The Housemaid's Secret
by Freida McFadden
Contents
Chapter 67
Overview
After learning Detective Rodriguez plans to arrest Millie Calloway, an unnamed woman and Russell celebrate privately and confront the reality that Douglas is dead. Russell breaks down over their involvement, but the woman is unapologetic and shuts down his guilt. She steers them toward drinking in the bathtub to numb the aftermath, even as small details—like an open window in the rain—hint at vulnerability.
Summary
An unnamed woman notices a window in the house is open during a rainstorm and worries about whether it was left that way. She closes it, watching cold raindrops splash in and dampen the wood.
She returns to the bathroom with a bottle of wine and finds Russell in the bathtub, looking distraught. When she realizes Russell is crying, Russell admits he cannot believe they killed Douglas and says he has never done anything like that.
The woman shows no remorse and tells Russell to pull himself together, insisting that what happened is done and that Douglas was a terrible person who tormented her. Russell replies that Douglas acted that way because she cheated on him.
To push past Russell’s guilt, the woman drops her towel, refills Russell’s glass and her own, and gets back into the tub with him. Russell drinks quickly, and the woman follows suit, deciding that more wine will help them both forget what they did.
Who Appears
- Unnamed woman (narrator)Celebrates Millie’s impending arrest; admits killing Douglas; dismisses Russell’s guilt and drinks to forget.
- RussellIn the bathtub, cries over Douglas’s death and struggles with guilt; drinks heavily.
- DouglasDead man whose killing haunts Russell; portrayed as tormenting the narrator.
- Detective RodriguezMentioned as planning to arrest Millie, prompting the couple’s celebration.
- Millie CallowayMentioned as the target of Detective Rodriguez’s planned arrest.