Jan Bernard (Vladimír Ráz) reports to the district police department that his wife Hilda did not return from visiting her sister in East Berlin. For young investigator Tereza Machátová (Jirina Svorcová), this is the first serious case; she was hitherto responsible only for petty crime and juvenile delinquents. The testimonies given by neighbors, relatives, acquaintances and Bernard's colleagues gradually begin to constitute the complete image of the events preceding Hilda's disappearance. At the same time, Bernard was to leave for a business trip to Italy, but the trip was canceled for business reasons. Tereza's superior, Captain Landa (Gustav Heverle), who trusts Bernard far less than does the young investigator, suspects him of planning emigration - for it seems that Hilda has illegally crossed the border to West Germany.