Darac has much on his mind as the team is called to the death of an elderly man at St. Laurent rain station. The victim is identified as hard-bitten ex-comedy star Ambroise Paullaud, born locally and only recently returned to the area. Intrigue: Darac learns that the village to which Paillaud retired had pitilessly expelled his family when he was a boy. More forgiving still, his will reveals that he left his vast fortune to the village. Gradually, Darac will untie a knot of greed, corruption, blackmail and murder which exposes Paillaud's true planm and which brings other malign forces to the surface.