The Boys from Biloxi

Keith marries his college sweetheart, Ainsley, and the entire Rudy family celebrates. The narrative then shifts to Haley, Jesse’s former mole at Lance’s clubs, who fled to Chicago, worried that Lance would have him killed after he testified against him. Haley is arrested for drunk driving. Haley is hoping for Jesse’s help getting a lenient sentence, which had been part of the deal for testifying against Lance, but Jesse declines, telling him: “You chose to run drugs. Now you pay the price” (292). Meanwhile, Hugh is taking over his father’s businesses but finding it difficult now that the FBI is lurking around Biloxi.

The man who was paid to kill Dusty Cromwell, Bayard Wolf, becomes terminally ill in February 1976. Facing the end of his life, he confesses to the murders he committed as a hitman, including that of Cromwell. Jesse has been hoping to solve the Cromwell murder for years; this is a huge breakthrough. Nevin is tipped off by a stranger:

He told Noll that Bayard Wolf had told the cops everything before he died. They knew Malco ordered the contract and Noll handed over $20,000 to Wolf. They knew the Rifleman pulled the trigger. The Biloxi DA was investigating the Cromwell killing (302).

The narrative shifts to the perspective of a hitman—a bomb maker, Henry Taylor, who goes by “Lyle” (303). Lyle delivers a package, a bomb, to Jesse’s office. Jesse takes the package into his office; it explodes, injuring numerous people in the courthouse—and killing Jesse instantly. Keith asks that Fats and his men be kept away from the crime scene, worried that they’ll be involved in the cover-up. The Biloxi Chief of Police assures him that Fats and his men aren’t involved; the FBI are on the scene investigating.

FBI Agent Jackson Lewis leads the investigation into Jesse’s death. Meanwhile, Keith and his siblings stay with Agnes (their mother and Jesse’s widow). Keith’s childhood friend Joey, one of the three boys he used to hang out with in school, comes by the house to show his respects: “Seeing a childhood buddy brought out a lot of emotions, and Keith had his first long cry of the day” (313). Keith goes to the hospital to visit Egan, the assistant DA, who was injured in the blast. Henry Taylor (“Lyle”), who was injured in the blast as well (because he didn’t manage to get far enough from the scene before Jesse opened the package bomb), is receiving treatment in the same hospital: “As [Keith] and [his childhood friend] Joey left [Egan’s] room and headed for the elevators, they passed Room 301, semi-private. Lying in the first bed, with his leg in the air, was the man who killed Jesse Rudy” (314).

The FBI continues their investigation into Jesse’s murder. Agent Lewis is suspicious of Henry Taylor (“Lyle”), who is still in the hospital and unidentified: “The man with the broken leg had not been identified, and Lewis’s suspicion was growing by the hour” (316). He sets a trap for the man: The FBI will wait for him to be released from the hospital and will then follow him, hoping that he’ll lead them to the person who paid him to kill Jesse. Meanwhile, Hugh and Nevin go out for a celebratory dinner: “For Hugh, the occasion was bittersweet. He was delighted Jesse Rudy was gone, but so was his father. Lance should be dining with them and savoring the moment” (316).

Jesse’s murder is reported by the media, with headlines like “JESSE RUDY KILLED IN COURTHOUSE EXPLOSION,” “MOB STRIKES BACK—PROSECUTOR DEAD,” and “CRUSADING DA KILLED IN BILOXI” (320). The Rudy family remains in mourning. Meanwhile, Agent Lewis continues to lay the groundwork for his plan: Wait for Henry Taylor (“Lyle”) to leave the hospital and follow him.

Henry Taylor (“Lyle”) is released from the hospital. Unaware that the FBI is following him, he’s gleefully convinced that he’s gotten away with Jesse’s murder and thinks to himself, “What a bunch of morons down there [in Biloxi]” (330). Keith talks to Judge Oliphant about Jesse’s murder. Both are convinced that Hugh and Nevin are behind the hit, but the Judge warns Keith that proving it will likely be impossible, telling him, “Contract killings are virtually impossible because the guilty party touches nothing” (332). The chapter concludes with Jesse’s funeral.