Jouin has fallen in love with a young woman called Jeanne Chauvin, who is a qualified lawyer but cannot practice due to her sex. Instead, she is employed by Maitre Weidmann in the Jewish quarter of La Villette.

Meg has fallen for Gabriel Sabran, an army intelligence officer, and the same officer that Jouin is pursuing in the investigation into Josephine Berger's murder. Puybaraud receives a direct order from the Minister of the Interior.