By the time Andy is released from solitary and the warden agrees to meet with him again, Norton has had Tommy moved to a minimum-security prison with enough privileges to keep him from speaking about what he knows, and Norton implies to Andy that he used his connections to get Blatch released onto a parole program, from which Blatch has since disappeared, making it nearly impossible for Andy to hire a lawyer and pursue a new trial. Andy assumes his actions are based on Norton being afraid Andy would speak about their illegal activities if he got out, but the warden claims that his real motivation is to teach Andy humility. When Andy threatens to cease all his money laundering and other bookkeeping activities, Norton threatens to put him back into solitary for another 30 days, take away all his protections and privileges, and do away with the library. Andy concedes and things resume as they were before Tommy's revelation, though Red notes that Andy's demeanor becomes dark for the next four years.