Olivia entered Vincent’s office with notes from recent interviews with Margot Gibson and Mark Randall, noting their overlapping and diverging theories about which sibling was targeted before the murders. Neither Margot nor Mark viewed Danny as a killer, a stance that contrasted with Vincent’s claims.

Olivia asked Vincent about vandalism at the school in May 1975, citing multiple newspaper mentions and a student’s suggestion that teacher Mr. Stewart was the target. Vincent reacted with annoyance, calling it irrelevant, but Olivia pressed for context, referencing incidents in the gym and an equipment shed.

Olivia privately recalled Poppy’s filmed clips: a man on a ladder, a burned-out shed, and a broken lock, as well as separate footage of Vincent sneaking out at night on dates bracketing the vandalism. She wondered if, as with the cat story, Vincent had altered his memory.

Vincent stated there were only two vandalism incidents and complained he was blamed for everything, then pointed out Danny also disliked Mr. Stewart. He implied Danny was responsible, asserting the vandalism ended after Poppy and Danny died.

Olivia suggested fear after the murders could have stopped the culprit, but Vincent insisted Danny had grown secretive and volatile. Vincent described a night when Danny allegedly attacked him without warning while they listened to Joni Mitchell, requiring their father to pull Danny off. Vincent said he no longer felt safe and began sleeping in Poppy’s room until her death.

Olivia recognized this fight from Poppy’s materials, specifically a diary entry dated May 30 noting a “Vince/Danny fight” tied to a particular film clip, and concluded Vincent’s account did not match what Poppy had filmed and written. The chapter ended with Olivia registering that Vincent’s story was not how the event happened.