The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de sus Ojos) (El secreto de sus ojos)

The Secret in Their Eyes

He ran to the end of the train and watched as her figure, once gigantic,

now shrank in his eyes, but grew more than ever in his heart.

On June 21st, 1974...

Ricardo Morales had breakfast with Liliana Coloto for the last time.

For the rest of his life he'd remember every single detail of that morning.

Planning their first vacation...

Drinking tea with lemon for his nagging cough...

with his usual lump and a half of sugar.

The fresh berry jam he'd never taste again.

The flowers printed on her nightgown...

and especially, her smile.

That smile like the sunrise...

blending in with the sunlight on her left cheek...

Please, don't...

Please, please...

l FEAR

The gates of Heaven have opened. An angel got out.

-Esposito... -Hey, baby.

Look what the cat dragged in.

How are you, Counselor?

And you, Lieutenant? ls the boss here?

-Go right in, Your Honor. -Thanks, Reverend.

You look good and rested.

What a fucking asshole!

Takes one to know one.

The gates have opened.

Your Highness.

What a surprise!

-May l? -What brings you here?

Just wanted to chat. You busy?

Just preparing for a hearing. Coffee?

l'm asking in case retirement made you healthy.

Mariano.

Yes, Your Honor.

Bring us two of those great coffees from the café.

l'm typing a deposition.

A deposition? Meet Mr. Benjamin Esposito...

Our recently retired royal honoris causa...

and an old friend.

Mariano, our spring-summer intern.

Not bad, huh?

Here, bring some petit fours and get yourself a candy bar.

l'll take extra cream.

That's right. You're not well.

What was your problem again?

Old age?

Extra cream for the man, he has an age problem.

Yes, ma'am.

Wait. ls it important?

No.

Leave the door open, son. Come on, sit down.

What do you know about writing novels?

l've been writing all my life. Take a look in the archive.

Oh, the case files.

How many pages will your file be?

Does it have a cover?

A little encouragement would be nice.

What should l do? Act like some unwanted retiree...

Who wants to help out? Serve coffee?

l want to write, so what?

l want to write about the Morales case.

l don't know why.

lt's been on my mind.

We actually never talked about it. Why is that?

With your handwriting, it'll be unreadable.

Wait, look.

My biggest problem is l've started 50 times...

And never got past the fifth line.

At this rate, l'll spend my whole pension fund...

on spiral notebooks.

Come here, give me a hand.

Here, let me.

l can't...

lt weighs a ton.

l can't believe it. The old Olivetti.

lt was in storage. l think it's 1 00 years old.

Think they fixed the "A"?

The "A" is for pansies.

Take it. Dinosaurs have to stick together.

Now l'm out of excuses.

l'll have to write.

But where do l start?

Wherever you remember the most.

lt was over 20 years ago. Which part comes back most often?

That's the image you should start with.

Okay, boys. Your attention, please.

This is your new boss, fresh out of Harvard.

Miss lrene Menendez Hastings.

"Hastings."

lt's pronounced "Hastings." lt's Scottish.

Sorry.

"Hastings."

The new clerk.

Your deputy, Benjamin Esposito.

Actually l went to Cornell, not Harvard.

Pablo Sandoval, deputy clerk...

your humblest servant.

Hey.

Are you here?

Yeah.

No, l just...

l remember plenty of beginnings...

but l'm not sure...

they have to do with the story.

Then start at the beginning and stop dwelling on it.

-Blood Bank, good morning. -Mr. Esposito.

-No, wrong number. -The 25th called. A homicide.

Court 1 8. lt's their turn.

They said it's rape and murder.

Court 1 8.

Good morning.

Hi, fellas.

Good morning.

Ma'am, did a saint die this morning?

Why?

Because an angel in mourning just walked in the door.

Oh, no.

lt's a trick we angels have to look five pounds lighter.

-Can you bring in the Chavez file? -Of course.

You smooth fucker.

Why?

You have a compliment ready the moment she walks in the door. How do you do it?

Well, l may dress like a toad, but l'm actually Prince Charming.

-Mr. Esposito. -What?

Counselor Romano told them it was our turn.

Counselor Romano?

Tell him Sheriff Esposito is gonna fuck him up.

-Okay. -Come back here.

Three hours thinking of what to say, she opens the door and...

l freeze up.

lt's easier for me, l'm not in love.

Neither am l, moron. Go on.

l want you to put the files on this side. All together.

lt's simple enough.

Romano, what did you tell the Precinct? lt's your turn.

We're alternating. We got another case. What's the problem?

A mini-mart robbery, smart-ass. Alternating similarcases.

Ask Judge Fortuna.

l want a solution, not two problems.

Why is asking me a problem?

lt's not that. lt just seemed silly...

To bother you with something trivial if we can handle it ourselves.

Strictly speaking, it's your turn. And hurry up, or you'll find a wake...

instead of a crime scene.

What's up, Baez?

Still here. And you?

Tired of happiness.

-You look happy. -As a dog with two tails.

l just love it when that moron sends me to see a dead girl.

Morons are a dime a dozen.

Quiet, easygoing ones who know they're morons.

Live and let live. They're useless but harmless.

-How are you, lnspector? -Just talking about you.

Then there are morons who think they're geniuses.

They shit everywhere and someone has to wipe their asses.

Of those morons l know not one, but two.

That judge and my buddy at Court 1 8, who's either a moron...

a son of a bitch, or both.

lt was his turn, so l'm asking you to tell the judge.

Tell him l have nothing to do with...

Liliana Coloto...

age 23, schoolteacher.

Recently married to...

Ricardo Morales...

bank clerk.

The old lady mentioned...

two builders working on the terrace in number 3...

but they haven't shown in two days because of rain.

-Sure she didn't see them? -She says no.

l'll go see the husband.

-See you later, Esposito. -l'll go with you.

Good afternoon.

Ricardo Morales?

-Ricardo Morales? -Yes, that's me.

lnspector Baez, Federal Police.

Anyone else have a key to your home?

See any strangers around the last few days?

The neighbor said you came home every day at lunchtime.

Out of the way, isn't it? Any reason in particular?

Sorry, l didn't get that.

We had a habit, a routine.

We liked watching The Three Stooges together.

She'd laugh.

She thought they were funny.

You'll have to come with me to the morgue.

We ask you to do the best you can, l know it's an unpleasant...

formality.

Morales could start to contemplate his own future.

He would find, no doubt, that his future was full of nothing.

What's wrong with this typewriter?

Could you please get rid of it? l can't take it anymore.

-Who will want it? -Just get it out of my sight.

Okay, Benja. See if you like this.

"With this statement...

l, Criminal Judge Raimundo Fortuna Lacalle...

hereby declare myself completely insane...

and incapable of carrying out my functions."

That's wrong.

That's not right. Give it here.