Maigret (1992) s02e02 Episode Script

Night-night, Prosper.
Is it raining? (GROANS) Morning, Zebio.
Where is my coffee? I haven't got time.
Not today.
Help yourself.
That's nice.
Morning, Prosper.
Jean.
Ramuel spent the night here again.
Fourth night running.
Why? Wouldn't she let him back? I don't know.
Have you met her? Maybe he doesn't want to go back.
Aren't you in a hurry? No.
I thought Madame Colleboeuf always had your breakfast on the table font color="white She has every meal ready on the table waiting, Prosper.
(CLATTERING) He says he went into the cloakroom to get a handkerchief from The body was in the locker? No.
Not his locker.
That was locked.
Why weren't all the lockers locked? Most of them were, those used by the staff, anyway.
There were three or four spare.
The body had been shoved into one of them.
So why did he stop and look into a locker that was not his own? He says the locker door was open and saw it straightaway.
Then he ran back into the kitchen.
He could hardly speak.
He was in such a state.
I've talked to some of the staff already.
Where is he now? Back in the kitchen working.
He wouldn't go home.
Chief Inspector! That's the manager.
You don't say.
It is Chief Inspector Maigret, isn't it? I've been waiting for you up in the foyer.
How you got directed down here I can't imagine.
Sergeant Lucas brought me down here.
Of course.
Well So you could dive straight in and get the feel of the place.
Marvellous.
Marvellous.
Her name is Mrs Clark.
She is the wife of Oswald J Clark.
An industrialist from Detroit.
They've been staying here just over a week.
Anyone else staying with them? Just their son.
But he is seven.
And his governess.
And their maid.
I needn't tell you the less publicity the better.
No, you needn't tell me.
Hello, Doctor.
What time was she killed? Early this morning, but not before six.
Thanks.
What's a young lady like that doing in a place like this? It's perfectly clean.
Especially at six o'clock in the morning.
Found this in the locker, Chief.
Ah.
Careful.
It's loaded.
You can't just barge in, mademoiselle.
Don't mademoiselle me.
It's my boss' wife.
Someone told me she's dead.
Is this Mrs Clark? Yes.
And you are? Ellen Darrowman.
I'm Teddy's governess.
Teddy is her son.
I thought governesses were meant to be much older and more severe.
You've seen too many American movies, Sergeant.
Chief Inspector.
Chief Inspector Maigret.
Can you tell me where Mr Clark is? In Rome.
Rome? He left by train yesterday morning.
He is in Europe on business.
He left about eleven o'clock.
Get someone to the Gare de Lyon.
See which train he left on.
I want to talk to you, mademoiselle.
You've been talking to me, Chief Inspector.
I'm busy.
I've got a little boy to look after.
Frankly, my only worry at the moment is how we're gonna tell him what font color="lim I want her followed, Lucas.
Get Janvier onto it.
Who apart from Jean Ramuel slept in the basement last night? Zebio.
Do you have a cigar, Sergeant? Sorry.
No.
Zebio who? Just Zebio.
It's his stage name.
He is a professional dancing partner.
He likes the women to think he comes from some mysterious Eastern c Really, he's from Dieppe.
Sounds like a good job.
Dancing for a living.
Get a lot of women after him, does he? He's not like that.
He's devoted to his wife.
Why did he stay the night in the hotel, then? From devotion? There was a big dance.
It went on until half past three.
No other staff down here, at all? No.
Well, put it this way, I noticed someone who wasn't here.
Oh? Who was that, M Colleboeuf? The American governess.
She didn't sleep in the hotel at all last night.
What's the matter, Mr Ramuel? Are you ill? Yes, yes.
It's my liver.
Oh, dear.
Are you married? In a way.
What's an "in a way" marriage? I've never heard of that before.
Would you recommend it? No.
Not at all.
We row all the time.
That's all I mean.
Would you agree? Perhaps.
Where did you work before you came here? I was an accountant in a bank.
Oh? Where? The Etume Bank on Rue Court Martin.
Why? I was just admiring your amazing financial skills.
I hope you're going to ask everyone else all these questions.
Certainly.
You're in no way privileged, M Ramuel.
Not at all.
You're sure it was Mr Clark? I picked him up at eleven.
And took him to the Hotel Eglantier.
Rue de Montparnasse.
Not to the Gare de Lyon? No.
The Hotel Eglantier.
Thanks so much.
Janvier! Don't forget these, Chief Inspector.
Mrs Clark's registration form.
Her passport and her identity papers.
If there is anything else that I can do for you - Thank you so much.
Don't worry.
I'll do my best to keep your hotel out of the newspapers.
I'll take particular care to make sure people don't get the impression that this is a place where wealthy men and women come to get murdered and shoved into lockers before they've had their breakfast.
You haven't lost her? No.
I got Lapointe to take over.
Don't worry.
She was in and out of taxis, up and down the Metro, doubling back o Perhaps she realised she was being followed.
Perhaps she did.
Anyway, she ended up at the Gare de Lyon.
And did she meet up with a tall, fair-haired, well-dressed American? Well, she didn't exactly meet up with him.
She went out and found him.
He was already on the train for Rome.
He was about to leave.
In ten minutes.
But he got off.
And they just stood there, on the platform, arguing.
I thought he would get back on, but he didn't.
He just stood there and watched the train leave without him.
Where did they go? The American Embassy.
That's when I phoned Lapointe and asked him to take over.
Can I give you a lift? I hear you have a puncture.
Oh, yes.
Look at that.
Oh, no.
Really, I'm fine.
No trouble.
Janvier will put your bicycle in the boot.
Won't you? That's odd.
Pardon? Mrs Clark wasn't really an American, after all.
Wasn't she? No, she was French.
Emilienne.
Known as Mimi.
She was a nightclub hostess in Cannes, before she married Mr Clark, that was.
Oh? Tell me, what did you do before you came to the Hotel Majestic, I was a waiter.
For a while.
Then they said I didn't look right.
I looked awkward.
So they put me in the breakfast kitchen.
How long ago was this? Oh, years and years.
I forget, exactly.
And where was it? In the south.
It's like musical chairs, really.
When I get back, he goes out.
When he gets back, it's almost time for me to go.
The perfect recipe for a married life.
We're not married.
Good heavens! We're more like friends than anything else.
Aren't we, dear? But we get on very well.
On the whole.
He's a very good man, aren't you, Prosper? What do you do in the evenings, mademoiselle? I work at the Canaille on the Rue Fontaine.
In the cloakroom.
I didn't always work in the cloakroom.
I was a dancer once.
I was very good, too.
Where was that? On the Riviera.
In Cannes.
That's where we met.
Were you ever a nightclub hostess? Yes.
When I started putting on a bit of weight - Do you know someone called Emilienne? Also known as Mimi? She was found this morning.
Strangled in the hotel basement.
Did you ever know anyone called Mimi, Prosper? No.
Never.
When they came out of the American Embassy, they looked really worried.
They got a taxi and went to the Bois de Boulogne.
'What then?' They went for a walk.
'How romantic.
' Yes, it was, actually.
They kept stopping and You know.
No.
Yes, you do! They kept kissing and touching each other a lot.
Well, I've read about it.
'Then they came to Montparnasse, which is where I am now.
' Got to go.
I've got a job for you, Lucas, an important one.
If I could have a moment, Chief Inspector? He's been wanting to have a moment for hours.
I thought he'd gone.
Don't go away.
I had a call from the American Embassy, Maigret, about a Mr Oswald Clark.
They tell me he is a man of considerable standing with important connections.
He is preparing a statement through his lawyer, which I should have in the morning.
We must remember this is a very difficult time for him.
It usually is when your wife has just been murdered.
Particularly so, in this case.
He was hoping to get engaged to his son's governess, shortly.
Engaged? He isn't even divorced.
I'm afraid we're dealing with a man of the world here.
You're not telling me to abandon the case? Oh, no, no, no.
Certainly not.
But I do think we might work together on this one.
In harmony, as it were.
So, if you look after the people in the basement, the maids and so I'll see to Mr Clark.
All right? Fine.
Where are you taking Madame Maigret tonight? La Boheme? # JAZZ Strictly speaking, I shouldn't be showing it to you.
But it baffles me.
Why does the wife of a rich, respectable American walk around with an automatic pistol in her handbag? In Chicago, perhaps.
But Paris? I don't know.
Was it to meet someone she thought was dangerous? Perhaps when she was in Cannes, before you and Prosper knew her, perhaps she led a life that was, well very different from the respectable world of Mr and Mrs Clark.
A life that maybe led someone to try and blackmail her.
I'm sorry.
I can't help you.
What about the time of the night train to Cannes? Can you help m No? Well, thank you for your patience, mademoiselle.
Operator.
I'd like to make a long-distance call, please.
Bar Le Sport.
Cannes.
You know exactly why I am talking about Monsieur Jean.
I've travelled almost a thousand kilometres to be here.
I'm in a foul mood.
Charlotte rang you last night from the Canaille in Paris and told you not to talk to anyone.
And to make sure Gigi didn't, either.
If you don't tell me where Gigi is, I'll have this filthy rotten dump closed down in seconds.
OK.
OK.
Benny! (GIGGLES) What do you want, hm? Are you going to take your clothes off? Not today, Gigi.
Have I seen you before? No.
What are you here for? I'm the person Monsieur Jean told you not to talk to.
And I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he gave you a nice little pile of white powder .
.
to help you to do so.
But I'm a friend of Prosper and I want to help him.
So I'd appreciate it if you'd make an especially big effort.
Good old Prosper.
You were fond of him? He wasn't like other people.
Poor Prosper.
He should never have fallen for a bitch like Mimi.
Can I have some more water? There were three of you, weren't there? You and Mimi and Charlotte.
She loved Prosper.
All he could think about was Mimi.
Will you tell me about the baby? It was Prosper's, wasn't it? She palmed it off on the American.
She got pregnant before she met him.
I remember.
You're the bloody police.
I'm on Prosper's side.
I want to help him.
If you're on his side, why did you arrest him? No-one has been arrested.
Charlotte phoned this morning.
They arrested him when they found the other body! Take your hands! Gigi, I'd like a word.
Haven't you done enough already? I suppose you feel pleased with yourself.
I suppose you feel really proud of yourself, taking advantage of the mess I was in.
Gigi - If he goes to the guillotine, I'll kill you.
On my honour, I will.
On my honour as a prostitute! Hear that, did you? I hope you did.
Gigi, don't talk like that.
Why not? What have I got to lose? Come on.
Arrest me! I don't care.
Come on, then.
God, another one! I'm going to Charlotte's.
She needs looking after.
If you want to arrest me there, suit yourself! Don't ask.
So who found the night porter? A bellboy.
About seven, yesterday morning.
He was strangled and stuffed in the same locker as Mimi.
Why arrest Prosper Donge? What has he got on him? He was sent an anonymous letter.
It said Mimi was Donge's mistress, she had a child by him and he was blackmailing her.
I have to talk him.
You need some sleep.
Give me half an hour, then I'll talk to him.
Sit down, Prosper.
We won't be needing these.
There.
Help yourself.
When did you first realise Mimi's baby was yours, Prosper? So, you think I killed Mimi, too, do you? You're on the Judge's side, too.
Not necessarily.
We have been known to differ.
He said all I was after was her money, that I was blackmailing her.
Were you? No.
I loved Mimi.
When she married the American, I couldn't bear it in Cannes.
font color="yellow" Charlotte came to look after me.
(TAP DRIPS) Do you love Charlotte? Recently, I've begun to think perhaps I do.
I don't get ill over her all the time, but well she's always there.
It doesn't sound very romantic, does it? Sounds fair enough to me.
She wanted a baby, you know.
Ages ago.
We tried, but I suppose that's why she told me about Teddy.
Your son? She was angry that Mimi always got what she wanted.
That's why I wrote to her in America.
I wrote from the hotel so Charlotte wouldn't know.
I begged her to give him back to me.
Did you seriously believe that she would? Why not? She could have more babies.
I kept thinking .
.
how he was growing up without me.
What I was missing.
She never even sent me a picture.
In the end I wrote and told her I was going to come and tell her husband the truth.
Did she answer? No.
That's when I threatened her.
With what? A threat to kill her.
I wouldn't have done it.
Who do you think I am? How did you find out they were both here? I just saw her.
In the lobby.
She was standing there, hand in hand, with this little boy.
He's got red hair, just like me.
He's a big boy for his age and hehe's I found out what room they were in.
Room 203.
Do you know, they had been living there, over my head, for a week? Without me even knowing.
I'd been sending them hot chocolate every morning for breakfast.
For a week! I wrote her a letter in my afternoon break.
I got a bellboy to take it up.
I told her to come and see me at six o'clock on Wednesday.
If she didn't What happened when you met? I had a flat tyre.
I didn't get there till quarter past six.
She wasn't there.
We never did meet.
(DOOR OPENS) Have you seen his hands, Chief Inspector? A strangler's hands.
Don't you agree? The anonymous letter.
I thought you'd like to see it.
What does it say? Prosper Donge murdered Mrs Oswald Clark.
She was once his mistress and he threatened to kill her when she It condemns you to the guillotine, Monsieur Donge.
It doesn't tell me anything I didn't know already.
But we did obtain it without having to go all the way to the south of font color="cyan And this is something which you didn't discover.
The identity of the letter writer.
Compare the handwriting.
That's Charlotte's.
Exactly.
We took it from Monsieur Donge's kitchen.
You see, Chief Inspector? Even his mistress confirms that he murdered Mrs Clark.
It's your writing.
It's a trap, don't you see? I know it's my writing, but I didn't write it.
I swear I didn't.
Does anyone apart from you two know about Prosper and Mimi's affair? Especially the child.
No.
No, I don't think so.
When did you find out who the father was? Was it before or after she married Mr Clark? Don't say anything.
Don't tell him a word.
Gigi got a letter from Mimi just after the wedding.
She told her everything.
How it was Prosper's baby, really, and that her stupid American di Show it to him, Gigi.
You have it with you? No.
No, of course I haven't.
Yes, you have.
Don't be stupid, Gigi.
Please.
Please.
(WHISPERS) All right.
All right, but don't say I didn't warn you.
It's glass, mademoiselle.
Be careful.
You see? That's the sort of woman Mimi was.
She thought she was so funny and clever.
# YOU'RE THE TOP Zebio, I had a word with him yesterday when you were away.
He swears he's never been to Cannes or anywhere near the Riviera.
Do you believe him? Hard to tell.
He's charming, used to getting his own way.
Well, look at him.
Perhaps he knew Mrs Clark, maybe even got to know her here.
What he is employed for, after all.
Then wanted money from her and turned nasty.
So that's Mr Clark.
# SOME DAY I'LL FIND YOU (KNOCKS AT DOOR) Come in.
Yes? Who are you? I've come to see Mr Clark.
He isn't here.
He's probably downstairs.
So you must be Teddy.
Well, thank you, madame.
Right.
Bye-bye, Teddy.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) Oh, mademoiselle.
Yes, he's fine.
I want an explanation.
I beg your pardon? Get on your feet.
I've had enough of this.
How can I help? I am an American citizen.
I will not be snooped on like this.
First, you follow Ellen and me and then you burst into my hotel room.
Let me make myself perfectly clear, Monsieur.
First, I didn't follow anyone.
Second, far from "bursting in", I knocked politely on your door and only entered when your maid said those magic words, "Come in.
" Is that clear enough for you? (GUESTS GASP) Oi! I have to tell you, sir, you're under arrest for assaulting a police officer.
He says he went up to my hotel suite to see me.
A lie.
So, why did he go up, Mr Clark? I don't know, but he was out of that tearoom the second he saw me.
Not true.
Why didn't you come up to me? I haven't had the honour of meeting you, Mr Clark.
If you recall, when your wife died, you were away in Rome.
Or not in Rome.
I'm sure we can sort all this out.
So am I.
Through my lawyer.
What is that? What the hell is it? Mr Clark, please.
This is my wife's writing.
Maigret? I was going to show that to you, sir.
But Mr Clark seems to have appropriated it.
Thisum I have to say this does seem to put things in a different perspective.
Damn.
I should like to consult my lawyer about this.
Yes, I I should like my lawyer to see this.
Of course.
Erm Perhaps I could see it, myself.
I think you'll find it confirms - What I've known for years, that my wife was a complete bitch.
It also makes clear that the suspected murderer, Prosper Donge, is, in actual fact, my son's father.
Well done, Inspector.
You've done a great job.
Where do we go from here? What am I going to get for hitting you? I don't recall you hitting me, Mr Clark.
I have no recollection of that, whatsoever.
I can only think of the boy I saw.
Prosper Donge's son.
The son of a murderer, Maigret.
The son of a man accused of murder and now in prison.
Even if he did murder Mrs Clark, whatever he has done, the boy is still his son.
You can't take that away from him.
It's all he's got left.
A nice picture of you on page 2.
Oh.
That's years old.
That's what's nice about it.
When I read that he'd been arrested, I came straight to see you.
Thank you, Monsieur Jolivet.
How can you help us? I've been responsible for M Donge's bank account for six years.
Ever since he moved it from our Cannes branch.
It was a very modest account.
Well, until three years ago, when he started getting the cheques fr America? Some rich relation, I assume.
This was just after he moved house.
Where did he move to? I've got it here.
I've brought all the relevant details.
It's a central Paris address.
117B, Rue de Lille.
But Monsieur Donge lives out in the suburbs, Monsieur Jolivet.
No, no.
He used to.
Until three years ago.
I'll get onto it.
How often does he get these cheques? About once every three months.
I've brought a full list of the transactions.
It comes to over six hundred thousand francs.
But he never touched any of it.
Until the day before yesterday.
payable to the bearer at a Brussels bank.
It was his handwriting? Oh, yes.
It's just the same as it was six years ago, look.
Did you pay the cheque? I sent it to Rue de Lille, as usual.
You see, it was only when I read today's paper - That you realised he was already under arrest when he wrote it.
It's not apartments, Chief, it's offices.
One-room offices.
Half the people that rent them never even come here.
They just use the address to have their mail forwarded.
Donge got a letter this morning.
No.
No, the concierge already sent it on.
28, Rue de Monceau.
Taxi! Taxi! Come here! Wait! Wait! Look at her.
See what your bloody boss has done to her.
Is it true? He says Prosper has admitted everything.
No.
Look, get in the car.
Where are we going? Get in.
Is Prosper still putting all his savings in the bank? Savings? He doesn't even have an account.
Get in.
He closed it ages ago.
Why? How long ago, exactly? I don't know.
About three years, I suppose.
Why? I got these from the concierge at the Rue de Lille.
Prosper kept him well supplied.
He insisted on all his mail being forwarded in them.
JMD.
I've spoken to the old man in here.
Well, I've tried.
You two, stay here.
Who is JMD? This morning, you received a letter in an envelope like this.
Where is it? It's not here.
I've checked.
So somebody has already been in to collect it.
Have they? Have they? So you're not interested in the reward, then? Do you keep a register? A what? Do you think they'd come here, if they had to give their n You'll be asking for their identity papers next.
Do you recognise this man? Come in.
Do you recognise this woman? How about her? No.
I don't recognise her.
I don't recognise any of you.
Except you, of course.
I saw your picture in the paper today.
I hardly recognised you.
You look twice as old in the flesh.
Oi! Leave him.
Back again? It must be because I like it here.
I feel at home.
Oh? I thought it was because they wouldn't let you up there again.
Not after the fuss you caused yesterday.
Zebio was telling me.
Who is that? Reyjean.
He is Prosper's replacement.
What's he doing? He's having his break.
It's always slack this time of the afternoon.
Monsieur Ramuel.
Hm? When you were doing your military service, what were you? A quartermaster sergeant.
Why? Richard, do you know where my Sergeant Lucas is? Hello, Chief.
The chips are good.
Good heavens! Monsieur Ramuel.
What a coincidence! You must be Madame Ramuel, I assume.
Oh, steak and chips.
Another bottle of Burgundy.
Thank you.
This is Chief Inspector Maigret.
Really? Delighted to meet you.
It's a funny thing meeting you here, it really is.
I was just thinking how unlucky some people are.
I certainly was, marrying him.
Well, possibly.
No, I was thinking of your husband.
Bad health.
Working with a crooked banker.
Getting thrown out.
Desperate to make his fortune.
Never quite managing it.
And then, well, today, I was very surprised when my dear Sergeant Lucas here didn't ring me to tell me you had already left for Brussels.
I certainly would have done in your position.
I wouldn't have wasted a second.
What's he going to Brussels for? What are you going to Brussels for? Another woman, is it? Oh, no, no.
Nothing like that.
Good lord, no.
No, he was going to deposit six hundred thousand francs in a bank account there, that's all.
What six hundred thousand? You mean, you've got six hundred thousand francs? No, of course I haven't.
And you won't even let me buy a new pair of shoes.
I can explain.
Oh, dear.
I haven't started a family row, have I? Anyhow, how do you know what Jean has been up to? Have you been following him? As a matter of fact, yes.
Why? Because, madame, we believe him to be responsible for two murders.
This is ridiculous.
You have no right to make absurd statements.
You don't even have a warrant.
Not only have I got a warrant, I've got an excellent example of forgery that you did while working for Monsieur Etume.
Etume's Bank, madame.
He was reluctant to let me have them, to begin with, but we're old friends, you know.
It came to me this afternoon.
I was thinking of my own military service.
Way back in the Stone Age.
It was the quartermaster sergeant who did all the writing for the company.
It was him who signed all the passes when the Captain wasn't there.
He had his signature off to a T.
Even the Captain couldn't tell which passes he'd signed.
You understand what I'm saying, Monsieur Ramuel? You were going to leave me, weren't you? You were going to wait till you'd got hold of the money and then leave me.
I hope they send you to the guillotine, because I'll be there to watch.
Well, if you promise there is a big reward .
.
yeah, I recognise him.
He's the one.
Get a statement from him.
Get Monsieur Donge up here.
You, come this way.
Bring him this way.
Won't be long.
Come here.
What? Do as you're told.
Come here.
I should feel pity for you, but I don't.
You're so contemptible.
In fact, ever since I discovered the truth, I've felt an uncontrollable urge to Is it bleeding? I don't know about you, but I feel much better.
We want to see him! Let me get my hands on - Sit down.
Sit down! Sorry, Chief, I did my best.
I though the American must have killed Mimi.
So did his lawyer, I would have thought.
Why did you do it? A word of advice, Prosper.
Always do your correspondence at home, never at work.
Saves a lot of trouble in the end.
What correspondence? I wrote some letters to Mimi about Teddy.
She never answered them.
You silly man.
M Ramuel saw your letters.
He forged your handwriting.
Yours, to He wrote menacing letters to Mimi demanding money.
He intercepted your letter to the bank, closing your account and told them you'd moved.
He's been collecting large amounts of money, in your name, for three years.
Everything pointed at you, Prosper, nothing at him.
Brilliant.
Why did you have to kill Mimi? Why did you have to do that? I saw her in the basement.
I guessed that you'd arranged to meet her.
I had to.
I couldn't let it all come out.
If you hadn't interfered, Prosper.
LUCAS: What's your excuse for killing the night porter? He walked by.
Get him out of my sight.
You're a free man, Prosper.
You can go.
What about my son? What about Teddy? Ah.
I think Mr Clark's lawyer wants to talk to you about that in th I wouldn't have thought they'd be any problems.
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