Who is Charlie Saxton from Salem Falls and what is their importance?

Charlie Saxton is a detective in the police force and the father of Meg Saxton. He is the first is town to learn that Jack St. Bride is a convicted sex offender. He is an integral part of the investigation when Jack is accused of raping Gillian Duncan. He also finds the thermos containing atropine in his daughter's room, allowing Jack's lawyer to prove the girls were hallucinating that night. Charlie is one of the three boys who raped Addie Peabody as a teenager. He apologies to Addie near the end of the novel for doing this.