Chapter 8

Contains spoilers

Summary

  • Barnaby calls Hazel to the living room where a police officer discusses a neighbor's complaint about a barking dog mistakenly thought to be a werewolf by children.
  • Hazel feels relieved the visit is not about her having stolen illustrations, she feels the officer's complaint is trivial.
  • After the officer leaves, Hazel is overcome with fear and guilt, but is comforted by Barnaby, leading to passionate lovemaking.
  • Post-intimacy, Hazel remains awake, contemplating her need to move on from her past but finds herself recalling memories of Harry and the disappearance of Flora.
  • Hazel takes a shower, reflecting on her own appearance and how she might be viewed in a different era.
  • She considers the possible repercussions of her actions, including losing her job and arrest.
  • Hazel debates returning the stolen illustrations and ultimately decides she must face the truth, but not quite yet.
  • A flashback reveals Hazel and her mother never accepted the possibility that Flora's body was the one discovered by the river.
  • Hazel, seeking information, makes an international call to a New York publishing house to inquire about the author Peggy Andrews.
  • The publisher's representative refuses to provide Peggy Andrews' contact details but agrees to forward a letter to her.
  • Hazel asks for Peggy's age and a photo to compare with Flora, but is met with resistance.
  • Frustrated by the lack of information, Hazel contemplates traveling to America to find out more about Peggy Andrews.
  • Hazel drafts a letter to Peggy Andrews with carefully chosen words, inquiring about the origins of a story similar to one from her own childhood.