The Art of Losing

A fisherman and his dog stumble upon an impaled corpse along a rural path near a lake. The body is badly decomposed, bloated and discolored after months in the jungle, with fingerprints burned off making identification almost impossible. The shocking discovery sets the investigation in motion and attracts media attention.

Colonel Aristophanes Moya calls Victor Silampa at the crime scene and offers him protection in exchange for actively investigating the case. He also hints that Silampa might ghost-write a speech for a sect leader, leveraging political favors. Silampa accepts, knowing the arrangement could unlock powerful access to the investigation.

Silampa arrives at the crime scene and takes photographs, using the Colonel's name to secure carte blanche from investigators. He begins to realize the case might involve more than a straightforward murder. The scene sets the tone for a tangled political-criminal plot.

The corpse is transported to the Colombian Forensic Institution, where experts report a degraded body that is unrecognizable and shows signs of long exposure to jungle conditions. Fingerprints are burned away, complicating identification and raising questions about how the victim ended up here. The forensic details hint at a staged crime designed to mislead investigators.

Emir Estupiñan appears, claiming his missing brother Osler could be the victim or connected to the case. He says the corpse feels familiar and pressures Silampa to help uncover the truth. The motive becomes personal as family ties intersect with the investigation.

At a psychiatric hospital, Silampa reunites with Guzmán, his former mentor, who warns that impalement is a fear tactic used to terrify people. Guzmán gives him a wooden mannequin to talk to in his loneliness after a breakup. The exchange reveals the psychological dimension of the crime.

That night at the Lolita brothel, Silampa is drawn into a conversation with Lotario Abuchija, a truck driver connected to a 'package' in transit. A beautiful prostitute, Quica, notices him and offers another encounter, hinting at personal feelings forming amid the case.

Next day, Silampa and Estupiñan track Abuchija to a small abandoned house near the lake. They find a construction sign for Vargas Vicuña, a chair smeared with blood, and a sign for the Turkish baths 'Earthly Paradise.' The clues suggest a network of suspects tied to land, wealth, and occulted history.

Barragán, a lawyer, and Esquilache, a councilman, are revealed to be involved in the crime, with possible ties to Pereira Antunez. They urge the search for a Deed that would transfer land ownership near the lake, using political and legal influence to secure the asset. The conspirators begin to intersect with other players, including Tiflis and Vargas.

Vargas Vicuña calls Barragan to discuss how to finalize the land deal, signaling escalating collusion and moneyed interests behind the crime. The Deed becomes the linchpin of the plot, and everyone seems prepared to trade favors to secure it.

Silampa informs Colonel Moya of his findings, and Moya urges him to keep digging while also pressuring him to ghost-write Moya's speech. The Colonel hints at offering protection and fame in exchange for publishing the 'official version' of the truth.

Following Susan Caviedes, manager of the Earthly Paradise baths, Silampa tails her to Tiflis' hotel penthouse and steals the Deed. He escapes with the document, recognizing it as the critical piece that ties the entire corrupt scheme together.

With Guzmán’s hints, Silampa and Estupiñan go to the cemetery and find that Osler Estupiñan is buried in Pereira Antunez’s tomb. They realize the impaled body is likely Pereira Antunez’s imposture and vow revenge.

Esquilache arrives at a meeting with Barragán that ends in tragedy as Barragán shoots him dead. Quica and Silampa arrive to witness the murder, while Barragán escapes amid chaos.

Vargas Vicuña, Susan, Barragán, and Tiflis are captured; in a tense room, Moya plays a tape revealing the full incriminating conversation and offers Silampa a choice: publish the official version or face the consequences. Silampa feels powerless and exits, while Quica visits him one last time before choosing to move on to Cartagena.