A suspected armed robber dies after his car crashes during a chase with police. He is identified as Alain Savoie, a French national, and the body of an English woman is found in the boot of his stolen car. The woman is identified as Carol Archer, and scorch marks on her back indicate she was electrocuted in her bathtub, and Savoie was trying to dispose of the body. According to Carol's mother, Carol's husband Peter was in France looking for her. DI Chris Deakin, a fluent Francophone, suggests they send officers to interview Savoie's sister in France. DCI Jack Meadows insists on making the trip himself, and Deakin suggests he take DC Rod Skase with him. Once they are on the ferry, Meadows and Skase realise neither of them can speak French. With some trouble they manage to find their hotel, and despite the language barrier, Meadows clearly hits it off with the landlady Claudette. CID hear that Peter Archer is headed back to England, but he does not board the ferry, and Interpol reports that Archer's previous wife was found dead in France under mysterious circumstances. With the help and translation of Capitaine Pierre Legrand of the Gendarmere Nationale, Meadows interviews Simone Savoie, but she denies knowing the suspect. Meadows and Skase follow her home, but are arrested by the gendarmes for spying! After much convincing, Meadows gets the gendarmes to arrest Archer, and after pursuing the TGV, they manage to intercept Simone Savoie who is also in on the plot.