Chapter Thirty-two: The Beginning of the End (?)
Contains spoilersOverview
In a pivotal hearing, Detective Janus challenges Eugene’s account as too perfectly aligned with evidence, citing the family’s prior access to the birder audio and missing pages. John then produces the two pages from Eugene’s shorts, corroborating the story. Officer Higashida voids detention and house arrest. The family somberly accepts Adam’s likely accidental death and resolves to move forward.
Summary
After Eugene’s session with Anjeli, the family waits in limbo, behaving as if Adam is dead but unable to mourn publicly. That evening, during a virtual meeting about nullifying Eugene’s pending juvenile arraignment, Detective Janus apologizes for grabbing Eugene but shifts to skepticism about his account.
Janus argues the family saw the birder’s recording before Eugene’s statement, making his “ideal realistic story” suspicious, and notes failures to corroborate the pepper-spray woman and the three boys. She also questions why two pages Eugene mentioned were not in Adam’s backpack and raises doubts about sudden communication.
Prompted to check pockets, John produces Eugene’s dirtied shorts containing two pages. Shannon displays the pages—Adam’s block print capturing Eugene’s words and jokes—aligning with Eugene’s statement. The documents appear authentic and consistent with the birder audio and Eugene’s narrative.
Convinced, Officer Higashida announces he will nullify his detention recommendation and house arrest and expunge the matter from juvenile records. After the call, Shannon encourages the family to honor Eugene’s breakthrough and Adam’s heroism. She bags the pages for police, departs, and the family quietly embraces, marking the case as an accidental death with Eugene’s involvement ruled out and preparing to rebuild.
Who Appears
- Officer Higashida
Leads the hearing, weighs evidence, rejects Janus’s doubts, and voids detention and house arrest.
- Detective Janus
Skeptical investigator; raises concerns about prior access to evidence and missing pages; presses the family.
- Shannon Haug
Family’s attorney; defends letterboard communication, presents the recovered pages, secures dismissal of detention.
- Eugene
Subject of the hearing; endures suspicion; his earlier account is corroborated by pages in Adam’s handwriting.
- John
Finds Eugene’s shorts containing two crucial pages that corroborate Eugene’s story.
- Mia
Narrator; tracks the hearing’s stakes, fears destroyed evidence, and joins the family’s quiet embrace.
- Dr. Park (Mom)
Suggests checking shorts pockets; thanks Shannon; embraces Eugene as the family accepts the outcome.