Why would a killer ignore a cache of expensive jewellery and take a pair of turtle doves as his only bounty? When a senior attache with the Mexican Embassy is found murdered alongside the director of a bird sanctuary, there are many questions to pique Domenic Jejeune's interest. And as tragic as the deaths are, he notes that the murder has left a vacant field research position studying turtle doves in Africa a full-time position studying birds. Could this be the escape from policing that the celebrated detective has been looking for? But Jejeune knows that he could never be comfortable taking over the dead girl's position unless he had first shown her the courtesy and respect of solving her murder. As he pursues his own theory of what happened, Jejeune discovers that diplomatic cooperation and diplomatic pressure go hand in hand. Will the delicate dance of diplomacy prevent him from ever being able to bring the true murderer to justice?