La Ragazza Nella Nebbia

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THE GIRL IN THE FOG

Yes?

When?

Okay, I'll be right there.

- Thanks for coming.

- How is he?

The EMTs say

his general condition is fair.

- Unhurt?

- Unhurt.

He can't recall what happened

before the accident.

Did he hit his head?

Does he have a concussion?

No.

So why is this urgent?

You'll see.

Good evening.

Rough night, huh?

Been here long?

- And you?

- 40 years!

But I retire in two months.

My wife and I have seen you

on TV tons of times.

When I tell Sara I met you,

she'll never believe me.

I'm Flores, I'm a psychiatrist.

What shall I call you?

Detective or Mr. Vogel?

As you wish.

I saw the accident.

You were lucky.

The fog.

The fog is to blame.

I didn't expect to see you here,

did you come alone?

Yes.

May I ask why

you've come back to Avechot?

Still looking into that girl

who disappeared?

Why am I being kept here?

What does the Police want from me?

Why do I have to speak

to a psychiatrist?

Mr. Vogel,

you got into an accident tonight.

I know that!

You were driving alone,

there was no injury.

I'm fine,

how many times must I tell you?

So whose blood is that

on your clothes?

You're right.

I suppose I owe you an explanation.

I wasn't even going to open up today.

I thought, who on earth

would come here on Christmas?

A few years ago it was different:

families, kids...

Then no one set foot up here anymore.

This is the last hotel left in Avechot.

Here about the girl?

- Know her?

- I know her parents.

The Kastners are lovely people.

They didn't deserve

what happened to them.

May God forgive us.

I should shut this place down

for good...

If I were you I wouldn't.

Soon...

people will be flocking here.

Detective Vogel?

Sir, everyone is here,

it's all set as requested.

Where does this road lead?

Nowhere. The valley is a dead end.

You mean this is the only way

in and out of town?

Basically, yes.

Sir, the briefing starts in 20 minutes.

They can wait.

Take me to the Kastners.

Anna Lou was always so responsible,

even as a kid.

She helps out at home,

looks after her siblings,

all her teachers sing her praises.

She recently became a catechist

in our confraternity.

They say it's normal

for kids her age to rebel.

My daughter didn't.

We're very close, she's a lot like me.

She made this for me,

she gave it to me a week ago.

Did you notice any recent changes,

even minor, in Anna Lou?

Meaning?

Did she eat and sleep?

Was she aloof, grumpy, more cheerful?

No, she was the same old Anna Lou.

Did your daughter

meet anyone recently?

A new friend?

She would've told me.

Anna Lou confided in me.

Did Anna Lou have a cell phone?

Did she use social media?

The confraternity

looked down on the Internet.

It's full of perils,

especially for youngsters.

Ever been threatened?

Is there anyone,

a relative or acquaintance,

with whom you have bad blood?

No.

All the better.

You'll have to make a public appeal.

Feel up to it?

Borghi, wait in the car.

Let me be frank with you,

the media got wind of this story,

they'll be flocking here.

At times reporters are better

than cops in digging up clues,

and investigation details

aren't the only thing they televise.

Not knowing where to look,

they'll look at you.

So, if you have something to tell me,

anything, now's the time.

Tonight at the confraternity church,

we'll be asking the Lord

to bring back Anna Lou.

We'll include your name

in our prayers, Detective Vogel.

Reassure them that nobody

will have to work on Christmas.

Welcome, I'm Amanda Mayer.

Do we actually need

a space this big?

We can discuss that later.

Someone took her.

Let's stop tiptoeing around it

and call a spade a spade,

or we'll waste time

and that time belongs to Anna Lou.

It's December 23rd, 5:00 PM...

Anna Lou leaves to go to

the confraternity church.

She never arrives.

She's not the type to run away,

as we're told by townsfolk

and as we see by her lifestyle.

She only had six numbers on her phone:

mom, dad, home, grandparents' home,

confraternity, best friend.

Anna Lou's cell phone was shut off

7 minutes after she left home

and never turned on again.

Teens who run away from home

usually only last 24 hours

with their phones off,

so we can usually track them down.

The answers lie

in these 300 meters.

None of the neighbors

saw or heard anything.

Her kidnapper was familiar

with the neighbors' routines.

He knew how to go unnoticed.

The gas station's CCTV

monitors the only road into town.

- Is it functioning?

- Yes, sir.

- We have the footage.

- Who came in and out of Avechot?

Focus on those with a violent past

and former sex offenders.

Will we be paid overtime?

Dunno...

We'll be working on Christmas...

Our culprit isn't a duffer,

he's shrewd and clever.

When this is over, agent Borghi

and I will go back to the city.

But you'll be stuck here,

you'll have to look Anna Lou's parents

in the eye every time you see them.

Show us the way

and light our journey.

Anna Lou is 1.60 meters tall,

she has long red hair.

She was wearing

a light colored duffel coat,

a green scarf,

a track suit and sneakers.

She had a pink backpack on.

Our daughter is a kind girl,

everyone knows she has a big heart.

Anna Lou likes cats

and she trusts people.

That's why we're here

appealing to those who never met her

in the first 16 years of her life.

If you've seen her

or know where she is,

help us bring her home.

Anna Lou...

mom, dad, and your siblings love you!

Wherever you may be,

hope our voice and love reach you.

And when you come home,

we'll get you the cat

you've always wanted.

Promise.

May the Lord protect you, darling.

Thank you.

Tell me about the confraternity

the Kastners belong to.

Is it a religious sect?

It's a self-managed group

with very strict rules:

creationists, pro-life, anti-gay,

and against pre-marital sex, of course.

F***ing fanatics.

They've been tailing us

since yesterday, even at the Kastners.

They're waiting for a photo

they can sell of the monster.

- Shall I do something?

- Like what?

We barely have enough cops

and they're inexperienced,

our control room is a pool,

and my office is in the locker room.

- We can ask for...

- Quit dreaming, Borghi.

They won't send back-up,

nobody will help us.

Unless we convince them to come here.

Detective Vogel wants you

to wear these and go to the river.

Painting coveralls?

What'll we be painting?

Anna Lou Kastner, age 16.

Until this morning,

it was assumed she'd run away.

But that changed when Forensics

arrived in Avechot

to assist local police in the search.

The specialists inspected the area

along the river.

We don't know what they were looking for

or if they found anything.

Heading the case is Detective Vogel,

who, in the past, handled sensational

cases like the "mutilator" case.

Sir...

the Alpine rescue squad

scoured the northern crevices.

Good, have them check

the eastern ones too.

- Where's the helicopter we requested?

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