Chapter 23 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Daunis leaves a note for her mother and jogs to her grandparents' house. In the basement, she searches bins of Uncle David's belongings, reviewing his notebooks and reflecting on her previous suspicion that he had relapsed—a suspicion she now knows was wrong. Over the following week, David's presence feels constant. She attends Heather Nodin's funeral, helps an Elder, and forages for mushrooms on Duck Island, avoiding the spot where Heather's body was found. At the Supes' season opener, Daunis joins the "anglerfish" girlfriends in the stands, watches Jamie and Levi play, and reconnects with Coach Bobby and Mike Edwards's family. She learns about the exclusive Booster Bus and, with Ron's help, secures an invitation to a Sunday dinner at the Edwards home, planning to investigate Grant Edwards's office for clues about his shady clients.

Key Events

• Daunis searches Uncle David's basement storage for his research notebooks and realizes he was preoccupied with FBI informant work, not relapse.
• She spends the week feeling David's presence, attending Heather Nodin's funeral, and foraging on Duck Island while reminiscing about Heather.
• At the Supes' season opener, Daunis sits with the anglerfish girlfriends (hockey players' girlfriends) and watches Jamie and Levi play.
• She observes a heated interaction between Macy and a man near the vending machines.
• Ron introduces himself to the Edwards family; Daunis asks Grant Edwards about the Booster Bus waiting list.
• Grant Edwards invites Daunis, Jamie, and Ron to a Sunday dinner at his home, which Daunis sees as an opportunity to investigate his office.
• Daunis uses her knowledge of The Art of War (via Mulan) to deflect Grant's pointed comment about Mike letting in a goal.

Character Development

Daunis continues to process her grief and guilt over Uncle David. Previously, she misread his distant behavior as a relapse; now she understands he was holding himself back due to his informant role. This realization deepens her commitment to her own Secret Squirrel mission. Her identity as an "anglerfish" girlfriend feels foreign, yet she navigates the social dynamics with growing composure, even engaging in the Bigotry Bingo game with the tattooed girlfriend. Her dual life—as a student, forager, and undercover operative—becomes more blurred as she actively seeks an invitation to the Edwards home. Ron proves a reliable ally, backing up her cover story and helping her access the Booster Bus.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Deception and Visibility. Daunis's undercover work makes her hyperaware of others' disguises, such as the shallow "Indian princess" claims and Grant Edwards's polished facade. The "anglerfish" term itself symbolizes how the girlfriends are dangled as attractions, mirroring how Daunis is used as bait in the investigation.

Memory and Grief. The chapter weaves memories of Heather Nodin (the Daddy-Daughter Dance, dodgeball, her mom's incarceration) with Daunis's reflections on David. The act of sorting notebooks becomes a metaphor for sorting through complicated love and loss.

Indigenous Identity and Stereotypes. The Bigotry Bingo game, the dream-catcher tattoo, and the "Indian princess" remark highlight ongoing cultural appropriation and the erasure of Native women's humanity—a through line in Daunis's motivation to protect her community.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 23 solidifies Daunis's proactive turn in her investigation. Instead of waiting for clues, she engineers an entry into Grant Edwards's home, suspecting he may hold evidence related to the drug ring. The chapter also deepens her emotional arc: she finally releases the false narrative about Uncle David's relapse, freeing her to honor his true legacy. The hockey game setting serves as a microcosm of the town's dynamics, where Daunis must perform as a girlfriend while secretly gathering intelligence.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Daunis feel guilty about her earlier suspicions of Uncle David, and how does this affect her current actions?
   Daunis realized she misjudged David's withdrawal as a relapse when it was actually caution due to his FBI informant work. This guilt drives her to fully commit to her own undercover role, determined not to repeat the mistake of doubting a loved one's integrity.

2. What role does the "Booster Bus" play in Daunis's investigation, and how does she manipulate the situation to gain access?
   The Booster Bus is an exclusive fan transport for away games, rumored to involve "shenanigans." Daunis uses her past relationship with the Edwards family and Ron's cover as a teacher to request a spot on the waiting list, which leads to a Sunday dinner invitation where she can search Grant Edwards's office.

3. How does the encounter with "Maybe-Megan" illustrate the novel's critique of cultural appropriation?
   Megan proudly shows a dream-catcher tattoo and claims Native ancestry through an "Indian princess" stereotype. Daunis mentally plays Bigotry Bingo, recognizing these as harmful stereotypes that commodify Indigenous culture while ignoring Native people's realities—reinforcing why Daunis fights to protect her community from exploitation.