Roger Declerq is a smooth crook who is not quite clever enough for the big time. He's married to ex-barmaid Doriane and they have a son aged four: Erik. Roger's brother Bruno, an honest customs officer has a happy yet childless marriage with a nurse, Simone. The two brothers hate each other. They only have contact through their mother, who calls Bruno when her black sheep Roger has again tried to get an advance on his inheritance. When Roger's nose is rubbed in the mud by a couple of heavies, he gets worried. His smooth talk can't save him this time : he needs money. Fate seems to smile on him when mother Declerq dies suddenly, but he is devastated to find out that there is just enough money to pay for the funeral. Roger has to fly his persuers and convinces Bruno to use the funeral money to go on holiday together 'to find each other'.