Chapter 20: Sixteen – Meeting the Hitman
⚠️ 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
Attorney Howard Shimkus and his young associate Marcie Dietrich are taken by undercover federal marshals from downtown Chicago to a secret, fortress-like facility housing a key government witness: Silas Renfrow, the reputed hitman for mob boss Michael Cagnina. The building is protected by concrete barriers, bulletproof glass, and armed marshals. Renfrow, who has undergone plastic surgery to hide his face, refuses to let anyone—including his lawyers—see his new features. He communicates through a slot in his cell door using a voice-altering microphone. During the meeting, Silas directs his attention to Marcie, questioning her knowledge of his crimes. After dismissing her cautious language, he boasts that the real number of his victims is thirty-two, not the fourteen known to authorities, and claims he felt nothing during each murder. Marcie holds her ground, matching his cold stare.
Key Events
- Marcie and Howard are picked up in a windowless van and transported two hours to a secret facility.
- The facility is described as a fortress with concrete barriers, remote-locking doors, bulletproof glass, and armed marshals.
- They are led past empty cells to Silas Renfrow’s cell, which has a solid metal door with a slot and a peephole at waist level.
- Howard requests a more private setting, but the marshal refuses, saying it is what the client wanted.
- Marcie spots a pair of ocean-blue eyes watching her through the peephole.
- Silas speaks through a voice-altering microphone, making his voice sound robotic.
- He first acknowledges Howard, then turns to Marcie, making a dismissive comment about her being “eye candy.”
- Silas tests Marcie by asking what she knows about him.
- Marcie correctly recites his reputation as Michael Cagnina’s assassin and lists fourteen suspected murders.
- Silas insists she drop all “reputed” qualifiers and reveals he has actually killed thirty-two people.
- He asks Marcie what he felt during those murders; she answers “Nothing” and he seems pleased.
Character Development
- Marcie Dietrich: In this chapter, Marcie is thrust into a high-stakes, intimidating situation. Despite being visibly nervous (she almost jumps when she sees Silas’s eyes), she demonstrates careful preparation by reciting what she knows about him. Her refusal to back down when challenged shows her growing confidence and resilience. She reads Silas’s character through his eyes alone, revealing her perceptiveness.
- Howard Shimkus: An experienced criminal defense attorney, Howard tries to maintain control over the meeting and protect Marcie from Silas’s direct questioning. He is respectful toward the marshals but asserts his professionalism. His twenty-year background in prosecuting and defending criminals lends him authority, yet he is momentarily sidelined by his client’s desire to speak to Marcie.
- Silas Renfrow: Introduced as a cold, calculated assassin. He controls the environment completely—choosing the setting, altering his appearance, and using a voice changer. His casual admission of thirty-two murders and his claim of feeling nothing reveal a lack of empathy. The wink toward Howard and the comment about Marcie being “eye candy” show his condescension, but his focus on her suggests he is assessing her as a potential tool or threat.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Deception and Hidden Identity: Silas’s plastic surgery, the voice-altering microphone, and the windowless van all symbolize layers of concealment. The motif of hidden truth extends to his boast about the true number of murders, which he presents as a revelation only to Marcie.
- Power of the Gaze: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes eyes—Silas’s “ocean blue” eyes behind the peephole, his winking at Howard, and Marcie’s direct stare. Eyes become the only window to a man who hides everything else, and Marcie’s ability to meet his gaze signifies her emerging strength.
- The Legal System and Morality: The fortress-like prison and armed marshals underscore the extreme measures taken to protect a criminal witness. The contrast between legal formalities (Howard’s request for privacy) and Silas’s raw confession exposes the moral ambiguity of defending a murderer.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 20 marks a critical turning point in Marcie’s professional growth. She transitions from being an observer to an active participant in a dangerous case. The information Silas reveals—that his kill count is more than double the official number—raises the stakes for the entire novel. His claim of feeling no remorse introduces a chilling psychological dimension. The chapter also establishes Silas as a formidable antagonist, one who manipulates both the system and the people around him. For readers, this is the first direct encounter with the hitman, and the tension sets up the conflicts to come. Marcie’s ability to hold her own here suggests she will play a pivotal role in the unfolding mystery.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Silas Renfrow insist on meeting his lawyers through a cell door slot with a voice changer?
He has undergone plastic surgery to alter his face and does not want anyone—not even his legal team—to see his new appearance. The voice changer adds another layer of anonymity, ensuring his identity remains hidden even during legal consultations.
2. How does Marcie’s response to Silas’s question (“What did you feel?”) reveal her character?
She answers “Nothing” after a moment of hesitation, correctly reading Silas’s psychopathic nature. Her answer shows she is not naive; she understands that he lacks empathy, and by giving the correct answer, she earns his respect—or at least his interest.
3. What does the setting of the facility tell the reader about the nature of this case?
The heavily armed fortress, windowless transport, and remote location indicate that Silas is a high-value federal witness whose life is in constant danger. The extreme security measures remind the reader that the mob (Michael Cagnina) is powerful enough to threaten even a protected witness.