Chief Inspector Claudius Zorn is surprised. He has never seen his colleague Schröder like this before. Schröder is the brightest person he knows. But this summer he seems apathetic and distracted. Even when a new case reveals that Schröder must have known the victim, he doesn't wake up to his usual vigour. Zorn fears that all the work will now fall to him, especially as there is more than just one death. And there is a connection to Schröder again. When Zorn learns something monstrous shortly afterwards, he suddenly realises that he never wanted to know the truth. And that this case will destroy both their lives.
