Summary

When Margot talked to David Birkmann, he realized that she has incriminating evidence against him that she does not know she has. If, however, she says whatever it is to Virgil, it will be enough for Virgil to begin to investigate David. Now, in Chapter 17, David is thinking about this and comes to the conclusion that Margot has to die. He decides to kill her. He does this by shooting her at her house when she answers the door while playing scrabble with friends. After shooting her, Birkmann, leaves, wondering whether he has killed Margot, but when the police do not come after him, he concludes that she is either dead, or so injured that she cannot talk.

At the beginning of Chapter 18, Virgil is with Carolyn Weaver at the clinic and filling out arrest forms. Griffin serves her papers, but thinks that...