01x02 - Ein guter Entführer

[bunniefuu]

INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY.

EVENTS, PEOPLE, NAMES, AND LOCATIONS
HAVE BEEN CHANGED.

DEADLOCK

I couldn't see through the glasses,

but I could hear him
almost destroying the transmission.

And you then helped
Mr. Doormann change gear?

No.

- That's what Mr. Doormann…
- Quiet.

That's what Mr. Doormann stated.
So you actively helped him.

That doesn't sound to me
like you were particularly threatened.

He kidnapped me.

If you scream, you're dead. Do what I say
and you won't get hurt. Put these on.

I didn't help him.

Get in.

What do you want?

Shut up.

Where's reverse?

You didn't fight. You just went with him.

He forced me. He dragged me
out the car and into that bunker.

In we go!

You didn't try to escape
or scream for help?

Right. Down you get.

Scream if you want. No one will hear you.

But Mr. Doormann treated you well.

I'm a good kidnapper.

He brought you food and water, didn't he?

Here. I want you to have it good here.

It was you who refused it.

The bottle's open. I won't drink it.

I was scared to death.

Okay, so you don't trust me?

Fine.

Then you'll get…

A new bottle.

It's a matter of honor.

- Why do that?
- To prove I was there.

I was held there.

That was prudent of you. We'd probably
all do that if we feared for our lives.

- Or perhaps not.
- I saw it in a film once.

Sorry, Ms. Berger,

come closer to the microphone
or we can't hear you.

I saw it in a film once.

We can establish therefore
that you neither tried to escape

nor did you try to fight back verbally
or physically against Mr. Doormann,

rather you appeared to help him…

No, he just presented it that way.

What about Mr. Doorman's statement…

That you reacted positively
to the photos that he showed you.

- I found the pictures repulsive…
- Elke…

- Quiet, Mr. Doormann.
- They really scared me.

So scared that you stuck
more fruit stickers on the bunker wall?

No. I once learned in a psychology seminar

that you shouldn't show fear in
a situation like that, so I tried not to.

I just wanted the stickers to prove
I was actually in the room. And they did.

You seem to be
a movie-loving criminologist, Ms. Berger.

And also a cunning psychologist.

Maybe you should give inexperienced
criminals like Raik Doormann a few tips.

With you as a hostage, it's the
hostage-taker one should worry about.

Your tone is too light-hearted, Counsel.
Stick to the facts.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Excuse me.

Yes.

Nice. Very nice.

But it's not really my thing.

Is that it?

I don't understand all that.

Seems to be almost floating.

Is it like flying?

You were shocked, but you didn't cry.

- Yes.
- Maybe you gave out positive signals.

- You know what I mean.
- No, I don't.

Saying no, but meaning yes.

Yes? If you know what I mean
then we can save ourselves this nonsense.

I didn't give out
any positive signals, you b*stard!

Ms. Berger, please. Respect courtroom
etiquette or I will have to fine you.

Mr. Doormann claims it wasn't long
before you and he were in cahoots.

- That's not true.
- You helped him to blackmail your husband.

That's not true,
and Ludwig isn't my husband.

Sorry, what should I call him? Partner?

Lover? It must be very humiliating.

To live with a man for years
who's still married.

To a woman who left him
and just wants his money.

I ask you, Ms. Berger. Did you really
perceive Raik Doormann as a threat?

After all, you're standing here today
and you're not dead.

He even dropped you off
at a police station.

I was scared to death.

When he took me to his car,

I thought he'd k*ll me
and bury me in the woods.

I didn't encourage anyone to do anything.

Ms. Berger, please just answer
the defense counsel's questions.

- Come on.
- No, please.

Come on.

POLICE

Ms. Berger, excuse the next question.

Did you have any kind
of sexual contact with Raik Doormann?

No.

Did Mr. Doormann
ever try to hide his face from you?

Ms. Berger, please. Loudly and clearly.

- No, he didn't.
- Do you think Raik Doormann is stupid?

- Or that maybe he's crazy?
- No. He's not stupid.

I can't judge whether he's crazy.
But he's certainly dangerous.

So Raik Doormann
is an intelligent and dangerous man,

who kidnapped you, showed you
his face and sexually-charged images.

This man doesn't force you
to perform any sexual acts,

he doesn't k*ll you,
even though you could identify him,

and he even drives you
to a police station.

What's wrong here, Ms. Berger?

Help me.

I don't know.

Maybe I was just lucky.

I don't know, Your Honor,
nothing I'm hearing here

sounds like your classic
perpetrator-victim relationship to me.

- I wanted…
- Ms. Berger, leave the witness stand.

- Please…
- Thank you, Ms. Berger.

Thank you.

The next witness is Ms. Nela Langenbeck.

Ms. Langenbeck, please describe
to the court your impressions of the night

when Ms. Berger
appeared at the police station.

I went to the state criminal police office

where Inspectors Wiegand and Klose
handed Ms. Berger over to me…

My name is Elke Berger. I was kidnapped.

Are you? Who kidnapped you?

Stay where you are!

Evening, Officer Bekendorp here.

Yes. From the station. I wanted
to check if someone's run away again.

It's a woman.
Smells like a pig. She's in quite a tizzy.

No? Nobody's disappeared? Okay.

Well, then.

What are we going to do with you?

HAMBURG STATE CRIMINAL POLICE OFFICE

Here we are.

Go on, out you go.

In we go!

It's just for the atmosphere.
So you feel more comfortable.

It's vanilla. Like the tea.

Right.

- Good morning.
- Evening.

Hello, Ms. Berger.

I'm very pleased to see you.
I'm Nela Langenbeck.

Ludwig asked me to send you all his love.

- How is he?
- Good.

He was just incredibly worried about you.

He's expecting you at home
as soon as possible.

- Are you finished taking the statement?
- Yep.

Elke.

May I call you Elke?

- Yes.
- Would you wait outside for me, please?

Then we'll go to the examination together.

I think she dreamt it all up.

Maybe she wanted
to leave her old man, cash in,

but her new boyfriend
gets cold feet, kicks her out,

and now she's staging herself as a victim.

She claims she was held in a bunker

and she put fruit stickers under her bed,
so she could prove she was there.

- She doesn't look like a victim.
- No.

She smells like she's been
partying in a whorehouse.

Yeah, as the madam.

There's no sign of violence
or sexual intercourse.

- As I said.
- You did.

I'm just doing my job.

Being alone in the dark was so terrible.

The whole time, I kept
imagining the things he'd do to me…

How he would slowly t*rture me to death.

Then I got my period.

At least he got pads for me.

Did it take long for him to get them?

No, it didn't, actually.

I guess he must have
had some in the house.

Then he said his stupid line again
about what a good kidnapper he was.

- The as*h*le.
- Were there others in the house?

- Do you think he had a wife?
- Why else would he have pads?

Maybe from one of the other women.

Other women?

The ones in the Polaroids?

Women with welts everywhere, tied up.

One was hanging from the ceiling.

One was so emaciated.

As if she'd come
from a concentration camp.

No hair on her head, or anywhere else.

The worst moment
was when I suddenly realized

that the photos had been taken
right there in that prison.

And I thought, "That's your fate."

What if he doesn't want me anymore?

What if he also thinks I wanted all that?

Ludwig loves you.

He would never think you were
in any way responsible for this.

It wasn't your fault.

And how did you interpret
Ms. Berger's statement?

I didn't interpret it at all,
initially. I just listened.

Your colleagues, however,
did feel in a position

to evaluate Ms. Berger's statement

and found it quite contradictory.

Ms. Berger was interrogated
for hours on end,

right after escaping from a kidnapping.

Victims need more space and time,
especially initially,

to process what they've experienced.

The contradictions that often arise
in the first statement are normal.

We want a clear, linear story
and a sequence of what happened…

But that's not how the mind works,
especially when it's in shock.

So you doubt
not only the judgment of your colleagues,

but also the interrogation methods
of the entire police force.

A very modern approach.

You must have attended
the same psychology course as Ms. Berger.

That remark was not appropriate, Counsel.

- Sorry, it slipped out.
- Thank you, Ms. Langenbeck.

You may return to your seat.

We'll move on to point three,
questioning the accused, Raik Doormann…

Mr. Doormann, remain seated.
You will be questioned sitting.

Sit down, please.

This is an official rebuke.

If you approach the plaintiff again,
I will expel you from the court session.

Mr. Doormann…

Sorry, I just wanted
to pass Elke a handkerchief…

Do you know what I'm asking myself?

What did you think would happen

once you released the hostage?

Well, nothing.

I didn't expect Elke
would blacken my name like this.

Stupid me for being so good-natured.

Mr. Doormann, refrain from doing that.

You are not here
because of your good nature.

What are you trying
to insinuate Ms. Berger did?

You know what Elke called me?

"Lucky duck" is what she called me.
I only ever wanted to help Elke.

Elke…

Old Ludwig didn't even
include you in his will.

He didn't want to marry you either. All he
did was work. Why are you doing this?

Please refrain
from directly addressing the plaintiff.

Sorry.

It's just you can't blame
a woman as fantastic as Elke,

if she wants a piece
of the old man's cake too.

- But to stab me in the back…
- You…

Excuse me! To stab me
in the back like this is not fair.

You seriously want to accuse Ms. Berger
of having helped to stage the kidnapping?

That's exactly what I want to do.

Yes. And I'm just a trusting person,
who wanted to help her

and I really don't want to hurt anyone.

You kidnapped Ms. Berger and wanted
to extort 300,000 marks from Mr. Lübke.

Is that your definition
of "not hurting anyone"?

That's what you claim.
The 300,000 was Elke's idea.

That's what she wanted.
I'd have been happy with 30,000.

- Elke, say something. Tell the truth.
- Mr. Doormann.

Mr. Doormann.

- Elke, tell the truth.
- Mr. Doormann, please.

Help me.

Sorry, but I just wanted to help out
a friend with a problem

and otherwise I kept my family's house
in order, mowed the lawn

and did the things
that a blameless citizen usually does.

If that makes me guilty
of an offense, convict me.

One false move and I'll fry you, you sl*t.

You were going
to steal something, were you?

You wanted to feel rich,
did you, you b*tch?

I'll show you…

What price you pay for wealth.

sh*t, that hurts!

Did I hurt you, my sweetheart? Too hard?

- A bit less.
- Good.

How do you earn your money, you wh*re?

What do you do?

I f*ck you, you horny b*stard.

That's what I do.

I thought here next to the terrace…

- Where? There?
- Exactly.

I could set up a small workshop

to make bathroom tiles with beads
and shells before selling them.

- Maybe that's a little close to the house.
- Why?

When you sand the tiles,
the living room will be full of the dust.

- You're right.
- But it doesn't matter.

We'll find a little place
where you can sand.

And I can take you from all angles.
I'll give you a good going over.

You're going?

Your wife will be back soon.
You need to tidy up.

My wife's coming home late.
And the boy's staying with a friend.

No, no, señor.

Hasta luego.

Many things you need to take

If you want to bake a cake

Eggs and flour, milk and butter

Some spice will make it really nice…

What the…?

Hello.

- Excuse me.
- Hello.

- Raik Doormann?
- Yes.

- You're under arrest.
- Well I never.

- Yes.
- Can I get dressed?

You better do that.

You must have realized
that Ludwig Lübke would remember you

when Elke Berger told him
about the bunker. Mr. Doormann?

- Mr. Doormann?
- Yes?

In the 70s, you worked
at Mr. Lübke's company.

- He even had a photo of you.
- Yes.

All I can say to you is…

I didn't feel I was doing anything wrong.

And I don't understand Elke's behavior.

I've always been open about my love
of S&M. Does that make me a bad person?

Your sexual preference is,
of course, a private matter,

as long as you do not break the law.

- May I make a comment?
- Yes.

Elke…

Are you embarrassed about the S&M?

Maybe I'm naive, but ultimately…

All I want is love.

In Malta there is a law
that kidnappers are not punished

if the person who was kidnapped
marries them.

Is that what you want?

Do you want to marry me?

Because I'm getting a divorce right now.

Unbelievable…

…could not determine any cooperation
between the chimpanzees…

Tomorrow after the verdict is announced,
you two should go on vacation.

And?

How many years will that dog get?

I heard the most is 15.

- The minimum sentence is three years.
- Three years?

Something between three and 15 years.

It's a joke.

You used to get
the death penalty for abduction.

Ludwig.

It's true.

We'd be better not to assume
the maximum sentence.

He released you and you were imprisoned
for a relatively short time.

That will go in his favor.

His personal circumstances
may be taken into account.

- His personal circumstances?
- We shouldn't concentrate on him.

Ultimately, all I want is love.

The most important thing
is that you live your life again.

Scream if you want.

No one will hear you.

Did you really
perceive Raik Doormann as a threat?

It's ironic, if she'd been r*ped,
her story would be more believable.

She doesn't look like a victim.

She smells like she's been
partying in a whorehouse.

I'm a good kidnapper.

All rise.

The court made use
of the option to mitigate the penalty…

The deed was an act of desperation,

which he committed spontaneously
and without premeditation…

When imposing an appropriate penalty,

it was taken into account
that the accused…

As a result of giving up his business,

his middle-class existence
started unravelling

and his self-confidence faltered…

…and has never committed a crime.

…to regain a foothold professionally
to provide for…

He surrendered to his belief in astrology

and increasingly lost
his grasp of reality.

The accused does not
pose any danger to the general public.

The court also has considerable doubts
about the account of the victim,

who repeatedly contradicted herself
and clearly did not reveal all she knew.

It could not be completely ruled out

that Ms. Berger herself
played an active role in the crime,

possibly even inciting the accused.

Although numerous factors also argue
against this, doubts nevertheless remain,

and these must be taken
into account in favor of the accused.

Therefore, in the name of the people,
the following verdict has been reached.

APRIL 30, 1992

The accused Raik Doormann

is guilty of a less serious case
of kidnapping with extortion

and is therefore sentenced
to three years in prison.

Hello, Mrs. Kessler.

How's Cornelia?

He'll be behind bars now
for three years, right?

In theory, yes, but in a
minimum-security prison he can leave jail

if he gives a reason.

Like if he has an official appointment
or a job interview… things like that.

And he is entitled to parole.

Parole? That means he can
come and go as he pleases?

To an extent. He has to return
by a certain time and has to sleep there.

Prison isn't really like you'd imagine.

- If he behaves well, then he'll be out…
- Ms. Langenbeck?

- Yes?
- My daughter disappeared four years ago.

I'm sorry.
Have you reported it to the police?

Yes.

Yes, but…
I don't think they're taking me seriously.

And why do you think that?

This is my daughter.

Cornelia.

They said in the trial Doormann showed
Ms. Berger photos of tortured women.

- Could you…
- Sorry…

Cornelia was in the same
swimming club as Raik Doormann,

and he was even
her first husband's best man.

Could you please just take a look…

Doormann was always chasing after her,

and suddenly she just disappeared.

Supposedly she left of her own accord,
but I never believed that.

And what you said during the trial…

Maybe…

Did you see a photo of her?

In the photos she had less hair.

And she was much thinner, but…

The eyes and the mouth…

I'm absolutely certain.

Those are missing persons' files.
You have nothing else to do?

Yes, I do, but look at this.

I find it rather alarming
that after what happened to Elke Berger…

There are two women who were
in direct contact with Doormann

who disappeared.

Cornelia Kessler.

And… You won't believe it.

- Irmgard Lübke.
- I see, I see.

- Ludwig Lübke's first wife.
- I see.

But Doormann is in prison and we're
not Missing Persons, we're Homicide.

If you're bored,
feel free to help with my files.

Because the homicides are piling up there,

and there are families waiting for us
to find their loved ones' murderers.

PHOTO FOR IDENTIFICATION
PRELIMINARY MISSING PERSON'S RPORT

"I would like to clarify herewith
that I, Cornelia Kessler, am not missing."

"I would like to clarify herewith
that I, Irmgard Lübke, am not…"

Balbeck, listen.

Both women write: "I would like to clarify
herewith that I am not missing."

Both women request not to be
stopped at any national borders.

In each case, in the same place
at the top left of the letter,

the identity card number of the woman.

The formulation
is word-for-word in places…

Balbeck?

What? 160? Are you mad, Carmen?
Your house is worth a lot more!

We need at least 200,000, babe.

Maybe we'll find someone else.
And don't call me babe.

I don't want to find anyone else.

I want to leave with you quickly!

It's my house. I want it in good hands.

Your house? Who gives a f*ck about it!

Listen. I can always go
on my own if you start whining.

I'm planning our future here, right?
So just do what I say.

Carmen?

Sorry, I'm really sorry.

This is all very hard for me.

Not seeing you,
and prison is no walk in the park.

I just want to leave
all this sh*t behind with you

and finally start our dream life, okay?

- Hello!
- Hello.

- Okay.
- Listen.

I want you to book two plane tickets
from Hamburg to Paris.

And then to San José.

- Hey.
- Hey.

I'll be on parole in two weeks,
then we're out of here!

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK! MARGOT

Dear Mom, I'm in Chile right now.

It's already summer. I'm enjoying it.
But I think of you all the time.

I may have found someone
to replace Stephan.

His house is beautifully
situated in the mountains.

He's been divorced for four years,
45 years old, and has a 12-year-old son…

I wish you
health and happiness for the new year.

All my love, your daughter.

I received those postcards.
And friends of Cornelia did too.

Would you mind?

To help me remember.

Yes.

I received these postcards
in the months after Cornelia disappeared.

Even if the writing does look like hers,

all those spelling mistakes
and the phrasing.

Cornelia always got top marks in German.

I'll have the writing analyzed,
if that's okay with you.

Why are you wearing gloves?

I've held the postcards so often.

I'm sure you'll only find my fingerprints.

Who knows?

I don't want to exclude any possibility.

Thank you for making the effort.

No one else from the police
has taken me seriously.

At first, when I reported
Cornelia missing,

I thought they were
really looking for her.

We'll collect all the information first.

Then we'll find out
what happened, Mrs. Kessler.

Maybe we should start
with how Cornelia knew Raik Doormann.

Yes. Yes.

Before Stephan,
Cornelia was married to Jürgen.

And Raik Doormann…

He was a buddy of Jürgen's.

They were all in the swimming club.

He was even Jürgen's best man.

I never liked Raik.

A disgusting man.

Cornelia thought so too.

Because he kept chasing after her.

That's what she told me.

He often invited the two of them
to his holiday home to party.

We wanted it to be simple. No diamonds.

But it's 18 karat, not just 14 karat.

- You can feel the weight of your marriage.
- The rocks have to be big.

So you're aware of them and you girls
are reminded where it is you belong.

- You've got the biggest, of course.
- Sure have.

You need to examine your h*m*.

You'll put a beer ring pull on her finger.

A cheap ring for a cheap girl.

Jesus f*cking Christ!

You'll have a blister.

That's marriage. The wife should always
have part of her husband in her mouth.

You're so repulsive.

Show me. That's big.

I'll get a needle. I'll burst it for you.

Here. Hold this.

Thanks.

"Happiness is where you can end up
when you feel torn by fascination."

Don't let Raik hear you
reading a magazine horoscope.

Those hacks. This is serious science.

Don't read junk like that
all the time, Brigitte!

- I need to pee.
- Yes, go on.

- I need the bathroom.
- You can't. Thea's throwing up.

That last sausage didn't go down well.
You'll have to do it in the bushes.

You can have a good piss in the woods.

Careful not to let
any spiders crawl up your slit.

- Careful you don't crouch in the nettles.
- f*ck, Raik, turn it off. I'm desperate.

Did you know that the little hairs
on the nettles are hollow?

The chemical substance that causes
the stinging flows through them.

Great, Raik, but can you go?

It's painful, but also healthy
because it improves circulation.

Raik, go away!

Raik, listen. That's going too far.

You can't follow my wife
into the woods to pee.

What? I just wanted to make sure

she didn't sting
her pretty a*s on the nettles.

- I'm just a gentle bear.
- You gentle bear, you.

Listen. Quiet! Can you hear that?

Can you hear that?

Up, sailors, ohé

La Paloma, ohé

The baby's got no teeth,
but it's already singing.

One day, it must end
Only the memory of hours of love…