Veteran cop Pierre Niemans is sent to Guernon to investigate a bizarre murder near a legendary private school isolated in the Alps. And it's no ordinary murder; the killer has been very methodical, leaving twisted inexplicable clues to his motive. Complicating matters are the university administrators who are uncooperative and somewhat defiant to Niemans' questioning. Meanwhile Max Kerkerian, an impetuous young cop and former car thief, arrives at a desecrated grave yard 180 miles away. Someone has disturbed the grave of a child who died twenty years before. These two seemingly random events are about to collide as the separate investigations lead the detectives right to one another. the more experienced Niemans begrudgingly joins forces with the brash Max to track down the killer. Despite his ribbing and constant sarcastic banter, Max respects the older cop. The two crimes are assuredly linked--but how? What could the prestigious school possibly have to hide?