Summary

The morning of Catherine’s murder, George stops at a doughnut shop because “it’s too early to go in” (346) to work. Cole gets out early from school for winter recess, and heads to the Clare’s as George had asked of him. George left $100 for him, along with a note saying that Catherine is ill and Franny should take a nap.

Cole calls for Franny, who tells him that her mother is sick. Franny “doesn’t seem right. Wound up, loopy, maybe a little sick” (348). Franny repeatedly asks for her mom, and then for a bottle. Cole notices “a smell…like grape, and he thinks there’s something in it” (348). After he puts Franny down for a nap, he knocks on the bedroom door for Catherine but gets no response. He leaves, as George instructed in the note. Cole thinks Catherine...