Jesse meets with Joshua Burch, Lance’s lawyer, to propose a plea deal. He brings the composite sketch of Hugh and tells Joshua that the FBI is looking for Hugh, adding, “I haven’t said a word to the FBI yet. I can keep my mouth shut if I get the deal” (284). Joshua tells Jesse, “This is ruthless” and “It’s blackmail” (284). However, he agrees to take Jesse’s deal—which will involve prison time for Lance—to Lance for consideration, and Lance decides to take the deal. On May 12, Lance pleads guilty to “having control over the use of a place and knowingly allowing another person to use said place for prostitution” (287) and is sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary at Parchman and fined $5,000. The Gulf Coast Register reports the news: “MALCO PLEADS GUILTY—ORDERED TO PRISON” (287).

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.