June 1974. Widowed for four years, police sergeant chief Jacques Gendreau lives and works in a small town in the South of France. He has just found the corpse of a sixteen-year-old who had disappeared for two weeks. A golden opportunity for Gendreau well likely to accelerate his advancement. Unfortunately for him, it is precisely the time chosen by his son Denis to try to commit suicide. Jacques decides - with a heavy heart - to waive the investigation.