Z Page #4

"l, Bertrand... alias the Chinaman...

etc... bar owner... etc...

"do state

that on 22 May of this year,

"Yago and Vago

came into my bar at 7 p.m.

"and stayed until 10 p.m.

"They were drinking Pernod."

It's not allowed, Madam.

"l saw Yago and Vago

drinking Pernod all evening.

"They left at 10 p.m. drunk.

"The Chinaman said

Not in the Kamikaze!"

Kamikaze?

The pickup truck. It's Japanese made.

You'd think we're in the Far East!

I think it's clear.

Though we lack some details

on the culprits,

- it's obviously an accident.

- I agree.

Besides, the Minister phoned

and wants this settled very quickly

to cut short

political speculation abroad.

I think the prosecutor

must make a statement

about the accident today

and say the culprits are caught

and accused of drunken driving

and assault and battery.

And wilful flight.

Naturally!

And the man

who took him to the clinic?

It's for you.

He just died.

That doesn't change the statement.

Instead of "assault and battery",

say "manslaughter".

Go away, Shoula.

I'll wait for you.

Who are you?

An admirer of your husband.

A reporter.

No photos!

Only a few questions!

The public has a right to know!

Was it an accident?

Or not at all?

Yesterday his life was threatened.

Did you know?

You expected it?

You said So they finally did it!

What did I say?

To the hospital director

you said So they finally did it!

Who're they?

Go away!

The culprits have been arrested.

You thought of them?

Go away!

They know already?

Yes, and it's only beginning!

Unmask the killers!

The police is an accomplice!

Wait, I don't understand!

The fall didn't kill him?

Not at all.

The skull fracture

was due to a blow

struck on the head.

That's our conclusion.

The fall caused minor bruises.

You're sure?

A blow? You mean by the truck?

The truck hit his body.

It wasn't serious.

The death blow hit his skull

and was made by an instrument

such as a club,

an iron bar or a gun butt.

But no one's mentioned a weapon.

Continue, Doctor.

The skull fracture can only be due

to a weapon that struck from above.

That's the sole condition that causes

symmetrical lesions on the brain

touching the subjacent area

and the area opposite the wound.

An autopsy showed the lesions,

the right cerebral hemorrhage

and the fracture of the left temple.

In the case of a shock

due to a fall

on a hard surface like the street,

such lesions couldn't exist.

Why didn't you tell us sooner?

Yesterday!

Mr Deputy, he was still alive!

We needed an autopsy.

Time for other tests

would've shown the same facts.

Another hypothesis is

if the truck dragged him,

his skull could've hit the curb.

It's a fact that he was hit

in the middle of the street.

Then a fall couldn't cause

such lesions.

- A phone?

- Next door.

Yago was driving.

The 2nd man was drunk

and couldn't have been so precise.

A demonstrator.

Their story's odd.

- Know them well?

- Very well!

Political?

Maybe.

- Communists?

- Not if they work here!

The opposition?

One never knows.

The General, please.

I wanted to see you

to clarify a few points.

It all seems clear enough to me!

A new fact has come up.

It's stuffy in here!

You saw the accident?

How did it happen?

In what respect?

When the truck arrived,

what happened?

The Col. and I were there

when he walked out

waving to the crowd.

They didn't applaud him either!

He didn't see the truck

zigzagging toward him

and he was hit!

The Col.'s men ran after the truck.

but, due to the crowd,

they didn't fire.

The truck zigzagged

and finally got away!

The police cleared the square

and helped put the victim

into a VW to go to the hospital.

No trace of the VW driver?

Not yet but he must be

a friend of theirs.

He helped them at once.

When the victim was run over,

could his head

have hit the curb?

No, it occurred in the square!

- You're sure?

- Positive!

But what's this new fact?

The autopsy says

he was killed by a club.

A club? Why did the doctors

do an autopsy?

It's the legal procedure.

Yesterday it was all settled!

Now you'll foul us up...

A new witness.

He claims he has proof

the senator was assassinated.

He'll be here today at 2 p.m.

There you are! An assassination!

Soon they'll say it was a plot!

I saw him! He's drunk!

He nearly fell in front of the truck!

What happened? You saw it?

Yes, he slipped and fell.

Anybody here?

Anybody here?

I'm the Chief of Police.

I was on my way to testify

and as I walked along...

You fell and hit your head.

You suffer from epilepsy?

Someone hit me!

I was on my way to testify

the senator was assassinated!

It was no accident!

Yago told me so himself!

I was gonna testify!

But someone hit me on the head...

from a truck... with a club...

...to keep me quiet.

They tried to kill me!

I don't know who told you

to say this, or why.

I don't want to know.

We can forget all this.

Let's say you were influenced.

You're almost one of the family.

Your cousin's a policeman,

brother-in-law's got

a government job. Forget all this.

They're coming!

If you need anything,

come and see me.

I'll drop by again.

I'm a bachelor and live with my ma.

- Profession?

- I got a varnish shop.

You know Yago?

Sure! He makes

deliveries for me!

The other 2 I don't know.

The killing...

The accident.

...was the day I phoned Yago

about a delivery.

Varnished coffins! And I can't

even pay off my Kamikaze!

Come back this afternoon.

I'll be busy.

- Tonight then.

- I'm busy too.

I'm gonna make a real big mistake.

It'll be a murder.

Next day I learned

he'd killed the senator.

Yago told you all that?

You belong to the party?

I never belonged to any party!

I like soccer!

What is this?

The Gen. says I'm epileptic!

- General?

- The Chief of Police!

- He was here?

- Just before you came.

But I'm no epileptic

and never belonged to any party!

- Go on about Yago.

- That's all. He left.

He's the lucky one!

What about the delivery?

I tried to set him straight

but he does as he pleases.

Who told you to call

the inquest judge?

No one! I saw Yago's picture

in the papers!

On the front page,

like a Minister!

- Jealous?

- You made up this tale.

No, someone advised him.

Even Ma was against it!

She said to keep quiet!

- Come and eat.

- He killed him.

- Who?

- A senator.

- In the government?

- No, a leftist!

He did right!

What's it to you?

His picture too!

- Eat and let 'em kill each other!

- Not hungry!

Later my sister came.

So you wanna be a big shot?

Just doin' my duty.

Your duty's to see to your family!

I always have!

Ya got an idiot who sees to you!

Don't call my husband an idiot!

Ya think they'll give ya a medal.

I came anyway. Or I would've

if they hadn't slugged me!

You didn't fall?

I'd have to be an acrobat

to land on my head!

You can sign a statement later

if you still want to.

Of course! I'm not crazy!

They lost no time!

Tomorrow you'll have 10, then 15.

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