The Final Gambit

Avery tells Jameson and Grayson about the envelope (the one with the photo of Toby and the hidden message). Jameson suggests, “Either Toby’s captor just wants you scared, in which case, these are vague warnings with no greater design. […] Or it’s all part of the same riddle: one answer, multiple clues” (88). They need to find out who took Toby and why.

Avery has a dream about Toby, who she first met while he was living as an unhoused man named “Harry” in a park in Connecticut. Toby, as “Harry,” used to play chess with Avery before Tobias named Avery in his will. Waking up from her dream, Avery looks outside and sees Grayson and Eve by the swimming pool together. Jameson stumbles across Avery watching Grayson and Eve and recognizes her mixed feelings—and possible jealousy. Jameson asks Avery if she’s sure that Jameson is the one she wants to be with. Avery assures him that she is.

The next morning, Avery has a meeting with Alisa and Oren. Alisa reveals that there’s a smear campaign targeting Avery and the Hawthornes in the media. Additionally, three companies that Tobias Hawthorne owned a significant stake in are having troubles: “CEO turnover, sudden scandal, FDA investigations” (98). Avery theorizes that whoever has Toby is also behind these media campaigns. Alisa drops one last bombshell when she hands Avery a leather bag and tells her, “We were to deliver this to you in the event that you ever met Evelyn Shane” (99). Avery is shocked to learn that Tobias knew about Eve. This makes the fact that he left his fortune to Avery instead of Eve all the more perplexing.

Avery tells her sister, Libby, about the leather bag. Avery and Libby examine the contents together: a handheld steamer, a flashlight, a beach towel, a mesh bag filled with magnetic letters, a circular piece of blue-green glass, and a USB drive. The USB has one file entitled AVERYKLYIEGRAMBS.MP3 (102). But when Avery plays it, it’s just white noise. The only clue Avery can crack is the bag of mesh letters. She realizes that certain letters are missing, and that those missing letters spell out chess notations, mapping out a chess game, specifically one move in particular: “[T]he Queen’s Gambit. Whoever’s playing white puts that second pawn in a position to be sacrificed, which is why it’s considered a gambit” (105). When Libby asks Avery why someone would sacrifice a chess piece, Avery replies, “To take control of the board” (105).

Avery and Libby set off to look for a chessboard in the house, thinking this can help them solve the chess-related clue. Avery’s interrupted by Max, who’s leaving to back to college; she’s taking security, and Xander, with whom she has begun a relationship, is driving her. Avery bids her farewell. Avery runs into Grayson, who tells Avery that Eve is having a hard time, and suggests showing her Toby’s old wing. He does, however, acknowledge that it might be hard for Avery because of her bond with Toby. Avery says she’ll grant his request if Grayson tells her honestly how he is doing, to which he replies: “Everything hurts” (109).

Avery shows Eve Toby’s old wing. She tells Eve about the clues she found when she first opened up Toby’s old wing (in The Hawthorne Legacy), notably a poem: “Secrets, lies, all I despise. The tree is poison, don’t you see? It poisoned S and Z and me. The evidence I stole is in the darkest hole. Light shall reveal all, I writ upon the…” (111). It’s a William Blake poem. Eve is interested in the poem; she asks what “evidence” refers to, and Avery assumes it’s related to Toby’s adoption. Eve shares more about her family situation, describing how she didn’t fit in with her mother’s family at all—not in looks, preferences, or behavior. Avery and Eve both acknowledge their bonds with Toby.

Avery tells Jameson about the chess clue. Jameson suggests Avery review the binder that Alisa made for her that details all the items Avery inherited from Tobias. They review the binder and find it includes a chess set. They locate the chess set and find that the bottom of the black queen has a secret message, reading “Don’t breathe” (116).

Jameson and Avery try to determine what the message Don’t breathe might mean. They’re unable to figure it out. The next day, Avery runs into Rebecca and Thea; Rebecca is clearly still struggling with Eve’s appearance, but Thea is supporting her. Their conversation is interrupted when Avery is summoned to the headmaster’s office. A strange box has been delivered to Avery. Avery recognizes the handwriting addressing the box to her and knows it’s from the person who’s holding Toby captive.

Avery is joined by Oren, Libby, Eve, and the four Hawthorne grandsons. They discuss how dangerous it is that a package got through security; Avery notes Grayson calling Eve by a nickname, “Evie.” The box is locked by a number code. The Hawthorne boys, who were raised on their grandfather’s puzzles, crack the code easily: 15, 11, 32. Inside is a phone; the phone’s clock app has a timer that’s running down; it’s currently at “12 HOURS, 45 MIN, 11 SEC…” (122). The phone’s calendar also has one entry: “Niv” (123). The phone’s contact list has one entry, stored under “CALL ME” (124).

Avery calls the number and is greeted by a man who says she can call him “Luke.” “Luke” has Toby and has been expecting Avery’s call. “Luke” tells Avery, “You have the box. You have the phone. You’ll figure the next part out” (125). He warns her that if she doesn’t figure things out in time, she “won’t like what happens to [her] Toby” (125).