Maigret Sets a Trap

Just look at that.

We've always got house-to-house...

Taxi!

How is she?

She's still got the fever.

She's not gonna sleep, Dennis, unless I get her something.

- I'll go. - No. I know what to get.

I'll go to the pharmacy once I put the children to bed.

Shh, ssh, it's all right.

Chief Inspector Maigret's office...

It's another three streets away yet.

Janvier?

Come in.

Who found her, Lognon?

A showgirl. Michelle... something or other.

On her way to her club.

Didn't see anyone.

Is it the same?

Yes, Chief. No robbery.

No sexual assault?

No, Maigret. It's your man again.

Two stab wounds. One to the back of the neck, one to the chest.

But the neck alone would have killed her.

He's cut her clothing like before.

What I don't understand, Maigret, is why your man doesn't use a stiletto

or a butcher's knife.

The shape and depth of these wounds we're seeing, it's like a penknife.

Or something like it.

Has the family been informed?

No. But I'll do it. It's my district, Maigret.

No, it should be me.

I said it should be me who should go because of the attacks.

- Why don't you sit down? - I don't want to sit down!

It's all right, it's all right.

Can I see her?

Is there someone who can look after the children?

Where were you?

If this investigation had been left to the 18th,

we'd have made more progress than this.

Well, here's the Chief now. Why don't you talk to him yourself?

Janvier, take me to the showgirl who found the body.

We normally walk to and from the club together now.

All the girls talk about is the killings.

Except tonight I was on my own.

Do you always walk home that way?

Michelle, I know it's hard...

.. but what did you see, what did you hear as you walked down that street?

Tell me everything.

Was there a smell in the air, like an aftershave or something?

If I'd been earlier, it would have been me, wouldn't it?

Get a taxi home when you finish work.

But this is only enough for one night, isn't it?

What about the other nights?

What about the other girls?

Are you gonna pay for them, too?

Is there another victim, Maigret?

What's their name?

Was it the same killer as before?

What can you tell us?

Who's the victim, Maigret?

The victim's name was Georgette Lecoin.

She was a housewife from Montmartre.

She leaves a husband and four young children.

- Over here, Chief Inspector! - Was it your man?

We believe it's the same person who killed before.

So that's five, Maigret.

Yes.

We want all witness statements within 30 minutes. Who's still out there?

- Lucas. Torrence. - Have we got anything?

Well, let's find something.

Chief, there's been a message from Comeliau.

You're to meet the Minister of Interior at nine o'clock tomorrow.

February the 2nd, a prostitute, Arlette Dutoir.

17th of April, 8.15 in the evening,

a 43-year-old midwife who had just delivered a baby at the top of the Butte.

20th of June. Monique Juteaux, 24, a dressmaker.

26th of July, post office clerk, same stabs in the back,

same ripped clothes.

Now last night.

As examining magistrate, Comeliau, I want you to explain why,

despite the resources made available to you,

the women of Paris are still living with the threat of this man.

And why the Police judiciaire are no closer to catching him

than they were on the morning of... the 2nd of February.

Minister Morel, Maigret has his best men working full time on this job.

- His methods are meticulous and I have every confidence -- - What ARE your methods, Chief Inspector?

I need to understand what attracts this man to these women at this time.

The whole of Paris has theories as to why he's attracted to these women at this time!

And the Cabinet is full of theories about what should be done --

from establishing a curfew to rounding up every immigrant and undesirable in Montmartre

and interrogating them with impunity until someone squeals.

This city has seen enough Gestapo tactics in my lifetime.

It's not something I want to see again... let alone authorise.

With repeat murders, the killer is usually attracted to the same kind of victim.

But these women are not similar in age or profession.

Nor are they connected with each other through church or background.

Their only link is that they were walking through Montmartre after dark.

And that they had dark hair.

He leaves no witnesses.

He makes no mistakes.

Maigret, tell me what I should say to my Cabinet colleagues,

as to why Cameliau has not replaced you after five months on this case!

Police work can take time, sir.

This time is taking lives, Chief Inspector.

I am very aware of that.

It is taking reputations.

It's taking mine.

And it is taking yours.

I'm sorry to intrude but I thought I should return this.

Thank you.

Is there any news?

There's no news.

Would you mind holding her, please? Thank you.

Will you sit down? You can join us if you like.

Er... no, thank you.

Do you know when our mummy's coming home?

Will you tell me about your mummy?

The fifth victim of the killer who has been terrorising the 12th arrondisement since June,

has been named by the police as Georgette Lecoin,

a mother of four young children.

She also leaves a 30-year-old husband named Dennis Lecoin.

It is understood from neighbours that she left the family tenement in the evening

to fetch medicine from a nearby pharmacy for her sick baby,

and was murdered as she made her way home through Montmartre.

- The body was discovered... - Good evening.

- Hello. - .. who's been interviewed by Chief Inspector Maigret... - I bought us some apples.

Oh, right. I bought some myself today.

We've got enough now to start a cider press.

But not to worry. I can always make something.

.. any witnesses in the vicinity of Rue Lepic yesterday evening

to come forward and to contact investigators at the Quai des Orfevres.

According to a police statement, Chief Inspector Maigret has made no further progress in the case...

They were talking in the queue at the grocer's this afternoon about the --

.. no new leads have been established and --

You will find him.

Are we not eating?

Oh, we're out for supper tonight. Don't you remember? Dr Pardon's?

Oh. Do we have to?

Well, they've already rung to confirm and...

.. he's invited a colleague to meet you. Professor Tissot from the Sainte-Anne Institute.

Oh.

I'll get you a beer.

How is he, Louise?

Well, I've never seen him like this before.

I watch him while he's sleeping and his face is grey.

He won't talk about our holiday this year or anything.

It's like life can't continue for him until he's caught this man.

I hope he does. Life cannot continue for any of us until he does.

Drinks, ladies.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I hope you don't find this impertinent, Chief Inspector,

but I was with some friends this morning and we were all wondering

why the Police Judiciaire were not doing their job.

We're doing the best job we can.

Then why haven't you caught him?

- Because it's often not that simple. - Why is it not?

How many more dead women do they need?

Simone, we were just talking about why this man,

who has lived for, 20, 30 years withought ever committing a crime,

one day decides to attack these women?

How do you know he's never committed a crime before?

Because we've gone back 20 years, both in Paris and the districts,

checking prisons and psychiatric institutions for all inmates released.

Your institute at Sainte-Anne must have been contacted, Professor?

It was.

But we can find no offender that we can place in Montmartre at this time.

So it's obviously somebody new then, isn't it?

Freud would say your man had sexual obsessions.

He'd talk about complexes and work his way back to childhood.

Well, thank God Freud isn't on the case as well, with all that nonsense.

I deal a lot with the criminally insane, Maigret.

- I think what links them -- - Can we not talk about his anymore, please?

What links them is a need to assert themselves.

They'll have been humiliated in some part of their lives and can no longer bear it.

I agree.

I think the majority of crimes which are said to have no motive, repeated crimes in particular,

are a manifestation of wounded pride.

- Strong addiction. - Indeed.

In fact, some of my patients find it impossible not to boast of their crimes.

Our baby would be 24 now.

I think about her every day at the moment.

Do you think it's going to rain? I can smell dust in the air.

What is it?

Something Tissot said.

Killers always have to boast about their crimes in some way.

We know that.

They like to tell the world...

.. how extraordinary they are.

Pride is always their weakness.

Yes.

So how would a killer react...

.. if someone else was given credit for his crime?

You're asking me?

Yes.

With anger.

Frustration.

Baron.

- Who's this? - Get out of my way.

Let me through!