Chapter 71: A Tracker Fails and a Case Moves to Plan B
⚠️ 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
After losing Antonio Deason in traffic, the narrator and Detective Rob Trilling return to watching Deason’s SoHo apartment. They devise a new plan: Trilling will attach a cheap, personally funded GPS tracker to Deason’s Porsche. Meanwhile, their colleague Terri Hernandez gathers evidence suggesting that recent weekend murders are linked to the same killer who staged the fake suicides and accidents of retired cops. Trilling successfully plants the tracker while Deason is inside his building, but Deason quickly exits, spots the device, and crushes it with his shoe. With the tracker destroyed, the detectives must pivot to Trilling’s alternative plan—what the narrator calls “plan B,” a less conventional approach that they hope will still yield results.
Key Events
- The narrator and Trilling stake out Deason’s apartment after losing him earlier.
- Trilling prepares a non-official tracker (paid for by the narrator) that works via a smartphone app.
- Terri Hernandez develops a strong theory that the weekend’s murders are connected to the earlier false-suicide and accident killings of retired NYPD officers.
- Deason’s Porsche returns; Trilling plants the tracker while Deason is inside.
- Within ten minutes, Deason emerges, discovers the tracker, and destroys it.
- The team concedes failure and moves to Trilling’s backup plan—a less standard tactic.
Character Development
- Narrator (detective): Shows resourcefulness by privately buying a tracker to avoid official scrutiny. Reflects on the territorial nature of precinct detectives and admits their earlier clumsy interview likely tipped off Deason. Demonstrates adaptability by accepting the need for a non-traditional approach.
- Rob Trilling: Embodies practical improvisation. He is confident about the cheap tracker but admits he isn’t “super familiar” with the car model. After the tracker is destroyed, he immediately suggests plan B, showing he keeps backup strategies ready.
- Antonio Deason: Remains one step ahead. He spots the surveillance immediately, parks hurriedly, and leaves again soon after. His deliberate destruction of the tracker with his heel signals both intimidation and awareness—he knows he’s being watched and isn’t afraid to send a message.
- Terri Hernandez: (Off-page character development) Her investigative work now strongly ties the weekend homicides to the earlier unsolved deaths, strengthening the case’s central conspiracy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
| Theme / Motif | Evidence in the Chapter |
|---|---|
| Surveillance and Counter‑surveillance | The entire chapter revolves around the attempt to track Deason. His quick detection and destruction of the device show that the hunters are also the hunted. |
| Bureaucracy vs. Initiative | The narrator avoids using an official NYPD tracker to dodge paperwork and potential loss reports. This “off‑the‑books” tactic highlights tension between official protocols and the detectives’ need for flexibility. |
| Adaptability / “Plan B” | The term “plan B” appears twice. The narrator admits “this whole case is a plan B,” emphasizing that unconventional methods are now their default because traditional police work is failing. |
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 71 marks a clear turning point in the investigation. The failed tracker attempt strips the detectives of a critical surveillance tool and confirms that Deason is not an ordinary suspect—he is actively countering their moves. Hernandez’s linked‑murder theory raises the stakes, implying that Deason may be part of a larger pattern of killing retired cops. The chapter solidifies the theme of improvisation under pressure and sets up a high‑risk alternative strategy (plan B) that will likely define the next phase of the story. Readers sense that the case is slipping away from standard procedure, pushing the protagonists toward more dangerous choices.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why did the narrator and Trilling use a privately purchased tracker instead of an official NYPD one?
They didn’t want to risk explaining a lost tracker on an unofficial case. Using a department tracker would require paperwork and accountability if it went missing, so the narrator bought a cheaper, app‑based tracker to operate under the radar.
2. What does Deason’s immediate discovery and destruction of the tracker tell us about his character?
It shows he is hyper‑aware and possibly experienced with surveillance. He doesn’t just remove the tracker; he crushes it in plain sight, sending a clear message that he knows the detectives are following him and that he will not be intimidated or fooled.
3. How does Terri Hernandez’s theory change the scope of the investigation?
Her theory links the recent weekend murders to the earlier false‑suicide and accident deaths of retired NYPD cops. This connection suggests a single, serial perpetrator targeting former officers, transforming what appeared to be isolated cases into a coordinated campaign—and placing Deason at the center of a much larger conspiracy.