Chapter 25: When Someone's Real-Life Behavior Betrays Their Online Image

⚠️ 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 the family reconstructing Eugene's movements on the Saturday he was exposed to Covid—three days before Dad's disappearance. Using the home alarm system, text messages, the Henry's House client portal, garage door notifications, and a pizzeria receipt, they piece together a detailed timeline: Eugene was home all morning until John disarmed the alarm at 9:43 a.m., spent the day at Henry's House therapy sessions, was picked up by Dad at 4:02 p.m., and was brought home at 5:27 p.m. This narrows the exposure window to that 85-minute stretch when Dad had Eugene.

John checks Eugene's lesson progression log from the box borrowed from Anjeli's office and finds a session scheduled at 4:15 p.m. that Saturday—confirming Anjeli as the likely source of exposure. They relay this to Shannon, who shares news from the evidence team: they've found a list of Adam's phone passcode clues, including the cryptic phrase