Chapters Twelve - Fourteen Summary

In chapter twelve, Marlowe parks his car in the woods and waits for Patton to leave before walking back to Chess's cabin. He pokes through the bathroom and bedroom before returning to the baking items in the kitchen. Marlowe looks through the other boxes, thinking there might be something Patton missed. Inside the box of sugar, he finds another twist of tissue paper. Inside this paper is a gold heart engraved with the words "Al to Mildred. June 28th 1938. With all my love." Marlowe takes this heart back to Patton's office. When he shows it to Patton, Patton also believes this indicates that Muriel was indeed Mildred. Patton also now believes that Chess did not murder Muriel, but that someone from her past did.

In chapter thirteen, Marlowe finally checks into the Prescott Hotel. The staff is...