Chapter 17 Summary: Face-To-Face with Joshua Gallagher
⚠️ 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
The chapter opens with Richard Chizmar driving to Cumberland Penitentiary in western Maryland for a meeting with serial killer Joshua Gallagher. The drive is unexpectedly quick, and Chizmar uses the time to mentally prepare, listening to Springsteen and then driving in silence. A note card reading "He's wearing a mask underneath his mask" is taped to his dashboard. Lieutenant McClernan had given him the go-ahead the night before, and Chizmar agreed after his wife Carly offered to stay home with their daughter Kara.
Chizmar had also called McClernan about Gallagher's request for DNA retesting, but she dismissed it as a game. She then asked Chizmar to compile a list of experienced hunters because a disabled trail cam and a surveillance perch were discovered near Ken Klein's backyard. Chizmar lists familiar names: the McGirks, Todd Simmons, Dave Pruitt, Pat Pollard, Alex Baliko, Bob Martin. He doubts anything useful will come of it.
The chapter then details other leads: a Michigan man who sent Gallagher letters with hangman drawings, now under investigation; a Connecticut woman who professed love and hinted at revenge, a former triathlete with an arrest record; and a nineteen-year-old Fallston resident named Tucker Hipson, an active user on the Boogeyman Lives message board under the screen name CHIZMARSUCKS. Detective Gonzalez suspects Hipson despite clean alibis, noting he has a hunting license.
At the prison, Chizmar undergoes security checks and is escorted to Interrogation Room C. When Gallagher enters, Chizmar notices the killer looks healthier and brighter, almost like a younger brother. They begin an abridged conversation. Gallagher deflects Chizmar's direct questions, insisting on mutual honesty. Chizmar confesses he's a mess: the copycat left Anne Riggs's remains in his yard, his family is under surveillance, and the press surrounds his home. Gallagher claims he doesn't know the killer's identity, but mentions a correspondent named Benjamin Thacker whose letters remind him of his own old journals. Gallagher also reveals that detectives asked if Chizmar could be involved, and he defended him.
Gallagher speculates that the killer dismembered Riggs out of anger because she escaped him, and that he posed Peyton Bair after removing her ear. He suggests the killer might be jealous of the close relationship between Gallagher and Chizmar. Regarding the hangman figure on Bair's hand, Gallagher finds it amusing and ties it to Benjamin Thacker as a "man of words." He dismisses the theory that the seven blank letters spell "COPYCAT," calling it ridiculous, and states the killer's compulsion is real and growing stronger. Gallagher confirms he will kill again soon. He also claims he knew Carly was at Chizmar's house from the news, and when pressed about whether he's playing games, he cryptically says new rules may be needed. The chapter ends with Gallagher stating he is changing and wants the world to see.
Key Events
- Chizmar drives to Cumberland Penitentiary for a meeting with Gallagher.
- Lieutenant McClernan gives clearance for the visit; she tasks Chizmar with listing hunters.
- New suspects emerge: a Michigan pen pal with hangman drawings, a Connecticut triathlete with a criminal past, and Tucker Hipson, a local message board user with a hunting license.
- Chizmar and Gallagher engage in a tense conversation about the copycat killer.
- Gallagher denies knowing the killer but names Benjamin Thacker as a suspicious correspondent.
- Gallagher speculates the killer is jealous of the relationship between him and Chizmar.
- Gallagher hints at his own personal transformation and promises the world will see it.
- The conversation reveals that police considered Chizmar a possible suspect, but Gallagher defended him.
Character Development
Richard Chizmar: The narrator is visibly shaken by the ongoing investigation and the copycat's actions. He admits to Gallagher that he's a "fucking mess" and that the killer is watching his family. He takes a risk by visiting Gallagher without police supervision, showing desperation for answers.
Joshua Gallagher: The serial killer appears healthier and more confident, with a brighter aura. He engages in psychological games, deflecting questions while offering cryptic insights. His claim that he is "changing" and wants the world to see suggests a desire for attention or a transformation in his persona. He also shows concern for Chizmar's safety, though it may be manipulative.
Lieutenant McClernan: Though absent from the meeting, her skepticism about Gallagher's games and her investigative focus on hunters show her pragmatism.
Detective Gonzalez: Peripherally involved, he is suspicious of Tucker Hipson and plans further interviews, indicating the police are following multiple leads.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Masks and Hidden Identities: The note card on Chizmar's dashboard—"He's wearing a mask underneath his mask"—echoes the idea of concealment. Gallagher himself appears physically changed, and the copycat's seven blank letters suggest a hidden message or identity.
Jealousy as a Motive: Gallagher introduces the possibility that the copycat is jealous of the bond between himself and Chizmar, adding a psychological dimension to the killings.
Games and Manipulation: The hangman figure, Gallagher's dad jokes, and his remark that games "keep us sharp" highlight the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the killer, Gallagher, and law enforcement.
Transformation and Performance: Gallagher's statement that he is "changing" and wants the world to see implies a theatrical element, as if he is preparing a new persona or a final act.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point because it is the first direct interaction between Chizmar and Gallagher since the copycat murders began. Gallagher provides both insight and misdirection, deepening the mystery. His mention of Benjamin Thacker gives the police a new lead, while his analysis of the killer's psychology—particularly the jealousy motive—offers a fresh angle for investigation. The chapter also hints at Gallagher's own arc, suggesting he is evolving beyond his known identity. The list of hunters and the new suspects show that the police case is widening, and the personal threat to Chizmar becomes more palpable.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Gallagher mention Benjamin Thacker, and what does he find suspicious about him?
Gallagher describes Thacker as a correspondent whose letters have a "cadence" that feels unsettled, similar to Gallagher's old journal entries. He suggests that Thacker's letters seem like they are written by two different people wrestling for control, implying a split personality or hidden volatility.
2. What does Gallagher believe motivates the copycat killer to dismember Anne Riggs and later pose Peyton Bair?
Gallagher speculates that the killer was angry at Riggs because she escaped from Gallagher years before, and that the dismemberment was an act of punishment. For Bair, he notes the posing and removal of the ear but offers no explicit motive, though he connects the hangman drawing to a "passion for words."
3. How does Gallagher respond to Chizmar's question about the seven blank letters, and what alternative theory does he dismiss?
Gallagher says he has given the blank letters "a lot of consideration" and dismisses the theory that they spell "COPYCAT" as ridiculous. He implies that the real meaning is more complex, linking it to the killer's growing compulsion and suggesting it is tied to Chizmar or Gallagher in a subtle way.