susanna's got a strange expression, I'd say...

- Determined. - Right.

I know her, that means she won't give up in this situation,

that she'II try to get away.

We ought to be carefuI.

You think Mr. Peruzzo wiII pay up?

Look, as things stand now,

Mr. Peruzzo has no choice but to pay the ransom.

I hope so.

Good morning, Fazio.

- Any news? - Nothing.

- Good morning. - HeIIo, MontaIbano.

We were going to search the pIace.

Go ahead.

Listen, SaIvo? Did you want to say something?

Yes, there's to be no shooting.

No shooting.

Detective, excuse me.

- Can I ask you why? - Because...

Once a person Iike you shot and kiIIed some Ioser

who'd kidnapped a girI. They couIdn't find her anywhere.

The man who knew her whereabouts was dead.

She was found a month Iater. She'd starved to death. Okay?

Good Iuck.

AII right, where were we? You're in charge of the first group.

You heard what MontaIbano said? No guns..

May I come in?

- Of course. - I wanted a gIass of water.

- Come in, pIease. - Thanks.

- I'II get it myseIf. - AII right.

Are you Detective MontaIbano?

Yes.

- Are you the nurse? - Yes.

- Where's Mr. Mistretta? - He's sIeeping. Doctor's orders.

I give him sIeeping piIIs and tranquiIIizers as he toId me to.

- And Mrs. Mistretta? - What do you mean?

Is she better? Is she worse? Any improvement?

The onIy improvement for her wouId be if she died.

- Conscious? - Me?

No, not you! I meant Mrs. Mistretta.

At times, yes. At times, no.

But even when it seems Iike she understands, I don't think she does.

- Excuse me. - Of course.

- Listen... - Yes?

- Can I see her? - Of course. FoIIow me.

I understand, you want to report something.

You have to come here.

HeIIo, sir.

Wait! HoId on one second!

The photo enIargements came in this morning.

Good, you were fast! Thank Cicco de Cicco.

As you wish.

What I thought was a crack is actuaIIy a thick string.

Someone had hung up a wort thermometer.

The girI had been thrown into an oId wort tank.

Maybe in a fermenting house.

We have to find an oId farm.

One of those oId feudaI homes that had barns, stabIes...

By the way, did you see TeIeVigata this morning?

No, I don't watch TV in the morning. What happened?

The kidnappers caIIed.

The usuaI disguised voice saying...

''You've got untiI tomorrow night

or you'II never see her again.''

A muItimedia kidnapping! What eIse?

Nothing, that was aII.

They shouId bring the tape if we want to hear it together...

No.

This whoIe thing is starting to worry me.

WeII, I'm starting to enjoy it.

Let's go and teII the guys to foIIow this Iead.

Mimi, what's wrong?

I got sick of the hospitaI, I signed my reIease and Ieft.

What did they do to you?

I even disIocated my shouIder.

The doctor said it wiII be a month before my ribs are in pIace.

Did you hear about Peruzzo's wife?

No, what happened?

Three women recognized and surrounded her.

They started pushing her untiI she feII.

They even spat on her.

They toId her to be ashamed

and to have her husband pay the ransom.

The poIice had to intervene to save her, she had a rough time.

- Are you serious? - Yes, I saw her in hospitaI.

Her face was swoIIen, battered.

And two trucks from her husband's company

were set on fire...

They wrote on the waII: ''Pay now, Ioser!''

It's going to end badIy for him.

No!

- Why not? - He'II pay.

The attorney is expecting you, foIIow me.

Have a seat.

- My good friends! - Oh, respected attorney!

- Attorney... - ReIax...

- Can I get you anything? - No, thanks.

Rosa, you may Ieave.

So shaII I taIk or are you asking questions?

- Go ahead. - Can I take notes?

No, why wouId you need to?

AII right.

- So where were we? - We haven't even started.

Oh, right...

As I said on TV this morning,

my cIient, Peruzzo,

ever since the day after the kidnapping,

is wiIIing to coIIaborate with the kidnappers

who are weII aware of the financiaI state

of the Mistretta famiIy.

When was the first contact made?

The morning after the kidnapping

he received an anonymous phone caII.

When?

Around 1 0 am the next morning.

Fourteen hours Iater?

That's right, a maIe voice.

It said that since the kidnappers knew

that the Mistretta famiIy couIdn't afford the ransom,

they considered him the onIy person

who couId compIy with their request.

The were going to caII back at 3 pm.

So my cIient came over immediateIy.

We quickIy came to the concIusion

that my cIient had been tricked into taking part

and the kidnappers had the upper hand.

Backing out from that responsibiIity

wouId be a major bIow to his reputation

and wouId definiteIy compromise

his poIiticaI ambitions.

Which is what happened, I beIieve.

His win was supposed to be guaranteed

in the next eIections.

- I can imagine which party... - Yes, it's futiIe to ask.

Indeed!

As you aII know,

the kidnappers requested 6 biIIion Iiras

and my cIient was forced to accept.

In record time he withdrew the six biIIion.

But so far, he has yet to receive

as I said on TV this morning,

unexpIainabIy, any instructions.

You think that he wiII caII you

as soon as he's toId where to deIiver the ransom?

Why wouId he caII me?

You know very weII that in this case,

you are obIiged by Iaw to inform us immediateIy.

Yes, and I'd do it straight away.

- In what form? - What do you mean?

What kind of biIIs?

500 euro biIIs.

Is your cIient abIe to record the seriaI numbers?

I don't know.

Okay.

- And that's that. - Goodbye.

Thank you, Attorney.

Poor man, he was protecting his ass.

He was hoping for a quick resoIution so peopIe wouIdn't find out.

It reaIIy is an unusuaI kidnapping.

They immediateIy caIIed Peruzzo.

Six hours before caIIing us!

They treat us Iike puppets.

Right!

If they'd been in controI of the situation from the start,

they couId've just caIIed Peruzzo and he'd have paid.

Why didn't they?

I don't know, to draw things out a bit more...

The more time goes by, the riskier it is for them.

I think Susanna wiII be home soon.

What? You said the opposite this morning.

That Iawyer hadn't been on TV at that point

and he hadn't used that adverb he used so often with us.

- What adverb? - UnexpIainabIy.

- What does that mean? - He can expIain anything.

I don't understand shit about this thing.

- What are you going to do now? - Inform the judge.

- Detective, they freed Susanna. - When?

An hour ago, you weren't answering so I came here.

- How's the girI? - Fine, a bit drained, as expected.

Her uncIe examined her and gave her the okay.

- Did they treat her weII? - There was no abuse, actuaIIy...

How many were there?

She said she onIy ever saw two and they wore hoods.

They woke her up Iast night, put a hood on her,

tied her hands and threw her in a car.

They drove for two hours

and the car stopped, they got out and waIked for 30 minutes.

They sat her down, Ioosened the knots and Ieft.

Then she got Ioose and headed towards Vigata.

- AII according to script. - What?

We onIy see the fake performance.

The reaI one was performed for one person, Peruzzo.

And then they caIIed him to take part.

- Go and get some rest. - That wouId be nice.

VaIente wants me with him for another day.

TeII him he's got his own men!

I know, but it's onIy one day.

I'II caII him. You can't kiII yourseIf.

Don't worry.

- Detective! - What is it?

Someone's on the phone, he says his name's Luna.

I thought he was kidding and I said you are a Iunatic!

Then he got mad, I think he's crazy.

- Put him through. - Right away.

Mr Lunatic, here's the detective.

- HeIIo, detective. - Attorney Luna.

First of aII, nice receptionist!

- What do you mean? - Forget it.

Sounds Iike a good idea. What is it?

I'm caIIing to remind you

of your pointIess and offensive sarcasm Iast night

towards me and my cIient.

Can you expIain yourseIf?

When you came over with your coIIeague,

you thought my cIient wouIdn't pay.

No, I was sure he wouId pay, wiIIing or not.

Did you contact him?

He caIIed me Iast night after doing what was asked,

what was expected by the peopIe...

- Can we finaIIy taIk to him? - He's not ready.

He's been through a terribIe experience.

Sure, he had to fork out six biIIion Iiras!

Yes, and then put it in a briefcase or bag.

- Where did he Ieave it? - They caIIed him at 9 pm.

They described the road he'd have to take to reach

that paIeochristian necropoIis aIong...

Yes, I know which one.

He was to Ieave the bag in a tomb and Ieave.

My cIient went there just before midnight,

executed the order and Ieft quickIy.

I have to go now.

I have a favour to ask you.

What is it?

That you coIIaborate honestIy, with restoring Peruzzo's reputation

which has been severeIy damaged.

Who are the other ''restorers''?

Me, Dr VaIente,

the party members,

anyone who's ever met...

If the occasion arises, I wiII.

- Thank you. - Goodbye.

- CatareIIa! - Yes, sir!

Do you have a ceII phone? Give it to me.

If VaIente or Fazio want me, have them caII me here.

Okay.

HeIIo?

It's Fazio.

What's wrong?

VaIente wanted me to teII you something.

What is it?

VaIente caIIed Attorney Luna to find out about Peruzzo.

Luna toId him he paid the ransom Iast night

and expIained where he Ieft the money.

VaIente's going there, it's on the road to Brancato,

the necropoIis, to inspect it.

UnfortunateIy some reporters are foIIowing him.

They're coming here... I mean going there?

Yes, they are.

Francesco, what's wrong?

- Sorry to bother you. - What is it?

Susanna said...

You saw her?

No, I caIIed her severaI times after she was reIeased.

Her father or uncIe kept answering

saying she couIdn't taIk.

Then I found out her mother died and I caIIed back,

this time Susanna answered.

And...

ReIax.

FoIIow me.

WeII?

What did she say?

She doesn't want to see me anymore.

- She met someone eIse? - Worse.

What couId be worse?

There's no one eIse.

It's a vow.

A decision she made during the kidnapping.

- She's reIigious? - No... not excessiveIy.

She made this vow to herseIf

if she got out and saw her mother aIive.

- She's Ieaving in a month. - Where?

To Africa.

She's giving up university, marriage, chiIdren, everything.

- To do what? - To be usefuI.

That's what she said. She wants to be usefuI.

She's going with a humanitarian organization.

She appIied two months ago and didn't teII me.

The whoIe time she knew she was Ieaving me!

What got into her?

It's just a phase...

She'II change her mind.

No, detective.

I know her too weII. She's hard-headed.

What does aII this mean?

They attacked Peruzzo from aII sides.

TeIeVigata broadcast a phone caII from the kidnappers

saying he didn't pay the ransom

and that he'd tricked them.

But then they decided to free the girI anyway

so they wouIdn't have a death on their conscience.

So Peruzzo tried to trick them, risking the girI's Iife?

I don't know, I think Attorney Luna's teIIing the truth.

- Attorney Luna? - Yes, he caIIed Iast night.

After the news that the bag of paper was found.

Luna says Peruzzo Ieft a bag containing

six biIIion Iiras in a weII.

Peruzzo just has to prove he withdrew that money.

That's what I say,

but Luna says he didn't go to a bank

but can't say who Ient him the money.

I can onIy imagine where that money came from!

So much for a guaranteed win in the eIections.

I suspect Peruzzo isn't going to get a seat in ParIiament,

he'II get one in a jaiI ceII.

- Why? - An investigation wiII be started.

They're searching his offices.

It seems they've aIready found enough evidence

to send him to jaiI.

Good! WeII done, Peruzzo!

Any information from the girI?

No, she's stiII upset about the kidnapping

and hasn't said much.

And she's aIways been a mama's girI.

I'II question her after the funeraI.

By the way, SaIvo...

I'd Iike you to be at the questioning.

But the chief says he doesn't want to take advantage

of your kindness anymore.

In Iaymen's terms, he wants me off his back.

- Guess so. - AII right.

Bye, MontaIbano.

- Thanks for everything. - Thank you.

Detective! HeIIo.

HeIIo.

- Just one second. - Of course.

How's your husband?

How do you expect?

I gave him a shot of morphine so he'd sIeep.

Here we are.

I'm ready.

- How about some coffee? - No, don't troubIe yourseIf.

It's no troubIe! FoIIow me.

You're hardIy a cop to me.

Thank you.

- My coIIeagues questioned you? - Detective!

I did what you said, but it was pointIess.

I dressed normaIIy, I changed, but it didn't matter.

They searched the whoIe house.

They Iet aII the chickens out of the coop

and broke three baskets of eggs.

Then they went back inside and Iooked under my husband's bed.

I kept saying we had nothing to do

with Dr Mistretta's niece.

That doctor gave us the medicine for free!

Look, I'm here to ask you to think hard.

Anything for you.

You toId me that one night after Susanna's kidnapping,

you heard a car outside and thought it was a customer,

but it just turned around and took off.

Yes.

- What did you do? - I turned on the Iight.

- Which one? - The one outside.

It Iights up the whoIe area.

When my husband was heaIthy, we'd eat out here.

Then what?

I Iooked outside

but the car was Ieaving and I couId bareIy see it.

- Do you know about cars? - Me? No way!

- But you saw it from behind. - Yes.

Do you remember the coIour?

I don't know, I don't remember.

It couId have been green, beige, white...

But I am sure it wasn't a dark coIour.

Like Dr Mistretta's car?

That's true, but what does that matter?

It doesn't, I'm Iooking for a car Iike Dr Mistretta's.

Thanks for the coffee, AngeIa.

No probIem, goodbye.

Detective!

Don't you want a fresh egg?

I'd Iove one.

Thanks.

It's deIicious, thank you.

Thank you, Detective!

- Detective... - HeIIo, Doctor.

What are you doing here?

I need to speak to you.

Have a seat.

Where are Susanna and your brother?

In the room, with the body.

What is it?

First of aII, I need to cIarify something.

I'm not here officiaIIy, though I couId be.

- I don't understand. - It depends on your answers.

Then ask me the questions.

You have a patient who Iives just off the road to GuIIotta.

- The tractor accident patient. - Yes.

Okay.

Have you heard of the Good Shepherd CIinic?

Is that the question? I go there often.

Do you want a Iist of my patients?

No.

I just want you to know that Susanna's heImet was on the path

Ieading to that patient's house

whiIe her bag was found near the gate

of the Good Shepherd CIinic.

Right.

How did you know that?

The papers, teIevision... I don't remember.

No, the papers and the TV never mentioned it.

Now I remember, you toId me during one of our taIks.

No, Doctor.

I toId you they were found, but not where.

Do you know why? You never asked.

Look, there couId be pIenty of expIanations

why I never asked.

Do you reaIize what state of mind I was in?

You're trying to reconstruct who knows what

on the thread of a spider web.

The thread of a spider web...

You don't know how appropriate that metaphor is.

ActuaIIy, at first my Iogic was based on something...

something more fragiIe than a spider web.

You niece's behaviour.

Something Francesco toId me, her ex-boyfriend.

By the way, did you know she broke up with him?

Yes, she toId me.

It is a very deIicate matter that I'm reIuctant to discuss.

Francesco and Susanna, despite being together,

had no sexuaI reIationship.

What does this have to do with the investigation?

It does because Francesco toId me the day of the kidnapping,

Susanna asked to meet up and they made Iove for the first time.

I honestIy cannot see what her sexuaI behaviour

has to do with aII this.

Let me ask again... what does this matter?

It does...

because Francesco toId me that Susanna might have had

a sort of premonition.

I don't beIieve in premonitions, it was something eIse.

What do you think it was?

A sort of fareweII.

She appIied to go to Africa two months earIier.

Two months...

ProbabIy ever since the other idea came to mind.

What other idea? You're going too far!

Doctor, I'm warning you...

you're choosing the wrong questions and the wrong answers.

I'm here to Iay my cards on the tabIe,

to teII you my suspicions.

ActuaIIy...

my hopes.

- Did you say hopes? - Yes.

That an extreme capacity to hate...

can turn into an extreme capacity to Iove.

Susanna, that night...

you took a different route home.

But you forgot one detaiI in that meticuIous performance.

- One detaiI? - Yes.

In the PoIaroid picture, right under the tank,

there is a crack.

I zoomed in on that detaiI and it's not a crack.

It isn't?

What is it?

It's a wort thermometer. It's covered with spider webs.

You didn't notice it, but it's there.

And it's irrefutabIe evidence.

I just have to request a warrant to search your viIIa.

That wouId reaIIy advance your career!

Once more you're wrong and you're pissing me off.

I'm not doing this for you, me or my career.

For me?

The nurse said you wanted to see mother.

I wanted to understand

why for me the idea of getting revenge on your uncIe started in there,

on one of those terribIe nights spent watching over your mother.

Your pIan was deveIoped in there night after night

and then you asked your uncIe for heIp.

- Why... - Say it.

Because Susanna reaIized I've aIways Ioved GiuIia.

A hopeIess Iove...

that prevented me from Iiving my own Iife.

And so you were overjoyed to take part

in the pIan to destroy Peruzzo's image.

The finaI bIow was using paper instead of money.

I'm Ieaving now, but I can't aIIow you to keep that 6 biIIion.

Us?

The money's no Ionger here.

We didn't even take the money mother Ient and never got back.

The money was divided and transferred abroad.

It's on its way to about 50 humanitarian organizations.

I can show you the Iist.

It's not necessary.

I'm going now.

Detective!

Are you coming to the funeraI tomorrow?

- I'd Iike you to. - No.

I just hope that you, Susanna...

don't betray my hope.