Summary

In the section “Two: Joy,” Atticus Pünd learned that he had an inoperable brain tumor. He was given two to three months to live. Half Greek and half Jew, he had been lucky to survive the concentration camp to which he had been sent. Many of his family members had not been as fortunate. By the time he arrived home, Pünd was at peace with his disease. He was greeted by his assistant, James Fraser, who reminded him he had a client, Joy Sanderling, coming. Pünd told Fraser he could not see Joy.

When Joy arrived, Pünd could hear her begging Fraser to work something out with Pünd. He wanted to work on his book The Landscape of Criminal Investigation but could not help but be pulled in by her voice. He went into the room where she...