Kommissar Rex (Inspector Rex) (1994) s01e12 Episode Script

INSPECTOR REX BRlNG ME THE HEAD OF BEETHOVEN Look! It's better preserved than I thought.
Then he should pay more.
Don't worry.
The price just doubled.
- When will I get my money? - When I've got mine.
It's a miracle it's still in one piece after all this time.
- Pack it up, but be careful.
- Sure.
Give me a fag.
- Got a light? - Yes.
- 200,000! You hear? - That's crazy.
Excuse me.
Yes? - You spoke to the stonemason.
- So? I had the impression he was giving you trouble.
If he was, it's my business.
You're right.
I didn't mean to bother you.
I'm sorry.
That was very rude of me.
I've often seen you here.
Are you visiting a grave? Several But I'm mostly interested in Beethoven.
I've got the skull.
It's better preserved than we expected.
That's why I want twice as much for it.
If you don't want to pay I can offer it to someone else.
I know who.
Good.
We'll meet as agreed.
Tonight in the cemetery.
Rest in peace The weather today isn't very sunny Rex! Can't you play in the hall? Where are you, Rex? Leave the trophies alone! Got a bad conscience? Come here.
No, Rex.
Don't.
Not now.
I have to get up.
Why are you on the bed? Get off the bed.
You rascal.
Are you challenging me? You don't stand a chance.
Very slowly Second chance.
I'll make a police dog out of you yet.
I'll shower.
You tidy up.
Rex! Rex, the phone! - Moser.
- Where are you? - At home.
- Do you know what time it is? - Why? - Nothing.
Come to the Central Cemetery, Gate 2.
H"llerer and I are on our way.
Stay, Rex.
- Good morning all.
- Hi, Richard.
I've never seen the like.
They found a corpse in the coffin.
- Since when is that illegal? - Look for yourself.
- Who found the corpse? - I noticed the coffin wasn't shut.
Then we saw the blood.
My colleague said we should check it out.
- When was the burial? - It was yesterday's last.
If we'd closed the grave today, Nemec would have disappeared.
The dead man was a stonemason who worked nearby.
He must have been engraving the name when the murderer attacked him.
- Cause of death? - Severe head injury.
Presumably from a blunt object.
- So he was struck.
- Yes.
- The forensic unit? - On its way.
Get them to take everything.
He must have left footprints.
Pretty ingenious, trying to hide a body here.
Gentlemen, gather round.
Let's stay quiet for now.
Not a word to the press.
The culprit should think the crime's not yet discovered.
- Got the address of Nemec? - Yes.
Keys, papers, the lot.
- We can go there.
It's not far.
- Let's go.
Hold on.
- Sorry to interrupt.
- I don't want to talk to you.
Oh.
I'm sorry, but My name is Moser.
I'm from the police.
I saw you at the other grave.
- Has something happened? - No.
We're investigating a case involving a stonemason.
Nemec? - Do you know him? - He's always sneaking around.
Like a grave robber.
A real creep.
How do you know he robs graves? I saw him take away lanterns and statues.
That's all I want to say about it.
In case you change your mind Ring me.
You can get me night or day.
You don't look like a policeman.
Is that a compliment? Don't talk about this.
I don't want anyone warned.
All this effort for a grave robber? No problem.
I don't talk much lately, anyway.
One more question.
If you come here often you must notice changes.
For example, people who don't seem to belong No.
The only person here I've talked to lately is Nemec.
Goodbye, Mr Moser.
Any developments? A woman thinks the guy may have robbed graves.
That might have been a motive.
Keep an eye on her, H"llerer.
Don't let me starve like last time.
Goodbye, gentlemen.
Have fun.
Did Nemec have any family? He's the only one registered at his address.
So let's go.
- Another "never again" house.
- Meaning it'll never get fixed? No.
I grew up in one of these.
When I finally got to move out I said to myself "Never again".
So this will bring back childhood memories.
Thank you.
Nice place.
What are we supposed to find? Maybe an idea of who'd kill a stonemason while he worked.
I doubt we'll find much.
It looks like he was pretty poor.
I'm not so sure.
Judging from his ring - What ring? - Didn't you see the diamond? A stonemason can earn good money.
As much as is in his account? We should be stonemasons! But then why live in this dump? Maybe because he's left alone here.
What is it? Did you find something, Rex? Let's have a look.
Hold on.
Stocki! Can you give me Bravo, Rex! Bravo! Well done.
- It's easy if you have a dog.
- Well done.
Have a look at this.
All antique pieces.
- I know where they're from.
- From graves, that's for sure.
That's why Rex sniffed it out.
He used to find buried bodies.
Nemec obviously had a few sidelines.
He had access to the graves and the necessary tools.
Have a look at these.
Beethoven's grave.
So? A guy who robs graves photographs Beethoven's grave? What's to steal there? See for yourself.
This is the best evidence it's authentic.
The two skull shapes are quite identical.
I expected nothing less.
After all, I ordered it.
Yes it's true I offered the head to you previously, but there are several interested parties now.
What does that mean? You deliver, I pay.
In the meantime the price has gone up.
Kronhauser, don't deal with me in such a cheap way.
I have an offer of 400,000 dollars.
That's double what we agreed.
There's only one such head in the world.
Unique objects have their price.
Very well.
I'll speak to my client.
He's asking double for it.
Apparently he has other offers.
Yes, the head is in perfect condition.
It doesn't make sense to hang around negotiating.
Okay.
You're in luck.
My client agrees to the higher price.
Don't ever do this to me again.
May I congratulate you.
Beethoven's head is yours.
Anything missing? Yes - The head.
- Beethoven's head is missing? Stockinger! Have the area searched.
They would have needed tools.
They? It would take at least two people plus tools.
Maybe that's why Nemec was killed.
Beethoven's head is gone.
Mr Moser - Ask my colleague back there.
- Thank you.
Come on, Rex.
Haydn's head too used to keep disappearing and re-appearing.
It's chaos with all this stuff about "irrecoverable cultural treasure".
I know.
The politicians bring that up when they need publicity.
Any clues? Maybe the stonemason in that coffin was involved.
Impossible.
He was too little to be able to sell Beethoven's head.
Exactly.
If anything, he was hired.
It gets difficult now.
There are many possibilities.
Dealers, fetishists, collectors Where would you go to sell such a thing? Anywhere except Austria.
People here have too much respect for death and the dead.
In your day, but now I agree they'll try flogging it abroad.
If the head surfaces in America or in Japan, it'll get difficult.
Maybe you can get an official trip to Tokyo out of it.
What would I do with the dog? I'm looking not just for a head, but a murderer.
If you're lucky you'll find the murderer and the head at the same time.
That is if both are still in Austria.
Check! - Richard, where are you going? - I'm off.
- lmpossible.
- Dr Graf is working late for me.
Always the same old story.
Every time you lose, you go.
Richard.
We'll continue tomorrow at the same time.
I promise.
Hi, Leo.
It's even spookier in here at night.
Aren't you afraid some corpse will suddenly grab you from under a sheet? Corpses don't hurt you.
Only the living can harm you.
You were right, by the way.
The same traces occur on Nemec as on Beethoven's grave and more importantly, on his tools too.
Cause of death? Someone bashed his head in with his own tool.
There are no fingerprints except his own.
Possibly a crime of passion? What about this Beethoven story? I don't often get such prominent patients.
There's a precedent.
Someone wanted to buy his head shortly after his burial.
The gravedigger alerted the police at once.
Just think, a lock of Beethoven's hair once fetched 300,000 schillings.
So the head can easily find a buyer too.
How would the skull look now? Well I can show you what it looked like in 1 863.
At that time the head was still quite well preserved.
Parts may be missing today but given the state of the bones it's quite possible the skull is still fully intact.
Any marks I could recognise? The skull cap and temporal bones are missing, as you know.
- Why should I know? - They were cut out.
To investigate his deafness.
- Oh.
- Yes.
Precisely.
Something else.
A human skull cap is normally Beethoven's was 1 3 millimetres! That's why I think the skull must be in quite good condition.
We'll tell the media the skull is probably decayed.
Why? The buyer will be angry and may make an error that helps us.
Yes? Your breakfast.
I'll need a car in 20 minutes to go to the station.
- Could you arrange that? - Certainly.
- Wonderful.
- Thank you.
Beethoven's skull has disappeared Kronhauser? This is Strasser.
- Have you read the papers yet? - It's the best proof It says here the coroner Dr Graf maintains that judging from the bones the head is most likely decayed.
That's only an assumption.
- It's probably a trick.
- I don't care.
I want my money back.
Or you'll have the same address as Mr Beethoven.
Shit.
Sold - Is Number 71 okay now? - Yes, delivery is on the 26th.
Thank you.
What are you doing here? I saw the police at the cemetery.
- Do you know what happened? - Why should I tell you? Scusi I didn't introduce myself.
My name is Bruni.
Franco Bruni.
I'm from Milan.
- What is it you want? - I'm interested in Beethoven.
The papers are full of that.
I think that stonemason was involved.
Do you know anything more? Oh unfortunately nothing.
- These are for you.
- Thank you.
They're lovely.
It's the first time you've smiled.
I'll get a vase.
From the Apassionata.
He was very much in love when he composed that.
You're well informed.
- This is a splendid instrument.
- Yes.
You didn't come here to play Beethoven.
No.
- I'm looking for his head.
- What? I thought you could help me.
Why me? You said yourself the stonemason could be involved.
- Do you know where he lives? - Of course not.
I don't want anything to do with it.
Just think of Beethoven's head in the wrong hands.
I think you should leave.
Very well I'll tell you the truth.
I've fallen in love with you.
From that day in the cemetery.
- l - Leave now.
Please.
This is wrong.
Can I help you? Yes.
I'm looking for Mr Nemec.
Nemec? He quit.
He quit? Why? I got a call to forward his papers and remaining pay.
- What do you want from him? - To buy some antique jewellery.
Sorry, I know nothing about that.
Goodbye.
Just a minute.
Homicide.
Why didn't you say so? I know nothing about it.
- Why don't you ask Nemec? - He's not very talkative.
If you don't talk I'll assume you're involved too.
Why me? Your boss said you two were often together For a beer or several.
Nemec would drink with anyone.
But lately it was mostly with you.
You bragged how you'd spend all that money.
Who said that? Almost every barman around here.
Where were you two days ago at 5 p.
m.
? They got Beethoven's head the night before.
Yes, but Nemec's head was smashed in two days ago.
What? Nemec was murdered? I can arrest you for murder or for grave robbing.
Which do you prefer? Okay, Nemec and I opened the grave but I didn't kill him.
- Go on.
- That's all I know.
That's too bad.
I'd just got used to the idea you didn't kill him.
I only know that lately Nemec was doing business with a guy called Kronhauser.
He's an antique dealer in the First District.
Open Closed How stupid do you think I am? But Mr Strasser, it's a misunderstanding.
Really? A misunderstanding? Look at the papers.
The coroner says the skull is decayed.
You forget this photo was taken over 1 00 years ago.
It looks different today.
Yes, pulverised.
Yours is almost intact.
The coroner is just speculating.
In reality the head is very well preserved.
I want my money back.
You've got till 6 this evening.
If not - Good day.
May I help you? - I'm looking for a specific item.
You'll need to tell me what it is.
- Furniture, ornaments - Neither.
I would like Beethoven's head.
Have a look around while we're there.
But don't be too obvious.
Come on, Rex.
That was the cop at the cemetery.
- Oh? - What did Kronhauser say? - He doesn't have it.
- So what will we do now? We'll wait.
I think I know why you're here.
No doubt it's because some antiques have been stolen.
But I haven't received anything suspicious lately.
That's not why I'm here.
By the way - You don't mind my dog? - Not at all.
- If he doesn't break anything.
- He never has yet.
Go on, Rex.
Look around.
But don't buy anything expensive.
If it's not about a burglary, what is it about? Well, it's about Beethoven's head.
Oh, yes, of course.
I read about it in the papers.
Now you have to do the rounds of the antique dealers to see if it was offered to one of them.
Well, I haven't got it.
- Do you know a Franz Nemec? - From the cemetery? I and many of my colleagues do.
He traded with a few dealers.
- Antique jewellery? - Yes.
Also grave lanterns, statuettes and the like.
He offers me things too from time to time.
Did you ever ask him where they came from? The law calls it "dubious acquisition".
Now I know what you're getting at.
If I were to ask everyone that, I'd have to close down.
However, I always ask would-be sellers to confirm ownership of the piece, in order to cover myself.
When did you last see Nemec? Well some two or three weeks ago.
Now I understand.
You think he has something to do with Beethoven's head? Let's put it this way.
You think that I think so.
You're asking that to find out if he does.
Not at all, but he might have.
Where were you two days ago at 5 p.
m.
? Here, of course.
I had to be, as my employee had the day off.
Why? A routine question.
Well, Rex? My dog is reminding me we still have some calls to make.
Should I hear anything, I'll get in touch.
I will too.
Rex.
Tell me how is business? I can't complain.
Antiques are always in demand.
Are they? Then why do you owe back tax and write bad cheques? Goodbye, Mr Kronhauser.
Rex, wait.
Show me what you found.
This? Okay, if you think it's important, we'll keep it.
Happy now? How long have they been there? Almost four hours.
Listen, I'm hungry.
Can you get me something? - Who's the guy? - Her lover, I think.
In any case, they kissed.
Did you check the licence plate? It's ltalian.
They're checking it out.
Listen, could you please get me something to eat? Sure, H"llerer.
Two ham rolls are on their way.
Take this to H"llerer.
Go on.
To H"llerer! Thanks, Rex.
Thanks, Richard.
- There's only one roll.
- What? Tell Stockinger to see Kronhauser and to ring me if need be.
Okay.
Do you know what happened to the roll? This Nemec didn't exactly have many friends.
What is it? What do you want to show me? This isn't a playground.
What have you got? Peppermint.
You sniffed that the last time.
At the antique dealer's too.
You're the best, Rex.
I'll get you whatever you want.
Listen, Richard.
Kronhauser's left town.
He has a warehouse near the cemetery.
I already knew that.
Rex! Listen The headstone dealer said Nemec wanted to blackmail Kronhauser.
- Very good, Stocki.
- H"llerer lost the two men.
He got stuck in traffic and they were gone.
What? What? I don't believe this! I have to do everything myself while you stuff yourselves.
Let's meet at Kornhauser's warehouse.
Hot sausages My God - Let's go! - Hold on.
Let's look for Beethoven's head.
Franco, please! Just look at this They were in it big time.
I'm almost sure he's hidden the head here.
And how do you know it's the right head? I just know.
- Come on! - You'll carry a skull up the road? Angelika, please! No one will see us.
- What is it? - Come on! Stay there.
- What do you want from us? - What you just took.
Do you know him? Give me the head.
Come on! What's going on? I don't know for sure.
Obviously someone else is after the head.
This guy probably killed the antique dealer.
What have you got to do with it? I already told you.
That you're writing a book on Beethoven? - So what's with the head? - I want to return it.
The stonemason told me to see that dealer.
You spoke with Nemec? When? It's best you come out and give me the head, Mr Bruni.
You know me? Of course.
I too have been studying Beethoven.
You're a known expert in the field.
Come on out, Mr Bruni.
- This gun wasn't fired.
- The other guy was faster.
But this looks like an execution.
Look back there at the collection of bones and burial objects.
Maybe the skull is there too.
- Unlikely, or he'd still be alive.
- So, we didn't need a warrant.
Hold on, I'll be right back.
- Give me the head.
- Okay But let her go.
You stay here.
Let her go! Not before I'm out of here.
- Stay back! - Hands up! Police! Don't make any false moves.
You don't stand a chance.
Let her go.
Put down your gun.
Please! Okay.
Calm down.
Come over here.
Very sensible.
Now put down your gun and slide it over here with your foot.
Rex! - Get that mongrel off! - Down, Rex! Drop your gun! Take cover! Stay where you are! Or I drop the head.
My job is to get killers, not save cultural heritage.
You know the trouble the theft has caused.
Do you want Beethoven's head destroyed? If I can prevent you from saving yours then, yes.
Okay Then no one will have it! Rex! Well done, Rex! Bring it here.
Shall we? Stocki! Careful, it's cultural heritage.
Mr Moser! Yes? We want to thank you.
You should thank him.
Well, Rex?