But you ran like a coward.
That's not like you.
They came busting into Gilbert's place.
I heard the shot upstairs. I wasn't going to take a look.
I stayed in the kitchen.
Then they came down.
I escaped through a window.
The footprints behind the house are mine,
but not the tire tracks by the gate.
I went down by train.
The others came by car.
But you had good reasons for killing Varnove.
Someone told you a week before
how he'd drowned your girl, Arlette, five years ago in Deauville.
In your shoes, I'd have done the same.
It wasn't me, I tell you.
I won't confess to a murder just to make you happy.
Here's the deal.
I'll let you go...
if you give me a single lead on the Neuilly affair.
The Neuilly affair?
Inspector Salignari murdered by a bastard.
A bastard like you.
I'm a thief, okay. But I fight with my fists, not a gun.
Give me the name of a friend, someone close to Rémy,
and I'll let you go.
I don't care if you killed Varnove.
That's one less hood.
And if you stole the 200,000 in jewels,
and you had that much money,
you wouldn't risk your freedom in some small-time heist the next day.
I don't know a thing.
I hardly know this Rémy.
Too bad.
Really too bad.
Then you'll go down for the murder of Gilbert Varnove.
But I didn't kill him.
If you had, would you tell me?
Even caught with a gun in your hand, you'd keep denying it.
Varnove was my friend.
He took me in after my release.
I didn't kill him.
You did kill him!
And you stashed the Avenue Mozart gun and jewels.
He was working on them.
I couldn't have killed him. I've never carried a gun.
His Avenue Mozart accomplices did it,
probably to get his share.
No, that's not how it usually works.
Burglars split the take and don't argue.
If the thieves are straight. But these guys were scum.
Check out your informers.
One thing bothers me.
You say Gilbert was your friend.
You have a good reputation.
Why didn't they fill you in? Why didn't Gilbert tell you?
I can't be in the know on every job in town. I'm no boss.
Besides, I was in prison at the time.
And even if I did know, why would I tell you?
Don't confuse me with one of your stoolies.
I don't rat.
I don't care. I'm telling you this for your own good.
When your trial comes up, the prosecutor won't spare you.
You have two motives: Theft and revenge.
That could get you 10 to 15 years in the slammer.
Fifteen years is a long time.
You must have realized that doing time.
Go upstairs. They'll take your statement.
If you change your mind,
my offer about Rémy still stands.
Don't bet on it.
Hello, guys... if that's what you are.
What are you in for?
Machine-gunning a police van.
I took out 25.
My name's Kern.
Looking for someone, Mr. Silien?
No. Just thirsty.
Silien at Nuttheccio's for a drink. Who'd believe it?
It smells bad.
What'll you have, Mr. Silien?
Scotch.
What's on upstairs?
Here?
No, upstairs. Which game? Tables busy?
I don't know.
What is it?
Baccarat? Chemin de fer?
I just tend bar.
Poker?
I think so.
Well, well. To what do we owe the honor?
I was thirsty.
His drinks are on the house.
All right, Mr. Armand.
Your scotch.
You can have it.
Two whiskeys for that table.
I want to drink with the lady.
But sir, not with that lady. That's impossible.
Why not? Because she's the boss's girl?
I said two whiskeys. Got it?
It's been ages.
- I left you in peace. - Is my serenity so vital?
He ditched you to gamble?
For once, let's not talk nonsense.
Why the sudden visit?
I felt like it.
What's the real reason?
I need information.
Nothing much. - About what?
About Nuttheccio.
So that's it. What do you want to know?
- Not here. - Where?
At your place.
- Think you can still order me around? - Don't tell me you love him.
Your self-confidence is galling.
I know he makes you sick.
If you want to dump him, I'm giving you a chance.
How kind of you.
You dream of escaping. Admit it.
You're not cut out for living with him.
That galls me too.
Where can I see you later?
I won't see you or give you information.
You don't believe I'm offering you a way out?
I'm fine like this.
A pity.
Leaving?
Obviously.
For a moment I thought you'd come for me.
You wanted me to be frank. I was.
I messed up a lot of things,
but I also know you're not happy.
You're afraid to confide in me again. It's a vicious circle.
What kind of information do you want? I'll see what I can do.
Why not?
Because I meant it when I said
that I wanted to see you.
I'd have liked to spend some time alone with you, with no one around.
I wanted to sleep with you.
11, rue de Franqueville.
Give me an hour, so no one gets suspicious.
I'll be there.
Try to remember. You have to.
There's an innocent man in prison. You have to remember.
I was in the car. I couldn't see anything.
If Nuttheccio and Armand had killed Gilbert Varnove,
I'd have heard the shot.
You were in the car. It was probably cold.
The windows were shut.
The house wasn't so near.
The shot was barely audible.
Look, Fabienne,
if they left you in the car, they had it all planned.
No, Silien.
Nuttheccio's safe has the jewels from the Avenue Mozart job
and the gun that killed Varnove.
That's not true.
Tell the cops he kept you locked up,
so you weren't an accomplice.
Who do you think I am?
Don't you see it's your big chance,
your only chance to break free?
What good will that do me?
When the police arrive, there'll be no one to contradict you.
Nuttheccio and Armand will be dead.
You have to believe me.
I swear that Faugel didn't kill Gilbert.
Faugel is innocent and in prison.
Keep that in mind.
And you know Nuttheccio is capable of murder.
He killed Gilbert to have all the jewels for himself.
If I wasn't sure about all this,
would I fight to spring a man who was never my friend?
I need your help. I need your testimony.
The hell with Faugel!
I can't stand the thought that Nuttheccio could do this
and get away with it.
You have to remember. Then we'll go away together. I swear.
Think. A door slamming or the sound of tires.
The train.
What?
While they were inside, a train went by.
I remember now.
See? I was right.
In your mind it was a quiet suburb.
You didn't remember any isolated sounds.
You were right. There was none.
The train is a familiar sound you don't notice.
But we didn't think of that.
The sound of the train covered the gunshot. It makes sense.
They shot him as the train passed.
You're not staying?
We'll have time soon,
but I have to finish what I started.
You'll be free soon enough.
I'm scared.
If you knew me like others do,
you wouldn't be afraid with me.
Nuttheccio's clever too.
Nuttheccio's a walking dead man.
You don't love me.
Try to remember.
Wasn't there a kind of a bang as the train passed?
You don't love me.
How do you know?
I'll be back tomorrow, maybe.
I think I did hear a shot.
Don't say that just to make me happy.
I'll finish this without your help. You'll have a clear conscience.
I heard a shot. I remember now. I'm sure of it.
No, Fabienne.
I tell you I'm sure.
- Absolutely? - Absolutely. Now, yes.
You heard it?
I heard it.
Then we agree.
There was a shot as the train crossed the steel bridge.
Fabienne? I'm here.
Stay by the phone.
What is this?
Sit down.
Hello, Armand?
Nuttheccio found the diamonds. He wants to see you.
Recognize these?
Looks like jewelry.
Exactly.
From Avenue Mozart. You planned the job.
You've been misinformed. It wasn't me.
I make enough as it is. - I don't give a damn.
But I have the jewels, and I need money.
I'll gladly help you out.
You don't have to -
Who'd you call just now?
The cemetery.
To book you a spot, in case you misbehave.
I've bailed out friends in need before.
You didn't have to.
I need 20,000.
20,000.
30,000, if you want.
Okay, make it 30,000.
Feel 'em. They're not fake.
I trust you.
Feel 'em.
No need. I know I can trust you.
I said feel 'em.
Look at this brooch.
And this one.
And this bracelet.
Platinum and diamonds.
Feel the weight.
It's beautiful.
Fine merchandise.
I'll give you 50,000.
Let's have it. In cash.
Sure.
I must have enough in the drawer.
Get it out of the safe. I prefer that.
But it's the same.
Fine. As you wish.
The keys are in my jacket. Left-hand pocket.
Stop.
How much in there?
300 to 400,000.
Stand with your back to the wall.
You want to break me?
If anything, it's your face I'll break.
Put these on.
I'll give you 200,000. Okay?
You can even keep the jewels.
Shut up.
500,000?
What's going on, Silien? What happened?
What happened is...
this bastard -
This bastard...
I brought him the jewels.
He said we'd split them.
I trusted him.
That's when he pulled out a -
Fabienne?
Do it.
Hello, police?
Don't tell me Silien didn't rat on me.
Then who sprang you?
Explain how I got arrested first. That was no accident.
Only I knew about Gilbert.
How did the cops know more than me?
Maybe Gilbert wanted to make amends for killing Arlette
by putting me up after I got out.
He became a friend.
It was tough to kill Gilbert.
I wouldn't have had the guts,
if he hadn't done something simple and irreparable.
He turned around.
He saw the gun aimed at him.
It was one look too many between us.
You don't aim a gun at a friend.
There was only one solution.
Jean?
Who fingered me?
You really don't know?
Salignari was my friend.
Some months ago, I met him with a girl
who seemed in love with him.
He said she was a valuable informer.
I didn't think twice about it.
I forgot all about her.
Until I met her again with you,
when I brought the drill collar.
And to think I had her case the Neuilly house.
I figured it was time to help you out,
but you wouldn't have believed me.
So I let you and Rémy go ahead. I phoned Sali.
I invited him to dinner.
He said he couldn't.
I insisted.
He finally told me he had two burglars to nab in Neuilly.
I got the picture. I ran over to Thérèse's
and got to the point.
She gave me the Neuilly address. I tied her up,
then raced down to Neuilly in her car
to head off the disaster.
Rotten luck.
I arrived to see you running and wounded.
You blacked out.
Somehow I managed to get you to Jean's.
I tried to call Sali to see if we could smooth things out,
only to learn he'd died 10 minutes earlier.
Despite Sali's friendship, I didn't back out on you.
Sali was going it alone.
Only he knew your names. No other cop knew.
That's why they got stuck.
Then, for my own safety, I decided to get rid of Thérèse.
She could finger me as the "accomplice in the car" they'd be looking for.
Jean phoned Anita to come home. You were still unconscious.
We ran down to Thérèse's.
She'd just about gotten free.
I hope you don't mind me telling you I beat her unconscious.
What happened next cost me a raincoat. Almost new.
So Jean handled Thérèse.
Meanwhile, I went to an address I was given
to get you a forged passport so you could get away.
There was no answer.
I spent the whole day looking.
I met up with Jean at 7:00. We phoned to see how you were.
Anita said Lequay was on his way.
Knowing you were in good hands, I went passport hunting again.
But how'd I get arrested in the bar?
No one knew where I was.
Suddenly, I got picked up by Clain and his boys.
I realized nobody knew who the second man at Neuilly was.
But I found out Salignari was on another case: Gilbert's murder.
You were a suspect. Sali had mentioned you.
Thérèse must've tipped him off, long before you did it.
Maybe that night you got drunk.
I must've told her I was going to kill Gilbert.
Clain grilled me about your hideout.
They promised me so much trouble,
I decided to play dumb to get them off my back.
I agreed to call around your favorite bars to find you,
thinking you were safe at Jean's.
Just for show, I called here.
The bartender, suspecting nothing, said you were across the street.
I'd just left Jean's.
Jean gave me your map.
I dug everything up, despite your instructions.
Now you know what I used them for. By the way...
I dragged Fabienne's testimony out of her.
An old flame of mine who became Nuttheccio's girl.
I made sure there were prints on the Colt.
The two guys shot each other at the Cotton Club
and - surprise, surprise - the jewels were in the open safe.
I think you have the whole story now.
Fabienne and I will pick you up here for dinner.
I plan on moving in with her.
I've had a nice isolated place built out in Ponthierry.
I'm packing it in.
In this business, you either end up a bum or full of lead.
I'm heading out to Ponthierry for now.
A guy asked me to hide him for a while. I don't even know him.
My last good deed.
See you later.
I'm a real bastard.
Why?
I took Silien for a rat. I wanted him dead.
Before my arrest, I was ready to murder him.
While he...
You can't tell, just like that.
Silien doesn't let his feelings show.
But he'll do anything for a friend,
hood or cop.
I can assure you that Salignari and you
were his only friends.
Telephone, Mr. Maurice.
Kern will deliver the wreath this afternoon. Have the money ready tomorrow.
Where's Silien's place?
First right after you leave Ponthierry.
- Lend me your car. - What is it?
Nothing, if I act fast.
Take my car.
A small scotch.
Hello, Jean.
How's Anita?
A nice girl, but unluckily for you, she talks too much.
"Sucy-en-Brie quarry, end of the line."
Why was Faugel at your place, wounded, after Salignari was killed?
- I don't get you. - Don't waste your breath.
We found a raincoat in your closet. Don't tell us it's not yours.
And the piece of cloth that got torn off by the fender. I didn't put it there.
I don't understand.
Come with us. We'll explain it.
I expect to have charges dropped,
but I still need 10,000 when I get out
to start a nice, regular business.
10,000?
Listen, Kern.
I have a very dear friend...
whom I'd hate to see in an accident.
That's normal.
I wouldn't even be around to send him a wreath.
I'd like him to have one,
a real fine one.
A wreath worth 10,000?
Even 20.
I'd give my lawyer a letter
to forward to my friend Jean,
who'd give you 20,000 to buy a wreath.
You may be right about that accident.
The screen...
Fabienne?
I won't be coming tonight.
FILMED AT RUE JENNER STUDIOS