Walstead, the assistant DA assigned his case to prosecute, talks to him about a deal, which he flat out refuses it. "I've done nothing wrong or illegal and won't say I did just to make your job easier."
He's warned to think about it, because he could go to jail. He goes to the hotel, cleans up, and goes to the client's house, a guy named Northridge, to try and smooth over not showing up, that morning. He only says that something happened and he couldn't make it, but is still willing to o the job.
Turns out Northridge knows he was arrested. It's on the local news. And he uses that to manipulate him into not only making a list of the books, but packing them for shipment. He figures Simon will have to stay in the city for a couple extra days, anyway, to find an attorney and settle other aspects of the arrest.
Northridge also know's Walstead's father, also a lawyer, and warns Simon about how nasty they can be. "They leave me alone and I leave them alone. Best way to handle people like that."
Simon contacts Olivier, the UK dealer he's doing the job for, to say he didn't agree to all of this...but now he's trapped. And this flashes him back to the times Doyle would do the same thing...as did members of his family. Force him to do something he didn't want to do. He thought he was past all that, but his sense of obligation and empathy have roared in, and his self-control is focused on fighting the accusations against him, and he needs all of it.
To be clear, I have never been arrested, for anything. But for years I could be guilt tripped into doing things I didn't want to, and then I'd get resentful for allowing myself to be used. I'd use my love of books to help calm me...like I'm doing with Simon. Retreat into something that can't hurt you.
I can't let myself hold back in this story...but it is digging at me.
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