Chapter 5-6 Summary

At a reception in Springfield, Spenser meets two college students who have been accosted by two thugs while campaigning for Alexander at a shopping mall. The thugs told the college students that they just wanted to send Alexander a message. Spenser returns to the mall with the youths, and soon the thugs return. Spenser sizes them up and identifies them as cheap muscle, then quickly dispenses of them with very little effort on his part.

Spenser and Meade Alexander sit in a restaurant. Spenser informs Alexander that the thugs who threatened the college students have been taken care of, and Alexander thanks him for his work. Then, Alexander confesses that he is in trouble. His wife has had an affair and someone has made a videotape of one of her encounters. He is being blackmailed with that tape. Alexander is overcome...