Chapter 22 Summary: Lawyer Games and a Vietnamese Victory Lap

⚠️ 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

Eleanor "Netty" Barnett visits Wally Thackerman, her lawyer, while Simon Lytle watches from across the street. Wally questions her about Clyde Korsak’s unexpected knowledge of his services, but Eleanor deflects. The will Wally prepared includes a $485,000 gift to himself, disguised as legal fees. Eleanor knows Simon has already probated a new, secret will. After a brief, guarded meeting, Eleanor declines lunch with Wally and joins Simon at a Vietnamese restaurant, Tan Lu’s. Over pho and ginger cookies, Simon updates her on traffic court resolutions and masks his growing anxiety about her unverified assets. The meal feels like a victory lap, but Simon’s doubts linger.

Key Events

Eleanor parks badly and hesitates outside Wally’s office before entering.
Simon watches from a second‑floor window, fearing she might confess.
Wally begins the meeting by pressing Eleanor about Clyde Korsak’s knowledge of him; she claims ignorance.
Eleanor lies that she hasn’t read the will recently when Wally asks; she has reviewed it with Simon the day before.
Simon had pointed out the clause Wally added gifting himself $485,000 in cash.
Eleanor declines Wally’s lunch invitation, citing a stomach bug.
The meeting lasts under 30 minutes; Eleanor leaves as Simon observes.
Eleanor and Simon dine at Tan Lu’s, a Vietnamese restaurant she calls her favorite.
Simon updates her on traffic court: all charges dropped except one speeding ticket, fine about $40.
Simon struggles with anxiety, suspecting Eleanor may be hiding her true financial picture.
They eat pho, spring rolls, and ginger cookies; the bill is nearly $80.

Character Development

Eleanor / Netty: She successfully deceives Wally, sticking to the script Simon provided. Her earlier weakness for confession is countered here by relief and a desire to celebrate. She shows a childlike enjoyment of the restaurant outing, yet her refusal to show bank records remains a red flag.
Simon Lytle: He is consumed by doubt. Despite orchestrating the replacement of Wally’s will, he cannot shake the fear that Eleanor is playing him. His anxiety peeks during the meal, revealing a deep insecurity beneath his confidence.
Wally Thackerman: Greedy and manipulative, he tried to steal from Eleanor and now suspects something is wrong. His “conference call with a federal judge” and the forced friendliness are thin masks.
Fran: The secretary is complicit in the fraudulent will, having been promised a $50,000 bonus. She listens in on the meeting to assess Eleanor’s mental state.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Greed and Exploitation: Both Wally and Simon are vying to control Eleanor’s wealth. Wally’s clumsy fraud and Simon’s calculated replacement highlight how the vulnerable elderly are often preyed upon by trusted advisors.
Appearances vs. Reality: The meeting appears cordial, but both sides are acting. Eleanor pretends to accept the old will; Wally pretends to be her trusted attorney. The Vietnamese restaurant—a “victory lap”—fails to mask Simon’s inner turmoil.
The Fragility of Deception: Simon’s obsession with Eleanor’s assets reveals that his entire scheme rests on unverified claims. The chapter foreshadows that either Eleanor is lying or Simon is being duped, making the con brittle.
Food as Cover: The extended description of the pho meal serves as a buffer for Simon’s anxiety and a way for Eleanor to avoid substantive conversation. It also underscores their pretend normalcy.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 22 is a hinge point in the novel’s second half. It confirms that Eleanor is actively deceiving Wally (and therefore the established legal system) with Simon’s help. Simultaneously, it deepens the reader’s uncertainty about Simon’s reliability—he may be the victim of a more elaborate con. The chapter also raises the stakes by showing Wally’s vulnerability: he knows something is wrong but doesn’t yet know the new will exists. The motif of watching from across the street (Simon’s surveillance) and the repeated use of lunch as a setting reinforce the idea that everyone is being watched, and no one is fully in control.

Study Questions & Answers

1. Why does Simon obsess over Eleanor’s refusal to show bank statements even after they’ve replaced the will?
Simon’s anxiety stems from the fact that he has committed to a risky scheme without fully verifying her wealth. If Eleanor is lying about her assets, Simon faces legal ruin. His obsessive doubt reveals that the con is built on faith, not evidence.

2. What does Wally’s line of questioning about Clyde Korsak reveal about his state of mind?
Wally is paranoid and suspicious. He knows Korsak had no way of knowing he was Eleanor’s lawyer unless she told him. By pressing the issue, Wally shows he is afraid that Eleanor is conspiring against him, which she indeed is. His insistence also suggests he fears losing control of her estate.

3. In what way does the restaurant scene at Tan Lu’s serve as both a celebration and a mask?
Eleanor treats the meal as a victory lap after outmaneuvering Wally. But Simon’s internal worry turns the celebration hollow. The food, the chat about card games, and the traffic court update all create a façade of normalcy while the underlying deceit and uncertainty remain unresolved.