While Justice Sleeps

Back at work, Avery checks the messages on her office phone. She gets the voicemail from Jamie relaying Justice Wynn’s final words:

He said that you have to save us. Then he said, ‘Look to the East for answers. Look to the river. In the square.’ He said it a couple of times, like it was very important. He also mentioned someone named Las Bauer. Said you should remember him.’ The message paused again; then Jamie added, ‘Avery, he said, Forgive me (87).

Avery recognizes some of the message from what she already saw in Justice Wynn’s email: “Ani Is in the River. Dumas Find Ani” (87). Wondering what else Jamie may know, Avery goes to the nurse’s home—only to find her dead. Panicked, she realizes that Justice Wynn’s life may be in danger too and rushes back to Bethesda Naval Hospital.

At Bethesda Naval Hospital, an unnamed man (the book doesn’t hint at who he may be; presumably, it’s someone from Major Vance’s team) has breached hospital security and entered Justice Wynn’s room. He is preparing to kill Justice Wynn when he’s interrupted by Avery’s arrival.

The narrative introduces a new character, FBI Special Agent Robert Lee. Agent Lee interviews Avery about Jamie’s murder in the chief justice’s office. Since Avery discovered the body, she is a suspect. After the interview, the chief justice tells Avery that she’s arranged a security detail for her. Avery realizes that this is problematic, as it means somebody will follow her to her meeting with Jared later. Alone in her office later, Avery gets a phone call from a strange man (the reader will later learn that this is Nigel) who tells her: “You must protect Justice Wynn. Don’t let him die. […] We’re counting on you. I will help. Watch for it” (102). The “help” Nigel is referring to is money, which will be transferred to Avery (without her knowledge) later.

Avery meets Jared at Kramers bookstore (a real-life location in Washington, DC), managing to evade the security detail watching her apartment. Jared reveals that he has the same genetic disorder as his father: Boursin’s syndrome. There’s no cure. Jared explains:

The judge believes there is a gene therapy under development that could cure me. […] There’s a company that figured out which genes are killing my brain, but they need access to a certain technology to continue trials. The potential delivery system is proprietary and in the hands of an overseas company [Advar] (107).

Avery tells Jared what she knows about the GenWorks-Advar merger. However, she doesn’t see how she can help him. She leaves the meeting with a better understanding of Justice Wynn’s personal interest in the merger—it could possibly save Jared from Boursin’s disease—but is still confused as to why Justice Wynn warned her to “save us” and “forgive [him].”

Jared and Avery continue to compare notes, sharing what each knows about the GenWorks-Advar merger. Jared has a background in military intelligence and has done his own research. They discuss the fact that President Stokes barred the merger (citing the moral issue of genetic research as a reason), an unprecedented move: “Critics say that President Stokes expanded the limits of executive power beyond the Constitution. As dangerous as biogenetics may be, so is a president who has authoritarian leanings” (113). Nigel claims the president’s decision was retaliation against India for refusing to sign a trade deal the previous year. Avery and Jared discuss the implications of the merger going through. On one hand, billionaires (like Nigel) will be made overnight; on the other hand, the merger could weaken national security by putting dangerous technology in enemy hands (113). Although India isn’t an enemy of the US, India is friendly with countries who are not US allies. Jared summarizes the conundrum: “Add to the geopolitical mix the kind of technology that can change DNA, put it in the wrong hands, and it could be weaponized—for profit. Or it could save my life” (113).

At home, Avery fills in her roommate, Dr. Ling Yin, about everything that’s happened. Avery talks to Ling about the significance of the Lasker-Bauer chess game that Justice Wynn mentioned, in which the player sacrificed two key pieces—the bishops—to win. Avery tells Ling: “I think Justice Wynn was saying that I’m one of the key pieces in the game, and he’s telling me that I have to find the other one” (123).

The narrative then shifts to a discussion between Nigel and Indira. They have reached the same conclusion as Avery and Jared, realizing that their research could potentially cure Boursin’s—hence Justice Wynn’s interest in it: “Our Achilles’ heel [the Tigris Project] is also a source of hope for Justice Wynn. […] Jared Wynn is thirty-one. He would not yet have begun to manifest symptoms. […] All Justice Wynn would need to know is that we had a potential way to cure his son” (124). They agree on the need to ensure that Avery keeps Justice Wynn alive. Nigel transfers $500,000 to Avery’s bank account as a bribe.

Avery is called into a meeting with Agent Lee and Major Vance in the chief justice’s office. They ask her about her financial situation as well as her relationship with Jared. They tracked her meeting with him at Kramers bookstore. They have new suspicions regarding why Avery was designated Justice Wynn’s power of attorney; Major Vance asks, “Perhaps you can explain why you received a wire transfer into your bank account at four this morning in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars?” (131).

Avery is shocked by the news of the money transfer. Agent Lee asks her if the money was for a hit. Avery replies, “I didn’t kill anyone, and I didn’t accept a bribe” (133). Given the suspicious situation, Major Vance suggests that Avery should relinquish her power of attorney over Justice Wynn to Celeste. Avery refuses. However, Avery must accept a forced leave of absence at work. Upset by the fact that her career is in jeopardy, she goes to visit Noah Fox, the lawyer who drew up the paperwork designating Avery as Justice Wynn’s power of attorney. Avery tells Noah, “I don’t want to be in charge. […] I quit” (138).

Avery tells Noah that she wants to transfer guardianship to Chief Justice Roseborough. Noah tells her this isn’t possible. Justice Wynn arranged it so that if Avery refused to serve as his legal guardian, Celeste would automatically assume the role. Avery reveals that Celeste is likely to take Justice Wynn off life support, which she can’t let happen. She’s stuck remaining the power of attorney, even though it’s complicating her life and threatening her career. Noah also informs Avery that one codicil is missing from Justice Wynn’s will, number 27. Noah tells Avery, “[Justice Wynn] told me that you’d know where it is” (144).