The First Gentleman

Detective Gagnon meets with Deputy Attorney General Bastinelli to update him on her progress in the investigation of Suzanne’s murder. She tells him she spoke to a stadium attendant who recalled Cole telling Suzanne: “I’ll wring your neck” during an argument (219). They have also learned that the watch found at the gravesite was purchased for Cole by his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Connelly. Brenda says Cole was never violent with her. Bastinelli says they need more evidence before the attorney general will charge Cole.

Brea thinks about the investigation into Garrett’s murder. Tony Romero provided an alibi for the time of the murder. She thinks Cole Wright was behind Garrett’s death, but she did not tell the police because she doesn’t have proof. Garret’s interview with Cole Wright, if it happened, and all of his notes were lost when his laptop was stolen from the scene of his murder. She thinks about giving up on the book project.

Pearce goes to see Vice President Faulkner in the hospital. He is struck by how sickly and frail the man looks. He tells the vice president that the Grand Bargain is almost finished. He tells Faulkner he is there “to help [him] reach the right decision” (227).

Brea receives a text from the mysterious “Brother” offering his condolences for Garrett’s death. She responds, demanding to know who they are. They tell her to meet them at Grand Central Station that afternoon.

Brea tells her mother she has decided to continue to work on the book project.

That afternoon, Brea goes to Grand Central Station. She is approached by a young Black woman with dreadlocks who asks if she is there to see Brother. The young woman leads her to a car and they drive to Columbia Law School uptown. She is led to the office of her former law professor, Cameron Graham. Cameron Graham welcomes her in and tells her he is “Brother.”

Detective Gagnon gets a call from the lab technician. They have tested the fibers of the blue sheet that Suzanne’s skeleton was wrapped in. The dye used on the sheets was only used for one limited run made by Regal Soft Touch Bedsheets, which were sold at Walmart. Detective Gagnon recalls that Suzanne’s mother had mentioned Suzanne had plans to go to Walmart the night she disappeared. She has an analyst look for Walmarts near Seabrook.

Brea’s professor, Dr. Graham, had once worked for the FBI before becoming a lawyer, a judge, and then a law professor. He admits he was trying to scare Brea away from her investigation. He’s surprised to hear Garrett met with Cole. Dr. Graham warns that there are “two groups” who have been following her, one that wants to help her and one that wants to stop her. Dr. Graham tells her that Seymour Washington, the private investigator, had given him the name of a Mafia man who is dying and wants to make a final confession. His name is Leo Amalfi, and he lives in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Deputy AG Bastinelli meets with the attorney general, Jennifer Pope. She is critical of the lack of information to support the charge that Cole Wright murdered Suzanne Bonanno. All of their evidence is circumstantial, and they have no evidence of motive. Bastinelli argues that perhaps Cole killed Suzanne when he learned she was pregnant with his child, but he agrees to have Gagnon look for more evidence.

Jack Doohan had seen the two men murder Garrett in Brattleboro. After they left, he had gone into the cabin and taken Garrett’s laptop. He had then left a kilo of cocaine and some baking powder to make it look like Garrett was dealing drugs. Jack gets another call from his handler asking if he can kill a woman for them. He agrees.

Brea goes to New Hampshire. She is looking for the airstrip where Garrett might have met with Cole Wright to corroborate his claim that an interview took place. She asks a woman at a gas station who would know about local history. The woman tells her to talk to the old men who hang out at the local café. Brea meets with them. She tells them she is looking for an airstrip where her great-grandfather, a Tuskegee Airman, had visited during World War II. They tell her about a decommissioned airstrip nearby called Etna Drags.

Detective Gagnon goes to a Walmart in Seabrook. The manager tells her to contact a woman in IT, Lindsay Farrow, to learn if there is CCTV from the night Suzanne went missing.

Brea goes to the Etna Drags airstrip. The manager tells her that about a week ago, a bunch of men in black SUVs and suits arrived and told him they were doing an “emergency government drill” (253) and then locked him in an SUV. The man had seen Garrett get on the plane for about two hours before leaving.

Detective Gagnon meets with Lindsay Farrow. Farrow tells her that at the time of Suzanne’s disappearance, Walmart was experimenting with backing up its surveillance cameras to a central database. She finds CCTV showing Suzanne with Cole the night she disappeared.

Cole goes to meet with Rachel Bernstein, but when he gets to her office, he learns she has been sent to Berlin. He then meets with Pearce, who tells him Bernstein was sent away because Faulkner “was tired of her bossing the doctors around” (259). Pearce asks Cole why he met with Garrett. Cole refuses to tell him. Pearce says Garrett was involved in drug dealing. Cole is suspicious about why the murderer would leave so much cocaine behind.

Pearce asks Cole to do an event in Manchester, New Hampshire, to support the mayor there. Cole agrees.

Gagnon has a police analyst review the CCTV. They enhance the image to show that Suzanne was buying the Regal Soft Touch blue bedsheets she was buried in.

Brea meets with Leo Amalfi and records their conversation. Leo Amalfi tells her that he had sent two guys to “cripple” Garrett, not kill him, but someone above his rank had changed the order to a contract killing. He says it was “the man in the White House” (268) who ordered the hit. Before he can tell her more, he dies. She assumes he is referring to Cole Wright.

Cole flies to Manchester, New Hampshire. He gives a speech in support of the mayor. As he leaves the event, he is arrested by Detective Gagnon for the murder of Suzanne Bonanno. He is shocked.