Protecting Oneself from Accountability

The novel demonstrates how protecting oneself from accountability can spiral out of control. Bea, who has been drinking with her friend Meredith, accidentally hits Shelby with her car. Bea makes this crime much worse when she chooses to try to cover up the accident. To protect herself, Bea hides the body, kidnaps a child, and murders Meredith.

Bea’s first crime of hitting Shelby with the car is a mistake. Shelby is kneeling in the middle of the road in the dark while tying her shoe. Since Bea is drunk, she does not believe she will be forgiven for that mistake. Bea tells Meredith: “We’re drunk … and she’s dead, Meredith. She’s dead. I checked for a pulse — there’s none. There’s nothing we can do for her. I’ll go to jail if anyone finds out about this” (263). Bea...