Code 37

Nude wrapped in plastic, throat cut with a knife.

Traces of abuse? - Raped several times.

But the perpetrator cleaned everything thoroughly afterwards.

And we all know who it is? - Probably Katrijn Verschuere.

A child of nine from Ghent. Disappeared two weeks ago.

There's the family.

Hannah Maes? Jan Verschuere, Missing Persons Unit.

Katrijn's the daughter of my brother Maxim.

We've come identify the body.

Katrijn was a good, sensible girl, very social.

Mr. Verschuere? - Yes.

With all due respect, you're Katrijn's uncle,

it isn't ethically justified for you to lead this investigation.

Jan isn't leading the investigation he's assisting and giving a briefing.

As agreed with the commissioner of the Missing Persons Unit.

Okay, it's okay. - Thank you.

When she didn't come home two weeks ago Tuesday,

her father immediately phoned the school.

And it appears she never arrived there all day.

My colleagues in the Missing Persons Unit then

started a search.

At the spot where Katrijn's bike was recovered,

on the morning of her disappearance

an old blue Peugeot 205 was sighted.

Unfortunately, no one could remember the driver or the license plate.

Have you already identified everyone who drives a Peugeot in Ghent?

It's all in the file. All drivers have

A clean criminal record and an alibi for the morning of the disappearance.

It's mine. DeGroof. Yes, coming.

Sorry, the front desk.

Katrijn's kidnapper dumped her body last night.

I suggest you launch a new appeal for witnesses.

Mr. Verschuere, thanks for the briefing and your participation

in the death of your niece, but from now on this case

is the responsibility of the Vice Squad, okay? Keep well.

Good day, Bob. - Good day.

Do you remember me? Michele Demaret. - Sure, sure.

Eline's mom. - Yes.

How are you?

Is it true Katrijn Verschuere is now a case for the Vice Squad?

How do you know? - I worked nine years with Child Focus

and we are constantly briefed by the Missing Persons Unit.

Out with it at once, what can I do for you?

Blue Peugeot 205... - Yes?

You haven't forgotten that?

Pelckmans.

Pelckmans drove a white Peugeot.

Come on. - A white.

A few sprays and such a car is now a different color.

I reported the link two weeks ago to Jan Verschuere...

of the Missing Persons Unit.

Yes, apparently Pelckmans is now driving another car.

Yes, look, there's no link. - But you always claimed

Pelckmans had something to do with Eline's disappearance.

Yes, and that was ten years ago. - Nine years.

And you and Charles promised me something then, do you remember?

9 years ago Eline Lerberge was kidnapped in Oostakker.

This idea isn't mine, huh. This isn't mine.

Then we had a prime suspect: Hans Pelckmans.

31 years old, computer scientist, drove a Peugeot 205.

A white one, not blue one. And that's the only link with Katrijn's case.

Eline was 11, not 9, she was dark instead of blonde

and she wasn't found murdered, that's it.

Nine years ago Eline was dragged into a white Peugeot 205 from here

and here's where Katrijn's bike was recovered, the two spots

happen to be between Pelckmans' residence

and the company where he works, I request we interview

the guy to check his alibi. - Admit it, that's still very weak?

An interview to check an alibi.

Hannah?

After ten years. - Nine years, Charles.

And don't pretend you know the case is suddenly forgotten.

And if you're not interested, just keep on the car

and let me do my job. - There, a green Hyundai.

No blue Peugeot.

Good day, Mr. Pelckmans.

Yes, you know us, huh. May we ever come in?

No, not really.

That Hyundai is that your only car or do you have a car in the garage?

Can we see it? - No.

Hold on, Mr. Pelckmans. Mr. Pe...

And? - Jan Verschuere was right.

Pelckmans now drives a 4x4.

A Green Hyundai Tucson.

Michele, I understand you want to know what happened to your daughter

And believe me, you aren't alone, but nine years, that's long, huh.

Sorry, that's too long.

Eline's alive. - Come on, Michele.

A mother feels something. Look.

This is how she'd look now.

We need new data to reopen such a case.

New, concrete traces, clues.

Yes, and a Peugeot 205 isn't enough, sorry. Michele?

The attorney and the local police of Ghent draw your attention

to the following APB. - Say.

This morning about 5:00 ... - Good day, girl.

The lifeless body of...

And, how's life?

Were Iris Nijs and Bart a couple?

Hannah, I've already said I didn't know her?

Yes or no.

How do I know? But so see... What year is that picture?

1993. - Bart already left home.

Iris was Struelens' secretary.

Yes, if you want to know more, you'll have to ask Iris.

I can't, she's dead.

She drowned in Ostend.

Drowned? - An hour after she called me.

Struelens is a witness to the cleanup.

Struelens?

A witness' called with a useful tip.

Someone saw a 4x4 standing at the place where

Katrijn's body was found: a green Hyundai Tucson.

Hans Pelckmans. We got him.

How long have you been driving a 4x4? - Since August last year.

And that old Peugeot 205, do you still have it?

I sold it three years ago. - To whom?

The first best offer from someone who wanted to buy that wreck.

Can I have a name, please? - I can't remember.

And her name, can you still remember?

Beautiful girl, but no, never saw her.

Has something happened with her? - Her name?

I don't know, never saw her. - 2 weeks ago, at the place

where Katrijn's bike was recovered, that's Katrijn, hey,

someone spotted an old Peugeot. - A Peugeot 205.

And the day before near where someone dumped Katrijn's body,

a green Hyundai Tucson was seen.

A 4x4. - What do you say to that?

Coincidence? - My nuts, coincidence.

Where were you Tuesday two weeks ago? Tuesday?

At home. - And night before last?

Also at home, in bed. - By yourself, right?

Yes, I'm single.

Nothing against that. - No, that's good, that's okay.

The lab found nothing in his house, or in his 4x4.

Who was the witness who saw the 4x4?

A certain Reggie Debaecke. A homeless guy from Ghent.

He called from the CAW Fisheries. - Check his testimony.

The clothes we just now found at your home. Whose are they?

Still not such a little girl, you see, right?

Whose are they? - An ex.

She left them there. - Your ex.

Why are they just freshly washed and ironed?

Because I am a clean man.

No, because there were Eline Lerberge's.

That's Eline and now 20 years later, this is how she looks now.

Makes sense, huh? You've held her for years.

I don't have to listen to this. - Stay put.

You're holding her. - Where is this going, tell me?

Nine years ago, we talked to a few of your exes.

And they all say the same thing: you are extremely dominant,

manipulative, you're a control freak.

What's the ultimate fantasy of a control freak?

To possess a woman, right? Hold a young woman

so you can decide what she does, what she eats,

so you can decide when she goes to bed with you.

I don't understand. - No?

I came here for an interrogation and now I'm charged.

You know what that means. - No, stay put.

I have a right to an attorney. - No, now you sit.

Pelckmans. Stay put, Pelckmans.

Hannah, you know yourself Pelckmans is our guy?

That doesn't mean you have to treat the guy like that?

And especially not when the Commissioner's watching.

Hannah, here, Kevin. Kevin, say it again.

The homeless guy, Reggie Debaecke, just admitted

his testimony about the green 4x4 was completely fabricated.

What? - He reported it for 100 euro,

he received from a woman around 50, blond hair and a fur coat.

Goddamn. - What?

Michele Demaret. - Eline's mother?

Yesterday she put me on Pelckmans' trail.

Thanks, hey, Kevin. - Charles?

Bob? - Charles?

Bob? How does Eline's mother know Pelckmans now

drives a green 4x4?

Chances are, I said that.

Chances are, I told her.

A chance?

I'll go interrogate Michele Demaret.

No way. Come, sit down. - Commissioner.

Sit.

Hans Pelckmans officially complained

of assault and battery. - Commissioner.

You never put your cards on the table first.

Especially when you have no proof. Hey, Bobbie?

Well, Hannah, how can you... ? - Shut up and swallow.

Yes, sit down.

Good day, Charles. - Good day, Michele.

Good, Mrs. Demaret, we ask ourselves,

why you paid a homeless guy

to make a false report about Hans Pelckmans?

Why? - Yes.

To reopen Eline's case.

To reopen Eline's case.

Bob said we needed new information to reopen it.

Bob's in the shit. Thanks to you too.

Not only that. Hans Pelckmans walks free.

You will be prosecuted for obstruction of an on-going investigation.

Have you anything to add or... ?