Nadine Ullrich (Mara Scherzinger) is found beaten to death in a park. The young woman was an assistant to the renowned Cologne psychotherapist Jörg Korfmann (Peter Jordan). Brand and Simmel investigate. The detectives find out that the victim is said to have had difficulties with her boss. Perhaps an affair? When Brand and Simmel visit Korfmann, he is treating the patient Detlef Stelzer (Aljoscha Stadelmann). Stelzer flees when he hears that Nadine has been murdered - as a convicted violent offender, he is considered extremely dangerous. He is also put on the wanted list when photos and items of clothing belonging to the victim are found in his apartment. A crystal-clear case?

Marie Brand picks up the trail

Not so for Marie Brand, because in her usual combination talent and razor-sharp mind, she questions Korfmann's role in this murder case. Although he appears cooperative, his willingness to help seems to be tactical in nature. What cat and mouse game is the psychotherapist playing? On the one hand he protects the main suspect Stelzer, on the other he drags him deeper and deeper into the case.

As if there weren't already enough shady characters in this case, Brand and Simmel also have to investigate the role of student Sebastian Decker (Tom Gramenz) - Korfmann was practising Japanese sword fighting with him at the time of the crime and is therefore his alibi ...

Marie Brand and Jürgen Simmel get caught up in a perfidious game that is more far-reaching and dramatic than initially assumed.