Chapter 44: The Private Investigator and the Treasure Map
⚠️ 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
The morning after the car accident, the narrator and Garrett travel to Roxbury, Massachusetts, to meet private investigator Seymour Washington in his second-floor office. During the drive, Garrett makes calls to Liberty Mutual and Enterprise Rent-A-Car to arrange an appraisal of the wrecked vehicle, while the narrator broods over the fates of Suzanne Bonanno and Amber Keenan. Washington, whom the narrator met once while working on a project called Integrity Gone, projects an unsettling aura. His office walls display photographs with national and local politicians, and one older image shows him as a younger activist in a dashiki with a raised fist.
When Washington begins to address Garrett directly about an “understanding” with John DeMarco, the narrator stops him and asks for a dollar. After receiving it, the narrator declares himself Washington’s attorney for the matter, establishing attorney-client privilege. Garrett then asks why Washington is helping DeMarco. Washington gives two reasons: he genuinely believes DeMarco’s assault charge was a miscarriage of justice, and DeMarco once did him a major favor. When asked about the favor, Washington refuses to elaborate.
Garrett explains that DeMarco wanted help with his appeal and offered information in return: the location of a murder victim’s body from seventeen years ago and the identity of the killer. Washington says he has only half the information—the location, given as a good-faith offering. DeMarco will reveal the killer’s name only after seeing progress on his appeal. The narrator questions why DeMarco would not trade the information directly with the district attorney. Washington answers that doing so would label DeMarco a snitch, which carries dangerous consequences. DeMarco prefers “alternative channels.”
Despite the narrator’s misgivings, Garrett confirms they want the information. Washington retrieves a gray envelope from a floor safe, shielded from view, and hands it to Garrett. He goes into a bathroom and runs the faucet for privacy. Garrett opens the envelope with a letter opener and pulls out a single sheet of paper. Looking at it, Garrett exclaims in disbelief. The narrator sees what appears to be a treasure map drawn by a mental patient.
Key Events
- The narrator and Garrett meet Seymour Washington in his Roxbury office.
- The narrator pays Washington a dollar to become his attorney, creating a privileged conversation.
- Washington explains he is helping John DeMarco because he believes DeMarco’s conviction was unjust and because DeMarco once did him a significant favor.
- Garrett reveals that DeMarco offered the location of a 17-year-old murder victim and the killer’s identity in exchange for help with his appeal.
- Washington confirms he possesses only the location; the killer’s name will be provided only if DeMarco’s appeal progresses.
- The narrator questions why DeMarco does not deal directly with prosecutors, and Washington explains that doing so would mark him as a snitch.
- Washington retrieves a sealed envelope from a safe and gives it to Garrett.
- Garrett opens the envelope and finds a bizarre, crude treasure map.
Character Development
- The Narrator (protagonist): Demonstrates sharp legal instincts by establishing attorney-client privilege on the spot. Shows concern for innocent victims (Suzanne Bonanno and Amber Keenan) and wariness about the dangerous path they are taking. Acts as a protector of legal boundaries.
- Garrett: Remains focused on the investigation, managing logistics like the car insurance while also pressing for the information from DeMarco. His reaction to the map—dismay mixed with disbelief—signals that the clue is far from straightforward.
- Seymour Washington: Portrayed as a complex figure—once an activist, now a private investigator in a three-piece suit. He is careful about privilege but willing to bend rules for a personal debt. He claims not to have looked inside the envelope, indicating a code of conduct despite his shady atmosphere.
- John DeMarco (off-page): Remains an enigmatic figure whose motivations are partly revealed: he values reputation over a direct deal with authorities, willing to trade information only through intermediaries.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Attorney-Client Privilege: The narrator’s quick action to take a dollar and declare himself Washington’s attorney highlights the theme of legal protection and confidentiality in dangerous dealings.
- Debt and Loyalty: Washington’s motivation stems from a “big favor” DeMarco once did him, reinforcing the motif of reciprocal obligations that override legal or ethical lines.
- The “Snitch” Code: DeMarco’s refusal to deal directly with the DA because “snitches get stitches” illustrates the criminal underworld’s code of silence, which shapes the characters’ choices.
- The Treasure Map as a Symbol: The final image—a map drawn “by a mental patient”—symbolizes the uncertainty and madness of the investigation. It suggests that the truth will be hard to decipher, requiring unconventional interpretation.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter pivots the narrative from a routine private investigation into a cold-case murder mystery. The sealed envelope and its cryptic map inject a high-stakes puzzle element into the plot. The introduction of Seymour Washington as a morally ambiguous gatekeeper deepens the world of the story, while the revelation that DeMarco is holding back the killer’s name sets up a central conflict: will the protagonists be able to decipher the map and pressure DeMarco for the full truth? The chapter also reinforces the theme that justice is messy, often involving compromises and dangerous alliances.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the narrator ask Seymour Washington for a dollar before discussing DeMarco’s information?
The narrator uses the dollar to formally establish an attorney-client relationship with Washington. This ensures that all subsequent conversations are legally privileged, protecting Washington from having to disclose what they discuss to law enforcement or others.
2. Why does John DeMarco refuse to reveal the killer’s name until he sees progress on his appeal?
DeMarco does not want to be labeled a “snitch” in prison culture, which could endanger his safety. He prefers to use the information as leverage through intermediaries rather than making a direct deal with prosecutors.
3. What is inside the envelope that Washington gives to Garrett, and how is it described?
Inside the gray envelope is a single sheet of paper that contains what looks like a treasure map. The narrator describes it as something drawn “by a mental patient,” indicating it is crude, confusing, and likely difficult to interpret.