Content Warning: The source material contains offensive language to refer to gay men.

Tom Ripley, who has been running an IRS scam, is being followed through New York City by a man whom he believes is with the police. Finally, the man approaches him and introduces himself as Herbert Greenleaf. Herbert has gotten Tom’s name from a mutual acquaintance who told him that Tom knows his son, Dickie. Once Tom realizes that he will not be arrested, he has a drink with Herbert, whose son he knows slightly, though not as well as their friend implied. Herbert says that Dickie is in Italy, ostensibly living as a painter, and he would like his son to come home. He then asks Tom to travel to Italy and try to convince Dickie to return to New York, offering to pay Tom’s expenses. After some initial resistance, Tom agrees.

Tom returns home after his drink with Herbert. He decides not to tell anyone, not even his friend and roommate Bob Delancey, about his trip to Europe. He has been living with Bob mainly because he can receive mail there for his pseudonym; he has been posing as an IRS agent named George McAlpin to collect people’s unpaid taxes.