Chapter 8 Summary

Dave leaves Alafair with the babysitter and rushes out to Cletus' house. Darlene is in the bathtub, an apparent victim of suicide, complete with a note left on the mirror in lipstick. Dave does not believe it, however, insisting that she was murdered. Dave learns that Dio and his group picked up a man named Charlie at the airport that morning. Dave knows Charlie is the name of the hitman and tells Cletus so. Then Dave makes Cletus call the police. The next morning, Dave visits a priest in an attempt to get help for the overwhelming grief Darlene's murder has left him with. The priest listens to Dave talk, but has little to offer him in way of absolution. The following day Dave goes to the sheriff's office to find out about the autopsy. The coroner has ruled Darlene's death a suicide...