Chapter summaries The First Gentleman James Patterson & Bill Clinton

Chapter 40 (CHAPTER 35) 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.

Complete Summary

In the visiting room at a federal prison, Garrett Wilson sits across from DeMarco, a convicted criminal. The chapter opens with Garrett wondering what kind of game DeMarco is playing. DeMarco claims he knows who killed Suzanne Bonanno and where her body is buried. When Garrett asks why he should believe him, DeMarco responds with the titles of Garrett’s own books: Integrity Gone and Stolen Honor.

DeMarco explains that he reads a lot in prison—nonfiction mostly—and recognized Garrett’s name on the visitor request. He proposes a deal: Garrett can help him get out of prison by working with DeMarco’s private investigator in Boston. That PI is gathering evidence to get some of DeMarco’s convictions overturned. If Garrett helps, DeMarco will give him the information he needs to finish his next book—presumably about the Bonanno case.

Garrett immediately refuses, saying he already has a collaborator, but DeMarco insists he can provide another source. When pressed, DeMarco reveals the name of his PI: Seymour Washington. The name hits Garrett hard. From his days at the Globe covering Boston crime, Garrett knows every PI in the area—and Seymour Washington is the last name he wanted to hear.

Key Events

  • Garrett visits DeMarco in prison, and DeMarco claims to know who killed Suzanne Bonanno and where her body is buried.
  • DeMarco demonstrates familiarity with Garrett’s books, specifically Integrity Gone and Stolen Honor.
  • DeMarco proposes a quid pro quo: Garrett helps him get released from prison, and in exchange DeMarco will supply information for Garrett’s new book.
  • Garrett initially declines, citing an existing collaborator.
  • DeMarco reveals his Boston PI is Seymour Washington, a name Garrett knows well and wishes he did not.

Character Development

  • Garrett Wilson: This chapter shows Garrett’s investigative instincts at work—he is wary of DeMarco’s offer but cannot afford to dismiss it. His visceral reaction to the name Seymour Washington suggests a personal or professional history that complicates his position.
  • DeMarco: He is calculating and manipulative, using Garrett’s own work to establish credibility. His willingness to trade information for freedom shows he is desperate but still capable of cold negotiation.
  • Seymour Washington (mentioned): Though not physically present, his name creates a turning point. Garrett’s negative reaction implies Washington is either corrupt, dangerous, or entangled in the Bonanno case in a way that threatens Garrett.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Knowledge as currency: DeMarco uses Garrett’s own books to prove he has done his homework. The titles Integrity Gone and Stolen Honor hint at themes of lost morality and tainted reputations—likely central to the Bonanno investigation.
  • The prison deal motif: The negotiation between a journalist and a prisoner for exclusive information is a classic crime-fiction trope, here twisted by the involvement of a third-party PI.
  • Boston as a closed world: Garrett’s familiarity with every PI in the city reinforces the theme of a tightly connected underworld where everyone knows everyone’s secrets.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 40 delivers a major plot pivot. DeMarco’s claim to know the killer and the body’s location gives Garrett (and the reader) a potential breakthrough in the Bonanno murder case. The introduction of Seymour Washington raises the stakes: if Washington is already working for DeMarco, then someone on the outside is actively trying to free him—possibly to silence him or to use his knowledge. This chapter also deepens the moral ambiguity of Garrett’s investigation: he must decide whether to align himself with a convicted criminal to uncover the truth.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. What does DeMarco say to prove he knows about Garrett’s background?
    He recites the titles of Garrett’s books Integrity Gone and Stolen Honor, indicating he researched Garrett before their meeting.

  2. Why does Garrett react so strongly to the name Seymour Washington?
    Garrett’s years covering crime in Boston made him familiar with every PI in the area. The negative reaction implies Washington has a reputation that complicates or endangers Garrett’s investigation.

  3. What is DeMarco’s proposed deal, and what does it reveal about his situation?
    DeMarco wants Garrett to work with his PI to get some convictions overturned, which could lead to his release. In return, DeMarco will provide information for Garrett’s book. This reveals that DeMarco believes he can be freed and views Garrett as a useful tool to achieve that.

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