Chapter 36 Summary

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Summary

After the day's interviews wrap up, the narrator slips back into the dining room to avoid being caught in the hallway. Marlowe is there, reading a newspaper and drinking tea. He asks if everyone is telling the truth, and the narrator offers condolences about Blaine. Marlowe acknowledges he had plenty of motive, having hated his brother for years. The narrator mentions that if she'd known about the drama at Marian, the school paper would have been full of gossip. Marlowe then asks if the detectives mentioned his diamond cuff link, explaining it's expensive and he'd like to find the stone. The narrator finds this odd given his family's wealth.

Marlowe changes the subject, inviting her for a walk on the beach, noting they don't have much time left at Ashwood Manor. The narrator worries this means the case will be solved soon, but Marlowe clarifies: Ellison called his mom, and the police hadn't told any parents about Blaine's death until that morning. Now the parents are threatening to send lawyers, and a big storm is coming, so the ferry has stopped running from the mainland until Friday. After that, they're all going home. The narrator is distressed, especially about Kassidy, who has Blaine's pills and has been dosing herself. Marlowe is surprised to learn about the pills, and the narrator explains Kassidy snuck them out of Blaine's room. Marlowe recalls that Kassidy seemed