Chapter 72 Summary – Garrett’s Confession
⚠️ 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
Traci Eddings and Whelan observe from behind a one-way mirror as Sheriff Coyle interrogates Garrett at the Bonaventure County sheriff’s office. Garrett, nursing a ruined nose, immediately blames Madelyn Eddings for everything. He states that Madelyn discovered a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that Fred Eddings had made Livvy’s mother sign, revealing that Livvy is Ric Eddings’s daughter. Madelyn used this knowledge to force Garrett and Charlie Burroughs to include her in their theft and kickback schemes, threatening to go to the police if they refused.
Garrett recounts the night of the Beach Bash: he provided fentanyl to Cedric, a musician, intending to kill Livvy. But Cedric, heavily stoned, gave the drugged drink to Parrish by mistake, killing him instead. Madelyn then directed the cover-up, including the dorm fire aimed at eliminating Livvy and Felice. After the fire, Garrett hid in a snowbird cottage Madelyn knew about—a former hookup house—but she eventually ghosted him. Desperate for a car and money to escape the island, Garrett went to Traci’s house with a gun, intending only to persuade her, but he was arrested.
Coyle reveals that Charlie and KJ Parkhurst are also in custody. He forces Garrett to text Madelyn, pretending they need to meet to discuss the situation, in order to lure her into a trap. Traci is horrified by the depth of the betrayal.
Key Events
- Garrett confesses that Madelyn discovered the NDA proving Livvy is Ric’s daughter.
- Madelyn blackmailed Garrett and Charlie into including her in their illegal schemes.
- The murder of Parrish Eddings resulted from a mistaken fentanyl poisoning intended for Livvy.
- Cedric was supposed to give Livvy the drug but was too intoxicated to distinguish her from Parrish.
- Madelyn ordered the dorm fire to kill Livvy and Felice after Parrish’s death.
- Garrett hid in a snowbird cottage that served as Madelyn’s and his hookup spot.
- Madelyn cut off contact with Garrett, leaving him stranded on the island.
- Garrett attempted to rob Traci but was arrested.
- Coyle coerces Garrett into sending a trap text to Madelyn.
Character Development
- Garrett: Fully reveals his cowardice and lack of remorse, shifting all blame onto Madelyn. He admits to his own crimes but portrays himself as a pawn.
- Traci Eddings: Listens to her trusted former employee’s betrayal and is sickened. Her trust in the people around her is shattered.
- Sheriff Coyle: Demonstrates a methodical, patient interrogation style, using the phone to build a case against Madelyn.
- Madelyn Eddings (off-stage): Is painted as the master manipulator, using sex and blackmail to control others while protecting her own financial interests via a prenuptial agreement.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Betrayal: Garrett’s willingness to betray Madelyn in exchange for leniency echoes the theme of fractured loyalty. Every character in the conspiracy has turned on another.
- Greed and Entitlement: Madelyn’s desire to secure wealth and status, combined with her fear of losing everything in a divorce, drives her to murder.
- The Unreliable Confession: Garrett’s account is self-serving, yet it aligns with the evidence and provides crucial details about the NDA and prenuptial agreement.
- The Hookup House as a Symbol of Secrecy: The snowbird cottage represents the hidden, transactional nature of Garrett and Madelyn’s relationship—both physical and criminal.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the narrative’s turning point: it confirms Madelyn as the primary architect of the crimes, answers the mystery of Parrish’s murder and the dorm fire, and sets up the final confrontation. By securing Garrett’s confession—and using his phone to trap Madelyn—Coyle gains the evidence needed to bring down the conspiracy. Traci’s firsthand listening also deepens her understanding of the danger she and Livvy were in, raising the emotional stakes for the remaining chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What evidence did Madelyn discover that motivated her to escalate the crimes?
Madelyn found a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that Fred Eddings had made Livvy’s mother sign. The NDA proved that Livvy’s biological father was Ric Eddings, giving Madelyn leverage to blackmail Garrett and Charlie.
2. Why did the murder plot at the Beach Bash result in Parrish’s death instead of Livvy’s?
Cedric, the musician tasked with giving Livvy a fentanyl-laced drink, was heavily intoxicated on weed and cocaine. He mistakenly identified Parrish—also wearing a flowered dress—as Livvy, and gave her the lethal dose.
3. How did Sheriff Coyle use Garrett’s phone to advance the investigation?
Coyle forced Garrett to text Madelyn, claiming that Charlie and KJ were in custody and that they needed to meet urgently. The text was designed to lure Madelyn to the snowbird cottage, where law enforcement could arrest her.