The Baby Dealer/Die Babydealer (S6E7)

When a priest discovers a baby left in his church, he is shocked to find that the baby is in fact dead. In lawyer Ambach's office, things are much happier as a young couple appraise a couple of babies with a view to adoption. While it's not obvious at this time, it doesn't take much in the way of deduction to realise that you can buy anything you want if you have sufficient funds.

Brandtner and Rex are passing time in one of Rex's favourite haunts - the pet shop. Pushing a trolley is all in a day's work for Rex when he can load it with as many toys as he wishes. When Brandtner notices an elderly lady concealing some tins of pet food under her coat, he acts quickly to prevent the woman from being caught by the shop owner. Kindness itself, he purchases the food and gives it to the woman once she's left the store.

Somewhere in a wine cellar, Gianni Costarella is informing Ambach about his wish to quit the

business. It's not a matter of money, Gianni is upset about an accident, by which he means the dead baby found at the beginning of the episode. He's overwhelmed with guilt but Ambach dismisses his concerns. Gianni is convinced it's a sign for him to leave, he has concerns about his soul. Ambach has concerns too and it's not about Gianni's eternal future.

Sandra Fossati, direct from Italy, books into Hotel Metternich. Sandra appears to be a friend of Gianni for she rings his number, although she hangs up when he answers. When Gianni traces the call back to the hotel, he appears to dismiss it as a wrong number. He's not expecting any out of town visitors.

Meanwhile, the Brandtner team are finally at the crime scene. Dr. Graf tells Brandtner the baby suffocated approximately 18 hours previously. No signs of violence. As the baby wasn't in the church when it was locked up overnight, it had to have been dumped early in the morning. Boeck isn't able to find any details of babies on the missing persons list. Unfortunately, the team have little to go on until Dr. Graf discovers a small feather from a blue-ear lory, a tropical parrot, in the baby's trachea and particles of dried bird droppings in her lungs. Seems like the baby was locked up with the bird. Big question is why? The baby's clothes also have Italian labels and smell strongly of petrol suggestive of a long car trip. Brandtner's first approach though is to check Viennese pet shops for sellers of blue-ear lorys. Kunz is asked to check out potential buyers. As always, he's a little put out.

Sandra has headed to Gianni's place. What could she want? Simple. She wants her baby, Marco, back. It seems Gianni has stolen him. Suddenly, it all becomes clear. Ambach is operating more than a private adoption agency, he's running a baby smuggling ring. Shocked by her arrival, Gianni agrees to help her get Marco back - only one condition, no police.

As darkness falls, Gianni and Sandra are seen climbing up a balcony into a large house. Once inside, and into a secret room, surprise, surprise, babies galore, including Marco. Sandra grabs him but they must move quickly before the carer returns. Sandra wants to take other babies but, in the end, they must flee as the carer is back from grabbing dinner. When the carer goes to check the crying babies, she notes Marco is gone and catches sight of Gianni and Sandra as they get in Gianni's car.

Sandra's plan is to leave immediately for Italy. Gianni makes an unfortunate decision though and returns to his flat to pick up his stuff first. He plans to leave also. Ultimately, he does, though not in the way he envisioned as he's surprised by one of Ambach's men. Endstation, Gianni, shot dead. Sandra and baby are taken to Ambach's wine cellar where she verbally abuses Ambach. He wants information about who from Calabria might know of his operation. Sandra tells Ambach if she doesn't return safely to Italy, her friends will call in the police and pass on information. Ambach isn't daunted though and Marco is sent back to the carer. The threat to Sandra is obvious.

Of course, Brandtner and team are on the trail. Seems Gianni was a bird fancier and regularly imported blue eyed lorys. At Gianni's apartment, Rex draws Brandtner's attention to a van in which birds have obviously been transported. Clever Rex also discovers a concealed section, filled with baby blankets. The link is obvious and forensics are called in. In Gianni's apartment, Brandtner finds a photo of Gianni, useful later in identifying his body, and discovers the last call from Hotel Metternich, from an Italian woman named Sandra Fossati. Suddenly things are starting to come together. The bird importation was just a front for the baby smuggling operation. When records show a previous conviction against Gianni, a former court translator, his lawyer at the time was none other than Ambach, whom Kunz proudly informs is also involved in adoptions.

Sandra, left alone, is trying to escape. With lots of bottles of wine in the cellar, it's not long before she's broken a bottle and has used the glass to cut her ties.

Brandtner and Boeck visit Ambach. Brandtner gets straight to the point - an Italian that Ambach represented, a dead baby and adoptions. Can Ambach join the dots? Ambach is put out, denies any knowledge and is outraged at the suggestion of baby smuggling. His callous attitude incenses Brandtner, even more so when Ambach labels Rex a mongrel. Oh, oh, you've done it now, Ambach. Forget the baby smuggling, you've insulted the dog.

Ambach is rattled though and tells his accomplice to go sort out Sandra. It's not quite Endstation Sandra though as she's finally worked her way free, just in time to smash a bottle over the accomplice's head. Grabbing his gun, she forces him to tell her where Marco is.

Sandra turns up at the address given to her. The adopting parents are shocked when Sandra bursts in and tells them their baby is hers. Ambach is nothing more than a criminal. The couple call Ambach. Ambach threatens them. They're caught up in this too. Tough luck. Ambach has a lead in that Sandra has left behind a ticket for Italy. The accomplice sets out for the station while Ambach calls the baby carer and tells her to disappear. As Brandtner chooses this moment to turn up at the house where the babies are kept, she leaves the babies behind. However, Rex spots her leaving and, as she tries to flee, she is involved in a car accident.

Kunz calls Brandtner to tell him that he's found out that Sandra has checked out of her hotel and is on her way, with baby Marco, to the station. Brandtner leaves. Boeck notices a baby bottle in the carer's bag and heads to the house looking for babies. When he hears a baby crying and cannot find the baby, he heads outside and soon works out from window positions that there must be a secret room. Soon Boeck has his baby.

Meanwhile, at the station, Ambach's accomplice has caught up with Sandra. Brandtner is there too and the accomplice spots him but not before Brandtner and Rex see him. The accomplice grabs Sandra and pushes her onto a moving train. Brandtner and Rex give chase while Sandra refuses to give up. When Rex jumps on the train and attacks the accomplice, Sandra jumps with her baby, ending up in the path of a train. Brandtner manages to switch the line just in the nick of time. Kunz gets the pleasure of arresting Ambach.

Happy endings as always, oh, except for Boeck and a dirty nappy.

Other players include Anna Thalbach above as Sandra Fossati, Julian Weigend above as Kurt (the accomplice), Albert Rueprecht as Dr. Ambach, and Nina Riegler, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

A single Recycled Rexer in Hilde Berger, above, not credited for this episode but also appearing in 'Mord a la carte' (1997) as Elvira Konrad and 'Ein feines Haus' (1994) as Helga Riedl.

Rex Resolution 81: Der Tod kam zweimal (S6 E6)

Narcissistic? Well. you could be forgiven for thinking so. Marc, a male model, is watching and freezing video of himself showering. Craving a little more excitement, he sets up a couple of lines of cocaine and sniffs it up, just as a female visitor arrives. She's on his case, she wants to know if he's faithful to her. Marc's adamant he is. She then demands to know why their engagement must be kept secret. Marc spiels her some line about wanting to keep their life private for now and that they'll eventually have a big surprise party to announce their future together. Obviously, we're already guessing that isn't going to happen.

She's not convinced either but for completely different reasons and drags out a pair of delicate panties she found in his car to prove her point. Obviously, they don't belong to her or to him. What's more, she says that she knows exactly to whom they belong although she doesn't expand on that. Marc denies everything and, when she asks for water, it seems he's successfully allayed her suspicions. When he returns from fetching her water, she leaves. He resumes his glass of wine. Can anyone say drink spiking?

Unknown to either of them, someone has been watching them from an attic across the street. A man in a long leather coat stares intently through a set of binoculars and fails to notice the presence of the female caretaker of the block. She watches out of the attic window as he leaves and sees him enter Marc's apartment building. Finding it all a little odd, she thinks she should ring the police because she's seen him there multiple times. Her partner however thinks she should have questioned the man herself and that to call the police would create trouble. For the moment, she leaves it.

Marc obviously knows the man as he lets him in to his apartment. Marc is in poor shape though, falling over, losing alertness, and the visitor hurriedly fetches him some water before helping him lie down. It's obviously rush hour at Marc's for as the male visitor is leaving, another woman arrives. She's obviously been hitting the bottle and heads up to Marc's bedroom.

Next morning Brandtner is out clothes shopping with Rex. While Brandtner looks at rather conservative suit jacket, Rex is much more adventurous and selects Brandtner a rather outlandish jacket. Broad striped and really badly tailored too. Mind you, Brandtner would look good in a doggy bag. When a call comes in about a body found in a dumpster, Brandtner has to make a snap choice and ends up taking and wearing the jacket, earning himself untold mirth from Graf and Boeck. Graf highlights an unusual wound on the man but, true to form, he refuses to be drawn on details until he's able to perform all the proper tests. In true Rex form, another amazing coincidence occurs as Brandtner recognises the man. He just happened to be in an advert in the fashion store he just visited, though not modelling Brandtner's new jacket.

Across town, the mystery male visitor is sitting in his office, staring at photos of Marc. He turns out to be Gallauer, a model agent. When Brandtner visits him to ask about Marc, he claims he was in his office the previous evening and Brandtner seems happy to leave it at that for now.

Mother and daughter designers, the Schneiders, are setting up to display their new collection. While watching a briefing of their planned show on television, news of Marc's death is broadcast. The daughter Katharina, the girl who initially visited Marc, has locked herself in a room. Her mother, coincidentally, who just happened to be the second and drunk female visitor to Marc, can't get to talk to her.

Meanwhile the caretaker who noticed the man watching Marc's flat also hears of the murder. Her partner is still against her going to the police, even when they show up at Marc's flat. Her partner has a record for domestic violence and when he raises his hand towards her, it's enough to persuade her to stay put.

In Marc's flat, Kunz is admiring Marc's body from the video while lamenting the state of his own. Sorry, Fuzzy, buff you aren't. With the cocaine noted, Boeck discovers blood flecks on the sofa. Kunz score the main prize though. He finds the panties that had been found in Marc's car by Katharina. He's rather pleased with himself.

Brandtner heads off to pay a visit to the Schneiders. The mother's assistant is telling her she needs to think carefully about what to say if the police show up. Katharina is eaves-dropping and hears the mother telling the assistant she should tell the police she visited Marc the previous evening. The assistant says she should do no such thing and sets her up with an alibi.

As Brandtner arrives, the models are practicing their walks and it's not long before Rex is up there, giving a turn. Ah Rex, you handsome boy. When Brandtner comes across Katharina, she denies knowing much about Marc. Katharina directs Brandtner to her mother, pointing out that her mother could have had a drink or two or three... The mother is also reluctant to answer questions, blaming it on pre-show jitters. Brandtner indicates Katharina was also unable to help much and the mother tells Brandtner that Katharina is mourning her father who died of cancer. He's quite surprised when he finds out the death occurred three years ago. When Brandtner asks where the mother was the previous night, the assistant jumps in rather quickly with the alibi.

As he leaves, Brandtner talks again to Katharina, who wants to know what her mother said. Brandtner says it's interesting that neither of them mentioned that women chased after Marc as told to him by Gallauer but Katharina says that was just part of the image built for Marc and not necessarily true.

At headquarters, Kunz has the terribly unpleasant job of working his way through underwear catalogues to identify the origins of the found panties. How the poor man does suffer! Turns out the panties in question are very exclusive and pricey.

Graf has discovered that Marc didn't die from the strange stab wound but from respiratory paralysis, caused by an overdose of methadone. He was already dead when he was stabbed so effectively he was murdered twice, raising all kinds of questions.

Brandtner follows up with Marc's drug dealer, Sasha. Sasha denies all drug dealing activity but Rex discovers his stash and the chase is on. No one escapes Rex and Sasha is no different. He ends up telling Brandtner what he knows - that Marc was hooked on cocaine and that it was sourced for him by his agent Gallauer. Brandtner asks if Gallauer and Marc were lovers but Sasha doesn't know. When Boeck goes to follow up with Gallauer, he finds out Gallauer has left the country.

Despite Marc's death, the fashion show is going ahead. When the mother starts with a dedication to Marc, Katharina walks off in disgust. She accuses her mother of using Marc's death to grab attention. She says she knows what was going on between the mother and Marc. Brandtner and Rex have been watching their interaction unfold and interrupt. He asks them about Gallauer and Marc being lovers. The mother says Gallauer wanted a relatonship with Marc but Marc didn't like men sexually, adding that Gallauer was therefore jealous. planting suspicion on him.

The caretaker's charming partner has drunk himself to sleep and she decides to take the opportunity to call the police. Kunz and Boeck drop by with a photo of Gallauer and she identifies him as the mystery man and confirms him as the person who entered Marc's apartment building.

Gallauer has arrived back in town. Whe he phones in to his office, he finds out the police have been to see him again. Little does he know that Brandtner is waiting for him. When Gallauer spots him as gets his luggage out the taxi, he jumps back in and tells the taxi to head back to the airport. Unfortunately, he doesn't close the boot of the taxi properly and SuperRex jumps in the back, ending the journey. At headquarters, Gallauer has no choice but to answer some questions. Brandtner tells him he was seen visiting Marc on the night of the murder. Gallauer says he fleed from Brandtner because he had supplied Marc with drugs and he had found Marc in a bad way, possibly having overdosed. He says he didn't call for help because he didn't want to be dragged into a scandal. Marc died in his arms. Brandtner then tells him was poisoned with methadone.

Mother and daughter designer are falling apart. Katharina accuses her mother of cheating on her father until he died of cancer, of cheating her of her inheritance and her work, and then having an affair with Marc. Her proof for the latter asks the mother? The infamous panties. The panties belonged to her. In her defence, the mother says she didn't know about Marc's affair with Katharina. Katharina then accuses her mother of stabbing Marc out of jealousy and leaves.

Gallauer admits to having loved Marc. He couldn't have him and that's why he was reduced to watching Marc from the attic. Unrequited love stinks. He tells Brandtner that on the evening of Marc's death, he saw Katharina arrive and noted that they argued. He saw her throw panties at him and leave. It was then that he went over to Marc's apartment but, as he was leaving, the mother arrived and he snuck out.

Lakeside, poor Katharina sits. Brandtner is in his car, one move ahead as always. He's checking with Graf whether methadone can also be used as a pain killer. Bingo. Katharina's father died of cancer, thus providing a source for methadone. He heads over to the Schneiders office and confronts the mother. She persists with her alibi until Brandtner tells her she was seen at the flat by Gallauer. She tries to dump a match box with number of the taxi company she used. A silly thing to do because Rex is always going to fish out a jettisoned clue. He must have been a retriever in a previous life. A simple call to the taxi company is all it will take to bust her alibi. When she confirms to Brandtner that her husband was using methadone for pain management, it's enough for Brandtner to arrest her.

When it becomes apparent that Katharina is missing, alarm bells ring. A letter is found by Katharina to the mother confirming Katharina's role in the murder and revealing a plan for suicide. Urgent action is required and Brandtner is soon in pursuit. By this time, Katharina is on a boat in the middle of the lake, swigging methadone. Brandtner and Rex are soon headed towards the Schneider's summer house, where, of course, they find Katharina just in the nick of time.

Other players include Andrea Sawatzki , above, as the mother, Gerd Silberbauer, above, as Gallauer, Matthias Johannik as Marc, and Jasper Wood, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Vera Borek, here as Marie Puchner, the assistant, and earlier in Hetzjagd (1999) as Frau Swoboda and Denise Zich, here as Katharina and in the Italian series episodes Calibro 7.65 (2008) and L'incontro (2008) as Erika Hedl.

Noteworthy in this episode: I've often commented on the unique skill of Rex cast members at playing dead. This time I caught Marc (Matthias Johannik) blinking as he was examined by Graf and the team. Gotcha.

Rex Resolution 80: Das Millionenpferd (S6, E5)

Couldn't resist this photo of 'Fuzzy' in flannel from this episode.

Theresa is having a last ride on her horse Sirius before heading off to the airport to fly to the Emirates to take part in equestrian competitions. She's sad to leave Sirius behind and asks stable hand Swoboda to take extra special care of her horse. Sirius can't be taken because of quarantine regulations.

Besides Frau Latzki, her mother, sees an opportunity to get Sirius trained to jump higher. She instructs her stable manager Arthur to use his own training methods, Theresa doesn't like, while they are both away. Arthur readily agrees - anything to get a champion horse. Latzki cautions further that Theresa should never know. This means that trusty Swoboda will need to be ditched and replaced with Arthur's brother Gerhard. As Gerhard is intellectually disabled, the mother is skeptical but Arthur assures her Gerhard knows a lot about horses.

Swoboda is training Sirius when Arthur sends him home early. He's grateful but is surprised to see Gerhard arrive. Training resumes with much rougher tactics than Swoboda was using. When Swoboda returns and sees Gerhard whipping Sirius to get him to jump increasingly higher fences, he's upset but, before he can intervene, disaster ensues. Sirius falls badly, breaking both front legs. Arthur has no choice but to shoot him. Swoboda is beside himself and tries to stop Arthur, threatening to tell Theresa everything. When Arthur tells Gerhard to grab Swoboda, Gerhard accidentally breaks Swoboda's neck in the process. Arthur swears to take care of the situation.

He certainly does. He arranges for Gerhard to dump the body at a neighbouring farm, placing the body in a bull pen so the death seems accidental. He even manages to switch another horse for Sirius. When he manages to fool the insurance assessor and vet, all seems good.

Later that night, a couple are seen spying on Arthur and the fake Sirius. The pair seem to be some kind of animal activists, looking for evidence of ill-treatment.

When the neighbour finds the body, he thinks the bull has killed poor Swoboda. Nonetheless, Brandtner and team are called in to investigate. Graf immediately picks up a broken neck as cause of death and states that even though the bull appears to have trampled Swoboda, he was already dead. With nothing to identify Swoboda, the team have little to go on.

Gerhard is an emotional wreck because of what he's done. He tells Arthur he's going to tell the police everything but Arthur stops him. He sends Gerhard off to Budapest with 300 Schillings to bribe a beggar to send a fax from the post office before returning to his farm.

Graf tells Brandtner that Swoboda had been involved in a struggle. So, basically, it was a lot of bull about the bull and the hunt for the murderer is on.

The fax from Hungary arrives at the Latzki farm. Apparently, it is a kidnap note from someone claiming to have taken Sirius. Arthur is straight on the phone to Latzki in the Emirates.

The victim still cannot be identified, although Arthur is pointing the insurance company in the direction of Swoboda as they investigate the missing horse. The insurance company want the police called in much to Arthur's consternation. He has to give ground and finally tells the insurance company Swoboda's name.

Meanwhile more evidence has emerged. Someone else's blood has been found under Swoboda's finger nails and his clothing is covered in horse, not bull, hair. When Boeck comes in with a story of a missing horse, Brandtner is all ears - especially when it's a kidnap case with the stable hand as suspect.

Brandtner heads out, almost knocking over the animal activists as he arrives. They're soon at work photographing Arthur's mistreatment of the horses in training. Rex is much more direct, going straight to take the whip out of Arthur's hands. Brandtner wants to see everyone in the farm. Arthur tells him there is no one else, Swoboda is gone with the horse and that he needs a new stable hand. You can just sense this is going to impact on Kunz, see photo above.

Brandtner shows Arthur Swoboda's jumper but he denies any knowledge of it and turns the focus back on to the supposedly missing horse. In fact, he tells Brandtner, with the horse most likely gone to Hungary, the chance of it being found is minimal. However, Arthur underestimates Rex. The scent on the jumper leads Rex straight to Swoboda's flat above the stables. Victim identified.

Brandtner looks around. He finds lots of photos of Theresa. Obviously, Swoboda was taken with her.

At this precise moment, Latzki and Theresa return. Brandtner talks to them and tells them he's not there about the horse but about the murder of Swoboda. Theresa is devastated. Latzki is shocked. She had been told by Arthur that Swoboda had stolen the horse, not that he had been killed. Theresa is convinced that Swoboda could never have taken the horse. She wants to see his body. Meanwhile, Latzki is looking daggers at Arthur, she suspects his involvement in the murder.

The animal activists have learnt from the paper that Sirius has been kidnapped but they're not buying it. Of course, the day previously they'd photographed Arthur himself loading up Sirius into a transporter. She wants to go to the police but he's got another idea. He's sure it's a case of insurance fraud and sees an opportunity for them to make some money themselves. Of course, he intends to spend it all on animal welfare...right.

Theresa tells Brandtner that the stud farm used to belong to Arthur and Gerhard but that they mismanaged it, selling it to her mother.

Brandtner gets Kunz excited. An undercover job. He's less than impressed when he finds out that translates to shovelling horse poo. Mist, says Kunz. Genau. He moves into Swoboda's old living quarters as Richard Wagner. First job, put on flannel, sweep out the stalls. It doesn't take long for Kunz to get on to something though. He sees the animal activitists talking to Arthur, They're trying to blackmail him but Arthur sends them packing.

Brandtner is talking to the vet about Sirius. He shows him a photo and asks for confirmation that it is, in fact, Sirius. He then happens to catch the activists leaving the stud farm and asks what they've been doing. He also asks if they were here the day Swoboda was murdered. They deny it. Brandtner then approaches Kunz as Wagner, wanting a blanket from Sirius's stall for its scent. Kunz takes the opportunity to tell Brandtner he saw the animal activitists arguing with Arthur. Brandtner gets Boeck to check them out. They have a record, a past history of property damage while freeing animals.

The female activist is more determined to go to the police now there's been a murder. Her partner is again adamant. Of course, this is the moment where Brandtner turns up. He asks again about Swoboda. They again deny any knowledge. Brandtner shows interest in their photos. He then asks what they were arguing about with Arthur. They say it was simply about the cruelty. The woman tells the man that she won't be part of the blackmail. Her partner has a choice to make - her or the money.

When Kunz is shovelling hay, he notices two full aerosols hidden. What are they? Hair dye - possibly used to pass off another horse as Sirius. Brandtner's on to the insurance fraud.

When Latzki receives another kidnap demand, she calls Brandtner's team immediately. At the same time, love wins out and the animal activitists arrive to see Brandtner. Time to come clean about what they know.

At night, Brandtner takes up position watching Gerhard cleaning out the transporter. Boeck arrives. When they approach Gerhard, he's anxious. He allows them to see his one horse, the one passed off as Sirius. Rex proves this when he follows the scent from Sirius's blanket straight to the horse. A horse complete with hair dye. Game over. Gerhard's not smart enough to give Brandtner a plausible explanation. They leave, although Boeck stays watching. Gerhard sets alight to the barn and makes a run for it. Rex manages to free both the the horse and Boeck (injured inside the barn) in time.

Gerhard has returned to the house but sees that Brandtner and Boeck have freed the horse and escaped. He drives towards them on a tractor before driving into the fiery barn. Endstation Gerhard. When Brandtner finds the body of Sirius in a hay stack, all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

Kunz is alerted by Brandtner. At the stud, Latzki is yelling at Arthur. Seems she was in on the insurance fraud but she's angry at him for the murder. Unfortunately, Theresa overhears her mother telling Arthur to settle with the activists.

Theresa is devastated. She confronts them both. The mother tries to explain her rationale for the insurance fraud but Theresa is going to the police. When Arthur grabs a gun to stop her, a struggle breaks out between the mother and Arthur, the mother is knocked unconscious. Arthur is after Theresa, with only Kunz to save her. Kunz is knocked over while Arthur locks himself in the stable with Theresa, threatening to kill her.

Above, Rex takes aim and leaps, creeping up behind Arthur. When he leaps on Arthur, the girl is let go and Arthur is winged by Brandtner. Endstation Arthur.

Other players include Lisa Kreuzer, as Latzki, not credited for this episode but listed with IMDB for the Stockinger episode 'Lebende Schieß-Scheiben ' (1997), Anna Luise Kish as Theresa, Henry Meyer as Arthur Stein, Gunnar Kolb, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Richard Sammel, not listed for this episode but also appearing in Inglorious Basterds, and Alexandra Sommerfeld, also not listed.

Aside: This episode is particularly prone to the hovering microphone!

Rex Resolution 79: Jagd nach dem ewigen Leben

The Great Hall in the Austrian National Library features a stunning ceiling, a view of which forms the start of this episode. A tour is in progress, highlighting a new exhibition of the newly discovered works of Count Egon Reichenberg, traveller and botanist. Reichenberg was also believed to have developed an elixir for prolonging life, living to the ripe old age of 150 himself. The tour guide, Dr. Jungwirth, tells visitors that as yet no mention of the elixir has been found in the current works but that they are still being studied.

There certainly appears to be more than a passing interest in the material. Felix Nordegg, a distance relative of the Count, seems particularly keen to examine the books more closely but, as Dr. Jungwirth explains, the books are not yet available to the public as they are still being researched. With the tour ended, a couple of men loiter around the exhibited books before moving on. Nordegg has no plans to move on though. With the museum about to close, he conceals himself in a storeroom.

With the museum closed, he soon emerges and breaks into the cases holding his relative's works. A piece of paper seems to be guiding his actions - it's a list of volumes and page numbers, none of which matches the books he's looking at. From above, comes a distant rumble. A book is being slid along a bannister above and wouldn't you know it? It just happens to fall on Nordegg. Endstation 1. The list is taken and Nordegg? Well, he ends up in an old cart at the Vienna goods station.

At work, the following day, Dr. Jungwirth has noticed the books have been disturbed. The pair of men are also back lurking, watching what happens. A Buddhist monk also seems to have a keen interest in the books.

When the body is discovered, Nordegg has been well buried in coffee beans. Don't say you never learn anything useful from Inspector Rex Apparently, coffee is good to mask the smell of a corpse. I'll stick to my rather benign latte, thanks. Learn also about the Hat Brim Rule. Head injuries usually lower than the brim of an imaginary hat are usually due to falls or accidents, injures above the result of blows. Eat your heart out CSI!

Dr. Graf thinks it's all very strange. The injury suggests the victim was hit by someone at least one metre taller which isn't really feasible. When Boeck notices there are no labels on the man's clothes, Brandtner realises the clothes must be tailor made, otherwise why bother to remove labels? In a scene out of Cinderella, Brandtner sends Kunz with the man's shoe to track his identity from the records of Walter Schubert, shoemakers.

Back at the library, Jungwirth and the library archivist Lutz put the Count's works back into the store room for safety.

The two men from earlier are seen chatting at the end of a lecture. One tells the other he shouldn't have killed Nordegg for the list. Now their purpose becomes clear. Students of chemistry, they want the formula, they want to produce the elixir.

Nordegg was a loner, a translator, in debt from living beyond his means. His housekeeper tells Brandtner that he'd said he would be rich one day. Obviously he had plans for the elixir also.

Graf has determined that Nordegg was killed elsewhere. He also finds strange materials (linen, glue, gold colour) in the wound. He has no idea what the weapon could have been but then Brandtner notices books on Graf's shelves made of linen, glue and gold paint (what a coincidence!) and reenacts the crime on poor Graf.

With nightfall, Lutz is finishing up his work at the museum. When he hears a noise in the storage shelves, he investigates, only to be crushed between moveable shelves by the two chemistry students. However, they didn't reckon on Dr. Jungwirth still being around and she tries to rescue poor Lutz. Too late though. Endstation 2!

Graf tells Brandtner two people had to be involved in order to be able to crush Lutz. Dr. Jungwirth is too shocked to be questioned. Rex finds a trail and leads Brandtner to the window where the students got in. They are back at their 'lab' preparing drugs for sale. A heated argument about the plans for the elixir ensues.

Brandtner is talking to Dr. Jungwirth at the library about the missing books. Rex picks up a scent to the spot where Nordegg was killed. When Brandtner goes up to the second floor, Rex shows him the exact book that was the murder weapon. Smart doggy. Brandtner also notices he is being watched by the Buddhist monk and races off to talk to him. The monk wants to find the elixir also but wants to return it to its rightful home in Tibet.

One of the chemists finally thinks he has cracked the codes on the list. He thinks the numbers are telephone numbers. When the other student is less than receptive, he starts ringing the numbers. The argument becomes more heated.

Brandtner visits Nordegg's relatives. The relative thinks Nordegg was after the formula and denies any interest himself, thinking it would bring bad luck as it had been stolen in the first place from Tibet. Of course, this being Rex, we know he's lying.

Back at the library again, Brandtner is looking for a sandalwood box, supposedly the home of the formula for the elixir. Rex traces the box to a globe and Brandtner leaves it there in order to trap the murderers.

With more work, the chemists have finally cracked the code. 'The secret is there at the centre of the earth.' The clue doesn't make much sense to them. However, Brandtner has set up an interview about the murders and in it he slips in information about the globe. Bingo. The trap is set.

At the museum, there's quite a crowd gathering. The monk, the relative of Nordegg and the two chemists. Once the museum is shut, the students plan to open the globe, get the box and leave again in the morning unnoticed. Boeck, on security details, spots them. Once he's gone, the chemists emerge to break into the globe, only for one to get nabbed just as they take the box. Endstation 3! The other gets away but then mysteriously collapses dead. Endstation 4!

The monk appears and tells Brandtner the formula was probably poisoned for protection. Rex rescues the box before Brandtner can stop him and Rex is critically sick when Brandtner catches up. The monk lays his healing hands on Rex and revives him. Tissues all around! Sniff.

However, the box is gone. Guess who's taken it? The relative of Nordegg. Endstation 5!

The box is returned to the monk and it's rightful place on earth.

Other players include Konstanze Breitebner as Dr. Jungwirth, Christoph Dostal as Felix Nordegg, Nils Nellessen as Michael Stoll (a chemist?), Dennis Grabosch as Sascha Lechner (a chemist?), the late Kurt Weinzierl as Lutz, and Gerhard Toetschinger, not listed with IMDB for this episode.

A Recycled Rex free episode!

Rex Resolution 78: Tod per Internet

'Fuzzy'

Series 6 seems to move Rex a little further away from family viewing. This was the episode for which SBS received complaints and was investigated for showing in an inappropriate time slot. See here if interested.

Still, after a bit of a Postpause, nothing like a slightly racey Rex episode to get things going again.

Bachmann, webname Rider, is chattting with his cyberpal Tiger. Bachmann is off to meet with a couple, nicknamed TwoforYou and it's not to discuss purchases on eBay. Part of the swinging scene, Bachmann remarks the woman in the couple is super hot and super horny. Tiger is quite envious and is tempted to get it on the act. In the end, he asks Bachmann to simply let him know how it all works out. Some delay is to be expected as Bachmann is about to go overseas on a surfing trip.

The couple are arriving. In the lift, the woman warns her husband to keep calm if Bachmann says something he doesn't like. She's barely dressed, underwear and a leather coat. Hope it's not an Austrian winter. Brrr. The man wants to film their interaction. Bachmann's cool with that. He sends the woman off to the bedroom, reminding her to take off her coat. The action starts soon after...

Across town, poor Tiger is having to satisfy himself with internet porn and pizza.

When the man doesn't immediately join in, Bachmann taunts him about his virility, inciting rage in the man. It's not long before Bachmann is dead, smashed over the head with a lamp and all captured on video.

Move forward three months. A brief interlude as Brandtner and Boeck shop for hand-held vacuum cleaners, a gift for Kunz apprently. Rex prefers to check out the bedding department and is soon spread out on a bed with a very tasteful (not!) heart shaped headboard. When Brandtner absent-mindedly walks off to find Rex, vacuum in hand, he's thought to be a thief. With Boeck and Rex lounging on the bed, the threesome are headed for trouble until they have to admit, somewhat embarrassed, that they are policemen.

A body has been found. When Dr. Graf says the corpse is probably months old, Brandtner wants the find kept out of the press, sensing the murderer might be feeling quite confident that he or she has got away with it and therefore less guarded.

The male swinger is in his office, feeling somewhat down. His activities have been curbed by his partner since the murder and he's anxious to hit the internet scene again. His partner is understandably resistant. He tells her that he needs to watch her with other men. His frustration is palpable and it won't be long before he persuades her to resume their activities.

Brandtner and Boeck are at Bachmann's flat on what seems initially to be a different case. His parents have reported him missing. Bachmann's bags are packed. Rex finds a fragment of glass. More shards are under the bed and a blood spot is on the mattress. Suddenly they seem to have a victim and crime scene. Bingo. When Brandtner gets into Bachmann's laptop, he finds all his sex contacts and the team have a direction to investigate.

Coincidentally, back in the office, the woman is commenting to the man that they should have taken Bachmann's laptop. The man isn't worried. He's back cruising the sex groups, confident they are safe, and notices an ad. from Tiger. 'Tiger spoils couples in Vienna, everything allowed!' It's enough to tempt his wife, contact is made with Tiger and a meeting set up.

At headquarters Kunz is trying to find who Bachmann may have talked to on his computer. Kunz turns out to be a bit of a tech-head and tells the others it may be hard to find out anything useful. It is revealed that it's Kunz's anniversary with the department - hence the present buying earlier. Kunz is very excited by the handheld vacuum! What a sucker (groan)!

More findings from Graf suggest that the corpse found is most likely that of Bachmann. Kunz gets on to the internet posing as an interested participant, nickname Fuzzy. Ha!

The couple go to meet Tiger. They spot him playing billiards but don't go over to him and sit elsewhere. The woman panics and leaves, the man follows. Tiger rushes to the door in time to note their car registration. Tiger tries to make contact with them the next day but is interrupted by a message from 'Fuzzy', who makes out to be a friend of Bachmann and says he is looking for him. Tiger tells him Bachmann is in New Zealand, 'Fuzzy' says not and Tiger, freaked out, hangs up.

Brandtner has the idea of offering themselves as sex partners. Of course, this sets up the episode for some very amusing segments. Boeck stuck between 'the count' and 'countess', Kunz stuck with a very buxom woman (as he normally is!). Brandtner, however, gets himself in more serious trouble, walking unexpectedly into a blackmail set up. Photos are taken of Brandtner in a compromising position. The photographer Heinz says Brandtner can buy them for 5000 Schillings. When Brandtner tries to demand the film, Heinz attacks. Rex, left outside, knows something is wrong though and has already entered the building through a window. Within moments, Heinz is under attack by Rex and Brandtner has him cuffed.

Tiger contacts the couple TwoforYou finally. Tiger tells them he has news. He also challenges them about their 'no-show' last night. When the man claims work commitments, Tiger tells him he saw them. The man says he couldn't know that, he doesn't know what they look like. However, Tiger tells him that Bachmann had described them well. This is a shock to the man and, when Tiger says that he knows everything, the man arranges a further meeting.

8 pm that night, the man is waiting for Tiger at a dark parking spot. It seems like the whole of Vienna is having sex in cars in this particular spot. He gets into Tiger's car. Tiger is wondering where the woman is. The man fobs him off with the excuse that she's making herself attractive. While waiting, Tiger asks how things went with Bachmann. He then tells the man that he hasn't heard from Bachmann since he met with the couple and that he understands Bachmann never left town as planned. He also reveals he knows the man's real name - Kainz - he checked the registration number with a policeman friend. He's trying to blackmail Kainz. If only he could sleep with his wife from time to time.........enough said, Within minutes he cops a screwdriver through the chest. Endstation Tiger!

The wife is now back to being interested in meeting someone. Kainz now has less interest and she's confused. She clicks on Eros. This happens to be Brandtner. Heisser Typ? Aber, ja! She's putting pressure on Kainz to meet Eros.

Tiger's body has been found. Stefan Haller. With all the tiger articles in his flat, the team soon make the contact to Bachmann and to the couple TwoforYou. Eros, this time Kunz online, makes contact, although it's Brandtner that will be sent to meet the couple. They seem to get on well, until Kainz is asked if he has a problem with jealousy. He gets a little irate but recovers quickly and a meeting is set for the next day.

Brandtner is setting up the scene. Rex is hidden outside, with access through a window should trouble emerge. The couple arrive. The wife heads to the bathroom while the husband sets up video. He notices tape of his wife with Bachmann and tries to erase it. Brandtner goes into the bathroom where the wife confesses to being nervous. She tells him her husband gets angry, that she's afraid he will lose it. Kainz hears her spilling their secrets to Brandtner. Brandtner asks about her about Bachmann and tells her he's a policeman. The story is out. The wife doesn't know about Haller though. She's shocked.

Kainz tries to flee but Rex has him cornered in the phone box outside. Eventually, he manages to escape. He doesn't realise Rex has hidden in the car with him. He drives to a nearby bridge and tries to discard the incriminating video. It doesn't fall into the water and Rex retrieves it before Kainz can get it. Back at his apartment, he grabs money and a passport, only to find Rex has him cornered. Brandtner arrives and takes him into custody. With Rex having the incriminating video, the game is over.

Other players include Tobias Hoesl as Kainz, not listed for this episode with IMDB but also appearing in Stockinger, Oscar Ortega Sanchez as Haller, and Jan Sosniok as Bachmann.


Recycled Rexers include Sabine Petzl, here as Frau Kainz, in earlier episodes as Moser's colleague Elisabeth Boehm ('Ein moerderischer Sommer' (1995), 'Duft der Todes' (1995), 'Moerderische Leidenschaft' (1996)) and as Eva Kretschmer in 'Vitamine zum Sterben' (2003).

Rex Resolution 77: Ein Toter kehrt zurueck (S6 E2)

It's night time in Vienna and a hooded monk is seen walking across a city square. Interesting, especially to the man watching him from a car. The monk, later to be identified as Hanusch, reaches his target and looks around to see if he has been followed. When all seems clear, he opens a heavy wooden door, not realising that someone is waiting around the corner, ultimately following him in.

Hanusch heads down into what appear to be catacombs, with neat piles of skulls, other bones and a skelton in a coffin. Disrobing, Hanusch then climbs into a smaller chamber where he sets up his laptop and uses a scanner. It appears he's trying to detect something in the wall. Meanwhile the other guy has caught up with him and, under gunpoint, orders him to stop scanning. They obviously know each other. Hanusch is surprised that the other guy has been trailing him for two days. A fight and a chase ensue and, before long, the second guy is dead.

His body is found in what looks to be a grit box (for snow?) the next morning. With no papers on him, the body cannot be identified until Kunz sees the body. Shocked, he reveals the man to be Walz, a former colleague from Robbery. It turns out Walz was suspended from duty. He had been shot in an earlier robbery, a robbery that involved Hanusch, alternatively known as 'The Mole'. Walz had exprienced problems, feeling he'd failed to prevent the robbery and had taken to drinking. Hanusch, imprisoned, escaped during a relocation exercise and sought refuge in Brazil. Hanusch had apparently been declared dead a few months previously. Of course, we know differently.

Meanwhile Hanusch is checking out of Hotel Kummer. Soon after another guest, Mendes, checks in to room 121. The facial fuzz is fake. Mendes appears to be Hanusch again, although I admit to being a little confused by this part. In his hotel room, Hanusch takes a call from his girlfriend, who sings a self-composed song to him. He seems less than impressed. Me also. When asked what's wrong, he's evasive. The girlfriend is obviously looking forward to joining him in Brazil. Her room is decorated with posters of Rio.

Brandtner is told by Graf that the bullets used to kill Walz were quite unusual and when Brandtner talks to Walz's colleague from Robbery, he finds out the kind of guns using these bullets were stolen recently from a gunshop. Unfortunately little other detail is available.

Kunz and Boeck head off to check out Walz's flat. Walz's flat has been ransacked and his car is missing. Someone has obviously been looking for something. Suddenly, Walz's recent activities become of interest.

In the catacombs, Hanusch is searching again but gets interrupted by a crowd of pesky tourists. When he disturbs a bone on the pile, his presence is revealed to a boy in the crowd. Lucky for Hanusch, the tour guide blows off the boys claims of someone present as imagination and Hanusch escapes. Back in disguise as Mendes, Hanusch visits Bank Austria, checking out security cameras. For some reason, he feels underneath the counter shelf. Strange behaviour.

Brandtner is calling in help from his informants. He wants information on who robbed the gun shop and is directed to Harald Schmoll, an electrician in the Rohrergasse.

Back in the catacombs again, Hanusch is wiring up an explosive device. Seems he's found what he was looking for but it's not stolen loot as might be expected. Instead, it's another passage.

Later on, his girlfriend is again singing him Brazillian type music. Dreary stuff. I'm certainly glad that it didn't make the Rex soundtrack.Hanusch is talking to her about a bank..seems like he has plans to hit the bank he robbed previously. See? In Rex, even the crime scenes get recycled.

Walz's car has been located and Rex is able to trace a scent from the car to the catacombs entrance. What a dog! With blood and a bullet on the floor, it seems the team have found the crime scene.

When Brandtner and Rex head off to see Schmoll about the gun theft, they have to break into the premises. No one is there. Rex sniffs out a dodgy tv, revealking hidden guns. Of course, Schmoll chooses this moment to return. Brandtner is about to grab him when his mobile rings , alerts Schmoll and allows him to escape. It's only momentary though. True to form, Rex rounds him up. Schmoll maintains no involvement in the murder but admits to selling someone a gun. He has no idea who the buyer is though.

Another bullet has been found. Fingerprints are checked and are revealed to be those of Hanusch. Obviously he's not dead and what's more the fingerprints are fresh. An airline ticket for Brazil is also found in the car. The team are confused. Why would he risk returning? Family reasons perhaps? His mother is in a residential home and Brandtner pays a visit. It appears he's only just missed Hanusch, until the mother says he's still visiting and has just gone to get her a drink. While they wait for his return, the mother talks about his girlfriend Claudia who no longer visits. When the mother thinks Rex is a dachsund, Brandtner cottons on that a few marbles might be loose and he's waiting for nothing.

Hanusch is lurking outside Austria Bank in his alternate form, as Mendes. Just as well because Hanusch has made the front page of the newspaper. Going into the bank, he plants a device under a counter and then leaves.

Brandtner is still trying to work out who Claudia is. A phone number on the plane ticket found looks promising but ultimately produces nothing.

In the catacombs Hanusch is drilling a small hole in the wall.

When the action moves to Claudia, it suddenly becomes apparent that her room is in a prison. When she's given her food, she throws it at the officer. She's then made to clean it up in the kitchen. It's all a ruse though. The food isn't quite that bad, it's just she has an ulterior motive.

The receptionist in the Hotel Kummer notices that the fax of Hanusch looks like her guest Mendes and calls Brandtner. Hanusch overhears and returns to grab essentials from his room. He marks some spot on a map and then throws it in the bin. Most likely a red herring with which to lead Brandtner astray. Dressed as a painter he manages to get out just as Brandtner arrives. Of course, Brandtner and Boeck pull out the map and are diverted to the marked spot - the bank which Hanusch robbed previously, the bank where he planted his device earlier.

In the bank, Hanusch's device is dripping water, releasing little balls that set off the alarms. It looks as if a robbery is in progress. Good distraction for Hanusch's real purpose.

Washing up in the prison kitchen is obviously an explosive affair. Hanusch's girlfriend is anxiously watching the clock. 6pm sharp, kaboom. Hanusch blows the wall of the prison kitchen out and the girlfriend is free. Ah, love not money, how sweet. Stupidly they stop for a cuddle instead of making good their escape because on the other side of the wall are now Brandtner and Boeck and they discover the escape route immediately.

Rex is straight on to it, chasing through the catacombs. When Claudia falls over, the gap narrows and, before you know it, Rex has them both. Good old Rex.

Other players include Max Tidof as Hanusch and Jenny Deimling as Claudia.

Recycled Rexers include William Mang as Walz, also in 'Baby Rex - der kleine Kommissar' and the late Gusti Wolf, here as Hanusch's mother, earlier as Johanna Gebauer in 'Der Tod der alten Dame'.

Rex Resolution 76: Der Vollmondmoerder (S6 E1)

Welcome to Series 6. A complicated plot for this first episode!

This episode starts with Brandtner executing a slide show of two murder victim: both women, murdered in cemeteries, laid on flowers/wreaths and with their hair cut rather savagely. Both murders happened at full moon, hence the episode title. The task at hand is a difficult one - how to maintain watch over Vienna's 56 cemetries?

Kunz thinks the problem will be averted. The police operation has been widely reported and should scare the murderer off. Boeck is much more clued-in. He knows the urge to kill will overcome any sense of caution. The team are restless, Rex himself is on the roof, howling at the moon. Of course, when Brandtner joins him in the act, Kunz's eyebrows are raised!

Across town, Judith Geigner is being chased through the woods. Unfortunately, it seems that the planned surveillance of the cemetries did scare the murderer but only enough to change his location. A tomb. When it appears nothing has happened, the team prepare to go home to catch some sleep but, as always happens in Rex, they get stopped by a 'phone call just as they are leaving the office.

A crowd and a tv crew has gathered at the crime scene but Brandtner's in no mood to comment. Despite no sleep, he's still thinking smart though and gets Boeck to arrange for photographs of the crowd scene and registrations of parked cars. He knows the perpetrator could well be watching.

Graf is on hand and confirms that a serial murderer is at large. The details of the killing match the two previous murders.

Someone is watching the tv coverage intently. The suggestion, of course, is that we're looking at the murderer.

Over at the victim's flat, there doesn't seem any obvious clues but, as the woman was an artist, they decide to check up her art school. Funnily enough, Brandtner finds her classmates painting works around the subject of the full moon. Brandtner takes the lecturer, Paul Mandl, aside. He seems shocked when he learns of Judith's fate. Brandtner asks about a painting of Mandl he found in Judith's flat, a painting by someone call Sandra (a fellow student), and a letter referring to her lover, an older, married man.

To complicate matters further, a woman is asking her psychiatrist husband Clemens if perhaps one of his patients could be responsible for the murders. Apparently, Clemens has a patient who is affected by the full moon and who hates women but he is dismissive of it. The wife is concerned but more about their social standing and the possible implications should the murderer were to be one of her husband's patients.

Brandtner is interviewing student Sandra. She'd been with Judith the evening before. She said Judith hadn't been having problems with anyone. When Brandtner asks her about all the paintings of Mandl (the lecturer), Sandra breaks down and spills the fact that Judith and Mandl had an affair. Mandl had left her for someone else.

Clemen's first patient of the day is Schima, the man seen earlier watching the tv coverage. Clemens questions him about his activities from the previous night. Schima admits to having been restless, his medication hadn't seemed to work, he had drunk alcohol and couldn't remember much else. Schima brings up the topic of the latest murder and states his lack of comprehension for such a deed.

Brandtner is back interrogating Mandl, who's getting a little annoyed. Mandl has no real alibi for the previous night but sets one up with Sandra. Brandtner keeps pressing. No wonder Mandl is nervous, his wife knows nothing of his affairs. When pushed, he pulls out Sandra as his alibi and she is asked to make an official statement.

The team are called back to crime scene. The place where the actual murder took place has been ascertained. The crowd is still there and guess who's among them? Yep, Schima. For some reason, Rex sniffs him out and barks at him until Brandtner's interest is raised. Brandtner asks questions. Why is he here?

Clemens' wife is a very pushy number. She's putting pressure on Clemens to build a stellar career like her father. Talk about issues! Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Schima. Schima's in psychological crisis, fearing he might hurt himself. Never mind that. His ears should be burning for Schima is the current topic of conversation at police headquarters. Boeck recognises the name from somewhere, he has Schima's care registration number and so it's clear that Schima was at the crime scene both days. Schima is a hairdresser. With little hair of his own to fuss over, Kunz gets to check him out for a shave.

In the salon, Schima is mid-discourse on the full moon murderer. Kunz gets freaked by the scissors and shaving implements. Schima seems to know sufficient about the murders to raise Kunz's suspicion and he calls for assistance. When Brandtner turns up, Schima flees, knocking Kunz out with a well-aimed hairdryer. Rex is on the chase and soon has Schima rounded up. Endstation as Rexers often say.

Schima flatly denies any involvement but indicates his treatment with Clemens. While he admits to visiting cemeteries, he refuses to admit to the murders. Brandtner keeps the pressure on. At Schima's flat, Kunz and Boeck are finding potential clues -a necrophiles guide to Viennese cemeteries (must surely be a bestseller!), a moon calendar. What will prove to be the clincher though is a small droplet of blood from a self-wound to the perpetrator inadvertently dropped on the victim. That's enough to convince Schima his game is over and he confesses. As a hairdresser, he just couldn't stand listening to old women rambling on all day. He's bitter because his victims, all young and pretty, had no time for him. However, he denies the murder at the tomb. He visited the scene to see for himself - he had an imitator. As an alibi, he outlines a failed attack on another woman, a woman who managed to escape, and then a drink at the pub. The publican confirms the latter part of the story.

Brandtner, Boeck and Rex head off to the site of the failed attack. Supersnout Rex finds a tied up dog whose owner happens to be the woman who escaped. Alibi confirmed. So, who committed the last murder?

Graf tells them he too believes the last murderer was different because the victim's hair was cut off with scissors, not with a razor as before. Also, the first two victims were strangled with a narrow cord, the last victim with a wide one. A copycat murder. Interestingly, the last victim also happened to be pregnant.

Meanwhile Mandl is asking Sandra if the police have followed up on the alibi she gave him. She's not comfortable with the position he's placed her in. He kisses her. She's momentarily comforted but you can sense it won't be long before she cracks under pressure. When she finds out that the murderer of her friend is still at large, she goes straight to Brandtner and confesses her lie. Mandl is pulled back in. He finally has to admit that Sandra rejected his advances, he left early and spent time with a prostitute instead. Of course, Kunz gets to go to the brothel to check out the story. Oh, poor Kunz, surrounded by all those scantily clad women! Mandl's story stands up and he is let go.

Unwittingly, Sandra provides a clue when she mentions Judith's psychiatrist, Dr. Clemens. The same psychiatrist who treated Schima. When Sandra confirms Clemens is older and married, it becomes apparent that he might be the person mentioned in letters found at Judith's flat. At the Clemens flat, Brandtner explains his visit as needing more information on Schima, saying there is doubt about whether he committed the third crime because the police haven't been able to locate the razor. Clemens says he has nothing to add and Brandtner remarks the police will look further tomorrow. A very subtle plan to flush Clemens out.

It works because on the middle of the night Clemens ducks out. Why? He's looking for the discarded scissors at the murder scene and heads out to the woods. He finds the scissors but, of course, Brandtner and Rex are waiting to round him up. It turns out he had an affair with his patient Judith and murdered her to avoid scandal and the loss of his profession. A last minute attempt at suicide fails as Rex drags him out of the path of a car. Endstation noch einmal.

Other players include Stefan Matousch as Dr. Clemens, Krista Stadler, as Frau Clemens, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Mathieu Carriere, as Mandl, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Nora Miedler, as Sandra, not listed with IMDB.

A single Recycled Rexer in Viktor Schefe, here as Schima and earlier in 'Blutrose Rosen'.