Daniel Morley, a painter in his 60's, and his wife Sonja, a photographer, leave their home in Europe to live on a university campus in a large Midwestern American city. This is the neighborhood where Daniel grew up and left with his mother in his teens. He hasn't been back for many decades.
At the same time, a coterie of idol worshipers on campus create a tragic scandal that touches many parts of the university, including Sonja and Daniel.