Hokuspokus oder: Wie lasse ich meinen Mann verschwinden...? Page #3

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I wasn't a great escape artist.

Yesterday you were excellent.

He left the circus to study law, went

to the Himalayas, and never returned.

He's presumed dead.

That's quite an exaggeration.

But who would dare

contradict a police report?

The defendant may sit here

in that chair.

I hope your fainting spells

won't impede today's proceedings.

So do I, Mr. President.

Those spells seem to come about

when you contradict yourself.

It is strange.

Very. Wouldn't you rather

make a confession

and ease your conscience?

I cannot, Mr. President.

- Why not?

Because it is clean.

I didn't drain my husband. - Drown!

When you reported him missing,

why didn't you tell the police

you were on a boat with him

before he disappeared?

I didn't think it was important.

Your husband drowned in the lake,

and you didn't think it important?

At the time, I didn't know he drained.

- Drowned!

But when his body

washed up six days later, you knew.

Why did you still keep quiet?

I thought that if I said something

that I had kept quiet about...

So you did keep quiet?

- No. No, that I hadn't mentioned

as being suspicious.

- And that it is.

Why did you refuse to identify your

husband? You had to be forced to.

I wanted to remember him

as I last saw him.

Alive and smiling.

What is the point?

- To determine if it was your husband.

I knew that it was.

- How did you know?

Excuse me?

- You said you knew he'd disappeared.

How did you know he'd drowned?

That he was dead?

From physics class. After six days

in the water, a person must be dead.

So you no longer deny

taking a boat ride with your husband?

My client did not deny it,

she just didn't mention it.

She saw no link between the boat ride

and her husband's disappearance.

So you admit taking a boat ride

with your husband? - Yes.

What happened during that boat ride?

Nothing...

Nothing special, as I recall.

May I aid your recollection?

Was there not the usual fight?

We did not usually fight.

It's a fact that the boat capsized.

Who caused it to capsize?

I don't know.

- The prosecution claims that you did.

That's not true.

You're a swimmer. Your husband wasn't.

You knew he wouldn't survive,

while you'd be able to save yourself.

- I never considered that.

But you did consider

getting rid of him.

I only said, "Why don't you divorce me

if you don't trust me?"

What was his answer?

He'd rather tear me into tiny pieces,

as he put it.

And why didn't he trust you?

- He was jealous.

With reason?

- Oh, yes.

Would you tell us the reason?

- He loved me.

We want to know

if he had reason to be jealous.

- No.

Are we to believe that?

- If you'd be so kind.

You're a charming woman.

- Thank you, Mr. President.

You husband wasn't your type.

- I liked him. - He had a beard.

Many famous lovers wore beards.

The prosecutor has a cute one too.

And you weren't unfaithful?

No.

- But his jealousy pained you!

No woman is pained by the jealousy

of a man she loves,

Mr. Prosecutor.

- In other words,

everything was fine.

- Yes.

Then explain to me

what caused the boat to capsize.

It wasn't me.

- What then?

I don't know. It all happened so fast.

May I ask what speaks against

the notion that it was an accident?

Then she would've

reported the accident.

Instead, she initially denied

even having gone on a boat ride!

And how do you think

the defendant capsized the boat?

By leaning over the side.

How much do you weigh?

- 101 pounds.

Have you always weighed so little?

- I was always a lightweight.

Summon the nun, please.

- The nun!

The what?

- The nun.

I see no nun in my file.

Here she comes!

What's this?

- It's your chance to show

how such a light person

could capsize such a heavy boat.

Care to step into the boat with me?

- Gladly.

You'll be the defendant,

and I'll be her husband.

Capsize the boat by leaning out, and

I'll never go boating with you again.

Where did you sit, Madam?

- There.

And your husband?

- In the middle.

Madam... I mean, Mr. Prosecutor.

Ahoi, Mr. Prosecutor!

You cheat!

You're leaning the other way.

That's a reflex he would've had

as well. But fine, I'll sit still.

Try it again.

Harder.

Harder.

Well, Captain?

- It's different in the water.

Who knows how this is built!

It was built under expert supervision

to match conditions in the water.

Boat lender, sir, you've worked

with boats for over 25 years.

What could cause such a boat

to capsize? Leaning out too far?

I'd rule that out.

There must've been a struggle.

In which case the man would've won.

Could a sudden gust of wind

have caused the boat to capsize?

That can be ruled out. At the time

in question... Where's my file?

You're sitting on it.

- Thank you.

At 4 pm there was a lull.

Here's the meteorological report.

At 4:
20 there was a storm,

if you'd read on.

At 4 pm there was a lull!

- At 4:
20 there was a storm.

The boat capsized at 4.

The storm was at 4:20!

A gust of wind can herald a storm.

- 'Can'.

For the record, the prosecutor admits

the possibility of a gust of wind.

I don't admit anything!

- For the record, he admits nothing.

Mr. Defense Counsel, must I...

- But no, Mr. President,

I merely wanted to demonstrate

that her theory need not be as silly

as the prosecutor

would make it out to be.

Thank you, but concentrate on

defending your client.

Defendant, was there a gust of wind?

I don't think so.

- See!

Lucky for you. Sir, what else

can cause such a boat to capsize?

Careless switching of seats.

- Did you switch seats?

I object to the way he's putting words

in her mouth. - What do you...

What's more, I protest the theory

that a boat can only be capsized

by switching places.

But it's obvious! - No, it's not.

- Hold tight! - Thank you.

You're assuming I'll go that way

to switch places, so you go that way.

Then I go that way too!

Did you hurt yourself, Mr. Prosecutor?

- No.

Too bad. Thank you, Mr. President,

I no longer need the boat.

Constable, take it away.

Boat lender, sir, please remain.

Mr. Prosecutor,

your files are floating away!

Ah, yes, hold on!

Just a moment. Thank you.

For the record, the test showed

that the boat's capsizing couldn't

have been caused by leaning over,

but quite possibly by switching

positions. Thus the accident theory

appears plausible again.

I repeat:
If it had been an accident,

why did the defendant not report it?

No idea. Perhaps she had a reason

that had nothing to do with this case.

More important is the question whether

or not the two switched positions

or got up at the same time.

Oh yes, now I remember.

What spontaneous recollection!

It was cold, and my husband

helped me into my coat.

Hold on! Your maid stated

that you left home without a coat.

Well... yes.

I didn't mean my coat.

My husband gave me his.

Your husband

didn't have a coat either.

The oilskin coat that was in the boat.

The oilskin coat that was in the boat.

That's what he helped you into?

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