The Perfect Marriage

Sarah arrives at the Sheriff’s station, along with Matthew. Anne and Bob are coming in separately, voluntarily, for questioning. Eleanor arrives at the station. She is angry and asks Sarah how she could let this happen. Sarah responds: “Your son is thirty-six years old. He’s a grown adult and responsible for his own actions. I can’t watch him 24/7,” to which Eleanor replies, “No, you obviously can’t. And that’s probably why he was unfaithful to you” (249). Eleanor then references Sarah’s mother, saying “You couldn’t even keep an eye on your own mother… and look what happened to her” (250). Sarah replies: “Your son is a liar, a cheater, and possibly a murderer. Your coddling and over-the-top mothering has gotten Adam into this mess. The best thing you could do as a mother is to take note from mine and kill yourself” (250). Eleanor slaps Sarah and storms out.

This is the first time it is revealed that Sarah’s mother apparently died by suicide through a deliberate heroin overdose. However, as Sarah reveals in the book’s final chapter, she killed her mother and made it look like a suicide.

Adam is left alone in an interview room at the station while Sheriff Stevens is busy questioning Anne and Bob. Scott Summers comes into Adam’s cell while Adam waits. Adam tells Scott, “I don’t think you did this, and I know I didn’t” (256). Adam then tells Scott everything he has learned about Kelly/Jenna and the case with Rebecca’s help. He also tells Scott about Rebecca. Scott seems to believe Adam and wants to help Adam by tracking down the true killer.

Sarah observes Sheriff Stevens interrogate Anne. It quickly becomes clear that Anne is not the killer. Nonetheless, Sarah feels betrayed by Anne, who found out about the affair but did not tell Sarah about it immediately.

Adam worries whether he did the right thing telling Scott everything he has learned about the case. Adam is still worried that Scott could be the killer, wondering if his “erratic behavior” is “a cover for the truth and a convenient outlet for the fear and ‘caged animal’ emotions running through him” (264). Adam is frustrated that he is imprisoned and cannot investigate Kelly/Jenna’s murder himself. He is also worried about Rebecca, since he gave Scott her name. If Scott is the killer, it would be in his interests to stop Rebecca from investigating the case further.

Sarah watches Sheriff Stevens interrogate Bob. Sheriff Steven is aggressive with his interrogation, repeatedly bringing up Bob’s dead brother and suggesting Bob may have murdered Kelly/Jenna for revenge. Bob gets so angry that he leaves the interrogation half-way through (since he is there voluntarily, he is not obligated to stay). Sarah, leaving the Sheriff’s station, sees Anne and Bob in the waiting room. She considers offering them a ride but notes, “I don’t trust either of them” (271).

Back at home, Sarah reflects on her mother/childhood. Sarah’s father was the sole breadwinner in the family, so they lost everything when he passed away unexpectedly. Sarah’s mother became addicted to heroin. Sarah and her mother fought; she remembers telling her mother, “You’ve never worked a day in your life. You were so pathetically reliant on one man that you now have nothing and know how to do nothing. You are weak and pathetic” (273). On Sarah’s 16th birthday, she found her mother’s body in a motel room, overdosed on heroin, which Sarah describes as “her gift to me” (274).

Later, it is revealed that Sarah killed her mother.

Adam is still in the interview room at the station when he realizes that the door to the room is cracked. Scott left the door open when he left. Adam takes the opportunity to break out, determined to find Rebecca and convinced she is the only one who can help him.

The next day, Sarah goes into work as usual. Sarah tells Anne that their relationship can only be that of boss-assistant going forward, not friends. Sarah gets a text from Eleanor, apologizing for slapping her.

Adam has broken out of the station and is on the run. He has been walking overnight.

Sarah meets the DA who is trying Adam’s case. She asks him if he knows who the third set of DNA belongs to; he does not. Determined to figure it out, Sarah contacts Matthew and tells him, “I’m going to text you a list of names. I need you to get a DNA sample from each of these men. Hair, saliva, skin… I don’t care how you get it. I just need you to get it” (289). Matthew points out that the results will not be admissible in court. Sarah insists she will make them admissible. Matthew agrees.