Berlin, August 31, 1948. The mutilated body of a homeless woman is found near the Lehrter Bahnhof. Nothing unusual in post-war Berlin, and so Chief Inspector Tom Sydow initially believes it to be a routine case. However, the autopsy of the body and the investigation of the deceased's dwelling quickly convince him otherwise. Notably, the woman had collected newspaper clippings about Paul Mertens, a well-known war profiteer, smuggler, and speculator in the city. The investigation starts off slowly. But then the man with the best connections himself becomes the victim of an assassination attempt in his luxurious villa by the Wannsee. To track down the fleeing perpetrator, Inspector Sydow doesn't have to search for long: the tattoo under Mertens' left armpit is distinctive enough.