Chapter Thirty-Nine: Isabelle's Erased Walks and a New Suspect

⚠️ 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

Isabelle sits in the dark with Waylon’s laptop open and sees a headline that triggers a flood of painful memories. She closes the laptop when her dog Roscoe scratches at the back door. After letting him out, she steps into the backyard to clear her head. She realizes that Waylon has been digging into Mason’s case for longer than she thought and that his investigation seems personal—he appears to be looking into her. Deciding she can no longer trust Waylon, Isabelle resolves to find answers on her own. She remembers that Paul Hayes, the old man on the porch, can see into her backyard from his house. She walks to 1742 Catty Lane and finds Paul sitting there. He greets her by full name and insists they have met many times before, though Isabelle has no memory of him. Paul explains that years ago, she used to walk past his house at night and they would nod or wave. The last time he saw her was a year ago, in March, and she had her child with her that night. Isabelle is stunned—she has no recollection of these nighttime walks, suggesting she may have been sleepwalking.

Key Events

Isabelle closes Waylon's laptop after seeing a headline that disturbs her, then lets Roscoe outside.
She reflects on Waylon’s file: it contains not just case notes but photos and articles that seem aimed at her personally.
She decides she can’t rely on Waylon and must investigate alone.
She walks to Paul Hayes’s house after realizing she can see his porch from her backyard.
Paul Hayes confirms he is real and tells Isabelle they have met before, several years ago.
Paul says Isabelle used to walk by at night; they would exchange greetings.
The last time he saw her was about a year ago, in March, and she had her child with her.
Isabelle is shocked because she has no memory of these walks, hinting at sleepwalking episodes.

Character Development

Isabelle Drake: Her trust in Waylon is shattered when she sees evidence that he has been investigating her. This pushes her to become more independent and desperate for answers. The revelation about her past sleepwalking shakes her confidence in her own memory and perception.
Paul Hayes: Previously a vague, possibly imaginary figure, he now emerges as a real person with detailed recollections of Isabelle. His calm, lucid manner contradicts any suspicion of senility, making his testimony credible.
Waylon (implied): Though offstage, his role shifts from ally to potential threat—Isabelle no longer sees him as a reliable resource.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Memory and Unreliability: The core of the chapter is Isabelle’s inability to recall the nighttime walks. This aligns with earlier discussions of sleepwalking by Dr. Harris and forces Isabelle to question whether her own mind has betrayed her.
Sleepwalking as a Metaphor: Isabelle’s unconscious wandering—and the fact that she once took Mason with her—suggests that her subconscious may hold the key to his disappearance. The chapter blurs the line between voluntary action and involuntary compulsion.
Surveillance and Isolation: The laptop screen, the neighbor’s watchful porch, and the backyard all become spaces where Isabelle feels observed. Her isolation deepens as she realizes she cannot trust even those who claim to help her.
The Rocking Chair: Paul’s rhythmically rocking chair symbolizes time passing and the persistence of memory, contrasting with Isabelle’s fragmented recollection.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter delivers a critical plot twist: Isabelle has been sleepwalking and interacting with Paul Hayes on a regular basis, and she once took Mason with her on one of those walks a year before his disappearance. This opens the possibility that she may have unknowingly been involved in Mason’s abduction or that her sleepwalking state holds clues to what really happened. It also validates Paul Hayes as a reliable witness and deepens the mystery around Isabelle’s mental state. The chapter moves the investigation from external suspects to the unreliable nature of Isabelle’s own consciousness.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the headline on Waylon’s laptop likely refer to, and why does it cause Isabelle to distrust him?
The headline is not explicitly named, but it triggers a painful memory and appears alongside photographs and articles about Isabelle herself rather than just Mason’s case. Isabelle concludes that Waylon has been investigating her personally, not just her son’s disappearance, which makes her feel targeted and betrayed.

2. Why does Isabelle decide to visit Paul Hayes despite Detective Dozier’s warning to stay away?
Isabelle realizes that if Paul can see into her backyard from his porch, then by standing in the right spot she can also see him. She is desperate for answers now that she no longer trusts Waylon, and she believes Paul may be her only lead—especially after wondering if he was a hallucination.

3. What does Paul’s revelation that Isabelle walked past his house with her child a year ago imply about her condition?
It strongly suggests that Isabelle was sleepwalking during these encounters. She has no memory of the walks, and Dr. Harris previously explained that sleepwalkers can have conversations and move in a lucid manner without later recall. The fact that she had Mason with her raises the chilling possibility that she may have taken him out during a sleepwalking episode, potentially linking her subconscious actions to his disappearance.