Paris Police 1900

Christmas Eve, 1904. Inspector Antoine Jouin attempts to identify a corpse found in the Bois de Boulogne as orders are given to round up the city's prostitutes.

Lépine asks Jouin to remain discreet in his report of a death to avoid a scandal. Marguerite Steinheil prepares for the opening of a new collection of her husband's work, to which she has invited Lépine.

Marguerite discovers that Adolphe has syphilis, Jouin identifies the body in the Bois de Boulogne, and Cochefert reveals that the dead man is linked to an unsolved murder.

Louise Lépine finds an unlikely ally in her attempts to persuade her father to postpone his retirement, Jouin and Cochefert hear testimony from the mother of Paul Cetinet, and Fiersi, now a free agent, talks to one of the maids at Château de Bagatelle.

Armed with information provided by Dr Socquet, Cochefert makes an eventful visit to Dr Verlot. Lépine asks his daughter to invite L'abbé Gardey to supper to provide moral support, and Jouin and Fiersi join forces to break into the Château de Bagatelle.

Guichard falls into the trap when he is lured to Château de Bagatelle by a phone call from Fiersi's son, Julien. And Commissioner Lépine confronts Fondari, the head of the vice squad.

The French Republic is in turmoil as rumours spread about the release from Devil's Island of Dreyfus, the notorious Jewish spy. Police Chief Louis Lepine is recalled to office from retirement.

Meg starts spying for Puybaraud and is told to infiltrate the Guérin family, who are behind the anti-Semitic league. Meanwhile, Lepine arrives to take charge of the Parisian police department.

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.

In the days leading up to the Dreyfus retrial, tensions are running high in the streets of Paris. Jouin takes a gamble and breaks a promise to Jeanne, and Lepine makes a public show of his authority.

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.

When Meg Steinheil is abducted, her husband asks Fiersi for help. Lepine and Cochefert are made fully aware of Puybaraud's double dealing when the leaders of the anti-Semite leagues are forewarned of Paris wide police raids on their organisations.

Tensions run high on Rue Chabrol. Encircled by the police, Guérin is protected by the butchers of La Villette. He waits for the trap to close in on Lépine and his men so he can take power with his nationalist and monarchist allies.

Guerin and his men remain holed up in their HQ, but inclement weather disperses their supporters in the streets. An exhausted Fiersi is caught by Puybaraud's men and is persuaded to undertake one final commission for his boss.