“At that moment, though, Lacy was bored, and she did not wish to waste the emotional energy necessary to properly chastise the kid and set her straight. Routines and protocols were crumbling. Office discipline was waning as BJC spiraled into a leaderless mess.”

The author introduces the story with the information that Lacy is feeling bored and dissatisfied with her job. This quote also foreshadows Lacy’s promotion to interim head of the department. She is aware of the problems in the department and how they might be fixed. She also has a responsibility as the senior staff member to lead and guide the younger staff.

“However, she was intrigued by the idea of murder. Part of her daily grind around BJC was suffering through the mundane and frivolous gripes of unhappy people with small problems and little to lose. A murder by a sitting judge seemed too sensational to believe.”

A passive character in Lacy’s situation would not find the idea of solving a murder intriguing. Lacy is stuck in a rut, but she is more constrained by external circumstances than by lack of ambition or initiative. With a stimulating goal in front of her, Lacy reacts by climbing out of a rut and throwing herself into pursuit of the killer.

“It’s not wise to argue with any professor who’s taught the same material for years, but [Bannick] was arrogant and sure of himself. The knockout punch was a one-liner that destroyed the student’s position and brought down the house. He was humiliated and he totally lost it. He cursed, flung a notebook, snatched his backpack and stomped out of the classroom, the door almost shattering behind him.”

At this point, the young Ross Bannick has not yet committed any of his murders. But his antisocial personality is evident in his arrogance and his violent and uncontrolled reaction to losing a debate. Later, Bannick stalks the professor with rambling notes and ultimately winds up in a psychiatric facility—for which he blames Professor Burke.