For many years, robberies of Paris jewelry stores have been happening. The valuables vanish without a trace—so they must be ending up in a jeweler’s hands and being reworked. Commissioner Maigret is sure that behind these crimes stands Manuel Palmari, a thief of the old school, whom the commissioner feels a kind of respect for.
After an attempt on his life, Manuel spends time in a wheelchair in his apartment with a woman who is 32 years younger than him. But his life ends with bullets fired from his own weapon. This time, Maigret manages to solve his “longest case” in just a couple of days.