Red Harvest Chapter 2 Summary

The Czar of Poisonville

  • In the morning Herald, the Op reads about Donald's death: at 10:40 last night, Donald had been shot four times and had died instantly. The shooting had taken place on Hurricane Street, and witnesses had seen a man and a woman bending over the dead body.
  • The Op heads to Donald's house when he sees Max Thaler entering the Willssons' doorway. So instead of paying a visit to Mrs. Willsson, the Op calls up Elihu to demand a meeting.
  • Elihu, the so-called "czar of Poisonville," is propped up in bed, and the Op informs him that Donald had hired him to clean up Personville.
  • The Op tells Elihu that he suspects Mrs. Willsson may have been involved in Donald's murder, and surprisingly, Elihu agrees.
  • Then the Op accuses Elihu of purposely using his son to expose Thaler, Yard, and Lew, thus indirectly leading to his murder. Elihu denies this and insists that Mrs. Willsson is behind his son's death.
  • So the Op goes to the office of the Herald and questions Donald's secretary, Lewis.
  • She tells the Op that Donald had gotten into an argument with his father over the newspaper. The Op searches Donald's desk with a check stub for $5000, but no name. Lewis then remembers that Donald had spoken to an unknown woman on the phone before leaving with the check.