Cornered

After World War II ends, Laurence Gerard returns to France to uncover who ordered his bride's death. His father-in-law Étienne Rougon identifies Marcel Jarnac as the prime suspect, though Jarnac is said to have died in 1943, casting doubt on the lead. Gerard begins to chase the fragile thread of truth.

Rougon presents a burned fragment of a dossier and an envelope addressed to Madame Jarnac, hinting at a hidden network. The pieces suggest Jarnac’s reach may extend beyond a single crime. Gerard realizes there are deeper connections to uncover.

From the clues, Gerard travels to Buenos Aires to locate the widow Madame Jarnac. He hopes she holds keys to the murder and to a larger Nazi-era conspiracy. The journey marks a shift from France to South America.

In Buenos Aires, Gerard is approached by Melchior Incza and accepts an invitation to a party hosted by Tomas Camargo to mingle with the social set. The event promises potential allies and crucial information, though dangers loom.

At the party, Gerard meets Camargo's uncle Santana and Madame Jarnac, the widow. He senses that there are secrets behind Madame Jarnac's calm demeanor and the crowd's polished facades. The evening plants seeds for a fragile alliance.

Gerard questions Madame Jarnac in her hotel room, but she refuses to cooperate. Santana urges him to desist, though he won’t reveal why, deepening the mystery surrounding Jarnac and his network.

A note arrives claiming Jarnac will depart that night under the alias Ernest Dubois; the forgery is designed to mislead Gerard and trigger a dangerous chase. The deception shows how deeply the conspiracy operates.

Santana and Diego intervene to prevent Gerard from shooting the wrong man, a consequence of the forged note. The scene reveals the high stakes and the manipulation woven into the investigation.

Gerard tries to bluff Incza into believing he has the full dossier on Jarnac; Incza breaks into the hotel safe, but there is nothing there. The supposed evidence remains elusive and the web tightens around Gerard.

Diego, the valet, is killed by Incza when he interrupts a dangerous search. Gerard returns and is briefly detained as a murder suspect, but a waiter later confirms his alibi. The pressure mounts as the clock ticks down.

Incza reveals that Jarnac will be meeting Camargo at his old office, prompting Gerard to stake out the location and prepare a trap. The waiting game brings the adversaries face to face.

Jarnac arrives and delivers a political speech, signaling his confidence in evading capture. Incza attempts to betray Jarnac to Camargo but is killed. Gerard overpowers Jarnac as Santana and Dubois arrive; a paper linking Jarnac to Camargo exposes the organization to the police.