Chapter 13: Holly's Emails, the Grinsted Interview, and Trig's Latest Kill

Spoiler Warning: This summary reveals key plot points, character fates, and the killer's identity and mindset from Chapter 13 of Never Flinch. Read only if you have finished the chapter or don't mind major spoilers.

Summary

Haunted by nightmares of Kate's murder, Holly emails Jerome asking him to search for churches with records of violent protests related to abortion, women's rights, or LGBTQ+ issues, suspecting Kate's stalker is a religious zealot. She also emails John Ackerly to discreetly ask about anyone named Trig in NA circles, believing that might be the killer's real name or nickname. Later that Sunday morning, detectives Izzy Jaynes and Tom Atta interview defense attorney Russell Grinsted at his home. Grinsted's wife Erin provides weak alibis for key dates and eventually reveals her husband was with his mistress on the night of May 20th, undermining any suspect status. The detectives confront Grinsted about the Plastic Man comic books and his failure to hire an investigator, and they test the nickname "Trig" without reaction. Izzy concludes the anagram was a red herring. Meanwhile, the real Trig drives to Cowslip County, shoots a farmer on a tractor, and places three juror name slips in the farmer's hat. He reflects on his addiction to murder, compares it to his past alcoholism, and acknowledges he will likely be caught but is not done yet.

Key Events

Holly sleeps poorly and wakes before dawn, then emails Jerome about searching for extremist churches and John Ackerly about the name Trig.
Izzy and Tom arrive at the Grinsted home and speak with Russell in his gazebo; Erin Grinsted brings coffee and initially offers weak alibis.
Under pressure, Erin reveals Russell was with his mistress Jane Haggarty on the night of Mike Rafferty's murder, providing a potential alibi.
Tom Atta tells Grinsted about the Plastic Man comic books and the fingerprint error, leading Grinsted to blame prosecutor Douglas Allen and the police.
Izzy uses the nickname Trig but gets no guilty reaction; she privately decides the anagram was a red herring.
Trig drives to rural Cowslip County, waves down a farmer on a tractor, shoots him twice, and places three juror names (including Brad Lowry) in the farmer's straw hat.
Trig sees a state police cruiser, briefly considers suicide, but lets it pass and drives on, singing to rock and roll.

Character Development

Holly Gibney shows proactive thinking by emailing Jerome and John Ackerly with specific, evidence-based requests. Her nightmares reveal deep anxiety about Kate's safety and her guilt over not being able to intervene.
Izzy Jaynes and Tom Atta demonstrate persistence in pursuing Grinsted despite thin evidence. Izzy is honest with herself about enjoying Grinsted's discomfort and later accepts that Holly's anagram deduction was wrong.
Russell Grinsted is exposed as a negligent defense attorney who assumed his client's guilt and failed to verify fingerprints. He also lies about his whereabouts, though not regarding the murders. His public confidence cracks when his infidelity comes to light.
Erin Grinsted reveals herself as a long-suffering wife who knew about the affair but stayed silent out of fear. She provides the crucial alibi that clears her husband.
Trig is fully revealed as the real killer. His internal monologue compares his murder spree to alcoholism, tracing how each kill lowered his resistance. He feels fatalistic about eventual capture but is unwilling to stop.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Addiction: Trig explicitly compares his compulsion to kill to his past alcoholism. He uses AA terminology (“first the man takes a drink”) and sees each murder as feeding a disease he cannot control.
Failure of the Legal System: Grinsted's incompetence and the prosecutor's oversight allowed Alan Duffrey to be wrongly convicted and killed. The system's failures led directly to the current killing spree.
Red Herring and Misleading Clues: The anagram TRIG/BRIGGS turns out to be coincidental; Izzy realizes it after seeing Grinsted's lack of reaction. This shows that not every mysterious clue is meaningful.
Fatalism: Trig's acceptance of eventual capture mirrors his past alcohol-fueled fatalism. He imagines shooting himself but decides to keep killing.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter accomplishes several crucial plot and character moves. It definitively clears Russell Grinsted as a suspect, redirecting the investigation back to the unknown killer. Holly's email to John Ackerly plants the seed that will eventually lead to identifying Trig. Trig's backstory and mindset are laid bare, explaining the psychological roots of his rampage. His murder of the farmer raises the body count and demonstrates he is now targeting jurors themselves, not just people linked to the trial. The chapter reinforces the theme of addiction and shows how past failures in justice continue to spawn new violence.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Izzy conclude the anagram was a red herring, and what does this reveal about the investigation?
Izzy reaches that conclusion after seeing Grinsted show zero reaction to the name "Trig." This shows that not every pattern is significant; the detectives must remain open to evidence that contradicts their theories. It also highlights Holly's willingness to be wrong—she had called her own deduction shaky.
How does Trig compare his killing spree to his alcoholism, and what does this comparison suggest about his mindset?
Trig recalls the AA saying about the drink taking the man and applies it to murder. He believes there was a moment when he could have stopped, but after a certain point the compulsion “flipped the switch.” This suggests he sees himself as a victim of an addiction he cannot control, reducing his sense of moral responsibility.
What role does Erin Grinsted play in the chapter, both as an alibi witness and as a character?
Erin provides the crucial alibi that clears her husband for the May 20th murder, but her testimony also exposes his infidelity. She is depicted as a detached but observant woman who has long known about the affair and stayed out of fear. Her appearance deepens the theme of marital betrayal and shows that even dysfunctional households can yield useful evidence.