A Calamity of Souls

Jack and DuBose go to the office of Curtis Gates, the lawyer in charge of the Randolph will and estate. Although he hides much of what he knows, he does tell them that the Randolphs’ money will be split equally between the two Randolph children, Sam and Christine. He also reveals that their house will remain with the estate and will only be inherited by one of the children, after the other passes away. He admits that the arrangement is strange but refuses to divulge why the Randolphs made this decision.

Jack and DuBose talk with Jerome. He tells them about a car that was at the Randolph house a few months prior, driven by what looked to be a doctor. Leslie came from his home as the man left, yelling that he would not give up his home.

After, Jack and DuBose go out to eat. There is a press conference on the television that reveals the State of Virginia lifted the moratorium on the death penalty and signed a bill to reinstate it.

On Monday, the prosecution makes a motion to hold the trial in one week. Jack argues that is not enough time to construct his case. However, Battle surprises him by turning over all of the evidence that they have—beyond just what is required by the Brady rule.

Battle reveals that they have searched the Washington home and arrested Pearl for murder as a conspirator in the case. She is currently in jail without bail.

Judge Bliley takes the information and tells them that he will make a ruling the following day. He also instructs Jack to get started on his investigation, implying that he will be siding with Battle.

As Jack and DuBose leave to check on the Washington family, Christine Hanover, Anne and Leslie’s daughter, stops him. She says she is shocked that Jack took the case but is not upset or hostile. She talks with Jack about Jeff—whom she used to date—and implies that she is not upset with his decision to leave for Canada. She tells Jack that “people are finding out this war is not all we were told it was” (174).

At the women’s jail, located next door to the jail where Jerome is being held, they find Pearl in her cell, sobbing and hyperventilating. She tells them that the police came to her home on suspicion that she took Jerome clean clothes and removed the murder weapon from the Randolph house. She also reveals that they found $50 in an envelope hidden out back but insists she doesn’t know where it came from.

DuBose comments that the prosecution has filled two holes in their case: motive, because of the money, and the lack of blood on Jerome. She asks Pearl what she was doing on the Friday of the murder since she was not at work. Pearl refuses to answer.

DuBose and Jack visit Jerome and reveal what happened to Pearl. He is distraught at the news. He reveals that the money was his—a gift from Mrs. Randolph that he was going to use to surprise Pearl with a birthday gift—but he has no way of proving this is true. They ask where Pearl was on Friday, revealing that she was not at work. Jerome is surprised by the information.

Jerome insists that they do something to get Pearl out of jail. Jack suggests offering a plea deal, where Jerome admits his guilt in exchange for the charges against Pearl being dropped. Jerome eagerly agrees.

Jack and DuBose review the case in Jack’s office. The prosecution has testimonies from Gates and Dobbs that attest to Randolph being on the verge of firing Jerome for how “belligerent” he had been acting lately, and from Sam that his father was leaving something to Jerome in his will. However, despite the evidence, DuBose insists that it is all too “neat” and that there are contradictions in the evidence.

The conversation is interrupted by Donny Peppers, a private investigator that Jack is looking to hire to look into the case. DuBose initially does not like him, especially when he refers to the civil rights movement as “black-white stuff” (186). Just as she is about to ask where he stands, his wife, Shirley comes in. Shirley is a Black woman.

After they tell Donny about the case and he agrees to investigate, DuBose questions Jack about how Freeman County feels about Donny and Shirley’s marriage. Jack admits that they don’t like it but are too scared to say anything given the intimidating size of Donny’s build and Shirley’s attitude.

The next day in court, Judge Bliley has been replaced by Josiah Ambrose, largely because of the media attention the case has gained at the national level. Neither Jack nor DuBose know anything about him. However, they are both surprised when Ambrose agrees to give them an extra week, setting the trial date for two weeks later.

As Jack and DuBose leave, they notice how much media presence has grown around the case. Although Jack declines to speak to them, DuBose does an interview with a woman from CBS.

Pickett interrupts the interview, insisting that both sides should be told. The news reporter allows him to speak, and he preaches the importance of the working class and everything Wallace will do for them if elected president. DuBose interrupts his interview and the two bicker, and Pickett admits that segregation should be reinstated.

Jack and DuBose go to see Battle in his office. They tell him that Jerome will plead guilty if the charges are dropped against Pearl. However, Battle declines, convinced that he will win in court and claiming that the people want justice.

Jack and DuBose tell Jerome and Pearl about the response to his plea deal. Jerome is inconsolable, and they leave him sobbing in his cell; Pearl is defiant, claiming this is a good thing because Jerome did nothing wrong.

Jack and DuBose go to see Herman Till, the medical examiner. He shows them the bodies of the Randolphs and explains how they were killed. Both were stabbed with a long blade or sharp object across the body and then fatally in the neck.

Till explains that Jerome’s footprints were found at the scene but only from the dirt on his shoes, not in the actual blood, which was dry. He also informs them that Anne had several old injuries like a broken wrist and shoulder.

Jack and DuBose interview Cora Robinson, the Randolphs’ housemaid. She was employed each day during the week from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. She says that she saw Jerome occasionally, but that he was always outside while she was usually in. She admits that she remembers seeing the man in the nice car a few weeks back and agrees that Leslie was very angry when the man left. She also confirms Jerome’s story that a package came for them that day and that it was small and very light.

Jack asks Cora about what she told the police—that Jerome came inside their house before when they were not there, even though he is not supposed to. Cora apologizes for telling the police that but she was afraid of going to jail. She tells them that one time Jerome needed to use the bathroom, so she let him in to do so even though she was not supposed to.

Jack and DuBose go the home of Tyler Dobbs, the Randolphs’ gardener. He greets them with a shotgun and tells them to leave. When Jack informs him that it is illegal not to talk to them and that his testimony could be thrown out and ruin the prosecution’s case, he agrees to talk but does not lower the gun.

DuBose asks what Dobbs meant when he said that Jerome was “belligerent,” and he says that he used the word “uppity.” When DuBose asks why they didn’t fire him, Dobbs insists that the Randolphs were scared of him. He tells them that he heard Jerome saying that he needed money a few weeks ago.

As they are talking, a dog barks and runs toward them. Dobbs violently kicks it, then turns to shoot it. DuBose intervenes, and an angry Dobbs tells her that she can take the dog for $10. She pays, and Jack carries the dog back to his car.

DuBose tells Jack that the dog reminds her of one from her childhood. She names her Queenie and they take her to a vet, who informs them that she is malnourished but in good health. Jack offers to let Queenie stay with him.

During dinner at Jack’s apartment, DuBose asks Jack why he wanted to become a lawyer. He admits that he wanted to be a mechanic and an astronaut, but ultimately, he wanted to help people. He admits that he is ashamed that he has done so little with his career until now.

When Jack asks DuBose the same question, she tells him that she was originally in school to be a teacher. A relative of hers was then killed in Louisiana by the sheriff for getting on a bus to go North in the late 1940s. At the funeral, the sheriff showed up and brazenly pointed to his gun in front of DuBose, laughing as he did so. DuBose’s goal in becoming a lawyer is to “make sure his kind could never wear a badge or carry a gun” (216).

Back at DuBose’s hotel, DuBose runs into Judge Ambrose in the lobby. As the two begin talking, Pickett walks up. The three get into the elevator, leading to awkwardness. Pickett begins to make a comment about how disappointing it is that the hotel now lets Black people in. Ambrose interjects and stops him, causing Pickett to remain quiet for the rest of the ride—and confusing DuBose.

That night, DuBose lies in her bed and thinks about her history. She pulls out a photo of her and her husband, who was murdered, and thinks of how no one was ever arrested for it. She mentally checks off the list of things she was taught—like never to speak to a white person first, to never use anything labeled as “White Only,” to never retaliate when she is made fun of by a white person, and more.

A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. She looks to the keyhole and quickly pulls away just as a bullet comes through it, lodging in the wall behind her. She frantically crawls away and calls Jack, who comes over after calling the police.

A policeman takes her statement but tells her no one in the hotel saw or heard anything. He justifies the shooter’s actions by saying that people are “on edge” because of all the rioting after King’s death.

Despite DuBose’s protests, Jack insists that she come stay with him for her own safety.

At breakfast the next morning, DuBose recounts her conversation with Ambrose and Pickett. She reveals that she told Pickett what floor she was on, but insists that anyone could have gotten that information.

The two see Sam Randolph. His house is in disrepair, and the inside is littered with pill bottles. Sam tells them what he told the prosecution: that his father told him that Jerome was going to be in his will. Jack asks if Jerome knew this, and Sam insists that he must have, as Leslie would tell Jerome to make him work harder.

When DuBose and Jack go to the Randolph house, they are surprised to find Christine there. They ask her a few questions about her family, including whether she knows the terms of her father’s will. When she admits that she doesn’t, Jack reveals that it is a “tontine-like” agreement where only she or Sam will get the property after the other dies. To his surprise, she reveals that her parents had been out of money for years and were being supported by Christine.

Jack and DuBose search the Randolph house. In Leslie’s study, they find the empty package that had been delivered the day of Mr. and Mrs. Randolph’s death. It comes from an attorney, Craig Baker, and is addressed to Anne.

After searching the rest of the house, they go to the country club to talk with Christine’s husband, Gordon Hanover. He agrees to speak with them and is nice, saying that he could never imagine Jerome or his wife killing anyone. However, he admits that he told the police information that he learned from Leslie: Leslie was going to fire Jerome because some of his tools as well as petty cash were missing.

Back at Jack’s home, he and DuBose work separately for the rest of the day. Around 11:00 that night, DuBose asks about jury selection. Jack tells her that every jury pool he has seen is all white and mostly men, as Black people are either excluded for one reason or another or not selected. Their conversation is interrupted by rain.

Jack goes to the window and is excited by how far the temperature has dropped. He goes out into the rain and convinces DuBose to join him. As he watches DuBose, he thinks of how “unguarded” she looked, and how she really is a “lovely young woman” (245). DuBose catches Jack watching him and returns inside, then goes up to bed.

In her room, DuBose reflects how she knew what Jack was thinking about her. She convinces herself that she cannot become involved with a lawyer she is working with—especially a white one.

The next morning, Jack gets a phone call from Christine. She invites Jack and DuBose over to her home for the reading of her parents’ will.

Christine, Sam, Jack, DuBose, and Battle are at Christine’s, where Gates informs them that there is only $4,000 in cash and goods to be split between Sam and Christine, then informs them of the tontine clause. Angry, Sam demands to know why the will was done this way. Although Gates initially claims he does not know, he relents and says that he suggested this type of will, as the Randolphs only wanted one of their children to inherit the home. He does not say which child, but Sam deduces it was Christine and angrily leaves.

Jack sneaks out to follow Sam, who walks down the road. Sam stops to vomit into the grass, then leaves to get on a bus. When Jack checks, there is blood in his vomit.

Jack and DuBose discuss Sam. DuBose points out that no one knew about the tontine clause in Randolph’s will, which means that Sam could still have had motive to kill his parents, thinking he would inherit the money. He also did not know that his parents actually had very little money.

The two go to see Jerome and Pearl. Jerome is much better than the last time they saw him. They ask him if he was ever told he was going to be in Randolph’s will, but he insists that he didn’t.

Pearl still refuses to tell them where she was on the Friday the Randolphs died. However, as they go to leave, Jack mentions how sick Pearl looked the first time he saw her—and that she is looking much better now.

On a whim, DuBose goes back to talk with Pearl alone and asks if she was ever pregnant. Pearl, sobbing, reveals that she had gone to get an abortion that day. Although it is illegal in the state of Virginia, there is a woman near the hospital who does them, but Pearl does not know her name.

DuBose asks Pearl who got her pregnant and learns that it was Pearl’s boss at the store she works. The man is Black, yet Pearl still could not get the police to take her seriously when she tried to report him for rape.

When Jack and DuBose look for the woman who performed the abortion, but she is gone. A man nearby tells them that he sits outside every day and has seen everyone coming and going from there. He points them to Angela Burton, the landowner.

Angela tells them that the woman’s name is Janice Evans. After some pressure from Jack, she gives them her phone number and address.

Jack again tries to call Craig Baker. He answers, but refuses to give Jack any information.

As Jack and DuBose discuss the case, their conversation is interrupted by Jack’s father calling. He tells Jack to get to the hospital as fast as he can; someone hurt Lucy.

At the hospital, Jack learns that Lucy was hit over the head while she was outside. Her situation is critical, but the doctor is hopeful that, with surgery, she will recover.

Frank shows Jack a headline from their case in the paper, which names Jack and DuBose as Jerome’s lawyers. He tells them that the same headline ran in papers across the country and implies that the attention caused someone to go after Jack’s family.

Distraught, Jack leaves the hospital room. DuBose apologizes and tells him that he can still get off the case. Hilly interrupts their conversation. She says that she did not approve of Jack defending Jerome or working with DuBose, but that the men after their family are just bullies. She tells Jack to do what she taught him to do with bullies a long time ago and hit back.