Yuri Volodya, a mysterious old Russian man, hires Aimée Leduc to protect a painting. By the time she gets to his Montparnasse atelier, the precious painting has already been stolen. The next day, Yuri is found tortured to death. Some very dangerous people are threatening Aimée and her co-workers, and witnesses are dropping like flies. Now Aimée has to find the painting, stop her attackers, and figure out what her long-missing mother has to do with all this.

A missing young woman, an illegal immigrant raid in progress, botched affairs of the heart, dirty policemen, the French secret service, cutting-edge science secrets and a murderer on the loose --- what has Aimée Leduc gotten herself into? And can she get herself --- and her friends --- back out of it all alive?