Later Chapter 55: Kidnapped by Liz Dutton

⚠️ 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

Chapter 55 begins with Jamie Conklin in the car with Liz Dutton, who has picked him up from school. When Jamie asks which dead person he is supposed to talk to, Liz evades, claiming she won't go to jail. They drive past a sign for the Cuomo Bridge (still called the Tappan Zee), and Jamie learns their destination is Renfield, a small town north of New Paltz—a two-to-three-hour drive. Liz snorts a homemade blend of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from a vial, displaying practiced dexterity. She blames Jamie's mother Tia for her drug habit, explaining that after Tia kicked her out for bringing drugs into the house, she began using heavily. She brags that she never uses needles, but acknowledges her septum is destroyed from snorting. Jamie demands to call his mother; Liz takes his phone and throws it out the window onto the highway, revealing that Tia has a tracking app on Jamie's phone. Jamie punches Liz, causing the car to swerve; she threatens to hit him in the balls. Jamie considers summoning the deadlight creature (the entity that now inhabits the body of Therriault) but forgets about it and is also too afraid of its potential for destruction. Liz muses that Jamie would make a great detective because he can talk to the dead. She has another nosebleed, wipes it, and they drive in silence.

Key Events

Liz snorts her drug blend while driving, revealing long practice.
Jamie asks about the dead man they are going to see; Liz says he supplied the drugs she now uses.
Liz blames Tia for her addiction, claiming Tia's rejection pushed her to use.
Liz throws Jamie's phone out the window to prevent tracking.
Jamie physically strikes Liz; she threatens retaliation.
Jamie briefly considers summoning the deadlight creature but does not act.
Liz reveals Tia secretly installed a tracking app on Jamie's phone.
Liz speculates about Jamie's future as a detective using his supernatural ability.
Liz has a nosebleed, indicating damage from drug use.

Character Development

Jamie Conklin is increasingly frightened and trapped. He attempts resistance (punching Liz, demanding his phone) but is outmatched and isolated. His failure to summon the deadlight creature suggests both his fear of its power and his inability to think clearly under pressure. He still tries to maintain a sense of normalcy (wanting to call his mother) but is forced to recognize the danger.

Liz Dutton sheds her former friendly persona and reveals a hardened drug addict with a manipulative streak. She denies responsibility for her addiction, blaming Tia. Her actions—throwing the phone, threatening violence, and driving while intoxicated—show she is willing to risk Jamie's life. Her pride in never using needles ("the spike") indicates a twisted sense of moral distinction. Her comment about Jamie's detective potential shows she still values his ability, but only as a tool.

Tia (mentioned only) is portrayed as a protective mother who tracks her son, but also as the catalyst for Liz's downward spiral from Liz's biased perspective.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Control vs. Freedom: Liz controls the car, the destination, and Jamie's ability to communicate. The phone tracking app symbolizes Tia's attempt to control Jamie from a distance, now subverted by Liz's destruction of the device.

Addiction as a Prison: Liz's drug use dictates her actions and morality. Her "special blend" and its effects on her behavior illustrate how addiction overrides reason and compassion.

The Cost of Secrets: Liz blames Tia for keeping her drug use a secret from Jamie, yet Liz herself hides her true nature until this moment. The chapter suggests that secrets corrode relationships.

The Unused Weapon: The deadlight creature remains a latent threat. Jamie's inability or refusal to summon it highlights his fear of its destructive power and his reluctance to embrace his own dark potential.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel. Liz's transformation from a quirky family friend to a dangerous kidnapper is complete. Jamie is forcibly removed from his normal life and thrust into a situation where he must rely on his own wits and powers. The chapter also clarifies Liz's motivation (her addiction and her need to speak with a dead drug supplier) and sets up the journey to Renfield, where the next confrontation will occur. Jamie's failure to use the deadlight creature foreshadows future tests of his moral boundaries.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Liz destroy Jamie's phone?
Answer: Liz throws Jamie's phone out the window to prevent his mother Tia from tracking his location and calling the police. Liz also reveals that Tia had installed a locater app on Jamie's phone ever since she gave him his first phone.
What specific drug mixture does Liz use, and what does she say about its effects?
Answer: Liz uses a blend of cocaine and heroin in a two-to-one ratio, with a dash of fentanyl. She claims she has built up a tolerance and that the mixture would "blow [Jamie's] head off" if he tried it.
Why does Jamie decide not to summon the deadlight creature, even though he could theoretically command it?
Answer: Jamie forgets about the creature in the stress of the moment (much like Liz forgot to take his phone initially). Even if he had remembered, he is more afraid of the deadlight creature than of Liz, recalling Professor Burkett's warning that it brings death, madness, and destruction of the soul.