Not Quite Dead Yet
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Chapter 9
Overview
Jet brings police a letter revealing a £30,000 loan fraud in her name, but Detective Ecker offers only vague assurances while the River Street lead yields no witnesses or recovered evidence. After they leave, Officer Jack Finney privately shares a crucial forensic find: a synthetic red hair from a wig was under Jet’s blood at the crime scene. The detail points directly toward JJ and sharply narrows Jet’s suspect list.
Summary
Jet meets Detective Ecker and the chief at the station and hands over a letter from LightFi about a loan taken out in her name. She explains it arrived that morning and emphasizes her urgent time limit, while Ecker notes the loan began two months ago and asks whether Jet recognizes the bank account number that received the funds. Jet says it is not hers, and Ecker only promises they will “look into it,” refusing to say whether it connects to her attempted murder.
Before Ecker leaves, Jet presses him about the last location from her phone near River Street. Ecker reports that officers canvassed neighbors and searched the area, but no one saw or heard anything unusual, and nothing has turned up yet.
After the others exit, Officer Jack Finney stays behind and tells Jet her mother called trying to file a missing person report because Jet left home and is injured. Jet insists she is not missing and says she is staying with Billy, and Jack agrees to relay that.
Jet asks Jack for anything learned from processing the crime scene. After hesitating, Jack reveals forensic techs found a hair under the main pool of Jet’s blood, meaning it was there before first responders arrived and likely before or during the attack.
Jack explains the hair is not human DNA at all but synthetic plastic, consistent with a wig, and asks about a red wig from the Halloween Fair. Jet names JJ, and the evidence compounds her fears: JJ is missing, texted “Sorry” after the attack, and now appears linked to the scene.
Who Appears
- Jet MasonInjured victim; reports loan fraud and learns wig-hair evidence pointing toward JJ.
- Jack FinneyLocal officer and neighbor; quietly shares crime-scene forensic discovery with Jet.
- Detective EckerLead detective; accepts the loan letter, gives limited updates, keeps investigation guarded.
- JJSuspected acquaintance; wore a red wig on Halloween, missing, newly linked by synthetic hair.
- Chief LouPolice chief present at interview; mostly observes while Ecker handles questioning.
- BillyJet’s current host; mentioned as where Jet is staying during the investigation.
- Jet's motherCalls police to report Jet missing, reflecting fear and strained family dynamics.