A Shot in the Dark Page #3

suddenly he was tearing off my clothes

and cursing like a madman.

Hm.

Very strange.

Very strange.

The thing l don't understand...

Ostos was leaving you

and yet by your own account

he was behaving like a jealous madman.

Well, you see, l thought

if he was leaving me he'd suffer,

thinking that l was alone.

And... and so l told him

there was someone else.

Mm-hm.

It was a lie. I admit that.

But only out of kindness.

Ah!

- Oh, uh...

- I'm sorry.

- It's nothing at all, really. Stupid tailor.

- Beautiful suit.

Yes, l know, but don't worry.

A few stitches and you'll never know.

Miguel? Ah!

Hercule?

Must l go back to prison?

unfortunately, yes.

But... don't give up hope.

- What do you want?

- You sent for me.

Of course l sent for you!

Goodbye.

Goodbye, my dar... uh, Miss Gambrelli.

Well, there's no doubt in my mind

she is shielding someone.

- Do you think you can break her down?

- Mm.

Given enough time l could

have her eating out of my hand.

Anyway, we have no time. We must

catch him before he leaves the country.

- But if you don't know who he is...

- She will lead me to him.

- Release her.

- Release her?

How can she lead me to him

if she's in prison?

- But Commissioner Dreyfus...

- I will assume responsibility.

Release her. I will apprehend

this culprit within 24 hours.

Argh!

Get me out of here.

Quick, nurse, the screens.

I've got Africa all over my hand now.

Nice balloons.

Do you have a licence

to sell these balloons?

Licence?

(siren)

- Yes?

- Good morning, monsieur.

Good morning, Georges.

Is there something l can do for you?

Well, yes. And perhaps

there's something l can do for you.

What could you possibly do for me?

You remember the night of the murder?

- Is that a rhetorical question?

- What?

Now, come along, Georges.

What is it you want?

I saw you climbing down

from Maria's room.

- You have sharp eyes.

- Oh, yes.

And a big stomach. It's so hard

to keep it filled, prices these days.

Are we going to discuss the economy

or will you come to the point?

The point is 100,000 francs.

You know, for the groceries.

Then perhaps my eyes

will grow small again.

Yes. Well, we'll certainly have

to do something about your stomach.

(dog barks)

Hey!

Nice dog. Nice dog.

(dog barks)

Nice doggie.

Oh. Excuse me. I just happened

to be passing and l...

Ah. Ah.

Ah.

Ah, my little...

You have been cutting flowers.

You must have been cutting something.

- There's blood all over your shears.

- Ah. Ah.

That's very strange.

Ah!

(Clouseau) Ah.

Facts, Hercule. Facts.

Behind them lies the whole fabric

of deductive truth.

Now, Hercule, let us examine these facts.

One - she was found

with the murder weapon in her hand.

Two - the murder weapon

was fresh with blood.

Three - there were no fingerprints

on the murder weapon but hers,

and four - all the members of the Ballon

household staff have perfect alibis.

Now then, Hercule,

what do these facts add up to?

Maria Gambrelli killed

Georges the gardener.

Idiot. Only a fresh-faced novice would

come up with a conclusion like that.

- But the facts...

- Listen.

Whoever killed Miguel killed Georges

to cover up the first crime.

He is trying to blame this poor servant girl.

Well, who do you suspect?

I suspect everyone.

- I suppose that is possible.

- Possible?

What do you mean "possible"?

l deal in certainties.

I have only to break her down, make

her admit she's protecting somebody

and then force her to divulge his identity.

There can be no more cat and mouse.

No more subtle interrogation.

For her own sake,

and for the sake ofjustice,

I will resort to any means, short

of brute force, to drag it out of her.

True, she will suffer.

But in the end she will be free

and we will have our killer.

- You released her again?

- Yes, sir.

(siren)

Shall we settle this now, or do you intend

making me late for the recital?

We can't just fire her.

She has given us no cause.

Cause? We are up to our necks

in dead bodies.

What are you waiting for?

The last act of Hamlet?

If you compare our household

with a Shakespearean tragedy,

I suggest that Macbeth

would be more appropriate.

Oh, darling, my cue ball.

That was Mme Ballon.

Follow her. When you have discovered

her destination, call me immediately.

(Maurice) lnspector Clouseau.

- Good evening, M Ballon.

- Good evening, lnspector.

There are one or two questions

l'd like to ask.

- Of course.

- Some points need clearing up.

Certainly. Do you play billiards?

Billiards. Yes, l have played

some billiards in my time.

I find it makes for a more relaxed and

friendly conversation. How about you?

- Yes.

- Take a cue.

Ah. A cue. Yes.

Hm.

That should do.

- That's strange.

- You'd be better with an ordinary cue.

- That's what we call a bridge.

- Ah, the bridge cue, yes.

Yes, l much prefer the good,

old-fashioned, plain cue.

Yes, yes.

Oh, l'm most terribly sorry.

I'm dreadfully sorry.

That's all right.

I've broken a few in my time.

Try this one. This is my favourite cue.

You'll find that it's great for curved shots.

You, uh, had some questions, lnspector.

Yes.

I had rather hoped

to have a talk with your wife.

- Well, she's out. You just missed her.

- On the contrary.

She just missed me

in the driveway going out. Ah!

M Ballon, did you not state...

that, uh... on the night of the murder...

you had, uh, just arrived from London

on the 1 1 o'clock flight?

Yes. Why?

- It was cancelled due to bad weather.

- I arrived on an earlier flight.

I put it to you directly, M Ballon, that

it was you who murdered Miguel Ostos.

Don't be ridiculous.

Oh.

uh... Iook, if you can just move...

That's it.

These curved cues can be difficult.

Now pull.

Yes, l disliked Miguel intensely.

But l am not in the habit of killing people

because l dislike them. I beg your pardon.

(Ballon) l may as well

tell you the whole thing.

The night Miguel was killed, l arranged

for him to meet the 1 1 o'clock plane.

I arrived on the nine o'clock.

He would be on his way to the airport

while l was on my way home.

My wife was at a dinner party.

This would give me a whole hour,

at least, alone in the house.

For what?

For Maria.

What?

Does that surprise you?

(phone rings)

Then l submit, lnspector Ballon,

that you arrived home,

found Miguel with Maria Gambrelli,

and killed him in a rit of fealous jage.

I admit to the affair, but to kill for her?

- Would you kill for her?

- Of course... uh, not.

- Well, it's still your shot.

- Yes. Mm.

Ah. Mm.

Mm.

(rip)

I'm dreadfully sorry, M Ballon.

I appear to have grazed your billiard table.

Telephone, monsieur,

for lnspector Clouseau.

Ah, that will be for me.

Yes? This is lnspector Clouseau.

All right. If you stay there

l will come over immediately.

M Ballon, l wonder if you could oblige.

I have to meet my assistant

and l am without a car.

- I'll have Pierre drive you.

- Excellent.

Well, l suppose it's the end of our game.

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