Maltese - Il Romanzo del Commissario (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Episode #1.5 - full transcript
Maltese comes to believe that his friend peralta was killed because of his investigation into drug trafficking in the city. He follows the trail of the narcotics money and soon makes a breakthrough.
I'm gonna leave... too many emotions.
The scratches on the forearms and the skin
under the nails tell us he fought for his life.
But most of all, a fracture in the brainstem
tell us he didn't do it by himself.
Someone wanted him to stop fighting back.
First, he was hanged against his will,
then pulled down hard...
...which caused the rupture of the spinal cord
and immediate death.
Doing it by himself,
he would have chocked to death, with no cervical damage.
Will you put all this in writing for me?
- Of course.
Good.
Something like this never happened to me before.
What you're referring to?
The State that kills in complicity with Mafia.
- It's the other way around.
Just subtleties... yet to be proven, by the way.
This case is making me sicker and sicker.
What has the French been up to?
Norman just got back,
you can ask him.
I will.
Look... an invitation at court.
If it's the husband inviting me,
it means they wanna buy me.
If it's Giulia Melendez though,
this might be our chance.
What kind of chance?
I'll tell you one thing
and it must stay between us.
I have reason to believe
Giulia Melendez is our Wanda.
Wanda? Peralta's informer?
- Yes.
It sounds strange.
Someone like her
telling secretes to chief Peralta... I mean...
...why jeopardize her golden world
to pass information to a street cop?
Mom, can I do my homework later?
- Of course.
Later I'll help you.
- Thanks.
Remember when we first met?
You were the most beautiful debutante
ever seen in Trapani.
You had a blue dress.
Every other girl was wearing white
but you were the most beautiful.
It was the biggest mistake of my life.
You were handsome, rich, generous...
all girls were after you.
I didn't choose you for your eyes... or for your money.
I just saw... a garden like this one...
...a boy who just got out of my father's party...
...got his necktie off...
...as if he was suffocating in there... just like me.
Nothing has been decided...
together we can change everything, do what we want.
The Marseillais spent the whole night in the salt refinery.
In Rome, they say he's the best chemist around.
They'd lost track of him 2 weeks ago.
I'm sure they're turning the salt refinery
into a drug lab.
Let's get there right away then.
- We gotta come full circle.
The Giacona sisters, on which flight are they?
- They land tomorrow morning at 9.
If the 3 crones left with the heroin,
they might come back with the money.
Hidden under their skirts?
Yes?
It's the Prosecutor.
- Tell her I'm on my way there.
He'll be there shortly.
Goodbye.
Hello.
- Hi, dad.
Noa! Hi!
- Guess where I'm calling from?
Paris.
- Wrong!
Where are you? Give me a clue.
- Wait.
What's that... the sea?
Yes but which sea?
- Which sea...
Don't you recognize your own sea?
- You're here?!
Dad!
How are you, love?
- Fine.
You've grown so much!
You're too grown for this teddybear!
- No, it's beautiful!
Come.
Hi, Dario. I'm Sean.
- Nice to meet you.
When you're out on picnics,
the squirrels take the nuts from your hand.
From your hands? Really?
It must be very nice.
One thing's missing though.
- What is it?
I know we can't go back living all together...
...but you could come live near us.
In America?
- Yes.
What about my job?
- You'll find one there.
I can't even speak English that good.
- I'll teach you.
We'll see.
We'll find a solution, I can't live too far from you.
- So you're coming.
Not right now, I need to be here at the moment.
- Why? You're all alone.
How can I explain this...
Remember when I used to tell you
to clean up your things before going to bed?
Yes.
- Right. When I left Sicily, I was just a kid.
I left a mess, I didn't clean up my things.
- You came back to clean up your room?
You can say that.
- You got a girlfriend?
A girlfriend? No!
- Why not?
Well... it's not that easy to find one.
But you're all alone this way.
- That worries you?
Yes.
- I'll tell you a secret then.
I have a girl... well... there's one girl I like...
...and sometimes we see each other.
- I wanna meet her.
Do you?
- It's a promise then.
When I'm back from Siracusa, you'll introduce us.
- We'll see.
Now I gotta go,
I have a meeting with a really annoying man.
I'd had never authorized an autopsy on Gaspare Renda.
To me, that case was closed!
Just like Peralts's death would be a closed case
if not for the press' speculations.
As it happens, Peralta's case is still open...
...and Renda's murder in the asylum
is part of the same case.
Be real, Maltese!
Gaspare Renda was a nutjob!
I had him transferred myself for his own sake.
- Did you even bother to read the report that's in front of you?
The doctor himself certifies that Renda was murdered
inside the asylum, it's all there!
They killed him to shut him up,
this is my firm belief and I'll get evidence.
Are you aware of what you're saying?
I am... but are you aware you are denying evidence
that's so clear and self-evident?
You hide your head in the sand
and I don't understand why!
What kind of Sicilian are you?
One who neglects his own land,
who leaves for 20 years...
...and comes back to throw mud.
See all this stuff here...
the story of your father with that young girl.
It was about to be published on front page this morning.
Your past is obstructing the investigations.
You believe Mafia is everywhere
but it's got nothing to do with this.
This won't clear your father's name.
Mafia is only inside your head.
I managed to stop the press this time.
Without me, public opinion would be burying you right now.
Next time...
- Enough... this discussion is surreal and pointless.
I'll tell you just one thing:
I'm in Trapani to sole Peralta's case.
If someone wants to stop me,
they'll have to get rid of me. If you'll excuse me.
Your father's autopsy report should be around here.
Here it is.
You have a place where I can read it?
Here.
- Thank you.
"Several bruises and scratches"...
"Renda Gaspare... bruises and scratches"...
"Scratches on forearms"...
"scratches on forearms".
"Diagnosis: laceration of the cervical spine cord."
"Cause of death:
laceration of the cervical spine cord."
"Conclusions: the signs of struggle and the tear of the c-spine
lead to exclude the hypothesis of suicide."
"Conclusion: it's evidently a case of suicide."
Dr. Rocco Cavasino.
Dr. Cavasino?
Yes.
- Good morning.
Who are you?
- Commissioner Maltese.
What is it you wanna know from me?
You wrote that my father had bruises
and scratches on his arms, right?
Yes, I remember that case,
it was quite a big deal.
There was actually some slight bruising.
Possibly from pruning his rosebushes.
I recall your mother saying he did that all the time.
Pruning roses?
- Yes.
I can understand a few scratches
but you talked about actual ecchymosis.
Even minor scratches can sometimes be referred
as ecchymosis.
You also wrote that my father had
a torn cervical spine cord.
As I understand, that kind of laceration,
along with scratches and ecchymosis,
usually occurs in murder cases.
Murder disguised as suicide, am I wrong?
You're not wrong.
That wasn't your father's case though.
He dragged his armchair near the window,
climbed up on the backrest,
tied the curtain rope around his neck and jumped,
causing the armchair to fall on the floor.
It was a big armchair... and a big jump.
He was hanging 2 feet from the floor.
That jump broke his neck.
My father...
He didn't leave a note, a writing...that's strange...
- I remember well that case, I wasn't wrong.
I'm sorry I can't help you.
In every suicide case,
the relatives always look for another explanation.
Just to help them not feeling responsible.
How is she?
- She's ok now.
Every time she has these episodes I gotta run home
'cause I'm the only one who can calm her down
What is it?
- I need to talk to you.
About what?
- About dad.
You can see the two autopsies are identical so...
...I thought maybe it wasn't suicide.
Maybe they did to him what they did to Gaspare Renda.
The coroner told me his side of the story but...
...all this brought up some thoughts
I hadn't had for many years.
My dad... why did he kill himself?
Well, I...
What I mean is... you'll remember how he,
stubbornly, without ever making a step back,
denied till the last day
he'd ever had anything to do with Angelica.
Aldo, my father...
killed himself out of remorse...
...or out of protest against those who had defamed him?
Against those...
those like myself, who didn't really believe
in his innocence.
He died 20 years ago.
Let him rest in peace.
You can't go on beating yourself up.
- That's exactly what I want.
That's why I need to know who he really was.
One day he called me,
it was in April.
He wanted me to meet him in Pizzolungo
about some case.
His voice was strange.
Then we found ourselves by the sea,
having coffee...
...and I could tell he was somehow distracted.
He wasn't even listening to me.
He was staring straight out the window.
There she was... coming out of the water.
"Beauty..." he said "...can hurt you like a pain."
She was 16... he was 39.
Without his family, he was lost.
But he fell for her... and her for him.
So it's all true.
I see.
I see.
Some things you just cannot fight.
Love is one.
Nice words... but this won't save him.
If you had taken that picture,
our end would be in it too.
But it wasn't you who took it...
...so we just look like an average happy couple
at the beach.
A couple that may even stay together
all their life.
Why did you come?
Are you moving in with him?
I came to collect my things
'cause you told me you weren't gonna be here.
I'm here to help you.
I lost the woman I love...
I can't afford to also lose a friend and my best photographer.
Thank you.
I'm leaving tomorrow,
I need a few days away from here.
I gotta pick myself up.
When I get back, I want you on the field.
Can I count on that?
Of course.
You keep 'em, in case I lock myself out.
- I can't, Mauro.
Fine.
He's a cool guy, I know...
but he'll never love you like I do.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you?
- Everything's fine.
Giulia Melendez came looking for me today.
- What did she want?
She invited me to a party at her house.
She invited me too.
- Are you going?
Yes.
Alright... I'll see you there then.
Wanna come in?
- Yes.
Beer?
- No, thanks.
What happened?
Nothing... just the confirmation
that my father was sleeping with a classmate of mine.
Son of a bitch...
Do you know how many times he begged me to believe him?
That it wasn't true?
Deep down he knew I didn't believe him... I had doubts.
Then he had the brilliant idea to make me
find him hanging from a rope.
He made me feel guilty for 25 years.
Guilty for not believing to his innocence.
That piece of shit...
I'll go get a shower.
Let's go.
I can't believe it...
they're going straight to the bank!
In Luciano Consalvo's bank, to be precise.
Does it ring any bell?
- Giulia Melendez.
That's right.
- I'm starting to believe it myself, sir.
Look at that... greeted as if they were
the Queens of England.
Is that the director?
What now?
Around here banks are more sacred than cathedrals.
Get a report ready for now.
We need to uncover that drug refinery
before they dismantle it under our nose.
Police!
Don't move!
Hands up, dickhead!
Hands up!
Move!
Stop right there or he's dead!
Put down your guns!
You don't wanna do this.
- Throw your guns in the water!
The 3 old ladies went straight to the bank
to deposit the money from the drug sale in New York.
Our lovely grannies came and went from New York
22 times in the past 18 months,
so it's obviously customary.
These huge cash movements must have left some trace
in the accounts of Consalvo's bank.
Luciano Consalvo himself is clearly colluded
with whoever is running this drug traffic.
You know the Consalvo are untouchable
and you don't even have any evidence at the moment.
Let me into that bank
and I'll bring you tons of evidence.
It's the last piece of the puzzle.
What about the Frenchman?
- He doesn't talk and neither do all the others.
Fine, I'll try to get a warrant.
Don't say a word to procurator Leonci about this.
And do not worry. - Alright.
Do you want to order something
while we wait? - No. - You sure?
It's 8:40 already, is this the right restaurant?
Don't worry, it's the right restaurant.
She's just a bit late.
There she is.
Where are you going?
Hi.
- Hi!
I'm Noa, Dario's daughter.
- I'm Elisa.
You got something black under your eyes.
- Must be the eyeliner.
Better?
I only use it for special occasions.
Is this a special occasion?
- Very much, I'm meeting you.
Come.
Dad told me you're a photographer.
- That's right.
Is that how you two met?
He was investigating, you were taking pictures and...
Actually I met him on a train.
- What do you like about him?
Come on now...
- I don't know... maybe I like that he's handsome.
You know what? You're even prettier than him.
- Thank you.
It's nice meeting you.
- Same here.
There's the waiter, end of the inquisition.
- Ready to order?
Everything ok?
- Yes.
I was born and raised in that apartment.
- Really? Nice house.
Who's the owner now?
- I still am.
Why aren't you staying there?
- That was the idea, but then...
No.
I think it's time to sell it.
Sorry to disturb you here.
- Don't worry.
Any news?
Banking secrecy is a pillar of our economic system,
you can't touch that.
The old ladies go often to America
'cause they have relatives there.
The landing strip built by the Consalvo...
...is further proof of how much the Melendez family
is concerned about the modernization of Sicily.
That's what the Procurator said
and he's gonna stick to it.
It's ridiculous.
- I know.
I need something more to corner him.
- Something more? What else do they need??
Something more.
The scratches on the forearms and the skin
under the nails tell us he fought for his life.
But most of all, a fracture in the brainstem
tell us he didn't do it by himself.
Someone wanted him to stop fighting back.
First, he was hanged against his will,
then pulled down hard...
...which caused the rupture of the spinal cord
and immediate death.
Doing it by himself,
he would have chocked to death, with no cervical damage.
Will you put all this in writing for me?
- Of course.
Good.
Something like this never happened to me before.
What you're referring to?
The State that kills in complicity with Mafia.
- It's the other way around.
Just subtleties... yet to be proven, by the way.
This case is making me sicker and sicker.
What has the French been up to?
Norman just got back,
you can ask him.
I will.
Look... an invitation at court.
If it's the husband inviting me,
it means they wanna buy me.
If it's Giulia Melendez though,
this might be our chance.
What kind of chance?
I'll tell you one thing
and it must stay between us.
I have reason to believe
Giulia Melendez is our Wanda.
Wanda? Peralta's informer?
- Yes.
It sounds strange.
Someone like her
telling secretes to chief Peralta... I mean...
...why jeopardize her golden world
to pass information to a street cop?
Mom, can I do my homework later?
- Of course.
Later I'll help you.
- Thanks.
Remember when we first met?
You were the most beautiful debutante
ever seen in Trapani.
You had a blue dress.
Every other girl was wearing white
but you were the most beautiful.
It was the biggest mistake of my life.
You were handsome, rich, generous...
all girls were after you.
I didn't choose you for your eyes... or for your money.
I just saw... a garden like this one...
...a boy who just got out of my father's party...
...got his necktie off...
...as if he was suffocating in there... just like me.
Nothing has been decided...
together we can change everything, do what we want.
The Marseillais spent the whole night in the salt refinery.
In Rome, they say he's the best chemist around.
They'd lost track of him 2 weeks ago.
I'm sure they're turning the salt refinery
into a drug lab.
Let's get there right away then.
- We gotta come full circle.
The Giacona sisters, on which flight are they?
- They land tomorrow morning at 9.
If the 3 crones left with the heroin,
they might come back with the money.
Hidden under their skirts?
Yes?
It's the Prosecutor.
- Tell her I'm on my way there.
He'll be there shortly.
Goodbye.
Hello.
- Hi, dad.
Noa! Hi!
- Guess where I'm calling from?
Paris.
- Wrong!
Where are you? Give me a clue.
- Wait.
What's that... the sea?
Yes but which sea?
- Which sea...
Don't you recognize your own sea?
- You're here?!
Dad!
How are you, love?
- Fine.
You've grown so much!
You're too grown for this teddybear!
- No, it's beautiful!
Come.
Hi, Dario. I'm Sean.
- Nice to meet you.
When you're out on picnics,
the squirrels take the nuts from your hand.
From your hands? Really?
It must be very nice.
One thing's missing though.
- What is it?
I know we can't go back living all together...
...but you could come live near us.
In America?
- Yes.
What about my job?
- You'll find one there.
I can't even speak English that good.
- I'll teach you.
We'll see.
We'll find a solution, I can't live too far from you.
- So you're coming.
Not right now, I need to be here at the moment.
- Why? You're all alone.
How can I explain this...
Remember when I used to tell you
to clean up your things before going to bed?
Yes.
- Right. When I left Sicily, I was just a kid.
I left a mess, I didn't clean up my things.
- You came back to clean up your room?
You can say that.
- You got a girlfriend?
A girlfriend? No!
- Why not?
Well... it's not that easy to find one.
But you're all alone this way.
- That worries you?
Yes.
- I'll tell you a secret then.
I have a girl... well... there's one girl I like...
...and sometimes we see each other.
- I wanna meet her.
Do you?
- It's a promise then.
When I'm back from Siracusa, you'll introduce us.
- We'll see.
Now I gotta go,
I have a meeting with a really annoying man.
I'd had never authorized an autopsy on Gaspare Renda.
To me, that case was closed!
Just like Peralts's death would be a closed case
if not for the press' speculations.
As it happens, Peralta's case is still open...
...and Renda's murder in the asylum
is part of the same case.
Be real, Maltese!
Gaspare Renda was a nutjob!
I had him transferred myself for his own sake.
- Did you even bother to read the report that's in front of you?
The doctor himself certifies that Renda was murdered
inside the asylum, it's all there!
They killed him to shut him up,
this is my firm belief and I'll get evidence.
Are you aware of what you're saying?
I am... but are you aware you are denying evidence
that's so clear and self-evident?
You hide your head in the sand
and I don't understand why!
What kind of Sicilian are you?
One who neglects his own land,
who leaves for 20 years...
...and comes back to throw mud.
See all this stuff here...
the story of your father with that young girl.
It was about to be published on front page this morning.
Your past is obstructing the investigations.
You believe Mafia is everywhere
but it's got nothing to do with this.
This won't clear your father's name.
Mafia is only inside your head.
I managed to stop the press this time.
Without me, public opinion would be burying you right now.
Next time...
- Enough... this discussion is surreal and pointless.
I'll tell you just one thing:
I'm in Trapani to sole Peralta's case.
If someone wants to stop me,
they'll have to get rid of me. If you'll excuse me.
Your father's autopsy report should be around here.
Here it is.
You have a place where I can read it?
Here.
- Thank you.
"Several bruises and scratches"...
"Renda Gaspare... bruises and scratches"...
"Scratches on forearms"...
"scratches on forearms".
"Diagnosis: laceration of the cervical spine cord."
"Cause of death:
laceration of the cervical spine cord."
"Conclusions: the signs of struggle and the tear of the c-spine
lead to exclude the hypothesis of suicide."
"Conclusion: it's evidently a case of suicide."
Dr. Rocco Cavasino.
Dr. Cavasino?
Yes.
- Good morning.
Who are you?
- Commissioner Maltese.
What is it you wanna know from me?
You wrote that my father had bruises
and scratches on his arms, right?
Yes, I remember that case,
it was quite a big deal.
There was actually some slight bruising.
Possibly from pruning his rosebushes.
I recall your mother saying he did that all the time.
Pruning roses?
- Yes.
I can understand a few scratches
but you talked about actual ecchymosis.
Even minor scratches can sometimes be referred
as ecchymosis.
You also wrote that my father had
a torn cervical spine cord.
As I understand, that kind of laceration,
along with scratches and ecchymosis,
usually occurs in murder cases.
Murder disguised as suicide, am I wrong?
You're not wrong.
That wasn't your father's case though.
He dragged his armchair near the window,
climbed up on the backrest,
tied the curtain rope around his neck and jumped,
causing the armchair to fall on the floor.
It was a big armchair... and a big jump.
He was hanging 2 feet from the floor.
That jump broke his neck.
My father...
He didn't leave a note, a writing...that's strange...
- I remember well that case, I wasn't wrong.
I'm sorry I can't help you.
In every suicide case,
the relatives always look for another explanation.
Just to help them not feeling responsible.
How is she?
- She's ok now.
Every time she has these episodes I gotta run home
'cause I'm the only one who can calm her down
What is it?
- I need to talk to you.
About what?
- About dad.
You can see the two autopsies are identical so...
...I thought maybe it wasn't suicide.
Maybe they did to him what they did to Gaspare Renda.
The coroner told me his side of the story but...
...all this brought up some thoughts
I hadn't had for many years.
My dad... why did he kill himself?
Well, I...
What I mean is... you'll remember how he,
stubbornly, without ever making a step back,
denied till the last day
he'd ever had anything to do with Angelica.
Aldo, my father...
killed himself out of remorse...
...or out of protest against those who had defamed him?
Against those...
those like myself, who didn't really believe
in his innocence.
He died 20 years ago.
Let him rest in peace.
You can't go on beating yourself up.
- That's exactly what I want.
That's why I need to know who he really was.
One day he called me,
it was in April.
He wanted me to meet him in Pizzolungo
about some case.
His voice was strange.
Then we found ourselves by the sea,
having coffee...
...and I could tell he was somehow distracted.
He wasn't even listening to me.
He was staring straight out the window.
There she was... coming out of the water.
"Beauty..." he said "...can hurt you like a pain."
She was 16... he was 39.
Without his family, he was lost.
But he fell for her... and her for him.
So it's all true.
I see.
I see.
Some things you just cannot fight.
Love is one.
Nice words... but this won't save him.
If you had taken that picture,
our end would be in it too.
But it wasn't you who took it...
...so we just look like an average happy couple
at the beach.
A couple that may even stay together
all their life.
Why did you come?
Are you moving in with him?
I came to collect my things
'cause you told me you weren't gonna be here.
I'm here to help you.
I lost the woman I love...
I can't afford to also lose a friend and my best photographer.
Thank you.
I'm leaving tomorrow,
I need a few days away from here.
I gotta pick myself up.
When I get back, I want you on the field.
Can I count on that?
Of course.
You keep 'em, in case I lock myself out.
- I can't, Mauro.
Fine.
He's a cool guy, I know...
but he'll never love you like I do.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you?
- Everything's fine.
Giulia Melendez came looking for me today.
- What did she want?
She invited me to a party at her house.
She invited me too.
- Are you going?
Yes.
Alright... I'll see you there then.
Wanna come in?
- Yes.
Beer?
- No, thanks.
What happened?
Nothing... just the confirmation
that my father was sleeping with a classmate of mine.
Son of a bitch...
Do you know how many times he begged me to believe him?
That it wasn't true?
Deep down he knew I didn't believe him... I had doubts.
Then he had the brilliant idea to make me
find him hanging from a rope.
He made me feel guilty for 25 years.
Guilty for not believing to his innocence.
That piece of shit...
I'll go get a shower.
Let's go.
I can't believe it...
they're going straight to the bank!
In Luciano Consalvo's bank, to be precise.
Does it ring any bell?
- Giulia Melendez.
That's right.
- I'm starting to believe it myself, sir.
Look at that... greeted as if they were
the Queens of England.
Is that the director?
What now?
Around here banks are more sacred than cathedrals.
Get a report ready for now.
We need to uncover that drug refinery
before they dismantle it under our nose.
Police!
Don't move!
Hands up, dickhead!
Hands up!
Move!
Stop right there or he's dead!
Put down your guns!
You don't wanna do this.
- Throw your guns in the water!
The 3 old ladies went straight to the bank
to deposit the money from the drug sale in New York.
Our lovely grannies came and went from New York
22 times in the past 18 months,
so it's obviously customary.
These huge cash movements must have left some trace
in the accounts of Consalvo's bank.
Luciano Consalvo himself is clearly colluded
with whoever is running this drug traffic.
You know the Consalvo are untouchable
and you don't even have any evidence at the moment.
Let me into that bank
and I'll bring you tons of evidence.
It's the last piece of the puzzle.
What about the Frenchman?
- He doesn't talk and neither do all the others.
Fine, I'll try to get a warrant.
Don't say a word to procurator Leonci about this.
And do not worry. - Alright.
Do you want to order something
while we wait? - No. - You sure?
It's 8:40 already, is this the right restaurant?
Don't worry, it's the right restaurant.
She's just a bit late.
There she is.
Where are you going?
Hi.
- Hi!
I'm Noa, Dario's daughter.
- I'm Elisa.
You got something black under your eyes.
- Must be the eyeliner.
Better?
I only use it for special occasions.
Is this a special occasion?
- Very much, I'm meeting you.
Come.
Dad told me you're a photographer.
- That's right.
Is that how you two met?
He was investigating, you were taking pictures and...
Actually I met him on a train.
- What do you like about him?
Come on now...
- I don't know... maybe I like that he's handsome.
You know what? You're even prettier than him.
- Thank you.
It's nice meeting you.
- Same here.
There's the waiter, end of the inquisition.
- Ready to order?
Everything ok?
- Yes.
I was born and raised in that apartment.
- Really? Nice house.
Who's the owner now?
- I still am.
Why aren't you staying there?
- That was the idea, but then...
No.
I think it's time to sell it.
Sorry to disturb you here.
- Don't worry.
Any news?
Banking secrecy is a pillar of our economic system,
you can't touch that.
The old ladies go often to America
'cause they have relatives there.
The landing strip built by the Consalvo...
...is further proof of how much the Melendez family
is concerned about the modernization of Sicily.
That's what the Procurator said
and he's gonna stick to it.
It's ridiculous.
- I know.
I need something more to corner him.
- Something more? What else do they need??
Something more.