The Incorruptible Man: Overall Outline

1. Introduction – The Quiet Life

Protagonist (former con artist)
- - Name: Tracy
  - Background: Ran away from home at sixteen and was taken in by a con artist named Cherry who tricked her out and taught her various cons.
  - Motivation: When the story starts, Tracy is leaving a relationship with a married man. She targets TIM because she's intrigued by the asterisk next to his name and he lived in the middle over nowhere -- a great place to disappear. She is just looking for a couple of thousand dollars to buy her a vacation in Bermuda.
Establish the “normal” world

Introduction of the Love Interest
- Fred is middle-aged, with thinning hair and a beer belly.
- He meets Tracy at his local bar.
Conflict in Attraction
- Tracy is not attracted to Fred, but she thinks he's nice, she wants to figure out what his deal is, and she needs a place to sleep, so she goes home with him.
- Fred is attracted to Tracy; she's smart, pretty, and quick-witted, but he doesn't expect anything to come out of their initial interaction, recognizing her as too young and pretty for him.
- Early chemistry and small moments of honesty that unsettle the protagonist.

Growing Relationship
- Fred is incredibly generous with his material goods. He usually has people staying with him, but Tracy kicks them all out.
- Tracy gets a job at Fred's used car lot.
- She finds out where Fred's vault is, but it turns out that everyone knows the combo. It's "1,2,34".
Echoes of the Old Life
- Tracy's colleagues start coming in to purchase used cars from Fred.
- They all subtly warn Tracy off of bilking Fred for more than $5,000.

Exposure Risk
- Tracey finds a pink cherry blossom on her porch, a calling card of her old madam and current nemesis.
- Cherry comes in to purchase a car from Fred, and Tracy takes her out for a test drive.
- Tracy tells Cherry to leave her and Fred alone, but Cherry still feels like Tracy owes her.
Moral Pressure
- Tracy tells Fred about Cherry and warns him to be careful.
- She plans to leave, but Fred offers to go with her. He says he has a million dollars they can start over with. He has no emotional ties to the car lot or anything in that town.

The Secret Revealed
- Cherry kidnaps Fred and holds him hostage in exchange for Tracy.
- She tries to undermine Fred's trust in Tracy by sharing some of Tracy's old secrets, but this just makes Fred hate Cherry even more.

Moment of Choice
- Tracy comes to rescue Fred. She knows Cherry's true identity and her Achilles' heel.
Emotional Confrontation
- Reunited, Tracy and Fred go home together.

Consequences
- Fred has bought Tracy a puppy, and they stick around town for a bit longer.
Final Image

Tracy finds a white cherry blossom on her porch. Cherry needs help, but she's asking this time.

The Incorruptible Man