Jean-Louis!
Stop! It's me!
Jean-Louis! For God's sake!
Jean-Louis.
Jean-Louis, it's Pierre.
What the hell happened to you?
The sword
and the snake.
Niema...
What the hell?
My God, Jean-Louis.
Hello. I've found a body in the dunes.
I'll wait for you here.
THE CRIMSON RIVERS
SONGS OF DARKNESS: PART 1
Good evening.
Lieutenant Colonel Sabrina Harel.
I head the criminal research team in Lille.
Detective Niemans, CBCO Paris.
Is it true you knew the victim?
Yes.
He's Jean-Louis Querneaux.
He lived at the nearby monastery.
He was known there as Brother Guillaume.
I knew him long before he joined the order.
He called today. He wanted to meet. -Did he say why?
He felt threatened.
By who? -He didn't have time to tell me.
Of course. Wait a minute...
Where had you arranged to meet?
In the dunes?
At the monastery.
He'd already left when I arrived.
Thank you.
One of the monks showed me to the coast, and I went to look for him.
I saw him running through the dunes.
He wouldn't stop.
Do you know what the burned hand is about?
No.
OK.
And he died before you reached him?
Yes. -Right.
When's the autopsy?
Leave the questions to me. You're just a witness here.
We'll see.
In the meantime,
contact Gaillard. He's a crime expert in Lille.
We worked together in Paris. He's the best.
Tell him to get his ass over here as soon as he can.
Meet me at my office tomorrow morning.
To sign your statement.
Detective Niemans.
I need to speak to the Father Superior, please.
Hello. I'm Father Anselme.
I'm in charge of the monastery.
Detective Niemans from Paris. Do you know why I'm here?
Are you leading the investigation?
I'm here as backup. Brother Guillaume was a friend.
Did you know I was here yesterday? -At the monastery?
No, I wasn't aware.
Shall we take a walk?
Guillaume told me he felt threatened. Did you know that?
Threatened?
But he never left the monastery.
He left yesterday and it didn't work out too well for him.
You don't wear a habit, Father? -We're not obliged to.
You don't attend the services either? -It's not a service.
They are praying for Brother Guillaume.
Can you think of a motive? -Absolutely not.
The culprit must not be of sound mind.
May God forgive them.
Why do you think so?
I see no reason for this crime.
In all his years here, his sole pursuit was his research.
We are a nationally renowned center of musicology.
Have you received threats?
Threats?
What sort? -Terrorists, for example.
You think... -I don't think anything.
Answer the question. -No.
No, of course not.
What was Guillaume researching?
Guido d'Arezzo.
An 11th century Benedictine monk.
He invented musical notation and gave names to the notes of the scale.
Could he have made a dangerous discovery?
Are you serious? -Yes.
You know his past.
And you, Father?
I assume you've asked the others if they saw anything?
No one saw anything.
Everything happened outside.
Don't try to incriminate us, detective. -I'm not.
Why might someone burn his left hand?
No idea.
Can I see your research center?
Of course.
There's no day of mourning, I see?.
Time is unchanging.
Such is Cistercian monastic life.
Where is Guillaume's desk?
Over there.
Was Guillaume at lunch yesterday?
I believe so, yes.
Could someone have called him to arrange a meeting in the dunes?
There are no cell phones here.
Then how did he call me?
The office has a phone.
And no internet?
Yes, but it's only for research.
Is this it?
What's this?
Neumes.
Ancestors of modern musical notes.
Guillaume was researching the origins of notation.
Sorry, Father, but I need to confiscate the hard drive.
Impossible.
Sorry? -Nothing leaves the monastery.
It's tradition.
I'll remind you this is a murder investigation.
It's non-negotiable.
That's not a term in my vocabulary.
All it means is I have to come back with police and paperwork.
What a shame.
Yes.
Where are you?
OK.
It's nice here. You'll like it.
See you soon.
The prosecutor called.
He's put you on the case with me.
Who are you, Niemans?
I belong to a new office with EU competence.
I see.
And what is the purpose of this office?
To help out on cases like this.
Have you made any progress?
A team is questioning the monks.
They haven't said much yet.
Have you checked neighbors, psychiatric hospitals, prison releases?
The monastery is completely isolated.
The rest is in progress.
And the jihadist angle, have you thought of that?
No.
I confess, I hadn't.
We've never had anything like that around here.
But I'll check it out.
What do you have on Jean-Louis?
Not much at the moment.
No cell phone, no bank account, no social security number.
As far as society's concerned, he didn't exist.
The monks work on the internet.
We need to get Jean-Louis' hard drive.
Anselme wouldn't give it to me.
OK. But we have to go easy on the monks.
The Archbishop already called the prosecutor.
Right.
One last thing.
Before Jean-Louis became a monk
he was a cop. He had some trouble, if you know what I mean.
Call the disciplinary body and ask for his file.
Thanks for telling me this now.
Where are you going?
To pick up my deputy.
You have a deputy too?
Yes.
Two for the price of one.
Lucky me.
Have a good day. -You too.
We have to go back to the monastery.
Today.
Long journey? -Sorry, Niemans.
It was chaos I took the first train I could.
I thought you said I'd like it here.
Just wait until tonight. You'll love it.
How many times was he stabbed?
It seems once was enough.
It was a deep cut.
A hunting knife? Combat knife?
Or even a kitchen knife.
The wound measures about
twelve centimeters.
It probably perforated his liver, stomach,
maybe even the spleen.
If you'll permit me to speculate,
I'd say the killer knew what he was doing.
You think he had medical knowledge?
Or maybe he was a hunter.
We can smoke in here?
Nobody's ever complained.
What about the hand?
It was probably burned with petrol.
We're waiting on the analyses for confirmation.
What are the other marks?
It seems our friend practiced mortification,
flagellation,
scarification.
I don't know what he was atoning for, but it seems prayer wasn't enough.
Did you know him well?
I met him 20 years ago in Research and Intervention.
We were fairly close back then.
From cop to monk.
That's one hell of a switch.
He was a devout Catholic.
Then he found out his wife was having an affair.
He lost it, killed them both. -Shit.
Then he disappeared into the monastery.
Back then, I almost went with him.
Let's get a coffee. -Yes.
Shit, what's he doing up there?
The tall one, I know him.
Marc Messonnier.
I put him away eight years ago.
Violence, kidnapping and rape.
Friendly advice, Camille:
Forget all the scum you meet on the job.
It'll drive you insane.
But how the hell is he out already?
Let it go. We're here to find out who killed Jean-Louis.
BHP IN CONCERT
I didn't tell Harel the full story.
No?
No.
Jean-Louis said one thing to me before he died:
"The sword and the snake."
I did some research last night.
They seem to be a religious symbol of some kind.
It might have something to do with what he was working on.
You think his research was the motive?
What else? -I don't know.
Sex, cash, theft...
... evil instinct. -Sure.
We'll leave that to my girlfriend in criminal research.
Classy, Niemans.
Yes.
OK. We're on our way.
That's Gaillard, my crime analyst.
He's got something to show us.
Thanks, gentlemen.
Thanks. -Bye.
Hi Philippe. -Hi Niemans.
Gaillard was the best crime analyst in Fort de Rosny.
Lt Delaunay, my deputy.
Pleased to meet you.
The victim had some sort of tattoo
all over his left hand.
I think they wanted to destroy it.
Can you send us the scans and print one for us?
Hello.
Sabrina Harel. -Lieutenant Delaunay.
What the hell are you all doing here?
Your work, apparently. -Don't piss me off, Niemans,
What's this? -Gaillard will explain.
Where are you going? -To see the monks.
To see the monks. OK.
Have a good day!
I can't decipher it, but it looks like a manuscript.
It might mean something to our monks.
That's why we're here, no?
Let us pray.
I thought it would do you good to spend time in God's presence.
Thank you so much, Niemans.
What are you doing here?
The police already took the hard drive.
This is Lieutenant Camille Delaunay, my deputy.
I hoped we could join you for dinner.
We've already eaten.
We follow the rules of St Benedict.
We rise with the sun.
That's not a reliable alarm clock around here.
Are you hoping to stay the night?
Is that a problem?
Very well.
Stéphane?
Please set our guests up in the monastery hotel.
Of course, Father.
Stéphane will show you to your rooms.
You will find some leftover food in the kitchen.
I'll warn you now, we get up at 3 AM.
Follow me.
Let us pray.
We converted the fireplace room to offer more lodging for guests.
The monks used to come here to warm up.
Then they stored ink here to prevent it freezing.
But
when central heating finally arrived,
the chimneys were knocked down
and the wing was turned into a hotel. -Great.
Do you have internet here?
Yes.
You can connect to the Wi-Fi. It's only for hotel guests.
Password: "Jesus."
Are you also a researcher?
I study Greek musical treatise and early Christian music.
Christians thought the most advanced Greeks already
understood the imminence of Christ's revelations.
You should read De Institutione Musica by Boethius.
I'll be sure to.
Do you recognize this?
Yes, of course.
It's the Guidonian hand.
The what? -Guido d'Arezzo.
He invented a way to read music using the hand.
In the 11th century, there were no scores.
How does it work?
Well, basically
each joint corresponds to the pitch of a note.
Then the spaces and lines serve as musical staves.
Then you read the score off your fingers. So, as a basic example:
la, sol, fa, mi, re, ut,
ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la.
There you have it.
It's basic, but... -Right.
So this hand shows a melody? -Absolutely.
And you can decipher it?
Well, now...
... I'm no expert on this period.
Also, some elements are missing.
But I can find some books for you tomorrow.
I'm also in charge of the library.
Maybe.
May I ask where you found that?
No, you may not.
Brother Stéphane, can you show me my room?
Of course.
Shall we eat?
Well, there's pasta.
That's fine.
Can you set the table? -Let's see.
I found something interesting online.
Marc Messonnier,
the rapist I busted eight years ago.
He got out a year ago.
He formed BHP shortly after.
They're touring around the north of the country right now.
I checked to see whether any rapes had been reported.
And?
Nothing.
But girls have been disappearing.
Disappearing how?
It's weird.
Each time the girl is found 24 hours later, unharmed.
They remember nothing. Probably drugged.
How old are they?
Sixteen to seventeen.
They were all virgins, and remain so.
OK, check it out. But the priority is still the monks.
Thank you. -Don't mention it.
This pasta is inedible.
Damn monks.
They don't even know how to cook.
We'd better get some sleep.
They'll wake us at 3 AM with their dumb prayers.
I'm exhausted.
You know what?
I'm so lucky to have you, Niemans.
I don't know about that.
What do you want?
Your car keys.
I'm not tired.
Oh, it's you.
Yes, it's me.
Does your offer still stand?
What offer?
The library books.
How many books do you have here? -Oh, over five thousand.
But most are stored in a secure location
in the crypts of the monastery.
Here we are!
There are many rare manuscripts.
We also have some unique musical scores.
And more than ten centuries of music history.
It's a wonderful collection.
Do you fill out a form when you borrow a book?
Oh yes, and the rules are strict.
All books are consulted in the reading room
and then put back in the secure room.
If applicable.
Are there cameras?
No, why would there be? The library is only used by monks.
We wouldn't spy on ourselves. -Sure.
Is there a particular book you'd like to consult?
No. I need to see Brother Guillaume's library records.
I'll bring them right away. -Thank you.
What is it?
Would you mind continuing your reading in your room?
It's just...
... I have to get up in two hours.
Of course.
Excuse me.
That's very kind.
What are you doing?
Niemans!
What the hell is all this?
What was his name?
Jean.
Was he also conducting research? -Yes, on Ars nova.
The first polyphonic masses of the 14th century.
Was it connected to Guillaume's work? -Not at all.
Four centuries apart.
These songs and centuries are boring me, Father.
I need a link. -Niemans!
He has the same stomach wound. He was dead before they hanged him.
It's clearly staged.
Whoever did this wants to scare the monks.
I would say it's worked.
Have you found anything? -One of the back doors was forced open.
I think it was a group effort.
One was in the scriptorium while others set the scene.
Could it be a monk?
What are you saying?
It's plausible, Father.
Can we question all the occupants of the monastery?
Of course.
Thank you.
Come on, Father.
What have you found?
Not much.
Prints everywhere, but probably the monks'.
We'll lift them just to check.
I'd like to see them.
Sorry?
It doesn't matter.
Any sign of a struggle?
No.
I'd say he was dragged here.
We'll keep sweeping the scene.
Can you accompany the body to the morgue?
I need a scan of the hand. I bet he had a tattoo
like Brother Guillaume's.
I have to go.
The mayor says his daughter's disappeared.
What?
She was at a rock gig and never came home. He's worried.
Was the rock group BHP?
Yes.
How do you know that?
It's Messonnier, Niemans. I know it.
She was there. It must have happened afterwards.
There may be another explanation.
We'll talk to the parents first.
The two cases are connected.
Messonnier has a sword and a snake tattooed on his forearm.
He must have got it in jail. It wasn't there before.
It can't be a coincidence.
It's possible. But it's not enough.
Good evening. -Good evening.
Lieutenant Delaunay and Detective Niemans.
Please find her!
Charles.
Good evening, sir. -Well?
I understand you think this is more than just a runaway?
You don't know my daughter.
She's very sensible. -If you'd only
let her go, we could have gone too. -Enough.
Honestly, what do you have?
Honestly, it's too early to launch a...
She was at a BHP concert.
A band that encourages its fans to burn houses like yours.
The singer had a serious run-in with the law eight years ago.
Don't be alarmed.
These are only theories.
We'll start by questioning... -Who are you?
Detective Niemans and Lt Delaunay, we're with the CBCO.
I'm asking you to find my daughter.
Can we see her room?
Of course.
What the hell was that?
Why wasn't I informed?
You should have talked to me before opening your mouth like that.
Lt Delaunay may have spoken hastily, but she's right.
We have to find these band members. -Do what you want.
But you share all info with me. Period.
We have an APB on Marie Vidal
seventeen, red hair, brown eyes...
Yes.
Can you send all this to my cell phone? Thanks, bye.
It's Gaillard. He scanned the second hand.
He has the same kind of signs under the burns as Jean-Louis.
We really need to find someone who can decipher it.
Jean-Louis was the specialist.
Go to the monastery and get everything they have on the hanged man.
History, origins, family.
I'll go see my boyfriend, Father Anselme.
I don't know what this is. I've never seen it.
Don't lie, Father, it's the Guidonian hand.
Yes, but I've never seen this tattoo.
Two of your brothers had this tattoo.
And you didn't know?
Tattoos are against biblical teachings.
There's a very clear passage in Leviticus:
"You shall not make marks upon your flesh."
Were Jean and Guillaume close?
We're all brothers. -That's not my question.
Were they plotting something?
We are men of faith. -Look, Father,
two bodies in two days puts us above this rhetoric, no?
What were they hiding?
I don't know.
I'll ask again: did you notice anything suspicious recently?
I'll answer again: no.
ADMISSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Here it is.
It's terrifying how Brother Jean was murdered.
According to the register, his secular name was Claude Gaymard.
He was born in 1962 in Amagney, the Besançon region.
Is that all?
We ask for very little factual information.
They start a new life here.
OK.
Am I OK here?
Of course.
GENEVIÈVE BARAK HAÏM "THE BIBLE AND MUSIC"
Room service.
Homemade cabbage soup.
It's all I could find. -Thanks.
How's it going? -It's not.
Any news on the mayor's girl? -No, nothing.
We checked her computer, phone records.
Police are conducting door-to-doors.
They even put out an APB.
And the BHP guys? -They have an airtight alibi.
They were at the hotel.
What about the monks' questioning?
Absolutely nothing. A waste of a night.
But I did find something in the library.
Jean-Louis and the hanged man
borrowed the same book dozens of times.
It has nothing to do with their research.
What book? -Oh I don't know, Bibles and Canticles
or something, by Geneviève Barak Haïm.
Sounds exciting. -It's not. I can tell you.
Yes?
Right.
OK.
It's Gaillard, he's got something for us.
What have you got?
I lifted prints from all the flammable products I could find.
This one has recent prints from Brother Guillaume and Brother Jean.
So what?
Isn't it obvious?
They set their own hands on fire.
Then, being very well-behaved monks,
they put the can back in the shed.
Over here!
Benedic mihi pater
quia peccavi
mea culpa
maxima culpa
mea culpa, mea culpa, maxima culpa!
I'm not afraid of man's justice.
I will answer for my crimes before God.
Before God.
Before God!