Corto is found alive and interrogated; following a neighbourhood investigation, the caravan's body is identified as an employee of the hotel of Boris Arnoux.
Boris Arnoux, international ski champion and darling of the Clairies, returns to the village for the Christmas holidays after winning a Crystal Globe race. His wife organises a party at the Isba Hotel to celebrate his victory.
Tiphaine, who was thrown from the balcony of her building, is in critical condition; Emilie pursues the attacker, but the man slips through her fingers as he crosses the Swiss border.