Summary

The chapter begins as Toby and Melissa wake up. Melissa leaves for work, and Toby drinks coffee and smokes outside. The weather has cooled down, leading Toby to conclude that it is “ready to rain” (131). As the rain begins to fall, Toby greets Hugo, who introduces him to his current project. Toby recalls that Hugo is a genealogist. Hugo's current project is to trace the Irish ancestry of Amelia Wozniak. Toby agrees to help him after he realizes that Hugo is telling him about this project because he wants to find the answer to the mystery before he dies, not because he wants to find a way to occupy Toby's time. As he works on the project, Toby is able to concentrate and builds up an appetite, for the first time since his attack. Melissa and Hugo get along well, which is baffling but...