[close] Chasing the wind must be the ultimate futility. Jerry Plutus knows. Chasing it, he caught only vapors. Jerry leaves Billingham for Chicago, broke and broken. He amasses an underworld fortune to discharge EsTaPeR vengeance upon eighteen school persecutors. To escape Chicago, he must first “die.” He murders for a body, and fakes a grandiose suicide, inadvertently injuring Christine Wright. Christine builds houses to live, but lives to preach. God moves her to Billingham, to build churches. Jerry's first victim is his pastor. Jerry becomes head deacon of that church, seeking candidates for the vacancy. God maneuvers magnetic Christine squarely into Jerry's path, and she's hired. Christine's inspiring, shattering sermons flock people to the church, while Jerry uses his eminence to cover his secret retributions. Jerry can't withstand her convicting words. He sacks Christine, impossibly arranging for her to become pregnant and have an abortion. As he sinks deeper into debauchery, God has better plans.