The Race Between Assassin and Police

This flow tracks the escalating tactical contest as The Jackal’s disguises and the police investigation repeatedly overtake one another.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Hidden Preparation

A Hidden Preparation Planning without contact The Jackal researches the President and prepares a weapon and identities in London and Brussels. He refuses the OAS’s proposed network of safe houses, believing independence protects him from leaks. An asymmetry emerges The OAS knows his code name but not his movements. The French state has almost no identifying details, while The Jackal knows that its security is organized around a threat it cannot yet locate.

The First Alert

The First Alert Intelligence without an identity Kowalski’s confession leads Colonel Rolland to warn the government. Claude Lebel seeks foreign police files, while the authorities quietly direct border officers to watch for a tall blond foreigner. Secrecy limits action Charles de Gaulle refuses public changes to his schedule. The state must look for an assassin without announcing that it is looking, preserving political composure at the cost of speed.

Duggan Discovered

Duggan Discovered The identity is breached The British inquiry identifies Alexander Duggan’s passport as fraudulent, and records show that The Jackal entered France under that name. Police locate him at the Hotel du Cerf in Gap. The lead goes stale By the time the report reaches the central investigators, he has already left. The information that should enable an arrest instead becomes a warning, and Lebel suspects the investigation is being leaked.

The Disappearing Car

The Disappearing Car A trail is found Police discover the abandoned Alfa Romeo near Ussel and reconstruct The Jackal’s route through local witnesses. He has hidden the rifle and used a series of small choices to avoid being stopped. The search closes too late The investigation reaches the château only after he has left. His disguise as Pastor Jensen defeats the search around Egletons, while the police learn the truth through the murder of Colette.

The Citywide Net

The Citywide Net A name and a photograph After The Jackal changes to Marty Schulberg, the authorities distribute his details and search Paris on an unprecedented scale. Hotels, streets, bars, and OAS contacts are checked. A small opening remains The Jackal hides among crowds and adopts a final disguise that the search does not anticipate. The net is vast, but Lebel’s attention to one apparently minor passage through the perimeter finally reveals the route to him.

July 1963

August 11 to 13, 1963

August 14 to 15, 1963

August 15 to 21, 1963

August 22 to 25, 1963