Chapters Eight and Nine Summary

In Chapter Eight, Petra's dad is upset and brings up a letter that seems to have been very serious. Petra is not sure what all this means. It is Halloween and Petra goes as the lady from her dream, and Calder dresses up as a pentomino. When they first see each other, Calder recognizes Petra's costume from one of the books he had been reading about Vermeer. Petra is shocked to see the lady from her dream as the woman in Johannes Vermeer's 1665 painting of "A Lady Writing."

In Chapter Nine, Petra and Calder study more of Vermeer's life and work. The woman in Petra's dream had modeled for many Vermeer paintings. Petra is curious why she dreamed of her and the woman's significance. Petra and Calder decide to write down all the strange happenings that have...