The Evidence in the Briefcase

This flow follows the discovery of material linking Édouard’s black briefcase to the Killer and Bérenger’s attempt to carry evidence to the authorities.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Mysterious Visitor

The Mysterious Visitor A Room Already Occupied Bérenger returns to find Édouard waiting in his room with a large black briefcase. Ordinary Conversation Their talk begins with illness and tea, masking the object that will soon dominate the encounter.

The Colonel’s Photograph

The Colonel’s Photograph Accidental Exposure The briefcase spills photographs of the Colonel, the image the Killer uses to lure victims toward the water. A Familiar Pattern Bérenger recognizes the connection to the method already described by the Architect.

A Bottomless Inventory

A Bottomless Inventory Tools of the Crime Artificial flowers, obscene images, sweets, and other objects emerge alongside the repeated photograph. Denial Under Pressure Édouard claims ignorance, while the accumulation makes the connection increasingly difficult to dismiss.

The Diary and Map

The Diary and Map A Planned Campaign Bérenger finds a diary, an address book, and a map that appears to track the Killer’s intended movements. Proof at Last The papers seem to transform suspicion into evidence that can be reported to the authorities.

The Forgotten Case

The Forgotten Case Evidence Mislaid In the confusion of the political rally, Édouard loses the briefcase and cannot reliably say where he left it. The Report Delayed Bérenger’s attempt to reach the Prefecture is repeatedly interrupted, and the evidence remains behind in his room.

At the beginning of Act Two

After Bérenger’s account of the murders

During the search of the open briefcase

Near the end of the Act Two discovery

During Act Three, after the street procession