Chapter 33 Summary and Analysis: The Will’s Secret Postscript
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Lindsay Boxer revisits the first name on Jamie Fricke’s list—Patricia Delaney, the family cook—but decides to prioritize three other individuals: cook Patricia Delaney (again), executor Judy Borinstein, and former assistant Marilyn Stein. Boxer recalls her earlier interrogation of Stein, who was hired a lawyer, cried throughout, and refused to answer whether she had romantic feelings for Jamie Fricke. Stein then quit and moved to New York. While reviewing Holly Fricke’s will, Boxer notices a margin note on the reverse of the back page: a postscript stating that Holly left personal notes for Arthur, Patty, and Marilyn in her desk’s center drawer. The postscript is signed, witnessed, and dated only a few weeks after Holly’s murder. Boxer realizes Judy Borinstein might know the truth about Marilyn’s relationship with the Frickes and resolves to speak with her as soon as possible.
Key Events
- Boxer and Conklin had previously interrogated Patricia Delaney and found no reason to hold her, but Boxer now wants to interview her again.
- Boxer recalls Marilyn Stein’s evasiveness: Stein wouldn’t answer whether she was “more than a friend” to Jamie, and her lawyer shut down the questioning.
- Stein resigned and relocated to New York; Boxer checked her alibi for the time of Holly’s death, and it held up.
- While folding up the will, Boxer spots a handwritten margin note that reveals Holly left personal notes for her husband Arthur, the cook Patty, and Marilyn Stein in her desk.
- The postscript’s date—a few weeks after the murder—suggests Holly anticipated later scrutiny.
- Boxer decides to meet Judy Borinstein, hoping the executor can clarify Marilyn Stein’s bond with the Fricke family.
Character Development
- Lindsay Boxer: Demonstrates thoroughness by revisiting prior interviews and scrutinizing every document. Her attention to detail (finding the margin note) shows a detective who never stops looking for overlooked clues.
- Marilyn Stein: Remains an enigma. Her refusal to answer personal questions and her abrupt departure to New York hint at a secret connection to the Frickes, possibly romantic. Her behavior suggests she knows more than she has revealed.
- Judy Borinstein: Though not yet met, she is positioned as a potential key to unraveling the mystery. As executor, she may hold confidential information that could break the case.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Secrets and Concealment: The margin note hidden on the back of the will symbolizes the way truth is tucked away in plain sight. Characters like Stein actively hide their emotions and knowledge.
- Revisiting Evidence: Boxer’s decision to re-interview people she already cleared highlights the theme that first impressions can be misleading. The postscript forces a fresh look at what was previously considered settled.
- Family Dynamics: The personal notes left for Arthur, Patty, and Marilyn indicate that Holly maintained private relationships with individuals beyond her immediate family, suggesting complex inner circles.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter marks a turning point in the investigation. The discovery of the postscript provides a concrete new lead: physical letters stored in Holly’s desk. Boxer now has a reason to push harder on Marilyn Stein and to involve the executor. The chapter also deepens the mystery around Stein, setting the stage for future revelations about her connection to the Frickes. By emphasizing the importance of re-examining earlier work, the authors show how small details forgotten can crack a case wide open.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lindsay Boxer want to speak with Patricia Delaney again, even though she was cleared earlier?
Boxer believes no one should be ruled out completely. The first round of interviews may have missed something, and a fresh conversation could yield new information, especially now that other clues are emerging.
2. What does the margin note in Holly’s will reveal, and why is it significant?
The note states that Holly left personal notes for Arthur, Patty, and Marilyn in the center drawer of her desk. It is dated weeks after Holly’s murder, meaning she wrote the postscript while alive but after the event—suggesting she anticipated the notes would become important. This makes the desk a new, specific location for potential evidence.
3. What does Boxer hope Judy Borinstein will explain about Marilyn Stein?
Boxer suspects that Stein may have been romantically involved with Jamie Fricke, or at least had a close bond that Stein refused to discuss. Since Borinstein is the executor and likely knows the family’s personal affairs, Boxer hopes she can reveal the true nature of Stein’s relationship with the Frickes, which could provide motive or context for the murders.