Chapter summaries Hard to Kill James Patterson & Mike Lupica

Chapter Seventy-Two: Jimmy – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Jane tells Jimmy she will Uber home to confront Rob Jacobson. Jimmy returns to downtown Manhattan and uses a fake badge to enter One World Trade, the building where Thomas McKenzie runs his hedge fund, River View. The location is significant because it sits where the Twin Towers once stood, bringing back painful memories for Jimmy of people lost on 9/11.

McKenzie’s assistant, Tyler, blocks Jimmy until he threatens to involve the Page Six gossip column. Tyler reluctantly allows him in. McKenzie, a short, fit man with a buzzed gray head and wire-rimmed glasses, greets Jimmy with a fist bump. He immediately snaps about the name Anthony Licata, which got Jimmy in the door.

Jimmy mentions that McKenzie used to be friends with a “scumbag” named Sonny Blum, but McKenzie dismisses that as an urban legend. McKenzie admits he hired Licata after a mutual friend recommended him to handle a “delicate situation.” That situation, McKenzie explains, was his son’s inability to keep his pants on and his failure to understand the word “no.” McKenzie claims it no longer matters whether his son actually raped the girl, because Licata and his associate Joe Champi “realized they were essentially pulling on the same rope” and made the problem go away.

McKenzie reveals that the friend who recommended Licata was Robinson Jacobson. Jimmy asks whether Licata ever said what he thought happened the day Robinson Jacobson Jr. and the young girl died. McKenzie says he never asked and did not want to know. When Jimmy presses for the current location of McKenzie’s son, McKenzie sneers that “the gutter is always a good place to start.”

Key Events

  • Jimmy uses a fake badge to enter One World Trade.
  • Tyler blocks Jimmy; he threatens Page Six to gain access.
  • Thomas McKenzie admits to hiring Anthony Licata to handle a rape allegation involving his son.
  • McKenzie reveals that Rob Jacobson recommended Licata.
  • McKenzie says Licata and Joe Champi worked together on the case.
  • Jimmy asks about Licata’s view of the deaths of Jacobson Jr. and the girl; McKenzie avoids answering.
  • McKenzie refuses to reveal his son’s location, insultingly pointing to the gutter.

Character Development

  • Jimmy Cunniff: Shows persistence and cleverness by using media threats to force a meeting. He demonstrates a willingness to manipulate powerful people.
  • Thomas McKenzie: Portrayed as a rich man who will do anything to protect his reputation and his hedge fund, even hiring a fixer for his son’s sexual misconduct. He is evasive and cynical about his son’s actions.
  • Tyler: McKenzie’s icy assistant, loyal and bureaucratic.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Corruption of Wealth and Power: McKenzie’s position and money allow him to cover up serious crimes.
  • Father-Son Relationships: McKenzie’s dismissive attitude toward his son’s behavior contrasts with his own need to protect his legacy.
  • The Illusion of Control: McKenzie claims he did what he had to do, but the situation remains unresolved.
  • Setting – One World Trade: The view symbolizes how McKenzie has rebuilt his life on the same ground, but the past is still present (memories of 9/11, and the crime).

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the mystery of who was involved in covering up the rape and possibly the deaths of Robinson Jacobson Jr. and the girl. It links Rob Jacobson directly to Anthony Licata and Thomas McKenzie. It also shows Jimmy closing in on the truth through manipulation of powerful figures.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Jimmy threaten to contact Page Six?
    To force Tyler to let him see McKenzie, as the threat of bad publicity is effective against someone like McKenzie.

  2. What does McKenzie admit about his son’s behavior?
    He admits his son couldn’t keep his pants on and didn’t understand the word “no”, implying a pattern of sexual assault.

  3. How does McKenzie describe the resolution of the situation?
    He says it “went away” once Licata and Joe Champi realized they were pulling on the same rope, suggesting a coordinated cover-up.

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