​ 📚Ｔｈｅ　ＣＬＩＥＮＴ 𝔍𝔬𝔥𝔫 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔪

(a) The Client is a 1993 legal thriller novel written by American author John Grisham. It is Grisham's fourth novel and follows the story of an 11-year-old boy, Mark Sway, who becomes entangled in a mob-related legal case after witnessing the suicide of a lawyer who knows the location of a murdered U.S. senator’s body. The novel is set primarily in Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Summary Mark, an eleven-year-old, and Ricky, his younger brother, are walking down a path into the woods behind their trailer park. Mark promised Ricky to let him try smoking since Ricky caught Mark stealing their mother's cigarettes and threatened to tell. Mark reminds Ricky of the two rules they agreed on. First, only one cigarette is allowed per day. Second, Ricky can't tell anyone. Mark also warns Ricky not to inhale. Mark is very mature for his age. He hit his Dad with a baseball bat to make him stop beating his Mom, when he was seven. He was his Mom's confidant and testified in court for her during the divorce trials. As the boys fiddle with their cigarettes, a black Lincoln pulls into the clearing, thirty feet from where they stand. Mark and Ricky stop smoking and watch. A chubby man gets out of the car, opens the trunk, pulls out a hose, and sticks one end of it into the exhaust pipe. He puts the other end into the crack in the left rear window and gets back into the car. Mark explains to Ricky that the chubby man is trying to kill himself. Ricky is scared and begs Mark to leave, but Mark insists they have to stay and do something to help the man. Mark crawls over to the car and pulls the hose out of the exhaust pipe. Five minutes later, the chubby man gets out of the car. He grips a bottle of whiskey, cries, and mumbles, as he pushes the hose back into the pipe. Ricky begs Mark to leave. Mark says they can't leave him to die, as they would get in trouble. Ricky breaks down into sobs. Mark attempts to save the chubby man's life again, by pulling out the hose. The chubby man steps out again, looks around, and then sticks the pipe back in. The chubby man, a lawyer, has a loaded pistol beside him. The lawyer wonders how long it will take to die, and whether it will hurt. He hoped the gas would have worked sooner. The lawyer is scared to use the pistol, but will if he has to. He comforts himself with the fact that no one will miss him. The only person who ever loved him, his mother, is already dead. The lawyer imagines his funeral, a small one with no frills. He looks into the rearview mirror and sees the weeds behind his car move. (b) Ricky sees the car door open before Mark hears it. The lawyer catches Mark. Mark slips, as he tries to get away. The lawyer grabs him and throws him into the passenger seat. Mark reaches for the lock. The lawyer slaps Mark hard. Mark is momentarily blinded. Mark begs to be let out. The fat lawyer tells him that since he has to be all cute and try to save his life, he is going to have to die with him. He gives Mark a choice between a shot in the head or the poison inhalation. Mark asks the lawyer why he's doing this. The lawyer tells Mark that he's crazy. Mark gets his hand on the gun. He points it at the lawyer. The lawyer shouts at Mark to pull the trigger. Mark is about to pull the trigger when the lawyer grabs the gun from Mark's hand and accidentally shoots the rear window. The window cracks, but does not shatter. Ricky hears the shot and pees on himself again. He thinks Mark is dead. Mark remembers once watching a television show about a cop who talked a suicidal man down from jumping off a building. Mark asks the man why he is killing himself. The lawyer says he wants to die. Mark asks for the lawyer's name. The lawyer says his name is Jerome, but Mark can call him Romey. Mark persists in his questioning until Romey begins to give up some information. Romey tells Mark that he knows a secret that his scum of a client told him and that he can't tell anyone. Mark keeps asking questions. Romey tells Mark that the client, Barry the Blade of the New Orleans mafia, killed a senator, named Senator Boyette. He hid the body under Romey's garage, and now Barry the Blade wants Romey dead because Romey knows too much. Meanwhile, Ricky had pulled the hose out of the exhaust pipe. Romey was getting drowsy and soon passed out. Mark took the opportunity to escape. Mark runs back into the bushes with Ricky. Ricky begs Mark to let them leave, but Mark insists they wait a bit. He feels safe in the bushes. Romey emerges from the car. He finds the hose out of the pipe again and hollers obscenities. He sticks the pistol into his mouth and pulls the trigger.

(a) Chapter 2 Barry Muldanno, otherwise known as Barry the Blade or simply "The Blade," stops in front of pay phone in a restaurant in his flashy suit, gold jewelry and gelled back black hair. He dials his lawyer's office and asks where his lawyer was. He has been waiting for him for forty minutes. The secretary says that Mr. Clifford left the office at nine in the morning and hadn't been heard from since. Barry the Blade slams the phone and walks away. He just wants to talk to his lawyer about the mess he is in and does not understand why he cannot. Barry's lawyer, Jerome Clifford, has been defending prominent New Orleans thugs for fifteen years, doing whatever necessary to win his cases including bribes, threats and all sorts of other corrupt business. Jerome is known to be loyal to the end. Jerome has been representing Barry since he was twenty-five and always proved to be competent, yet lately, Barry has been sensing something wrong with Jerome. He wants to replace Jerome. Barry is not worried about the trial much. He knows Reverend Roy and the FBI have only a circumstantial case against him. They could never get a conviction without a body, and Barry has the body where no one can find it. The trouble with Jerome starts, when Jerome began to push for a quick trial. Jerome told Barry it was in his best interest to give the prosecution less time to find the body. Barry did not want a quick trial. He assured Jerome the body would not be found. Jerome pushed to know where Barry hid the body. He pushed until Barry told him it was under Jerome's boat in Jerome's garage. Barry is very angry that Jerome did not show up to their meeting. He rushes out of the restaurant and storms off to Jerome's office to look for him. He thinks about a friend of his who was able to stall his case for a long time by killing his lawyer and forcing the judge to grant a continuance. (b) Chapter 3 Ricky runs away from the suicide scene. Mark takes one last look at Romey and then runs after Ricky. They get to their trailer, and Ricky collapses in a state of shock. He sucks his thumb and cries without tears. Mark desperately tries to talk to Ricky, so they could get their lies straight, but Ricky does not respond. Mark wonders if he should call the police. The thought of the body not being discovered for days sends Mark to the phone. Mark finally calls the police and tells them he saw a body in the woods. Mark drags Rick to bed, leaves a note for his Mom, and goes back to the scene. He watches cops and paramedics do their work. A cop spots Mark. He asks him a few questions and then introduces him to the other cops, as the kid who made the call. Mark knows that he has been found out. The cops ask him lots of questions to get more information out of him. Mark tells him he found the man dead and never heard the gunshot.

(a) Chapter 4 Diane Sway, Mark and Ricky's mother, comes home and finds Ricky shaking and unable to talk. She calls the doctor. Mark arrives at the door with a policeman behind him. Mark tells his mother that he and Ricky found a dead man in the woods. The police officer and Diane check Ricky. The officer tells Diane that Ricky is in shock and calls an ambulance to take Ricky to the hospital. In the ambulance, the officer asks Mark if he is lying, because his claims sound fishy. The officer wonders why Mark would not tell the police his name on the phone, and then why he would go back to the scene of the suicide, hide and watch. The officer tells Mark that he suspects that Mark and Ricky saw the whole thing. Mark asserts that he found Romey dead. The officer asks Mark, if he knows who Romey is. Mark tries to save himself from the terrible slip of the tongue and tells the officer that he thought the officer said the person's name was Romey. (b) Chapter 5 This chapter opens with The Honorable J. Roy Foltrigg, the United States attorney for the southern district of Louisiana. He's driving up to Memphis in his fully equipped van instead of taking a plane, because he has a secret fear of flying. With him are his assistant attorney, Thomas Fink, special agent Truman, who was on the phone with Memphis FBI, and special agent Skipper Scherff. The chauffeur is Wally Boxx, and Foltrigg's right hand man. He hangs on Foltrigg's every word and move, hoping to one day tag along to the top with Foltrigg, whom he is sure is headed for big things. Memphis FBI agents tell them about Jerome's suicide letter, and they discuss other details of the case. The men complain about how this will delay the case at least six months. Fink talks about how he and Romey went to law school together, and how Romey called him a few days ago, drunk and crazy as ever, muttering about how he had to quit to the case and even hinting that he knew where the body was. The next day, Romey hounded Fink, trying to find out if he let any information slip. Fink strings Romey along and drives him crazier. Fink threatens Jerome with a charge of obstruction of justice, which would make him unable to work on Barry's defense anymore. Jerome gets very upset, and no one hears from him again. They discuss how they need to track Jerome's trip from New Orleans to Memphis.

(a) Chapter 6 At the hospital, a psychiatrist whisks Diane away, and Officer Hardy takes Mark to the cafeteria for a cheeseburger. Mark worries about Ricky. Hardy assures Mark that Ricky will be okay, as long the doctors know the whole truth about what the boys witnessed. If they don't, there is no knowing how long Ricky could stay in shock or end up locked up in a mental institution. Hardy patronizes Mark with the gory details of a mental institute, and Mark gets sick of being spoken to like a five-year-old. Mark worries about getting to Ricky before the doctors or the cops. Hardy starts to ask Mark questions about the Marks on his face, and Mark sticks to a fight at school story. However, the cop keeps asking questions, until Mark has to make up more and more lies to cover up his original lie. Mark and his Mom meet with Ricky's doctor, Dr. Greenway. Mark is worried about his brother and tells the doctor some of the truth. He tells the doctor that he tried to prevent the man's suicide, but then he and Ricky saw the man shoot himself. Hardy walks up and down in the halls, as Mark speaks to the doctor. His lieutenant shows up and tells him that they found small fingerprints in Clifford's car and that they suspect Mark was in there. Hardy gives Lieutenant Mark's can of Sprite to see if the prints will match. Dr. Greenway tells Diane that Ricky has a severe case of acute post-traumatic stress disorder. He also tells Diane that Ricky will need her and Mark to stay with him as much as possible for the next couple of weeks. Ricky needs to feel safe. Diane tells the doctor that she has a job and that they don't care about her son being where she works. The doctor tells her that he will do his best to help her explain to them. Dr. Greenway also promises to speak to Mark's principal and teachers and explain to them why he can't be at school for the next few days. Mark and Diane lay on the foam mattress in Ricky's room. Mark tells his Mom that he needs to talk to her. She tells him that she is tired, so they will talk first thing in the morning. Diane drifts to sleep. Mark waits twenty minutes and then sneaks out for a walk, as he often does when he cannot fall asleep. It's a habit he started when he used to want to get away from his mother and father's fights. Mark strolls to the cafeteria, buys orange juice, and watches a lawyer try to pick up a client, a man hit by a truck and able to sue for permanent disability. The lawyer works the injured man hard, but the man tells the lawyer that a dozen other lawyers already approached him, and he has not made any decisions yet. The lawyer hands the injured man his card and leaves. Mark goes up to the waiting room and watches television. He sees an ad for the same lawyer, Gill Teal, on television. He wonders if he should call him, himself. (b) Chapter 7 Foltrigg and his entourage enter the federal building in Memphis and walk to the FBI office of Jason McThune. McThune briefs Foltrigg about what the Memphis police found so far in the investigation. He tells Foltrigg about Mark, that his fingerprints were found everywhere in the car, on the gun, the liquor. He tells him about Ricky's post-traumatic stress disorder, and finally, he tells him that Mark knows a lot more than he is telling. Mcthune tells Foltrigg that Mark let it slip that he knows Clifford's nickname, Romey. McThune passes Foltrigg the suicide note Clifford left behind. Below the funeral arrangements and directions to his secretary, Clifford wrote in a different pen, "Mark, Mark where they are." Then, it seems that he ran out of ink. Foltrigg's men ask a bunch of dumb questions, and McThune impatiently answers them with looks of disgust at their stupidity. Foltrigg tells McThune that they must find out what Mark knows. McThune says he will meet with Mark, his Mom, and the doctor, today.

(a) Chapter 8 In the morning, Dr. Greenway again meets with Diane, Mark, and Ricky. The doctor emphasizes to Diane and Mark how important it will be for Ricky to see his family the Moment he comes back to awareness. They must stay in the room. Dr. Greenway also tells them that the FBI wants to speak to them, but he is trying to delay them. He hands Diane a paper with the story of Clifford's suicide on the front page. Mark sees Jerome's picture and almost vomits. Dr. Greenway tells them that apparently Mr. Clifford worked for the mob. Mark thinks to himself that he knows all about the mob, because he has watched The Godfather on cable. Diane naps, and Mark decides to go for a walk. He walks out of the hospital towards Gill Teal's office, as he had seen on a map. He wonders if he should make another anonymous call to the cops about the location of the dead senator's body. Mark finds Gill Teal's office. The office is filled with clients on crutches and in casts. The receptionist tells Mark that he is in the wrong place. Mark wanders around the building, passing by many other lawyers' offices, until he decides to try another lawyer, Reggie Love. The receptionist in Love's office is nice. When Mark finds out that Reggie is a woman, he is surprised at first. Then, he decides it might be a good thing. He saw a woman lawyer on "L.A. Law" once, and she had ripped up the cops pretty good. Reggie meets with Mark. Mark takes out the newspaper clipping about the suicide story. He tells her that he's the kid who witnessed the suicide. Reggie assures him of strict confidentiality and tells him to give her a retainer, even if just one dollar. After, Mark slowly spills the entire story, withholding only the location of the dead body. Reggie tells Mark that she will speak to the FBI with him, and that he does not need to tell them anything for now. Mark calls his Mom, and Diane tells him that Ricky is coming out of the coma. Reggie walks with Mark back to the hospital. (b) Chapter 9 Barry Muldanno hires a new lawyer, Willis Upchurch. Willis Upchurch is an angry faced, bushy haired, loud lawyer, who loves to be seen and heard. He is practically owned by the mafia, and so, when Barry's uncle, Johnny Sulari, called on him, he came running and was full of excitement. Diane lay in bed with Ricky, as he slowly came out of his coma. Mark arrives at the hospital with Reggie. Reggie stays at the nurse's station, as Mark walks into Ricky's room. Mark asks the doctor if Ricky has spoken yet. The doctor says that he's only uttered a few mumbles here and there. The doctor asks Mark if his Mom has some family who can help her for the next while. Mark tells the doctor that they don't have any family who can help. They have one Aunt, who is on bad terms with his Mom, and one Grandma, who is always sick. Dr. Greenway tells Mark that the FBI are expecting them, but that his Mom must not leave Ricky's side. Mark tells Dr. Greeway that he has hired a lawyer and that he will meet the officers with his new lawyer, so that his Mom and the doctor can stay with Ricky. Before Mark meets the officers, Reggie tapes a recorder under his shirt and reminds him to say only what she explained to him he should say. Mark is terrified. He worries the officers will realize that he is wired and shoot him. Reggie assures him that cops do not shoot kids. Mark tells her that he once saw cops shoot kids on television. Mark finally collects the courage to walk into the room and face the officers. They introduce themselves as Jason McThune of Memphis FBI, and Larry Trumann of the New Orleans FBI. Mark explains to them that his mother can't leave his brother. He asks them if the questions can wait until his mother can be with him. The officers decline. They tell him they really need to ask him a few questions. They press him for information about the incident. They ask him if Jerome was really dead, when he first came upon him. Mark tells them he is taking the Fifth Amendment. He asks them if he should get a lawyer. The officers tell him that lawyers are a pain in the ass and that he definitely does not need one. Mark asks to go to the washroom. Twenty minutes later, Reggie walks into the room, introduces herself as Mark's lawyer, and asks the officers if they have wronged Mark in any way. After they plead innocence, she reveals to them that Mark recorded their entire conversation. The officers are shocked and worried about the possible repercussions. Reggie threatens them, and they know she is right when she says she can have their jobs. She promises to keep the tape to herself. All that she asks of them is to be straight with her and tell her what she needs to know. Reggie tells them to meet her at her office at 3 pm. They agree.

(a) Chapter 10 In this chapter, the reader is introduced to a new character, Slick Moeller, a veteran police reporter. Slick's life is reporting on crime, and he is the best at what he does. He has the connections necessary to get around town in places no ordinary person dares to tread, to get tips and secrets from everyone from cops to criminals. Everybody knows his word is worth something. Slick found out that Foltrigg and the New Orleans FBI are in town, and he begins to dig for the story. He starts at the hospital, where Ricky is recovering. Slick tries to pry information out of an orderly. The orderly resists at first, but due to Slick's skill, ends up telling Slick that Ricky is not doing well, and the cops have been all over the place. Also, the family seems to have hired a lawyer, named Reggie. By noon, Foltrigg and his sidekicks, Boxx and Fink, are camped out at the Tennessee District Attorney's office. District Attorney, George Ord, is not pleased to host them. Foltrigg is convinced that Mark knows where the dead body of the senator is, and he does his best to convince everyone else of that. McThune and Truman break the news about the new lawyer, Reggie. Foltrigg asks Ord about Reggie Love. Ord finds one of his men, David Sharpinski, who says he went to law school with Reggie. Foltrigg asks him for everything he knows about the woman. Sharpinski tells the group of men that Reggie has a long and sad story. He tells them that Reggie was married to a doctor, who put her through hell. He dumped her for a younger model, took her kids away from her, did his best to send her in and out of mental institutions and left her penniless. Reggie struggled through law school. She eventually made it out, with a vengeance, and now deals with abuse cases. The attorneys and officers then discuss, Barry The Blade's new lawyer, Willis Upchurch. The men find out that Upchurch just gave a press conference to let the media know that he is Muldanno's new lawyer, that the trial has been postponed, and that his client will not be found guilty. Ord warns Foltrigg that his case just became a nightmare. (b) Chapter 11 Diane sleeps by Ricky, whodrifts back into his coma after making all of them think he was getting better. Mark can't sleep. He wonders about Reggie, whether he could really trust her. He thinks about all the television shows about lawyers and decides half of lawyers are trustworthy, and the other half are snakes. He considers telling Dr. Greenway everything for Ricky's sake, but then remembers how, in a movie he watched, the message is clear. You never mess with the mafia, and if you do, the mafia never forgets. Mark leaves Ricky's room. In the elevator, he comes across Slick from the Memphis Press. Slick tries to squeeze him for information, but Mark tells him that he is not answering questions. He loses the reporter in a crowd of hospital workers. Mark sits in an empty stairwell and cries. Now, the media is hounding him too. Meanwhile, Foltrigg, McThune and Trumann arrive at Reggie's office. Foltrigg squirms with anger, as Reggie makes them wait forty-five minutes, just to emphasize who has the upper hand. Trumann warns Foltrigg that she may tape their conversation. Reggie indeed does ask to record the conversation. Foltrigg wants to know when they will be able to talk to Mark. Reggie answers that he is assuming that they will get to talk to him at all. Foltrigg tells her that they must talk to him, because they know he was in the car. They also know that he conversed with Clifford and probably knows something about the case. Reggie asks them to tell her everything they know about Mark, and they lay out the evidence they have to show that Mark spoke to Clifford, including the fingerprints and suicide note. Reggie asks them where they got Mark's fingerprints. They tell her about the Sprite can. Reggie asks them if they got permission to do that. Of course, they did not. Foltrigg then tells Reggie they also found traces of Mark's blood on Clifford's hand. Again, she asks them how they know Mark's blood type, and she catches them breaking the rules again. Reggie makes it clear to them that if they violate her client's rights again, she will not hesitate to sue them. Reggie tells the men that they will meet again tomorrow. They again tell her how important it is to their case that they speak to Mark as soon as possible. She does not promise them the chance to do so. (c) Chapter 12 Wally Box called the office in New Orleans at least four times an hour to update them on the case and to convey communications back and forth from Foltrigg to his forty-seven assistants regarding all other cases. Soon enough, the entire office knew about Mark Sway and his story. Reporters from New Orleans called for comments from Foltrigg, but got nothing. Mark finally has a chance to speak to his mother. He tells her about Reggie. Diane asks Mark, why they need a lawyer. Mark feels guilty and decides to tell her the whole story, except for the secret that Jerome told him. Dr. Greenway is also present, and both are skeptical that Mark is telling the truth, when he tells them that he just remembered these new details. Mark says that he must have gone into a mild sort of shock, just like Ricky. That is why he could not remember everything before. Reggie arrives at the hospital and meets Diane. Reggie explains what has been happening with the FBI in such a way as to make the FBI seem utterly untrustworthy to Diane. Diane feels glad to have another woman willing to listen to her and support her family during this tough time. Jack Nance is an ex-con, who runs a private investigating service. He does people's dirty work for them for big amounts of cash and never leaves a trail. His clients all come by referral. Paul Gronke walks into Nance's office, passes him a two thousand dollar retainer and tells him that he needs Mark Sway's every move trailed. When Paul Gronke calls Barry Muldanno after meeting with Nance, Muldanno's girl, a stripper, answers the phone. After speaking to Gronke, Muldanno goes to Randy's, a restaurant owned by his Unlce Sulari. He knows he can find his uncle there. tells his Uncle that they have to do something about Mark Sway and his brother. Sulari calls his nephew an imbecile. He tells him to send two of their men to Memphis, but not to make any moves until he approves.

(a) Chapter 13 By Tuesday evening, Foltrigg and his crew have nothing to do, as they wait for the meeting with Reggie. They sink to doing something they all hate to do, legal research. The issue at hand is how they can force Mark Sway to tell them what he knows or harder still, how they can force Reggie to betray her attorney/client privilege. Meanwhile, Foltrigg also works on a backup plan. He gets approval to put Mark and his family in the Federal Witness Protection Program. They put together a deal that they think Diane cannot refuse. The deal includes a good job for Diane, a house, possibly a car and some kind of cash incentive. Foltrigg feels confident. Mark is sick of sitting with his Mom in Ricky's room. He takes off to the hospital waiting room. He finds a man flipping through magazines. The man makes small talk. He tells Mark that his son is in the Intensive Care Unit, and he needed a break from the horror of it all. The man, of course, is Nance. He tries to get as much information out of Mark as he can, but Mark is in no mood for friendly conversation. Nance leaves, without much. Mark falls asleep in the waiting room. (b) Chapter 14 One of the nurses shows Mark a news story in the Memphis Press with photos of Mark and Ricky, and details about new findings in the FBI case. The story includes how Mark's fingerprints were found inside the car, on the gun and on the whiskey bottle. Mark feels indignant at the violation of privacy, and at the story that makes him look like a criminal. Mark feels sorry for himself, because he is going through this turmoil without supportive and protective parents behind him. His father is non-existent to him, and his mother is busy with Ricky. Jack Nance is still hanging around the hospital to watch Mark. Mark gets into an empty elevator. It stops on the eighth floor. A man in a white lab coat steps in. The door closes. The man grabs him around the throat, flicks open a switchblade and holds it in front of Mark's face. He tells Mark that he doesn't know what Jerome told him, but he better not tell anyone anything he does know. If he does, he will kill him, his mother and his brother. The man shows Mark a picture of him that could only have come from his home and tells Mark that he knows where he lives and goes to school. He will have no problem getting to Mark, if he needs to. Mark eventually finds his way to Reggie's office. He is shaken and pale. Reggie asks him what is wrong. Mark asks her if he has to tell what he knows, and what will happen if he simply keeps his story a secret forever. Reggie assures him that there is no need to volunteer any information right now, but that the prosecution will eventually try to force him to come out with it. Mark tells Reggie that he does not want to meet with the FBI, and Reggie immediately tells her secretary to cancel the meeting with Foltrigg. Reggie figures out that the mob must have gotten to Mark. She shows Mark a picture of Barry Muldanno and asks him if he was the man he saw today. Mark says no. They figure Barry has many men working for him. Mark tells Reggie that he does not want to tell anyone about what happened, not even his Mom, because she has enough to deal with already, with Ricky still not feeling well. Reggie approves.

Chapter 15 Foltrigg is very upset when he finds out that Mark no longer wants to talk to him. He storms out of Reggie's office with his men and returns to Ord's office. Ord calls Reggie, urging her to get Mark to talk. Reggie is firm with her refusal. Ord threatens Reggie, and Reggie threatens back. Ord gives up and tells Foltrigg that Reggie will not budge. Foltrigg asks Ord's men to follow Mark all day and to protect him from Muldanno and his men. The authorities already know that Gronke is in town, and they know that more of Muldanno's men will be all over Mark soon enough. Ord's men grudgingly accept the extra work. Foltrigg tells Ord that he will return to New Orleans, but probably will come back in a couple of days. Meanwhile, Mark is still in Reggie's office. He chats with Clint, as Reggie takes care of her other clients. Mark asks Clint all about his job and his past with Reggie. Clint tells him about his troubles with law school, and how he met Reggie there. He explains to him the duties of his job. Then, Clint asks Mark about his family. Mark tells Clint about his father, the abuse, the cops, the trial, and how he testified for three hours about his father's abuse. Mark's father was close to getting custody of one of the boys until Mark told the judge about the day Mark's father came home drunk, beat Diane, stripped her naked, and threw her out of the house. He then did the same to Mark, when Mark tried to save his mother. Mark also tells Clint about his mother's lawyer during the divorce, Hack. Hack was an incompetent and mean lawyer. When Diane could not pay all her bills, he threatened to sue her and that forced her into declaring bankruptcy. Clint asks Mark what he thinks of Reggie, and Mark tells him that Reggie is great, nothing like the lawyers he has met.

Chapter 16 Reggie and Mark go to the hospital. Jack Nance is watching them, as they leave. When they are gone, he slips into Reggie's office. Nance tells Clint that he is a reporter and asks to speak to Reggie. Clint tells Nance that Reggie is not there, and Nance leaves without much accomplished. Reggie and Mark rush past reporters and into Ricky's room. They find Diane looking upset, like she is crying. Mark asks what's wrong. Dr. Greenway tells them that Diane's employer just couriered a letter informing her that she has lost her job. Reggie is furious and asks to keep the letter. Diane allows her to do so. Mark and Diane comfort each other about the job loss. Reggie leaves the room and calls Clint. She tells him to prepare a summons because she is filing a lawsuit against Diane's employer, Ark-Lon Fixtures, and the president of the company, Chester Tanfill. Later, Reggie picks up the papers and drives over to Ark-Lon Fixtures to hand deliver them. Mr. Tanfill's secretary gives Reggie trouble until Reggie explains that she is a lawyer and that she is going to sue Mr. Tanfill and his company for millions of dollars. Mr. Tanfill does not take Reggie seriously at first, but soon enough, Reggie scares him into cooperation. She explains to him exactly how she will sue him and on what basis. When Mr. Tanfill suggests that he may be willing to bargain, Reggie is ready with her demands. Reggie asks him to give Diane her job back, to continue sending Diane her paychecks while she stays in the hospital with her son for a few more weeks, to give her a raise, and to send Diane flowers to the hospital every week and maybe even a card. Mr. Tanfill nods away bewildered and taken aback, as Reggie lists her demands. When Reggie is satisfied that she has made her point clear, she leaves. Dr. Greenway feels Ricky is ready for a first therapy session. He asks Diane to speak to the boys alone. Dr. Greenway asks Ricky if he remembers going for a smoke in the woods. Ricky gets scared, but says yes. Dr. Green asks Ricky if he remembers the black car drive up. By this second question, Ricky feels to scared to continue the therapy and goes back into silent mode. Mark is frustrated, but the doctor is not, for he did not expect to accomplish much in the first session.

Chapter 17 Foltrigg and his men arrive at their office in New Orleans and jump right into a meeting. Foltrigg asks one of his researchers, Bobby, what he has found regarding ways to get the needed information from Mark Sway. Bobby explains that there are two possible courses of action. The first consists of creating a petition accusing the child of misconduct, and therefore, a hearing will be held. Foltrigg, Bobby, and the others discuss what accusation they can come up with to hold against Mark, like obstruction of justice. Once the kid is on the stand, the judge may be able to force him to speak, if they convince the judge that he knows something important. Foltrigg likes this plan, particularly because hearing for these kinds of cases can remain confidential and outside of the realm of the media. Foltrigg worries that media coverage could be harmful, as it may portray the prosecution as desperate. If they lose, it will be even worse. Folrtigg's men find it funny that for once he does not want media coverage. The second possible course of action would be to try and force Reggie to speak up about what she knows. However, Bobby warns that this is harder because attorney/client privilege is nearly impossible to infringe upon. Foltrigg likes the first plan and tells his men to move on it first thing in the morning. Bobby warns them that they also have to protect Mark from the mob because he could be a target if they find out he knows something. Foltrigg assures Bobby that they have that under control already. Meanwhile, Muldanno's men are watching Mark. Nance plans to plant a bug in Ricky's hospital room. He already wired the phones in the doctor's and lawyer's offices. Nance has another Muldanno thug helping him watch Mark. His name is Cal Sisson. Sisson calls Nance and reports that Mark is in the hospital with his mother and lawyer.

Chapter 18 Reggie and Mark leave the hospital and head to Reggie's home. When Reggie told Diane that she gets to keep her job and that she is even getting a raise, Diane smiled and then cried. Mark was happy to be leaving the hospital and getting a break from all the sadness. Reggie spoke to George Ord and convinced him to have the FBI watch the hospital room, because the Sway family needs protection. Ord was more than happy to have an official reason for his men to hang around in the hospital. Mark and Reggie chat on the way home. Mark asks Reggie why she takes her clients home. Reggie says her clients are usually sad cases, and she feels sorry for them. She tells Mark that he is lucky to have a mother who loves him. They arrive at Reggie's house, and Reggie introduces Mark to her mother, Momma Love. Momma Love warmly greets Mark. He enjoys the feast that Momma Love has prepared. Reggie leaves for a while, and Momma Love asks Mark about what he and Ricky saw out there. Mark dodges the questions and then quickly starts to ask some of his own questions to distract Momma Love from what she wants to know. Mark and Momma Love spend a long time getting to know each other. Momma Love tells Mark about Reggie's kids, her grandkids. She tells Mark about how Reggie lost her kids, and how her ex-husband made her life a living hell. Momma Love is very sad that her grandkids got messed up with drugs and other bad things, and she has no relationship with them. Momma Love also tells Mark about Reggie's years in and out of institutions and her struggle to make it through law school. When Reggie finally turned her life around and became a lawyer, she decided to change her name. Mark tells Momma Love that he feels bad that he did not pay Reggie much money. Momma Love tells him not to worry because Reggie takes two pro-bono cases every month. Mark knows what pro-bono is from television. As the evening unfolds, Momma Love attempts again to ask Mark about his case, but Mark tells her that his doctor told him it would be bad for his health to discuss what he saw.

Chapter 19 Trumann gets a brilliant idea for the case. He figures out a way to put so much pressure on Mark that he will surely crack and speak up. Trumann heads to Foltrigg's office to announce the brilliant plan. Foltrigg and his assistants are working hard. Foltrigg is not afraid of hard work. He almost enjoys putting in 18-hour days. As he married a woman he did not love, because she had the right profile for his career, \ he did not care to be home early. He only cared about maintaining a pretty family portrait that suited his career, and his wife was more than happy to exchange her services for the kind of salary Foltrigg brought home. Foltrigg and his assistants figured out their game plan. It was simple. Every citizen must give testimony to aid the enforcement of the law, with no exceptions. If the Juvenile Court approach in Memphis fell through, Foltrigg planned to issue a subpoena for Mark Sway to appear before a grand jury in New Orleans. He figured this would scare Mark into loosening his tongue. Trumann walks into Foltrigg's office. Trumann tells Foltrigg that he spoke to K. Ο. Lewis today. Lewis was second in command in the FBI. Lewis told Trumann that he would be happy to help with the case if they needed him. So, Trumann figures they should call Lewis and ask him to have a chat with the judge at the Juvenile Court in Memphis to help make things go their way. Furthermore, they could get Lewis to explain to the judge that Muldanno's men are in Memphis and are all over Mark. It would be in the kid's best interest for the state to take him into its custody. That would surely make the kid crack. Foltrigg instantly falls in love with the plan and tells Trumann to call Lewis right away. Trumann calls Lewis. Lewis agrees to speak to the judge. Foltrigg and his assistants are thrilled and they are all optimistic that their plan will work. Meanwhile, Reggie is thinking along the same lines as Foltrigg and his assistants. She reads through her law books and affirms her worry that Mark must testify. The court will not care that his and his family's lives are in danger. Reggie imagines the scene in the courtroom when the judge orders Mark to answer Foltrigg's questions. Mark will squirm, not answer, and look at her with pleading eyes. Reggie thinks about the many young clients that she has scattered throughout various training schools in Tennessee for being in disfavor with the system. Reggie knows the easy and ethical thing to do is to tell Mark to come out with the information, but she can't bear to make him put his life on the line. Mark sleeps in Reggie's house that night. When he wakes up in the middle of the night, he notices a man walking back and forth in front of the house. Mark knows the man is more than just a nosy neighbor, and he is scared. Meanwhile, a white Ford pulls up in front of Mark's trailer home. A man gets out, places a box in front of the door, and leaves. A few minutes later, the box explodes, and Mark's home burns down. The neighbors rush to put out the blaze with garden hoses, but it is no use.

Chapter 20 Reggie and Mark have breakfast in the morning and then head back to the hospital. Reggie tells Mark that he is on the front page of the paper again and that the story says that Mark must be hiding information from the FBI regarding Clifford because he hired a lawyer. Reggie jokes about how accurate the story is. Mark vents about how sick he is of all this, and how he wishes he could go back to school and be a normal kid again. Reggie is sympathetic. Mark tells Reggie that her house was being watched last night and that he is scared. Reggie tells Mark to trust her. Reggie, Clint, and Mark slip into the hospital through unusual passageways and arrive at Ricky's room to find Diane crying with a cop by her side. The cop tells Mark that their trailer has been burned down, and all their belongings are gone. Mark and Diane hug and comfort each other and agree not to tell Ricky about the fire yet. The Honorable Harry Roosevelt has been presiding over the Shelby County Juvenile Court for twenty-two years. He has been offered many superior positions over the years but has chosen to stay at his job. He feels that his job is important and has a desire to be there and do what is right for the children who come to his court. He has a reputation for being very tough on adults, who do wrong to children. Harry's assistant tells him that a small group of men are waiting outside his office to meet him. The men include George Ord, the District Attorney, K. O. Lewis, Deputy Director of the FBI, and several other important figures. The men are let into Harry's office. They explain to Harry the case they have against Mark, and how desperate they are for what he may know. They also emphasize how much danger Mark is in, and why it would be in Mark's best interest if they took him into custody. Harry is very reluctant to allow them to charge Mark with obstruction of justice and take him into custody, but he's eventually convinced. Harry warns them to treat Mark well while he is in custody, and then they leave.

Chapter 21 Mark, Diane, and Ricky lay in Ricky's room. Mark thinks about the fire and slowly realizes that the fire was no accident. He wonders how much insurance will cover, and whether or not his mother has been paying the premiums. He remembers how his father was always the one to handle the family finances, and how his mother often messed up bill payments after the divorce. A couple of cops and some nurses show up in the hospital room. Mark feels something is wrong. The cops explain that they have to take Mark into their custody and take him to a summons in court. Diane goes crazy with anger and fear. She yells and curses at the cops and tells him there is no way they will take Mark from her. Diane slaps one of the cops. Security guards hold Diane down, as the cops haul Mark away. Diane yells and screams, and suddenly Ricky gets out of bed to come and see what is happening. Ricky groans, and Diane sweeps him up into her arms and rocks him in bed. Mark gives the cops hell, as they leave the hospital. He shouts out to the media and hospital staff that the cops beat down his mother and are taking him, a little kid, to jail. Mark calls the cops names and curses at them. They try to shut him up, as he is embarrassing them in front of everyone. They realize their attempts are futile. Mark threatens the cops and tells them that he has the best lawyer in town. He says that, by morning, they will probably no longer have their jobs. His lawyer is going to sue them for what they are doing to him, and what they did to his mother. Mark insists on riding in the backseat, as the cops drive him to the detention center. He continues to shout at the cops and make fun of them. The cops hand Mark over to the staff at the detention center and are thrilled to have him off their hands. Mark is taken to a room, where he sits and thinks about the many problems he now has. He has a burnt-down home, a sick brother, and a depressed mother. Plus, the mob and FBI are both after him.

Chapter 22 A small service takes place for Clifford, attended by Muldanno, Foltrigg, a bunch of lawyers and judges, and the media. Foltrigg leaked to the media that Muldanno would be at the service so that he could get some media coverage. Clifford had no family, therefore, the service was small, and there were no tears. As he is leaving, Foltrigg is approached by the media, who want to ask him questions. He lies and says he has to be in court in fifteen minutes, his standard answer, but that he will give them a minute or two. He answers their questions and then says that he has to rush off and leaves in a hurry. By noon, Mark is ready to escape from his jail, but he finds no way out. He thinks about the great jail escape movies he has watched and thinks he can figure out a way. Someone walks into his room and hands him a phone and a phone book. He calls his Mom, Reggie, and Dr. Greenway but finds no one. He then decides to call the Memphis police department and finds out that Detective Klickman will not be in until noon. Mark calls several fast food places and orders about forty deep-dish, supreme deluxe large pizzas, and a dozen Chinese lunches for all of Detective Klickman's office, at a cost of about five hundred dollars. Gronke and Nance discuss what to do about the new situation with Mark. They wonder what to tell Muldanno, and how to answer him when he asks them how they can get to Mark now. Nance is tired of working on this case. He suggests to Gronke that they tell Muldanno that they can't do much now. Nance warns Gronke to leave the kid alone, as he's no ordinary kid. Mark has the FBI all over him, and they can't expect to get rid of him without being noticed.

Chapter 23 Reggie is meeting with the psychiatrist, Dr. Elliot Levin, while Mark, Diane, and Judge Harry are all trying to get a hold of her. Clint shows up at the doctor's office and fills her in on the latest news the minute she steps out of Dr. Levin's office. Reggie is outraged. They rush to court because there is less than an hour left until hearing time. At the court, they run into McThune. Reggie threatens McThune with the tape and forces him to fill her in on everything. He warns him not to say anything self-serving and against her client if he is called to testify. Reggie steps into Harry's office like it is her own. She and Harry are good friends. Harry and his wife, Irene, have been invited to several of Momma Love's feasts. Reggie confronts Harry about allowing the authorities to take Mark into custody. Harry justifies his action by telling Reggie that he is worried about Mark's safety. Harry tells Reggie to warn her client that the hearing could get rough. Reggie goes to see Mark, who has now arrived at court. Mark asks if they can sue the detention center because they have not fed him. Reggie says maybe, but quickly changes the subject. She explains what will happen to Mark. Mark asks once again what will happen if he chooses not to talk. Reggie tells him that no one can make him talk, but the judge can order him to be taken back to the detention center. Then, Mark asks the question Reggie has been dreading. He asks if he can simply lie and say that he knows nothing. Reggie itches to say that is exactly what he should do but knows she can't. Mark gets upset when she tells him that he can't lie in court. Mark bursts into sobs, and soon, Reggie joins in. She can't stand children suffering.

Chapter 24 Two officers escorted Mark into the courtroom. Slick Moeller is lurking around the court to get the story. Mark is surprised about how small and simple the courtroom is. The hearing begins. Reggie begins with several objections. She objects that she was not given enough time to prepare. She objects to Mark's mother being absent. Judge Harry tells her that he will grant her a continuance, but Mark must remain in custody. Reggie declines the continuance. Fink attempts to comment on the objections, but Judge Harry quickly puts him in his place and lists several rules for Fink to follow. One ruling is that Fink is not to speak unless spoken to. Judge Harry warns Fink that they need to present a decent case that justifies holding the hearing. Fink assures the judge that they do. Although Reggie asks the judge to dismiss the hearing, the judge agrees to hear the petitioner's proof. The judge warns Fink that the hearing is closed, and the only person he can talk to about what goes on in this courtroom is Foltrigg. The judge orders McThune and Mr. Lewis out of the courtroom. He finds their presence unnecessary. The hearing begins. Fink calls up his first witness, Officer Hardy. Hardy testifies about the phone call Mark made, how he found Mark at the crime scene, and how Mark lied to the police about what he saw and heard. Next, Fink calls on McThune, who provides the evidence to prove that Mark is lying. Evidence includes the fingerprints inside the car and the suicide note. Finally, Fink tells the judge that he would like to testify, himself. The judge is hesitant but allows Fink to testify. Fink states that he knew Clifford from law school and that they were in touch during the trial. Fink tells the judge about the phone calls Clifford made to him right before he committed suicide, trying to prove that Clifford knew where the body was hidden. Fink tells the judge that they would like Mark to testify. The judge orders a break and speaks to Reggie, alone. The two of them discuss what is best for Mark. They agree that Mark should testify, but not tell the pertinent information. Judge Harry will have to accuse him of contempt of court and send him back to the detention center, but at least he will be safe there. The FBI will also have time to put together a witness protection program for the family. Reggie worries that if Mark refuses to talk, Foltrigg will present him with a grand jury subpoena, and then they will have to go to New Orleans, which is not her territory. Harry assures her that he will not allow that to happen.

Chapter 25 Reggie allows Mark to testify but warns Fink that she will not tolerate abusive questioning. Mark takes the stand, and the judge begins to ask Mark questions. Mark is confused because he has never seen a movie in which the judge is the one to ask all the questions. Mark answers the judge's questions and tells the whole story. The judge eventually gets to the important question, and Mark begins to stall. He asks the judge to explain what he means and does everything he can to dodge the questions. Eventually, he can no longer do that. He thinks about lying but then remembers how, in the fourth grade, the cops came to his school and showed them how a polygraph test can detect liars. He worries that he will be found out if the cops order a polygraph test. The judge continues to ask Mark if Clifford told him anything about the Boyette case. Mark tells the judge that he wants to take the Fifth Amendment. The judge explains that it does not apply in his case, because he is not implicated in any crime. Mark continues to state that he is taking the Fifth Amendment over and over, until the judge tires of questioning him and orders him sent back to the Juvenile Detention Center. Fink is devastated. He was waiting excitedly for Mark to come out with all the information. The judge tells Fink that they will meet again in court tomorrow. He will call Mark back to court every other day, and he expects Fink and Foltrigg to show up to court, every time. Fink explains that Foltrigg has a hearing tomorrow and will not be able to show up in this court. Judge Harry says that Foltrigg had better send the papers to prove that he has another court hearing. The hearing ends, and Mark gets ready to go back to the detention center. He tells Reggie to tell his mother that he is fine and that he will try to call her soon. Reggie and Fink speak to Judge Harry after Mark leaves. The judge tells them that Reggie will try to convince Mark to speak, but the FBI had better work on guaranteeing his safety. Mr. Lewis promises to have a witness protection program ready for them in days. Reggie agrees to talk to Diane about the possibility of going under a witness protection program. In the men's washroom, the court bailiff meets with Slick Moeller and tells him everything that happened in the courtroom. Slick hands the bailiff a hundred-dollar bill and assures him that no one will ever know his source. Slick's photographers catch pictures of Mark, as he leaves the court. Slick knew exactly where to position the photographers. Mark gets into the back of the police car. His stomach aches, and he feels scared and alone.

Chapter 26 Foltrigg waits in great anticipation for Fink to call him after the hearing. Finally, Fink calls, and Foltrigg excitedly picks up the phone. Fink explains the events of the hearing. Foltrigg is crushed. Fink tells Foltrigg that it's obvious that the kid knows where the body is. Foltrigg regains his excitement. He blurts out to everyone that he knew it; he just knew it. Foltrigg decides that they must act right away to subpoena Mark and his lawyer and take them in front of a grand jury in New Orleans. Foltrigg thinks that will surely scare Mark into talking. Fink tells Foltrigg that they need to move fast on a witness protection program because that must be in order before the kid will talk. They agree to work on that, right away. An officer drops Mark off at the detention center, and Mark is taken back to his room. He chats with the attendant and makes her feel sorry for him. He tells her that his brother will probably die and that he will probably end up sick like his brother. The attendant feels sorry for Mark and asks him if she can do anything for him. Mark asks her for some pizza.

Chapter 27 Reggie arrives at the hospital to talk to Diane. She explained to her the option of going under the witness protection program and all the benefits such a program could bring to her family. Diane is impressed at first but then begins to think about a life of always being on the run, always looking over her shoulder and wondering if they have been found out. Most importantly, she'll always worry about her son's safety. Mark calls and speaks to his mother. He tells her that he likes the detention center and not to worry about him. He tries to sound so brave and apologizes many times for bringing them all into this mess. Diane feels horrible. She feels like she is failing Mark. There is nothing she can do to help him. After hanging up with Mark, Diane opens the television, only to see Mark on the news. The media is making him look like a criminal, and Diane becomes even more upset. Diane wonders how much longer she can bear all her troubles. Barry the Blade meets with Gronke in a restaurant. Barry asks Gronke to fill him in, and Gronke tells him that Mark is in custody. They agree that most likely Mark knows something, otherwise, he wouldn't hire a lawyer and refuse to talk to the authorities. Two FBI agents walk into the restaurant and ask a waiter to place new salt and pepper shakers on Barry the Blade's table. The waiter does so. Now, the FBI can hear the rest of the conversation between Barry and Gronke. Barry knows that the FBI will soon ask Diane to go into the witness protection program, and he is scared that she will take the offer. Barry wants Mark dead. Gronke explains that that would be a bad idea because Mark is a child. Plus, the FBI is all over him. Barry then considers killing Mark's brother or mother but finally settles on the idea of killing his lawyer. That would scare Mark sufficiently, and no other lawyer would want to take on his case. Barry likes the idea the more he thinks about it. He asks Gronke to do it. Gronke says he does not feel like killing anyone. Barry says that he will ask Pirini to do it. Cal Sisson is sitting in a car, waiting for Nance to wire Reggie's office. Eight cops surround his car and tell him to get out. They know exactly who he is, and what he is doing. They offer him his freedom in exchange for information. Sisson answers all their questions. He tells them that Gronke is coming from New Orleans and possibly planning a hit. He tells him exactly where Gronke and others will be staying. The cops ask him who burned the trailer, and he says Bono and Pirini. They ask about plans to burn, wire, or kill anyone or anything. Sisson says there are no definite plans that he knows of.

Chapter 28 The cops call Reggie and tell her that there is an emergency at her office. She rushes over with Clint, and the cops explain to her that her office was wired by one of Muldanno's men, Nance, but that they have now arrested him. Reggie is terrified that she is now in the picture. The cops tell her that there are two more mafia men, Bono and Pirini, still hanging around town. She agrees to allow the FBI to position some men around her house. Judge Harry calls Reggie and tells her that the supposedly secret hearing is all over the news. They discuss who may have leaked the information. Harry tells Reggie that he will subpoena Moeller and force him to reveal his source and then throw the source in jail. Reggie tells Harry about how the mafia tried to bug her office. Harry and Reggie now both agree that Mark should stay in custody and that the witness protection program is the best option for his family. Reggie arrives at the detention center to visit Mark. Reggie explains to him that the best thing to do is to accept the FBI's offer of witness protection. Mark disagrees. He tells Reggie that the mafia never forgets, and he relays all the movies he has seen where the mob always finds who they are looking for and gets their revenge, witness protection program or not. Reggie tells him they have no other options. Mark tells her that he can lie. The motion for continuance filed by Willis Upchurch on behalf of Barry Muldanno is attended by tons of media and voyeuristic lawyers. The presiding judge is surprised at how much attention a little motion for continuance is getting. However, with the presence of Barry Muldanno, himself, and the notorious Willis Upchurch and Roy Foltrigg, it should not be much of a surprise. Muldanno is in good spirits. He did not yet know of Nance's arrest or that Sisson had spilled his guts. Foltrigg did know, and he heard the bugged conversation at the restaurant between Muldanno and Gronke. He knew that he could get Barry put away for at least five years, but he wanted the glory of putting Barry away for the murder of the Senator. The hearing begins. Upchurch asks for a six-month continuance. Foltrigg claims that six months is too long, even though he needs the time as badly as the defense. The judge agrees to issue a continuance and belittles Foltrigg for his objections to giving the defense the time it needs. After the hearing, Upchurch and Foltrigg are happy to give impromptu press conferences in the hallway of the court.

(a) Chapter 29 Slick goes to the court for the summons, looking like a weather-beaten reporter, but Judge Harry feels no sympathy for him. The judge tells Slick that he is there, because he has violated the confidentiality of Judge Harry's court preceding. In the process, he's affected the safety and well-being of a young child. The judge also makes it clear that that there are no criminal penalties for such actions, only contempt. Judge Harry reads parts of Slick's article to him and asks him how he obtained the confidential information. Slick says that he had a source. The judge asks who the source was. Slick's lawyers quickly try to intercede, but Judge Harry quickly shuts them up and continues to question Slick about his source. The lawyers try to find legal fault with the judge's line of questioning, but Judge Harry refuses to give into them. He again asks Slick who his source was. When Slick refuses to answer, Judge Harry tells him that he is in contempt and orders his imprisonment, until he agrees to answer the judge's questions. Meanwhile, Grinder, Slick's source, who happens to be in the courtroom, because he is a guard in the court, feels sick and is about to vomit from the anxiety. Grinder is terrified that Slick will give in and name him, but Slick gets dragged off to jail and remains faithful to his source. Judge Harry tells Slick that he will call him back to court on Monday for another try. Meanwhile, he had better not do any writing. Slick's lawyers are helpless, and can only promise him an appeal. (b) Diane and Mark discuss the idea of moving to Portland under the witness protection program. They discuss their worries of always being on the move and always watching their backs, worried about mafia retaliation. Diane tells Mark that the mafia is scary. Mark says, I know I've met them and proceeds to tell her about his meeting with the mob man, who threatened him with a switchblade in the elevator. Diane is shocked and asks him why he did not tell her before, but does not have the energy to be mad for long. Mark, Diane and all the lawyers arrive in Judge Harry's courtroom. The judge puts Mark on the stand and questions him about what he knows. Mark says he does not want to answer any questions, just because he is scared. Judge Harry asks to speak to the FBI before they leave. K.O. Lewis and McThune explain to the judge that they have been keeping an eye and ear on Muldanno and they know that he is up to no good. They play the recorded conversation between Muldanno and Gronke for the judge. Diane and Reggie listen carefully to Muldanno, as he says he wants Mark dead and possibly Reggie, too. Reggie is terrified to hear that she has become a mob target. The danger hits home for Diane, as well. Diane trembles. Judge Harry uses the opportunity to again bring up the idea of the witness protection program. Diane says that she is scared. Judge Harry tells her that she will be under the protection of the FBI. Diane asks why they can't just arrest those guys. The FBI explains that they've made one arrest and are attempting to arrest the others. Diane then suddenly realizes that this is the mafia they are talking about, and that the mafia is an invisible army with a large number of soldiers, who can never all be put away at the same time. Diane tells them that she will take the witness protection plan, only when they can show her a plan that completely guarantees her family's safety.

Chapter 30 Gronke takes a flight back to New Orleans. Gronke is tired of doing dirty work for Muldanno, even though they are close friends and business partners. One time, Muldanno bragged to Gronke about the Senator's murder. Senator Boyette had become a big problem for Muldanno because he was standing in the way of the Sulari family business, which was a landfill. Finding an opportunity to kill the Senator was easy because Muldanno found out that he frequented a certain strip club and slipped in through the back. When Boyette disappeared, there were rumors that he staged his own disappearance to escape his mounting debt and problems with his ex-wife. Reggie appears in Judge Harry's courtroom, but this time, it is for a different client. She needs a favor from Judge Harry. Judge Harry is happy to help Reggie out. Judge Harry asks Reggie to push her client towards accepting the witness protection program. Reggie says that she will try and that, hopefully, they can wrap this case up soon.

(a) Chapter 31 Foltrigg asks Fink about the grand jury subpoenas. Fink tells Foltrigg that he hand-delivered them to the US marshal in Memphis and gave him instructions not to serve them until he heard from Foltrigg. Foltrigg says that he does not think the local Memphis authorities will interfere with the US Marshal's office, so they do not anticipate any problems. Fink asks Foltrigg why he would subpoena the lawyer when he knows any information that she may hold is privileged. Foltrigg admits that it is pure harassment. Foltrigg jokes that Judge Harry will be lonely on Monday, as Mark and his lawyer will be in New Orleans. No one will show up at the hearing. Wally laughs, but Fink does not. Doreen, the guard at the detention center, goes to check on Mark. He instantly turns into a zombie, when he hears her come in. A while later, the door opens again, and Mark goes into a zombie-like state again, until he realizes that it is not Doreen at the door, but two US Marshals. They inform Mark about the subpoena and tell him that they will pick him up tomorrow afternoon and escort him to the grand jury trial in New Orleans. Mark asks if his lawyer knows about this. They tell him that they are not required to inform lawyers, but that his mother will be informed. Mark asks to speak to his lawyer. The officers tell Doreen to bring him the phone in thirty minutes. Other US Marshals are busy delivering the same papers to Diane and Reggie, all coordinated to be delivered at the same time. When the officers arrive at Reggie's house, Momma Love answers the door. The officers explain their business. Momma Love tells them that Reggie does not live here. They point out that her car is in front of the house. Momma Love insists that Reggie is not here, and the officers leave angry and disappointed. They promise to be back. As soon as Momma Love is sure they are gone, she goes up to Reggie's apartment over the garage. (b) Diane accepts the papers without comment and reads them by herself. The subpoena gives no details, only orders for Mark to be present in front of a grand jury on Monday. Diane calls Reggie but does not find her. When Reggie finds out the bad news, she goes over to Clint's house, taking one hour to get to Clint's house, even though he lives fifteen minutes away, to make sure no one is following her. Reggie calls Diane and tries to reassure her. Diane tells Reggie she could not get through to Mark at the detention center. Reggie and Clint discuss the situation. They realize that Foltrigg purposely issued the subpoenas on Friday so that they will not have time to oppose the subpoena, as the trial is on Monday. Reggie says that she will continue to dodge the subpoena. If she is not served, she will not have to show up. Reggie says that the prosecution can't ask her to answer any questions, because they know her information is privileged. Clint asks Reggie if she knows where the Senator's body is buried. Reggie declines. Clint asks if Mark knows. Reggie affirms this. Clint says that they must find Harry right away and tell him what is going on. Harry is on a fishing trip, but Clint says that he will track him down.

Chapter 32 In the Juvenile Detention Center, Telda, the guard, comes in to check on Mark. He's curled by the toilet, sweating profusely and sucking his thumb. Telda is terrified. She remembers that Doreen warned her to keep a close eye on Mark because he is very fragile. Mark begins to moan, just like Ricky did. Telda blames herself for allowing the US Marshals into Mark's room. Obviously, they scared him to death, she thinks. Telda finds a note from Doreen that says to take Mark to St. Peter's and call Dr. Greenway in case of an emergency. Telda calls an ambulance, and they take Mark to the hospital. Mark's heartbeat is soaring, and the paramedics think that he is in shock. Telda says that he must be going through the same thing as his brother. Everyone, including the paramedics, knows who Mark is, and that the mob is after him. The paramedics note that Mark is burning up, but that usually, people in shock are cold and clammy. They arrive at the hospital, but the emergency room is full, and the wait is long. The paramedics try to get some medical attention for Mark, but one nurse rudely points out that they have too many bloody bodies around there, and that a psychiatric emergency is not a priority. As the paramedics and nurse argue, Mark takes the opportunity to hop off his stretcher and wander around the hospital. Mark calls Reggie from the morgue. He tells her that he tricked everyone into thinking he has gone into shock. He tells her that he jogged around his room for half an hour made himself sweaty and hot, and made his heart race. Reggie is baffled and worried for his safety. Mark tells her that he knows his way around the hospital and can hide for a while, but he needs her help to escape. Reggie asks him if his mother knows. He says yes and that she freaked out, but quickly calmed down and is on pills, so she will be okay. They agree to meet in the parking lot, and Reggie takes Clint's car to the hospital. Clint warns Reggie that she is becoming an accomplice and is risking her license. Reggie does not care. Clint continues to try to talk Reggie out of helping Mark to escape, but she does not listen to him. She asks him for his credit cards and whatever cash he has on him. She also tells him to stay by the phone and to take care of Momma Love. Reggie packs her toothbrush in her bag and leaves.

Chapter 33 Reggie thinks about how she will deal with the charge of accomplice, as Mark gets into her car. She figures she won't get into too much trouble. She can make a good argument that Mark was being chased by the mafia, and she had no choice but to help him. Reggie asks Mark where they should go now. They juggle around some ideas, sometimes jokingly and randomly deciding on Arkansas. For a while, they think a cop is following them, but then the cop drives past them. Mark jokingly likens him and Reggie to Bonnie and Clyde. Reggie is amused. Mark and Reggie chitchat. Mark takes pleasure in again telling Reggie about his escape act. Then, Reggie tries to entice Mark with the witness protection plan again. She tells him that the FBI can offer him and his family whatever life they choose, but Mark does not want to spend the rest of his life fearing the mafia. Mark tells Reggie that jail time has allowed him to think, and he comes to a realization. What if Romey told him lies and not the truth? What if he tells the FBI where Romey said the body is buried, but then it turns out Romey was lying? It would be all over. Mark comes up with the idea that they should drive to New Orleans and check if the body is where Romey said it would be, in Romey's house. Reggie is shocked when she finds out where the body is buried. However, after a moment of stunned silence, she tells Mark that there is no way they will do that. It is too dangerous. Mark tries to convince her that they will not find the body, and then it will all be over. Reggie asks him what they would do if they found the body. Mark says that then they'll know for sure that the body is there, and the FBI will be willing to do anything Mark asks. Reggie asks him what he wants He says a nice house in Australia, a car, and some plastic surgery. Reggie laughs his plan off but agrees that going to New Orleans is a good idea because that is the last place anyone will expect them to go. In Arkansas, Reggie stops for gas and snacks. Mark hides in the car. Later, Mark asks Reggie if they're being chased yet. Reggie senses excitement in his voice. Reggie asks him if he is willing to go for the witness protection plan; why not do it now? He says that he does not completely trust the FBI. He'd rather know if the body is there for sure before he tells them. He would rather have the upper hand by forcing them to protect him before he tells them anything. Reggie tells Mark that he is not making much sense, and Mark changes the subject.

Chapter 34 McThune has to leave a quiet Saturday morning with his family when he finds out about Mark going missing. He calls K.O. Lewis, Trumann, and Ord to inform them. Then McThune, Ord, and some other men meet to discuss the case. An officer tells them what they know so far about Mark's disappearance, which is little. There are several problems. First, why was Mark taken to the hospital without police supervision? Second, why did it take eight hours to notice that he had gone missing? And third, why would Foltrigg do a stupid thing like subpoena Mark and call him to face the grand jury in New Orleans? McShane did not know about the subpoena, and he is shocked that Foltrigg would piss off Judge Harry because everyone knows that Mark is under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court. The officers agree to keep an eye on Diane, hoping that Mark will contact her to get in touch with Reggie and Foltrigg to inform them of the situation. McThune goes to the hospital to talk to Diane. He informs her that Mark is missing, but that he does not think the mafia has him. Diane lies and says that she has not heard from Mark. McThune asks her if she knows where Reggie is because they can't find her. Diane says no, but she is relieved because she realizes Mark must be with Reggie. McThune tells Diane that he will leave two men in front of her door, in case she needs them, and to please call him if she hears from either Mark or Reggie. Soon, Foltrigg has his boys assembled, and they discuss the case. Foltrigg does not think the mafia has Mark. He thinks Mark ran away with Reggie, and that they are somewhere in Memphis. Meanwhile, the FBI finds Reggie's car abandoned. Then. They go to Clint's house and knock on the door. Clint stays in his bed, pretending to be asleep. Clint's phone rings, and it is Reggie. Reggie tells him that she and Mark are staying at a hotel near New Orleans. Clint assures her that he told Diane that Mark is safe with her. Then, Clint tells Reggie that she has gone mad. Reggie says that it is not the first time, she loses her sanity. Clint continues to ignore the knocking.

Chapter 35 Barry the Blade goes to visit his uncle Johnny Sulari. Barry is nervous. He looks at the floor and tells his uncle that the kid has disappeared. Johnny calls Barry stupid, over and over again. Barry begs for help. Johnny asks him where the body is but tells Barry only to give him general answers, not to tell him the exact location. Soon, one question leads to another, and Johnny finds out where the body is. Barry begs his uncle to order some men to move the body. He is afraid the kid might talk, and moving the body is the only option. Johnny explains to Barry why that will be very difficult since the body is in a residential neighborhood. Johnny continues to belittle Barry but eventually agrees to send three men to move the body. The search for Mark in the hospital is over. The hospital agrees to allow the FBI to tap the phone in Ricky's room. The police continue to search for Mark outside the hospital's territory. The FBI contacted Harry. He is livid and takes the first chance he gets to return from his trip. Clint continues to evade the FBI, and Momma Love refuses to answer any questions. The FBI put out an APB for Mark Sway and Reggie Love. McThune gets a call from his men in the hospital, who tell him that Clint has called Diane's room and told her that Reggie and Mark are safe in New Orleans. Clint was calling from his girlfriend's house in East Memphis, but they did not have enough time to trace the call. McThune immediately calls Trumann in New Orleans.

Chapter 36 Reggie and Mark drive by Clifford's house and take a look. It is a big, yet plain house. Mark says he expected to see yellow tape everywhere. Reggie reminds him that no crime was committed here. Mark asks Reggie who will get the house now, and Reggie tells him that Clifford's heirs will. Mark tells Reggie that he thinks it is time for him to get a will. Reggie asks him what he owns. Mark reminds her that he is nearly a celebrity now. Producers will be knocking on his door, even though he does not have a door at the moment, and begging to make a movie about his life. Mark wants his mother and brother to get the movie rights to his life story. Reggie has a map of the neighborhood, and the two of them use it to make their way close to Clifford's through the woods at the back of his house. They discuss back and forth whether they are seriously going to dig up the dead body. Neither of them wants to admit that they probably will not have the guts to do it. Reggie finally asks Mark for the exact location of the dead body, and he tells her it is in the garage under the boat. Meanwhile, K.O. Lewis lands in New Orleans and meets with McThune. They realize that they have no chance of catching Reggie and Mark until they make a mistake. The director of the FBI gave them strict instructions to find Mark and make him talk. They were given the green light to offer him anything necessary. Chapter 37 Three men sent by the Sulari family make their way into Clifford's garage. Leo and Ionucci are regular leg breakers for the mafia and are actually related to Barry the Blade, although they rarely admit it. The last man is simply known as the Bull, due to his size and muscle power. Barry had diagrammed the area for them and told them exactly how to carry out the procedure. He assured them many times that this was an easy job, and they would not get caught. As the three men try to enter the house, they realize they need to break some glass. They do the job as quietly as possible and gain access to the horribly messy garage. Barry explained to them exactly where to start digging, and they got to work, immediately chipping away at the gravel first and then the concrete. Reggie and Mark had left for some rest and food and returned after dark. Reggie asks. Mark if he is sure he wants to do this, and Mark takes her hand and leads the way through the woods back to Clifford's backyard. They walked close enough to see the outline of Clifford's garage. Mark tells Reggie to stay where she is, and that he will be back. Reggie yells at him to stay, but Mark crawls closer to the house until he notices that glass has been broken, and the door is ajar. Then, he also hears a sound. Mark crawls closer until he trips and makes a loud noise. Leo comes to check it out and finds nothing. He decides that it must have been a cat. The men go back to their digging, and Mark returns to Reggie. Mark explains to Reggie what happened. He tells her there are men in the garage digging up the dead body, and they have to stop them. Reggie tells him that it is a good thing, that way the mafia will have nothing against him, and his life can go back to normal. Mark refuses to accept that. Reggie begs Mark to leave with her, but Mark refuses to leave. He keeps on saying, just a minute, just a minute, and Reggie can't

bear to leave without him. Although she does not know what exactly Mark wants to do, Reggie tells Mark that he is crazy. At that moment, she actually believes it. Mark crawls away once again, gathers three rocks and throws them at Mr. Ballantine's window, until the window breaks. Mr. Ballantine jumps out of bed and grabs his shotgun. Mrs. Ballantine calls the cops, and soon they can hear sirens. Mark hurries back to Reggie, and they tremble in each other's arms. Leo and the other mob men do not know what his going on, but when they hear the cops, they hurry out as quietly as they can, passing by Reggie and Mark on their way. Reggie is terrified. Reggie and Mark wait for the mob men to leave, and then wait for the cops to leave. They wait some more, before Reggie feels that it is safe for them to go to the car. Chapter 38 Once again, Reggie tries to talk Mark into leaving the scene, but Mark refuses. She realizes that she can't win the argument. Mark tries to calm Reggie down and comfort her. Reggie tells Mark she has had enough and is leaving, but Reggie does not move. Mark tells Reggie that it is not safe to step out of their hiding spot yet. He tells Reggie to stay where she is, while he takes a look at the body. Reggie says that there's no way she is going to let him go alone. Reggie follows Mark into the garage. Mark grabs one of the chisels and rips the black garbage bag wrapped around the body, until he stands face to face with the decaying face of the late Senator Boyd Boyette. Reggie is revolted and trips on a bag filled with cans. The clatter wakes up the neighbors, and a light comes on next door. Reggie and Mark crawl away as quickly as they can. Mark asks Reggie if she saw the face. Reggie says mostly what she saw were the worms that covered the body. Mark says that he wants to see the body again. Reggie is about to slap Mark, when he explains to her that he is kidding. Reggie is not amused. On the way back to the hotel, Reggie and Mark talk about the witness protection program. Reggie tells Mark that the FBI is desperate and willing to give him whatever he demands. Mark daydreams about the kind of place where he would like to live. Mark asks Reggie if she thinks the mob will ever find him. Reggie knows that she has no choice but to say no. She tells Mark that the FBI is his only option now. In the hotel, Mark showers, and Reggie calls Clint. She tells him to get her Trumann's number. Mark gets out of the shower, slips into the new clothes Reggie bought him from Walmart and lays beside Reggie. Reggie asks him if he is okay, and Mark tells her he does not know what to do next anymore. Mark begins to cry, and soon the tears turn into a slush of sobs. Reggie holds Mark and comforts him. Reggie gets a hold of Trumann and tells him they must talk as soon as possible. She gets Trumann's attention by telling him that now she has personally seen the body, and that the mafia is trying to move it to a different location. She warns Trumann that they must move fast if they want to get to the body before the mafia tries to move it again. They agreed to meet at a restaurant. Trumann asks if he can bring K.O. Lewis. Reggie agrees, but warns Trumann to keep Foltrigg out of this.

Chapter 39 Reggie meets Trumann and K. O. Lewis in the restaurant and clearly explains that the terms she will lay out are not negotiable and that the FBI better hurry up and get the papers signed before Muldanno's men try to move the body again. Reggie hands Trumann and K. O. Lewis a list of three hospitals that specialize in child psychiatry and tells them to forget about Portland. Reggie lays out the rest of her requests. She wants K.O. Lewis to send his private jet back to Memphis and to pick up Diane, Ricky, Clint, and McThune, if he wants to come. Reggie tells the FBI that the entire Sway family will be put under the witness protection program, and once they are on the plane off to their new home, she will tell the FBI the location of the body. Reggie explains that the witness protection program must include new identities for the family, a house, a car, a four thousand dollar allowance a month for Diane, with twenty-five thousand up front, and when Diane is ready, an easy, well-paying job in the government sector. K. O. Lewis is more than happy to oblige. Reggie explains that there are also a few minor issues, which will be covered in the agreement that she is having prepared as they speak, and that will be signed by all of them including Judge Harry. She also asks for the FBI's assurance that they will ensure that Foltrigg will be in Judge Harry's courtroom on Monday, because the judge has some issues to clear up with him, even if it takes a subpoena. The FBI agrees. Reggie calls Diane and explains as much as she can over the phone. As Reggie and the FBI wait for Diane and the others to arrive from Memphis, they ask Reggie many questions about what happened to her in the last couple of days. Reggie tells them she will explain the whole story some other time. Trumann asks for some clues as to where the body is, so they can be prepared to move as soon as she tells them the information. Reggie tells Trumann that the body is only fifteen minutes away, and Trumann is giddy with anticipation. Reggie even tells him at which intersection to station his men, and that they will need some hammers and chisels.

Chapter 40 Clint goes to Diane and encourages her to accept the witness protection program. Diane is still hesitant, but Clint helps her realize that it is her best option, if not her only option, right now. Meanwhile, Reggie, Mark, and the FBI are transported to the airport, where they will wait for Diane. Ricky and Clint. Mark feels important sitting in the back of the black car being rushed to a private jet and surrounded by a ton of FBI agents, all looking out for his safety. He is also excited about getting on the plane because he has never flown before. Chapter 41 When Leo and company arrive at Barry's without the body, they get hell from Barry. Leo assures Barry that they will try again in twenty-four hours. Meanwhile, they are keeping a close eye on the house, making sure no one goes near it. Barry's uncle tells them all to stay cool. They remain optimistic that the rest of the job can be finished quickly and soon enough. Foltrigg attempts to contact Trumann but can't find him. Foltrigg is certain that Reggie has run off with the kid, and that likely she has gone crazy again. He smiles to himself at the thought and can't wait for the opportunity to nail Reggie. Reggie, Mark, and the FBI await the plane from Memphis. Mark thinks about how just a few weeks ago, he fought with a kid who made fun of him because he'd never flown. He thinks of how great it would be for this kid to see him now. Not only is he going to fly, but he has been rushed to the airport by a private FBI car and is waiting for his private jet to take him anywhere he likes. Mark imagines how great his new life will be. He looks around at the FBI agents all eyeing him and thinks he might sign some autographs later.

The FBI informs Reggie that Ricky has been accepted into the hospital in Phoenix, and they alert the pilot of the flight destination. K. O. Lewis asks Reggie if she wants FBI protection for her safety. Reggie says she is not worried about herself. However, if they want her watched, she does not mind, as long as the FBI keeps out of her way. Finally, the plane from Memphis appears in the sky and lands. Mark runs into his mother's arms, crying and telling his mother how sorry he is. Diane is just glad to hold him in her arms, once again. Diane expresses some reservations about the whole plan, and Reggie assures her that everything will be okay. Reggie tells Diane that after Ricky recovers, they can move to any location they like. Mark says he wants Australia because he saw in a movie once that they have real cowboys there. Diane tells Mark that there will be no more movies for him because if it were not for movies, they probably would not be in this mess to begin with. McThune hands Trumann an envelope that he is to give to Foltrigg. It is a subpoena issued by Judge Harry, demanding that Foltrigg appear in his court on Sunday morning. Diane and Mark say goodbye to the FBI agents they have now become friends with. As Mark boards the plane, he realizes that Reggie is not following him. For the first time, it occurs to him that he will have to leave Reggie behind. Mark walks back towards Reggie and asks her if she can come with him. Reggie explains that she can't. Neither of them ever discussed this issue before. Mark apologizes for everything, and Reggie tells him that it has been a pleasure working for him. Mark asks Reggie if he will ever see her again, and Reggie says no. Tears run down both their faces, and they hug and say goodbye. Reggie has the urge to grab him and take him home to Momma Love, but she leans on Clint for support.

Chapter 42 The plane takes off. As Reggie waves goodbye to Mark, she tells Clint that she wants to switch to being a real estate lawyer, because she can't handle this anymore. Trumann appears in front of Reggie. She looks at him, takes out the tape she recorded him on, and hands it to him. Reggie tells Trumann that the body is in Clifford's garage and gives him the address. Trumann immediately speaks into his radio, and the FBI agents bolt into their cars. Trumann thanks, Reggie. Reggie tells him not to thank her, but to thank Mark.