Chapter 83: Interview with Thomas Sloan – A New Lead Points to Perry Martin
Spoiler Notice: This page contains detailed plot points from Chapter 83 of Obsessed (Michael Bennett #15) by James Patterson. If you have not read the chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
After negotiations between Linda Beam and an assistant district attorney, detectives Bennett and Terri Hernandez are permitted to interview veterinarian Thomas Sloan. Linda has prepared Sloan to answer honestly, repeatedly assuring him that cooperation will not worsen his legal troubles. From the start, Sloan denies knowing Allie Pritz, the three murdered girls, or how The Girlfriend Experience was created or run. When shown photos of the victims, he is adamant he has no knowledge of their fates.
Terri presses Sloan on how he first learned about the service. Sloan explains that a man named Perry Martin – a football coach at Wolfson Academy – gave him the phone number. Perry used the service regularly and told Sloan it helped him focus during games. Bennett groans internally at the arrival of yet another potential suspect. Sloan adds that several fathers at the school had talked about the service and gives Bennett a few names to investigate.
When asked if he ever used the service, Sloan hesitates, then admits he met a girl named Nicole at a pet supply company party. She stood by his side for three and a half hours. He tried to negotiate a price to sleep with her, but she refused, claiming she never did that – a claim Sloan did not fully believe. He provides a few more details, but Bennett feels no closer to solving the case. Sloan begins to cry. Terri snaps at him, asking what he is crying about, and suggests his tears are not for sadness but for stupidity. Bennett decides that is a good place to end the interview.
Key Events
- Bennett and Terri interview veterinarian Thomas Sloan with attorney Linda Beam present.
- Sloan denies knowing Allie Pritz, any murder victims, or the workings of The Girlfriend Experience.
- Sloan reveals that Perry Martin, a Wolfson Academy football coach, gave him the service’s phone number.
- Perry used the service regularly and mentioned it helped him focus on coaching.
- Sloan admits meeting a girl named Nicole at a pet supply party; he tried to pay for sex but she refused.
- Sloan provides names of other fathers who talked about the service.
- Sloan breaks down crying; Terri scolds him, calling his tears a reaction to stupidity, not sadness.
- Bennett ends the interview, feeling the case remains unsolved.
Character Development
- Michael Bennett: Demonstrates frustration as the investigation continues to branch out. His internal sigh and inability to feel progress show a weary but persistent detective.
- Terri Hernandez: Shows a no-nonsense, almost harsh demeanor toward Sloan, dismissing his crying and pressing for cooperation. She acts as a balance to Bennett’s more patient approach.
- Thomas Sloan: Portrayed as anxious and fidgety, with difficulty focusing. His emotional breakdown suggests genuine remorse or fear, though Terri interprets it as a response to getting caught.
- Perry Martin (offstage): Introduced as a credible new suspect – a football coach who not only used The Girlfriend Experience but actively promoted it among other fathers.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Unending Parade of Suspects: Bennett’s internal groan at hearing Perry Martin’s name underscores a recurring motif of expanding webs of complicity. Each interview seems to lead to one more person connected to the service.
- Emotional Breakdown as Evidence of Guilt or Remorse: Sloan’s crying contrasts with Terri’s harsh dismissal. The chapter explores how displays of emotion can be read differently by different characters.
- Power Dynamics in Interrogations: The negotiation between Beam and the ADA, and Terri’s dominance over Sloan, highlight the imbalance between a suspect and law enforcement.
- The Subversion of Trusted Roles: A veterinarian and a school football coach are revealed as clients of a sex-for-hire service, subverting the presumed morality of their professions.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 83 shifts suspicion toward Perry Martin, a new figure with direct ties to the school community and regular use of The Girlfriend Experience. It also reveals that the service was known and discussed among multiple fathers, implying a wider network than previously understood. Sloan’s emotional breakdown and his admission that a girl named Nicole refused to have sex for money add complexity: not all women involved in the service were prostitutes. The chapter deepens the mystery while providing a concrete lead for Bennett to follow.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Thomas Sloan cry at the end of the interview?
Sloan may be crying from a combination of fear, regret, and the weight of his arrest. Terri interprets his tears as a reaction to being caught and acting stupidly, but Bennett does not offer his own assessment, leaving the reader to decide whether Sloan feels genuine remorse or simply self-pity. -
What new information does Sloan provide about Perry Martin?
Sloan states that Perry Martin – a football coach at Wolfson Academy – told him about The Girlfriend Experience, gave him the phone number, and used the service regularly, claiming it helped him focus during games. This makes Perry a person of interest who may have more detailed knowledge of the service’s operations. -
How does the conversation about Nicole complicate the portrayal of The Girlfriend Experience?
Sloan’s date with Nicole did not involve paid sex; she refused his offer, saying she “never did that.” This suggests that not all women associated with the service are sex workers, and that the service may have offered different levels of companionship. It also implies that some clients assumed sex was always available, leading to misunderstandings or coercion.