Chapter 6 Summary

Oedipa returns to Echo Courts to find the four Paranoids in shock. Serge sings a song recounting how men like Humbert Humbert seduce younger women, and recounts that Metzger ran off with his girlfriend. Serge has found a new girlfriend, an eight-year-old swinger. Metzger left Oedipa a note saying he transferred his executorship to a different law firm. Oedipa calls Driblette, and is answered cryptically by his mother, who says a statement will be issued tomorrow. Her call to Professor Bortz is more successful, and Bortz' wife, Grace, invites Oedipa over.

On the way Oedipa sees that Zapf's Used Books has burned down. She questions the owner of the government surplus store next door, Winthrop Tremaine, or Winner, who says Zapf set fire to the store for the insurance. Winner says that there is a large demand for rifles and swastika armbands, the...