Matthew Shardlake is sent by Thomas Cromwell to investigate the death of a commissioner in a remote town of Scarnsea.

Shardlake digs deeper and deeper and the monks become suspicious; Barak is frustrated that Shardlake is following the trail of the monastery's accounts where he believes something has been covered up.

When Goodhap goes missing, something is not right; Barak becomes irritated by the slow pace of the investigation and wants to hurry it along, but Shardlake refuses to do violence to the truth.

Cromwell is furious at Shardlake's lack of results and gives him a terrifying ultimatum; Shardlake is shocked by what he has discovered about the history of the murder weapon and the true owner of the sword.