Bergerac (1981–1991): Season 8, Episode 5 - Entente Cordiale - full transcript
Michel Carbonnier, a French private detective, is found murdered in Charlie's house, leading Jim to the dead man's native village St. Armand in Provence. Here he learns that Carbonnier had recently come into a lot of money and had been hired by Danielle Aubry to investigate the suspicious death of her husband. Having deduced that Carbonnier was blackmailing the killer of Danielle's husband he solves both murders, as well - with help from Charlie - as uncovering a local wine production scam.
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What have you got?
The victim's driving licence,
French.
- We'd better find out, don't we?
- Yeah.
- Now where's good Charlie?
- Kitchen.
Is he all right?
I don't know anything about it.
When I came down this morning, the first
thing I saw was the hall door wide open.
Why didn't the alarm wake you?
- Jim. Sorry.
- No.
Fact is, ever since my spell in
hospital I've not been 100 percent.
I've not been sleeping well,
I've been taking medication so...
Charlie, is that the truth?
- I forgot to switch it on.
- Wonderful.
- And you've never seen him before?
- No, of course not.
Have you got any French deals
brewing up at the minute?
- French? No, why? What, was he French?
- Yeah.
And the only thing he seemed interested
in was the contents of your desk.
Why?
Anyhow, he couldn't have
got away with anything.
Well, the killer could.
Yes.
Sorry.
I mean, two break-ins in one night.
Come on.
You can't suspect me, Jim. Surely.
- Have you ever been to St Armand?
- St where?
St Armand. It's near Avignon,
in Provence.
Well, I might have been, I mean...
All those frog names sound alike,
don't they?
You'll be about if I want you,
won't you?
Blooming Ada! You do suspect me.
- In your study?
- Aye, stone cold.
You need a drink, old boy.
That's the first sensible thing
you've said all morning.
Charlie.
Next thing, you'll be on at me
about that continental trip of ours.
Look, Frankie, we didn't stop off
at this place, did we?
Yes, we did.
You know St Armand's
where my dead frog came from.
Very awkward.
I mean it's ridiculous, I know.
- Charlie.
- What?
I don't quite know how to put this,
but well, there could be
some connection.
You've been up to
something, haven't you?
Now, Charlie, don't blow a gasket.
Well, when I brought these over,
I didn't bother with the paperwork.
But, you know how it is, Charlie.
- You mean you smuggled them in?
- Well...
- Yes.
- What, in my blasted Rolls?
If he booked in for only one night,
he must have known exactly
what he was looking for, yeah?
Here we go. Carbonnier, Michel,
born 16th April, 1943.
Yeah, that fits.
Detective? He was a copper.
No, French. Détective.
He was a private investigator.
Why would he be interested in Charlie?
Why was the person who hired him
interested in Charlie?
That's the real question, isn't it?
- Maybe he got the wrong house.
- No, he didn't.
He got the right house, the right room
and the right desk.
I tell you, there was nothing missing.
Carbonnier came all the way over
from France with a plan of your house.
- Why?
- You're the detective. You tell me.
- I'd like to go, Jim, if you don't...
- No, no, you can't do that.
Now, has anyone visited
the house recently?
What? Well, I don't know.
There's always someone at the door.
- Someone you didn't know?
- Don't rush me.
There was a fellow from
a carpet cleaning company.
As a matter of fact,
I did show him around.
Unsolicited?
Who was he working for?
What was the name of the company?
I... I don't remember.
- How old was he?
- 28, 30.
Can you come in tomorrow?
Help us with the photo fit?
- Will that get me off the hook?
- It'll be a start, yeah.
Is there anything else, Charlie?
Not really.
Only about three months ago,
when I was driving back through France
with Frankie Blakemore, you know him,
- well, it just so happens that...
- You visited St Armand.
We had lunch there. I picked up a
couple of cases of wine and Frankie...
Why didn't you tell us before?
I know Charlie.
I know that innocent look.
He's hiding something.
See if he wants a cup of tea.
Bureau des Étrangers.
Hang on, he's here now.
Barney.
Yes, Barney.
Well, there's no point in going
over yet, is there?
Why not?
Well, we'd be jumping the gun.
I've got Charlie Hungerford to...
Well, why can't Ben or Willy go?
If you're making it an order, yeah.
Yes, I will play it by the book.
When have I ever done anything else?
No, no, no.
Tougher looking,
like an American footballer.
The eyes, a bit wider apart.
That's it. That's him.
I mean, look at him,
he's got to be a villain, hasn't he?
Yeah.
You couldn't get a much more villainous
looking face than that, could you?
You do remember stopping at St Armand?
Of course.
Only Charlie Hungerford's
a bit hazy about it.
But Charlie's hazy
about a lot of things.
This motoring holiday, whose idea?
- Whose car was it?
- Charlie's.
Well, there's more room in a Roller.
To spread out, take a nap.
Anyway, Charlie made
all the arrangements.
You know we've had a word with him
about the trip?
- Well...
- And he got a bit bothered.
You wouldn't happen to know why,
would you, Mr Blakemore?
Carbonnier. Look, someone sent him over
here to find what was in Charlie's...
Sergeant Bergerac, excuse me.
Inspector Pageon from St Armand.
Hello, Inspector.
Sergeant, I'm returning
your urgent call.
- Urgent?
- It was not urgent?
Well, no, not really.
It does not matter.
How can I help you this time?
Well, I will be coming over to
St Armand in a couple of days.
Is this necessary?
Well, my superintendent
seems to think so, yeah.
Well, if you think
it is so necessary...
- Do you play boules, Sergeant?
- No, no.
That's our mayor, Mr Delage.
He's also our local wine shipper.
You can find him here
at this time every day.
- He looks pretty good.
- Not as good as he thinks he is.
Merci.
Inspecteur, if we're going
to work together...
I hope we shall have
the closest liaison.
My superintendent was a bit
frightened I might tread on your toes.
Comment?
Well, I hope not.
But I don't know
what you expect to find here.
This is not Chicago.
Besides, Carbonnier was killed
in Jersey.
But who sent him there?
You ask me?
Nothing ever happens here, Sergeant.
Did she know her husband went after
other women, madame Carbonnier?
But she was here all the time.
- She could have hired somebody.
- Of course.
Is that someone I should know about?
No, he is a man without papers.
He is a... deserter. Deserter?
From the army,
the American army in Germany.
- He's done a runner, has he?
- Oui, he's done a runner.
Well, we give him things to do
to keep body and soul together with...
Inspecteur.
I've just heard about
Michel Carbonnier
Sergeant Bergerac,
Bureau des Étrangers, Jersey.
Monsieur Arranches.
You think the murderer is living here,
Sergeant? Here in St Armand?
It's too soon to say that, sir.
Poor Madeleine Carbonnier.
I hope you catch
him, wherever he lives.
Monsieur Arranches
is our local avocat.
Three cases Carbonnier was working on.
Georges Arranches, your avocat friend,
Danielle Aubry and Auguste Planiol.
So what now, Sergeant? Cognac?
Madame Carbonnier.
Did your husband tell you
he was going to Jersey?
No, monsieur, he did not.
Did he ever mention
the name Charles Hungerford?
Never.
That night, where
did you think he was?
Sometimes it is better not to think.
Did he never talk to you
about his work, madame?
He talked about nothing with me,
nor I with him.
- But you lived together, here.
- It was my duty.
You didn't love him?
He did not believe in
the sacrament of marriage.
Perhaps this is God's punishment.
Madame.
When he didn't come home, you thought
he was with another woman, yeah?
- Yes.
- Do you know her name?
No. Any woman would do.
Madame, did you hate him?
I felt nothing for him.
- Well, Sergeant?
- Not an easy woman?
No, not for Carbonnier, for sure.
But I don't believe she hired
anyone to kill her husband.
So where can I take you now?
I'd rather nose round by myself a bit,
if you don't mind.
I'm sure you will not give me
cause to remind you,
you have no jurisdiction here.
Okay.
Well, you'll need a car,
a local garage can help you.
Thanks very much.
Perhaps on the way you could fill me in
more about this guy, Auguste Planiol.
First, a word of advice.
This is a small town.
People here are
suspicious of strangers.
Yeah. I have noticed.
Your name was in
Carbonnier's notebook.
Natalie.
Natalie, my daughter.
Bonjour Natalie.
A week ago, this little bird decided
she was old enough to fly.
But her wings weren't strong enough,
chérie?
- Why did you run away, Natalie?
- Who knows? There was no cause.
For me, her father,
and the schoolmaster,
it was most embarrassing.
That's why she did it,
to embarrass me?
So, Carbonnier didn't find her?
She came home of her own accord,
Sergeant,
having learnt her
painful lesson, Natalie?
Well, the important thing is
she's back now, yeah?
- Au revoir, Sergeant.
- Au revoir.
Madame Aubry?
Oui.
Bonjour.
- Can we speak in English?
- Sure, yes.
I am investigating the murder
of Michel Carbonnier.
- Michel Carbonnier?
- Yeah.
Why? You think he
was killed in Jersey?
Don't know. But I intend to find out.
- Let's go up to the house.
- Sure.
- Monsieur Bergerac?
- Yeah?
Are you an honest man?
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
No, it's a fair question.
It's a bit unexpected, that's all.
But then, nothing is quite
what I expected down here.
- It's so hot.
- Well, hang on.
Here.
Thank you.
I hired Michel
Carbonnier five weeks ago
to find the one who killed my husband.
He was murdered two years ago.
I should have acted sooner but
my father and everyone else...
No, nearly everyone else,
has been saying, it was just
an accident from the car crash.
I'm sorry, madame.
I had a witness, Quarrie, an American.
But after our police had
finished with him...
My father.
I can understand why you have come
to St Armand, Sergeant,
but I wonder why you have come here.
My friends are waiting for me.
Did you win, gentlemen,
your boules match?
We lost.
But we always put up a good fight.
There is always next time.
Shall we drink
to this year's vintage?
Thank you, monsieur, but could I
just have a drink of water, please?
Water.
The water is outside, monsieur.
Sergeant Bergerac
is working, Papa.
Is he?
We all work, Danielle, but some of us
work more hard than others.
Wine and work. Does the Sergeant
think they are enemies?
- No, no, sir.
- But you're not working now, are you?
Monsieur Josserand,
I am looking for a murderer.
Michel Carbonnier was killed in
Jersey. What is it to do with us?
I hired him, Papa.
I want to know who killed Jacques.
Why didn't you speak to me first?
If the police couldn't find
the driver...
They didn't try.
After two years, she still
thinks there was a conspiracy.
It is shocking, Danielle,
of course,
but surely you do not think
someone in St Armand...
A man is paid to find out about a
murder and then he, too, is murdered.
Am I the only one here to think
there might be a connection?
Hear no evil,
see no evil, speak no evil.
Quoi?
Those three.
I don't want to be rude
about your father,
but that was a unanimous vote
of no confidence, wasn't it?
Why?
They think I'm just a woman,
not worth listening to.
- And has it been like that since...
- Yes.
And it is hard,
Sergeant, on one's own.
Well, you're not on your own
any more, are you?
- Goodbye, Sergeant.
- Goodbye.
It is a long time, monsieur, since
I've had help from anyone in St Armand
without having to pay for it.
- They pretend to sympathise but...
- I'm sorry about that.
I think you are.
Do you expect to catch
the one who did it?
It's easy enough talking to people,
it's not so easy to find things out.
They don't give away their secrets,
monsieur.
Certainly don't.
Michel did not trust the police,
but he himself could not be trusted.
- Au revoir, monsieur.
- Au revoir, madame.
Strange woman.
One never knows what she's thinking.
Of higher things, perhaps.
Yes, and man grows on other things.
Why else would she marry Carbonnier,
contemptible little man?
Why do you call him that?
Because he played around?
Well, that's pardonable but to do it
publicly, to humiliate his wife,
that is not pardonable.
Of course, he knew a lot of people,
not all of them from St Armand,
and not all the kind that you
take home to meet your family.
Well, he had that sort of job,
didn't he?
Perhaps you should widen your search.
Look outside the town for your murderer.
Perhaps I will.
You're making us all
a little nervous, Sergeant.
But good luck to you.
None of us will sleep
until this business is finished.
- Au revoir.
- Au revoir, monsieur.
The man who witnessed
Jacques Aubry's car crash,
I'd like to see his
deposition, please.
Quarrie is not a reliable witness.
His disposition must be taken
with a great deal of salt.
It is, of course, in French.
White Citroën Safari,
local number plates.
Overtook monsieur Aubry's car.
His car took avoiding action,
went off the road and into the ravine.
Local registration number?
We interviewed
all the local Safari owners.
And?
- Any of them live in St Armand?
- Three.
Madame Delage, the wife of the mayor.
Monsieur Hubert, a
building contractor,
and monsieur Savatier
who manages the Toulon restaurant.
In which bar will I find Mr Quarrie?
- You're a cop?
- Yeah, like I told you.
Jersey States Police.
What're you gonna do? Bust me?
No, I've got no jurisdiction
around here.
I just wanna chat, okay?
- I don't talk to cops.
- You're talking to me.
- Is that good stuff there?
- It's okay.
Inspector Pageon could bust you
if he wanted to.
- What do you want?
- A bit of information.
Michel Carbonnier.
Listen, I don't kill people.
Carbonnier comes into it.
But this is really
about Jacques Aubry.
I want you to show
me where it happened.
It's late.
What, have you got something else
to do, have you?
You're not the first one.
The last time
he bought me a whole bottle of scotch.
Who was that?
Carbonnier, who else?
Well, I will buy you two bottles.
Yes, I will, tomorrow,
after the drive, promise.
Here.
The car hit the tree.
Exploded, burst into flames
30 metres high.
You told Carbonnier that
the white Safari, the Citroën,
forced Mr Aubry's car
off the road deliberately.
Yet there was not that
in your deposition, was there?
- I'm not looking for trouble.
- Come on, there's no one to hear us.
Means anything I say.
You haven't got a witness.
This very site's where Jacques Aubry
was pushed off.
Deliberately?
And did Inspector Pageon, you know,
say you have no papers,
and perhaps
you should report it differently?
He said I gotta be sure of my facts.
But you were sure of your facts,
Mr Quarrie, weren't you?
Hell, the driver could sue me.
Did the inspector tell you that?
No.
Then who?
The guy who witnessed my deposition.
No, he changed it himself.
Why?
When he made his first deposition,
Quarrie was drunk,
it wasn't a true account,
he wanted to withdraw it.
- Why did he come to you?
- He was frightened.
And he could afford it, could he?
And he made a second deposition, yeah?
No mention of the crash or that Mr
Aubry's car was forced off the road?
And he was under no pressure
to withdraw his first statement.
As I have said, Sergeant.
Quarrie is quite a
vulnerable character.
He says that you told him
he could be sued for defamation.
Absurd.
A witness is entitled to report
what he thinks he has seen.
Okay, Mr Arranches,
thanks for your time.
Gran plaisir.
Monsieur Carbonnier, um,
can you tell me why your name
and address is in his notebook?
No, I can't.
Merci.
Arranches, he's a good lawyer.
But he gave Quarrie some odd advice.
At least he doesn't have
a white Citroën.
Monsieur Josserand...
- Yes?
- You gonna marry him?
No, it would be a disaster.
Well, I'm sorry,
it's none of my business.
Pageon has checked every white
Citroën Safari in the department.
So the police are incompetent,
or corrupt.
Or Quarrie was wrong
about the number plate.
- Come to dinner tonight.
- Yes, please. Thank you.
- Half past seven.
- Right.
- Well?
- Plonk.
Plonk? Don't be daft!
That cost over 15 quid a bottle.
- And that was by the case.
- It's still plonk, Charlie.
Show him the label, go on, go on.
I mean, that's
quality stuff, it's that.
It's a quality label.
But if this Châteauneuf '82,
I'm Queen of the May.
Where'd you get it from?
St Armand.
- Not even wine?
- Not even wine, monsieur.
Sergeant, do you agree with Danielle
that Carbonnier's murder
has something to do with
the death of my son-in-law?
It's possible.
Jacques' death was an accident.
The police said so.
They never found the other driver.
And Danielle has convinced him that
our police are corrupt, Sergeant?
She has convinced me that
my visit here was worthwhile.
I had a visit.
What, from the police?
Suspicious of our trip,
why we went to France and Italy.
- Why we went?
- Well, it was your car, Charlie.
And your blasted pictures.
But that had nothing to do
with your corpse.
I don't know.
We stop off in St Armand,
and in no time at all
someone from the same place is breaking
in here with a plan of my house.
- You must have talked to someone.
- No.
No one?
Well, only the fellow
in that wine warehouse place
where I bought this stuff.
He was very keen to export to Jersey
and he was looking for a partner.
And you, you chump,
you gave him your address.
Well, good night, Danielle.
And thank you.
Good night, Jim.
Hello?
Over 100,000 francs in his desk.
Why not the bank?
Up till a month ago,
we were always in debt.
And then suddenly,
he paid off all the bills.
Did he tell you where the money
came from?
I didn't ask him.
I was afraid to.
I thought he must've stolen it.
And now, I don't know
what I ought to do with the money.
I should keep it, madame,
for the time being.
Don't tell anyone else.
You've got to see this.
Take a look at that.
- Do you know him?
- Nope.
Except that he owns a garage,
and that he rented a Citroën Safari
from a car-hire company.
When?
The day after your husband was killed.
Pertuis, it's more than 50 kilometres
from St Armand.
Yeah, well, maybe that was the point.
But if Carbonnier knew something about
that man Bonnet,
why didn't he tell me?
And where did madame Carbonnier's
100,000 francs come from?
Do you think Carbonnier was paid
to keep his mouth shut?
Perhaps he found out
who killed your husband
and why, and maybe he got greedy.
Carbonnier?
He came to see you a few weeks ago,
to talk to you about this.
I rent cars all the time, sir...
But my friend Louis,
in the Rue des Cordeliers...
...and hire them out to customers.
This was two years ago.
Yes, thank you very much,
monsieur Bonnet.
I did read the date.
Why should I be interested,
Mr Policeman?
Because two years ago, the day before
you rented this white Citroën,
the driver of an identical car
killed this lady's husband.
No, monsieur, I know
nothing about this.
If you helped cover up the crime,
you are an accessory.
Carbonnier came here
within the last month
to talk to you about the other
white Citroën,
the one you did the repairs on
two years ago, monsieur Bonnet.
What did you tell him?
There was nothing to tell, monsieur.
The customer just turned up
out of the blue.
- Name?
- I didn't ask.
While his own car was being repaired,
he wanted another Safari.
It had to be white.
Jim?
Monsieur, registration plates.
Come on, Bonnet, don't be stupid.
If we don't find him,
you could be a dead man,
do you understand?
I changed the plates.
Put the ones on the damaged car
onto the hired car.
My name is Charles Hungerford.
- Bonjour monsieur.
- Aye, oui, bonjour, bonjour.
And I ordered un chambre...
Oui, last night.
And you should have
a fellow here called Bergerac.
Yes, monsieur, but he's out.
Blooming Ada!
After coming all this way,
I mean, he could be anywhere.
If you could sign here,
please, Mr Hungerford.
Aye. Oui, oui,
I'm not waiting for him, you know.
Yeah, but lunch first, Charlie?
Well, this is a bit of all right.
Let's review the situation.
But, Frankie, the man's a killer.
Yeah, merci.
The only person in St Armand
I gave my confounded address to.
Yeah, well, you've waited this long, you
can wait a bit longer, till after lunch.
But, Frankie, you said it,
you said the blasted man must've given
my address to Carbonnier,
who wound up dead in my study.
Surely you're not suddenly saying
you've had a different idea, are you?
I'm saying that I'm famished.
It's one thing knowing,
or believing we know
who killed Jacques,
it's making it stick.
What's this idiot up to?
Bloody fool!
You all right?
- You're sure this is the place?
- Aye, positive.
You said that last time.
Look, do you wanna help me or not?
- Well, I said I would, didn't I?
- Well, then...
What I can't understand
is how anyone could possibly mistake
a place this size.
Now what?
Well, find his nibs, the killer, and
see what he has to say for himself.
- Something bothering you?
- No, no, no. After you, Charlie.
He's got a gun, get down, get down!
Means the wine should be
put into the bottle where it's made,
at the chateau.
You can see for yourself
what's been going on here.
Aye.
Kevin Ramsay, security officer,
sent to Jersey to kill Carbonnier.
He also tried to kill me
and madame Aubry.
The question is,
how did he know we were on this road?
How, indeed?
I myself followed you to Pertuis.
It is a matter of routine.
Besides, I was concerned
for your safety.
Malheureusement.
Yeah.
Why should this man kill Carbonnier?
Because he was paid to
by our lawyer friend.
- Monsieur Arranches?
- Yeah.
Who was acting for the man
Carbonnier was blackmailing,
the same man who killed Jacques Aubry.
Now, monsieur Inspecteur,
I need your help.
I need to see monsieur Delage
in his warehouse.
Now.
Seen enough, haven't we?
Charlie!
- What the hell are you doing here?
- Doing your job.
- Look at that.
- What are you doing here, trespassing?
- I'm trying to clear my name. Look.
- It's a scam.
- A gigantic swindle.
- Aye, posh labels on cheap plonk.
And 150 francs a bottle,
that's an awful lot of money.
I even bought a
couple of cases meself.
A man called Aubry discovered
it first, and they killed him.
They?
And then Carbonnier, sent on a wild
goose chase to your place, Charlie.
- But why mine?
- Well, it didn't matter where it was,
so long as it was a long way
away from here.
Well, all right, man, do your duty.
What is this?
My friend tells me you understood
what happened to my wife's motor car.
Yes.
You used it to kill Jacques Aubry.
Well, he threatened
to expose all this.
Move, Charlie!
Charlie!
Well, even that stuff has its uses.
You've got to face it, Jim.
When it comes to the crunch, us old 'uns
can show you young 'uns a thing or two.
Quite naturally.
Well, goodbye, monsieur Leufroid.
All's well that end's well?
Well, monsieur?
Agent Bergerac has left us
without our mayor,
our avocat and our chief of police.
Well, gotta go.
Can't you stay for
the quatorze juillet celebrations?
Bye, Sergeant.
Bye, madame Aubry.
The quatorze juillet,
will there be fireworks?
Yes.
---
What have you got?
The victim's driving licence,
French.
- We'd better find out, don't we?
- Yeah.
- Now where's good Charlie?
- Kitchen.
Is he all right?
I don't know anything about it.
When I came down this morning, the first
thing I saw was the hall door wide open.
Why didn't the alarm wake you?
- Jim. Sorry.
- No.
Fact is, ever since my spell in
hospital I've not been 100 percent.
I've not been sleeping well,
I've been taking medication so...
Charlie, is that the truth?
- I forgot to switch it on.
- Wonderful.
- And you've never seen him before?
- No, of course not.
Have you got any French deals
brewing up at the minute?
- French? No, why? What, was he French?
- Yeah.
And the only thing he seemed interested
in was the contents of your desk.
Why?
Anyhow, he couldn't have
got away with anything.
Well, the killer could.
Yes.
Sorry.
I mean, two break-ins in one night.
Come on.
You can't suspect me, Jim. Surely.
- Have you ever been to St Armand?
- St where?
St Armand. It's near Avignon,
in Provence.
Well, I might have been, I mean...
All those frog names sound alike,
don't they?
You'll be about if I want you,
won't you?
Blooming Ada! You do suspect me.
- In your study?
- Aye, stone cold.
You need a drink, old boy.
That's the first sensible thing
you've said all morning.
Charlie.
Next thing, you'll be on at me
about that continental trip of ours.
Look, Frankie, we didn't stop off
at this place, did we?
Yes, we did.
You know St Armand's
where my dead frog came from.
Very awkward.
I mean it's ridiculous, I know.
- Charlie.
- What?
I don't quite know how to put this,
but well, there could be
some connection.
You've been up to
something, haven't you?
Now, Charlie, don't blow a gasket.
Well, when I brought these over,
I didn't bother with the paperwork.
But, you know how it is, Charlie.
- You mean you smuggled them in?
- Well...
- Yes.
- What, in my blasted Rolls?
If he booked in for only one night,
he must have known exactly
what he was looking for, yeah?
Here we go. Carbonnier, Michel,
born 16th April, 1943.
Yeah, that fits.
Detective? He was a copper.
No, French. Détective.
He was a private investigator.
Why would he be interested in Charlie?
Why was the person who hired him
interested in Charlie?
That's the real question, isn't it?
- Maybe he got the wrong house.
- No, he didn't.
He got the right house, the right room
and the right desk.
I tell you, there was nothing missing.
Carbonnier came all the way over
from France with a plan of your house.
- Why?
- You're the detective. You tell me.
- I'd like to go, Jim, if you don't...
- No, no, you can't do that.
Now, has anyone visited
the house recently?
What? Well, I don't know.
There's always someone at the door.
- Someone you didn't know?
- Don't rush me.
There was a fellow from
a carpet cleaning company.
As a matter of fact,
I did show him around.
Unsolicited?
Who was he working for?
What was the name of the company?
I... I don't remember.
- How old was he?
- 28, 30.
Can you come in tomorrow?
Help us with the photo fit?
- Will that get me off the hook?
- It'll be a start, yeah.
Is there anything else, Charlie?
Not really.
Only about three months ago,
when I was driving back through France
with Frankie Blakemore, you know him,
- well, it just so happens that...
- You visited St Armand.
We had lunch there. I picked up a
couple of cases of wine and Frankie...
Why didn't you tell us before?
I know Charlie.
I know that innocent look.
He's hiding something.
See if he wants a cup of tea.
Bureau des Étrangers.
Hang on, he's here now.
Barney.
Yes, Barney.
Well, there's no point in going
over yet, is there?
Why not?
Well, we'd be jumping the gun.
I've got Charlie Hungerford to...
Well, why can't Ben or Willy go?
If you're making it an order, yeah.
Yes, I will play it by the book.
When have I ever done anything else?
No, no, no.
Tougher looking,
like an American footballer.
The eyes, a bit wider apart.
That's it. That's him.
I mean, look at him,
he's got to be a villain, hasn't he?
Yeah.
You couldn't get a much more villainous
looking face than that, could you?
You do remember stopping at St Armand?
Of course.
Only Charlie Hungerford's
a bit hazy about it.
But Charlie's hazy
about a lot of things.
This motoring holiday, whose idea?
- Whose car was it?
- Charlie's.
Well, there's more room in a Roller.
To spread out, take a nap.
Anyway, Charlie made
all the arrangements.
You know we've had a word with him
about the trip?
- Well...
- And he got a bit bothered.
You wouldn't happen to know why,
would you, Mr Blakemore?
Carbonnier. Look, someone sent him over
here to find what was in Charlie's...
Sergeant Bergerac, excuse me.
Inspector Pageon from St Armand.
Hello, Inspector.
Sergeant, I'm returning
your urgent call.
- Urgent?
- It was not urgent?
Well, no, not really.
It does not matter.
How can I help you this time?
Well, I will be coming over to
St Armand in a couple of days.
Is this necessary?
Well, my superintendent
seems to think so, yeah.
Well, if you think
it is so necessary...
- Do you play boules, Sergeant?
- No, no.
That's our mayor, Mr Delage.
He's also our local wine shipper.
You can find him here
at this time every day.
- He looks pretty good.
- Not as good as he thinks he is.
Merci.
Inspecteur, if we're going
to work together...
I hope we shall have
the closest liaison.
My superintendent was a bit
frightened I might tread on your toes.
Comment?
Well, I hope not.
But I don't know
what you expect to find here.
This is not Chicago.
Besides, Carbonnier was killed
in Jersey.
But who sent him there?
You ask me?
Nothing ever happens here, Sergeant.
Did she know her husband went after
other women, madame Carbonnier?
But she was here all the time.
- She could have hired somebody.
- Of course.
Is that someone I should know about?
No, he is a man without papers.
He is a... deserter. Deserter?
From the army,
the American army in Germany.
- He's done a runner, has he?
- Oui, he's done a runner.
Well, we give him things to do
to keep body and soul together with...
Inspecteur.
I've just heard about
Michel Carbonnier
Sergeant Bergerac,
Bureau des Étrangers, Jersey.
Monsieur Arranches.
You think the murderer is living here,
Sergeant? Here in St Armand?
It's too soon to say that, sir.
Poor Madeleine Carbonnier.
I hope you catch
him, wherever he lives.
Monsieur Arranches
is our local avocat.
Three cases Carbonnier was working on.
Georges Arranches, your avocat friend,
Danielle Aubry and Auguste Planiol.
So what now, Sergeant? Cognac?
Madame Carbonnier.
Did your husband tell you
he was going to Jersey?
No, monsieur, he did not.
Did he ever mention
the name Charles Hungerford?
Never.
That night, where
did you think he was?
Sometimes it is better not to think.
Did he never talk to you
about his work, madame?
He talked about nothing with me,
nor I with him.
- But you lived together, here.
- It was my duty.
You didn't love him?
He did not believe in
the sacrament of marriage.
Perhaps this is God's punishment.
Madame.
When he didn't come home, you thought
he was with another woman, yeah?
- Yes.
- Do you know her name?
No. Any woman would do.
Madame, did you hate him?
I felt nothing for him.
- Well, Sergeant?
- Not an easy woman?
No, not for Carbonnier, for sure.
But I don't believe she hired
anyone to kill her husband.
So where can I take you now?
I'd rather nose round by myself a bit,
if you don't mind.
I'm sure you will not give me
cause to remind you,
you have no jurisdiction here.
Okay.
Well, you'll need a car,
a local garage can help you.
Thanks very much.
Perhaps on the way you could fill me in
more about this guy, Auguste Planiol.
First, a word of advice.
This is a small town.
People here are
suspicious of strangers.
Yeah. I have noticed.
Your name was in
Carbonnier's notebook.
Natalie.
Natalie, my daughter.
Bonjour Natalie.
A week ago, this little bird decided
she was old enough to fly.
But her wings weren't strong enough,
chérie?
- Why did you run away, Natalie?
- Who knows? There was no cause.
For me, her father,
and the schoolmaster,
it was most embarrassing.
That's why she did it,
to embarrass me?
So, Carbonnier didn't find her?
She came home of her own accord,
Sergeant,
having learnt her
painful lesson, Natalie?
Well, the important thing is
she's back now, yeah?
- Au revoir, Sergeant.
- Au revoir.
Madame Aubry?
Oui.
Bonjour.
- Can we speak in English?
- Sure, yes.
I am investigating the murder
of Michel Carbonnier.
- Michel Carbonnier?
- Yeah.
Why? You think he
was killed in Jersey?
Don't know. But I intend to find out.
- Let's go up to the house.
- Sure.
- Monsieur Bergerac?
- Yeah?
Are you an honest man?
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
No, it's a fair question.
It's a bit unexpected, that's all.
But then, nothing is quite
what I expected down here.
- It's so hot.
- Well, hang on.
Here.
Thank you.
I hired Michel
Carbonnier five weeks ago
to find the one who killed my husband.
He was murdered two years ago.
I should have acted sooner but
my father and everyone else...
No, nearly everyone else,
has been saying, it was just
an accident from the car crash.
I'm sorry, madame.
I had a witness, Quarrie, an American.
But after our police had
finished with him...
My father.
I can understand why you have come
to St Armand, Sergeant,
but I wonder why you have come here.
My friends are waiting for me.
Did you win, gentlemen,
your boules match?
We lost.
But we always put up a good fight.
There is always next time.
Shall we drink
to this year's vintage?
Thank you, monsieur, but could I
just have a drink of water, please?
Water.
The water is outside, monsieur.
Sergeant Bergerac
is working, Papa.
Is he?
We all work, Danielle, but some of us
work more hard than others.
Wine and work. Does the Sergeant
think they are enemies?
- No, no, sir.
- But you're not working now, are you?
Monsieur Josserand,
I am looking for a murderer.
Michel Carbonnier was killed in
Jersey. What is it to do with us?
I hired him, Papa.
I want to know who killed Jacques.
Why didn't you speak to me first?
If the police couldn't find
the driver...
They didn't try.
After two years, she still
thinks there was a conspiracy.
It is shocking, Danielle,
of course,
but surely you do not think
someone in St Armand...
A man is paid to find out about a
murder and then he, too, is murdered.
Am I the only one here to think
there might be a connection?
Hear no evil,
see no evil, speak no evil.
Quoi?
Those three.
I don't want to be rude
about your father,
but that was a unanimous vote
of no confidence, wasn't it?
Why?
They think I'm just a woman,
not worth listening to.
- And has it been like that since...
- Yes.
And it is hard,
Sergeant, on one's own.
Well, you're not on your own
any more, are you?
- Goodbye, Sergeant.
- Goodbye.
It is a long time, monsieur, since
I've had help from anyone in St Armand
without having to pay for it.
- They pretend to sympathise but...
- I'm sorry about that.
I think you are.
Do you expect to catch
the one who did it?
It's easy enough talking to people,
it's not so easy to find things out.
They don't give away their secrets,
monsieur.
Certainly don't.
Michel did not trust the police,
but he himself could not be trusted.
- Au revoir, monsieur.
- Au revoir, madame.
Strange woman.
One never knows what she's thinking.
Of higher things, perhaps.
Yes, and man grows on other things.
Why else would she marry Carbonnier,
contemptible little man?
Why do you call him that?
Because he played around?
Well, that's pardonable but to do it
publicly, to humiliate his wife,
that is not pardonable.
Of course, he knew a lot of people,
not all of them from St Armand,
and not all the kind that you
take home to meet your family.
Well, he had that sort of job,
didn't he?
Perhaps you should widen your search.
Look outside the town for your murderer.
Perhaps I will.
You're making us all
a little nervous, Sergeant.
But good luck to you.
None of us will sleep
until this business is finished.
- Au revoir.
- Au revoir, monsieur.
The man who witnessed
Jacques Aubry's car crash,
I'd like to see his
deposition, please.
Quarrie is not a reliable witness.
His disposition must be taken
with a great deal of salt.
It is, of course, in French.
White Citroën Safari,
local number plates.
Overtook monsieur Aubry's car.
His car took avoiding action,
went off the road and into the ravine.
Local registration number?
We interviewed
all the local Safari owners.
And?
- Any of them live in St Armand?
- Three.
Madame Delage, the wife of the mayor.
Monsieur Hubert, a
building contractor,
and monsieur Savatier
who manages the Toulon restaurant.
In which bar will I find Mr Quarrie?
- You're a cop?
- Yeah, like I told you.
Jersey States Police.
What're you gonna do? Bust me?
No, I've got no jurisdiction
around here.
I just wanna chat, okay?
- I don't talk to cops.
- You're talking to me.
- Is that good stuff there?
- It's okay.
Inspector Pageon could bust you
if he wanted to.
- What do you want?
- A bit of information.
Michel Carbonnier.
Listen, I don't kill people.
Carbonnier comes into it.
But this is really
about Jacques Aubry.
I want you to show
me where it happened.
It's late.
What, have you got something else
to do, have you?
You're not the first one.
The last time
he bought me a whole bottle of scotch.
Who was that?
Carbonnier, who else?
Well, I will buy you two bottles.
Yes, I will, tomorrow,
after the drive, promise.
Here.
The car hit the tree.
Exploded, burst into flames
30 metres high.
You told Carbonnier that
the white Safari, the Citroën,
forced Mr Aubry's car
off the road deliberately.
Yet there was not that
in your deposition, was there?
- I'm not looking for trouble.
- Come on, there's no one to hear us.
Means anything I say.
You haven't got a witness.
This very site's where Jacques Aubry
was pushed off.
Deliberately?
And did Inspector Pageon, you know,
say you have no papers,
and perhaps
you should report it differently?
He said I gotta be sure of my facts.
But you were sure of your facts,
Mr Quarrie, weren't you?
Hell, the driver could sue me.
Did the inspector tell you that?
No.
Then who?
The guy who witnessed my deposition.
No, he changed it himself.
Why?
When he made his first deposition,
Quarrie was drunk,
it wasn't a true account,
he wanted to withdraw it.
- Why did he come to you?
- He was frightened.
And he could afford it, could he?
And he made a second deposition, yeah?
No mention of the crash or that Mr
Aubry's car was forced off the road?
And he was under no pressure
to withdraw his first statement.
As I have said, Sergeant.
Quarrie is quite a
vulnerable character.
He says that you told him
he could be sued for defamation.
Absurd.
A witness is entitled to report
what he thinks he has seen.
Okay, Mr Arranches,
thanks for your time.
Gran plaisir.
Monsieur Carbonnier, um,
can you tell me why your name
and address is in his notebook?
No, I can't.
Merci.
Arranches, he's a good lawyer.
But he gave Quarrie some odd advice.
At least he doesn't have
a white Citroën.
Monsieur Josserand...
- Yes?
- You gonna marry him?
No, it would be a disaster.
Well, I'm sorry,
it's none of my business.
Pageon has checked every white
Citroën Safari in the department.
So the police are incompetent,
or corrupt.
Or Quarrie was wrong
about the number plate.
- Come to dinner tonight.
- Yes, please. Thank you.
- Half past seven.
- Right.
- Well?
- Plonk.
Plonk? Don't be daft!
That cost over 15 quid a bottle.
- And that was by the case.
- It's still plonk, Charlie.
Show him the label, go on, go on.
I mean, that's
quality stuff, it's that.
It's a quality label.
But if this Châteauneuf '82,
I'm Queen of the May.
Where'd you get it from?
St Armand.
- Not even wine?
- Not even wine, monsieur.
Sergeant, do you agree with Danielle
that Carbonnier's murder
has something to do with
the death of my son-in-law?
It's possible.
Jacques' death was an accident.
The police said so.
They never found the other driver.
And Danielle has convinced him that
our police are corrupt, Sergeant?
She has convinced me that
my visit here was worthwhile.
I had a visit.
What, from the police?
Suspicious of our trip,
why we went to France and Italy.
- Why we went?
- Well, it was your car, Charlie.
And your blasted pictures.
But that had nothing to do
with your corpse.
I don't know.
We stop off in St Armand,
and in no time at all
someone from the same place is breaking
in here with a plan of my house.
- You must have talked to someone.
- No.
No one?
Well, only the fellow
in that wine warehouse place
where I bought this stuff.
He was very keen to export to Jersey
and he was looking for a partner.
And you, you chump,
you gave him your address.
Well, good night, Danielle.
And thank you.
Good night, Jim.
Hello?
Over 100,000 francs in his desk.
Why not the bank?
Up till a month ago,
we were always in debt.
And then suddenly,
he paid off all the bills.
Did he tell you where the money
came from?
I didn't ask him.
I was afraid to.
I thought he must've stolen it.
And now, I don't know
what I ought to do with the money.
I should keep it, madame,
for the time being.
Don't tell anyone else.
You've got to see this.
Take a look at that.
- Do you know him?
- Nope.
Except that he owns a garage,
and that he rented a Citroën Safari
from a car-hire company.
When?
The day after your husband was killed.
Pertuis, it's more than 50 kilometres
from St Armand.
Yeah, well, maybe that was the point.
But if Carbonnier knew something about
that man Bonnet,
why didn't he tell me?
And where did madame Carbonnier's
100,000 francs come from?
Do you think Carbonnier was paid
to keep his mouth shut?
Perhaps he found out
who killed your husband
and why, and maybe he got greedy.
Carbonnier?
He came to see you a few weeks ago,
to talk to you about this.
I rent cars all the time, sir...
But my friend Louis,
in the Rue des Cordeliers...
...and hire them out to customers.
This was two years ago.
Yes, thank you very much,
monsieur Bonnet.
I did read the date.
Why should I be interested,
Mr Policeman?
Because two years ago, the day before
you rented this white Citroën,
the driver of an identical car
killed this lady's husband.
No, monsieur, I know
nothing about this.
If you helped cover up the crime,
you are an accessory.
Carbonnier came here
within the last month
to talk to you about the other
white Citroën,
the one you did the repairs on
two years ago, monsieur Bonnet.
What did you tell him?
There was nothing to tell, monsieur.
The customer just turned up
out of the blue.
- Name?
- I didn't ask.
While his own car was being repaired,
he wanted another Safari.
It had to be white.
Jim?
Monsieur, registration plates.
Come on, Bonnet, don't be stupid.
If we don't find him,
you could be a dead man,
do you understand?
I changed the plates.
Put the ones on the damaged car
onto the hired car.
My name is Charles Hungerford.
- Bonjour monsieur.
- Aye, oui, bonjour, bonjour.
And I ordered un chambre...
Oui, last night.
And you should have
a fellow here called Bergerac.
Yes, monsieur, but he's out.
Blooming Ada!
After coming all this way,
I mean, he could be anywhere.
If you could sign here,
please, Mr Hungerford.
Aye. Oui, oui,
I'm not waiting for him, you know.
Yeah, but lunch first, Charlie?
Well, this is a bit of all right.
Let's review the situation.
But, Frankie, the man's a killer.
Yeah, merci.
The only person in St Armand
I gave my confounded address to.
Yeah, well, you've waited this long, you
can wait a bit longer, till after lunch.
But, Frankie, you said it,
you said the blasted man must've given
my address to Carbonnier,
who wound up dead in my study.
Surely you're not suddenly saying
you've had a different idea, are you?
I'm saying that I'm famished.
It's one thing knowing,
or believing we know
who killed Jacques,
it's making it stick.
What's this idiot up to?
Bloody fool!
You all right?
- You're sure this is the place?
- Aye, positive.
You said that last time.
Look, do you wanna help me or not?
- Well, I said I would, didn't I?
- Well, then...
What I can't understand
is how anyone could possibly mistake
a place this size.
Now what?
Well, find his nibs, the killer, and
see what he has to say for himself.
- Something bothering you?
- No, no, no. After you, Charlie.
He's got a gun, get down, get down!
Means the wine should be
put into the bottle where it's made,
at the chateau.
You can see for yourself
what's been going on here.
Aye.
Kevin Ramsay, security officer,
sent to Jersey to kill Carbonnier.
He also tried to kill me
and madame Aubry.
The question is,
how did he know we were on this road?
How, indeed?
I myself followed you to Pertuis.
It is a matter of routine.
Besides, I was concerned
for your safety.
Malheureusement.
Yeah.
Why should this man kill Carbonnier?
Because he was paid to
by our lawyer friend.
- Monsieur Arranches?
- Yeah.
Who was acting for the man
Carbonnier was blackmailing,
the same man who killed Jacques Aubry.
Now, monsieur Inspecteur,
I need your help.
I need to see monsieur Delage
in his warehouse.
Now.
Seen enough, haven't we?
Charlie!
- What the hell are you doing here?
- Doing your job.
- Look at that.
- What are you doing here, trespassing?
- I'm trying to clear my name. Look.
- It's a scam.
- A gigantic swindle.
- Aye, posh labels on cheap plonk.
And 150 francs a bottle,
that's an awful lot of money.
I even bought a
couple of cases meself.
A man called Aubry discovered
it first, and they killed him.
They?
And then Carbonnier, sent on a wild
goose chase to your place, Charlie.
- But why mine?
- Well, it didn't matter where it was,
so long as it was a long way
away from here.
Well, all right, man, do your duty.
What is this?
My friend tells me you understood
what happened to my wife's motor car.
Yes.
You used it to kill Jacques Aubry.
Well, he threatened
to expose all this.
Move, Charlie!
Charlie!
Well, even that stuff has its uses.
You've got to face it, Jim.
When it comes to the crunch, us old 'uns
can show you young 'uns a thing or two.
Quite naturally.
Well, goodbye, monsieur Leufroid.
All's well that end's well?
Well, monsieur?
Agent Bergerac has left us
without our mayor,
our avocat and our chief of police.
Well, gotta go.
Can't you stay for
the quatorze juillet celebrations?
Bye, Sergeant.
Bye, madame Aubry.
The quatorze juillet,
will there be fireworks?
Yes.