Chapter summaries Come with Me Ronald Malfi

Chapter Six: The Nice Bridge Murder and a Serial Killer Theory

⚠️ 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

In August 2016, two boys discover the body of sixteen-year-old Gabrielle Colson-Howe beneath the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge. The corpse shows signs of scavenging and decay. Aaron Decker, retracing his deceased wife Allison’s steps, meets reporter Roberta “Bobbi” Negri, who covered the case. Bobbi reveals that Allison attended town meetings about Gabrielle’s disappearance before the body was found, pretending to be a freelance reporter. Allison later attended the press conference after the murder, seeming unsurprised. Bobbi shares crime-scene photos showing ligature marks on Gabrielle’s wrists—evidence that her hands were bound with thin wire, similar to Holly Renfrow’s murder. Aaron shows Bobbi the six murder files Allison had hidden. Bobbi calls her coroner contact and confirms the ligature marks, concluding that a serial killer is responsible. At Bobbi’s home, her mother Lois, who has Alzheimer’s, mistakes Aaron for her deceased son Jeffrey. Later, Lois types “YOU WILL DIE” on a typewriter. Aaron and Bobbi decide to track down Denise Lenchantin, a woman who reported a creepy encounter on a roadside, believing she might lead to the killer.

Key Events

  • The discovery of Gabrielle Colson-Howe’s body by two boys under the Nice Bridge.
  • Aaron meets Bobbi Negri at a crab house; she reveals that Allison lied about her purpose for visiting Port Tobacco.
  • Bobbi shows Aaron crime-scene photos; Gabrielle was strangled with hands, and her wrists bear ligature marks from thin wire.
  • Bobbi calls her coroner source and confirms the wire binding matches Holly Renfrow’s murder, establishing a serial killer link.
  • Aaron experiences a chilling moment in Bobbi’s parlor, feeling Allison’s presence in a dark corner.
  • Lois Negri, confused by Alzheimer’s, types “YOU WILL DIE” on an old typewriter.
  • Aaron and Bobbi agree to investigate Denise Lenchantin as a potential witness to the killer.

Character Development

Aaron Decker transitions from a grieving husband seeking answers to an active investigator willing to accept pity to gain information. His obsession deepens as he confronts the possibility that his wife was hunting a serial killer.

Bobbi Negri evolves from a skeptical reporter into a collaborator. She shares insider knowledge and uses her contacts to confirm the ligature evidence. Her own grief over her brother Jeffrey and her mother’s condition mirrors Aaron’s loss.

Lois Negri serves as a cryptic oracle. Her Alzheimer’s-induced ramblings about haunting oneself and the typed “YOU WILL DIE” add a supernatural unease, reflecting the novel’s themes of grief and unresolved trauma.

Allison Decker (posthumously) is revealed to be more deceptive than Aaron initially believed. Her investigation began before the body was found, implying she had prior knowledge or a profile of the killer.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Haunting – Both literal and metaphorical. Lois states, “We haunt ourselves” when unresolved. Aaron feels Allison’s presence in the dark corner, and the typed warning suggests a supernatural dimension.

Grief and obsession – Aaron’s refusal to let go of Allison drives him to uncover dark truths. Bobbi’s care for her mother and her memorialization of Gabrielle highlight how loss can become a lifelong mission.

Deception and hidden identity – Allison presented herself as a freelance reporter to infiltrate communities. Bobbi’s lie-detection and Aaron’s growing distrust of his wife’s secrecy underscore the theme that people are not who they seem.

Ligature marks as a motif – The thin wire used to bind victims’ wrists connects the murders, symbolizing a signature method and the killer’s control. It also mirrors the invisible ties binding Aaron to Allison’s unfinished work.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 6 is a turning point. The mystery shifts from a series of unrelated deaths to a coherent pattern: a serial killer who targets young women, binds them with wire, and strangles or drowns them. Allison’s lies indicate she was far more involved than a simple reporter; she may have been profiling the killer. Bobbi’s evidence and the coroner’s confirmation give Aaron a concrete lead. The eerie moments with Lois introduce a supernatural undercurrent, questioning whether Allison is guiding Aaron from beyond. The chapter sets up the next investigation—finding Denise Lenchantin—and solidifies Aaron’s commitment to solving the case, no matter the personal cost.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Bobbi reveal about Allison’s first visit to Port Tobacco?
Bobbi says Allison attended town meetings about Gabrielle’s disappearance before the body was found, posing as a freelance reporter for major papers. This contradicts Allison’s stated reason of writing about teenage runaways and shows she had prior interest in the case, linking it to her other investigations.

2. How do the ligature marks connect Gabrielle’s murder to Holly Renfrow’s?
Bobbi’s coroner contact confirms Gabrielle’s wrists were bound with thin wire—the same method used on Holly Renfrow, whose hands were tied behind her back with electrical wire. This physical evidence points to a single killer, disproving Aaron’s earlier theory that Holly’s murderer was a different man.

3. What is the significance of Lois typing “YOU WILL DIE” on the typewriter?
Lois, suffering from Alzheimer’s, types the phrase while in a confused state. Aaron interprets it as a dire warning, possibly channeled from Allison or the killer. The scene reinforces the novel’s supernatural ambiguity and heightens the sense that Aaron is walking into danger, foreshadowing future threats.

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