Maria is 8 years old and thinks her younger brother is really annoying. She meets Makka in the neighborhood who has a magic ball. In some way Maria wishes her brother away. When the babysitter Gerda turns up Maria and Makka think she's the answer to Maria's wish - a witch that has come to abduct her brother. Maria who deeply regrets her wish must now do everything in her power to stop Gerda.

Two young girls are killed on railway by a passing train. It does not seem to fit the profile of a normal suicide. So if this is a double homicide who would do this and why? Martin Beck and his team start following the step backwards in order to figure out what has happened. With good and intensive police work they find man side trails from the main path.