The 6:20 Man

Devine reflects on his rare interaction with Cowl, recalling the time when Cowl welcomed his group of new employees. Cowl’s extravagant spending on custom suits, costing $20,000 each, was well-known. Cowl discussed his humble beginnings with the group, noting his family’s fluctuating fortunes before his college education and subsequent business venture with Anne Comely. Even then, Devine was aware of the hierarchical dynamics within the company, recognizing that only a few from his group would advance, while he and many others would remain stagnant. Following Cowl to their office building, Devine observes Cowl’s exclusive parking spot and private elevator access, taking note as the elevator stops on the 51st floor, not the penthouse as expected.

Devine investigates the supply closet where Ewes died. While examining the scene, he overhears the telltale sounds of an intimate encounter and proceeds to capture photographs of Cowl and an employee, Jennifer Stamos, in a compromising situation. Cowl’s casual treatment of Stamos and his competitive ranking of employees is evident. After Cowl departs, Devine discreetly exits using a different elevator and trails Stamos as she hails an Uber.

Devine follows Stamos into a bar, where a man named Christian Chilton, later nicknamed “WASP” by Devine, attempts to engage with Stamos. Pretending to have a planned meeting with Stamos, Devine intervenes, leading to Chilton’s departure. Their conversation touches on Ewes’s suicide and Cowl’s mentorship, but Stamos denies any knowledge. Chilton’s return and inquiry if Devine is troubling Stamos lead to a tense moment, with Devine opting to leave peacefully. However, Chilton and his friends follow him out.

Confronted by Chilton and his companions in an alley, Devine advises them to leave him alone. A swift and violent altercation ensues, leaving two of Devine’s assailants incapacitated. Stamos alerts Devine to a third attacker, whom Devine neutralizes with a trash can lid. Devine exits, advising Stamos to call an ambulance and not to reveal his identity to the authorities who will soon arrive at the scene of the fight.

Devine tends to his injuries and reflects on his past experiences and the challenges faced by his colleague Speers, who endures added difficulties due to her race and gender. He contemplates the harsh realities for women in the military, a perspective shaped by a woman who saved his life. Despite it being a weekend, Devine decides to head to the office, where Montgomery is notably absent from his usual swimming routine.

Devine’s injuries from the previous night’s altercation go unnoticed at work, leading him to wonder whether Stamos identified him to the authorities. He observes the office dynamics, particularly the underutilized dining facilities reserved for employees. With his task to uncover illegal activities at Cowl and Comely, Devine is uneasy with the attention he draws in the dining room, including from Cowl. Devine is uncertain of the meaning behind Cowl’s gaze, and he realizes he made an error in addressing Stamos inappropriately as “sweet cheeks” (a phrase he overheard Cowl using with her during their liaison in the supply closet) the previous night.

Stamos approaches Devine, informing him that she called an ambulance for the injured men but did not disclose his identity. Their conversation turns to Ewes’s suicide, with Devine expressing his desire to understand the reasons behind it. Stamos then invites him for a meal.

Stamos selects a restaurant with a view of the Statue of Liberty. Their discussion briefly touches on family matters before shifting to Ewes, who had visited Stamos shortly before her death to discuss the play Waiting for Godot by Thomas Beckett. Stamos says that she sensed Ewes’s fear but remains unclear about its cause. She confronts Devine about his presence in the office the night before, leading Devine to explain and apologize for his derogatory remark toward her.