While spending a weekend at home with his family, Sergeant Major Bevilacqua receives the news that the body of the mayoress of a town on the eastern coast of Spain, whose disappearance had been reported by her husband, has been found on the beach by some tourists. By the time Bevilacqua and his team arrive to take over the investigation, the judge has already had the body moved, the first statements have been taken and the funeral is being organised. The place is awash with all kinds of rumours about the victim, a bright hope who had come to break with the corrupt practices of the old guard of the party, and find a new way of doing politics. In addition, the discovery of her turbulent sex life, which could be described as anything but insipid, sheds a disturbing light on the case. But time is short…