Chapter 25 Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens with Drew staring out the motel window in Alton, unable to sleep. He has spent the night preparing a presentation for the police: printed diner photos, a clear picture of Lola in her distinctive jacket, a missing-person flier, and a typed timeline of everything that happened from the night she vanished to her reappearance in Waybrooke. Max and Autumn are still asleep, but Drew is restless, feeling oddly close to Lola in this town.

After waking his friends, Drew checks out at the motel office. The clerk, a young woman with dyed black hair, flirts with him, but he is distracted by a bulletin board covered in missing-person posters for an elderly man named Ben Hooper. The clerk dismisses the man’s wife as “out there,” but Drew feels a pang of recognition—he knows what it’s like to post fliers out of desperation.

The three drive to the Alton police precinct, which is surprisingly busy. Officers are organizing a search for Ben Hooper, and the front desk officer tells them to wait. Over an hour passes. Drew’s anxiety spikes, but Autumn remains composed. Finally, Officer McCurry (the “redhead”) takes their statement. Drew tells the entire truth—including the break-in at Roane’s precinct and the stolen evidence. McCurry listens intently, takes detailed notes, and even calls Eloise, leaving a voicemail. He also calls Roane, which makes Drew nervous, but McCurry seems determined to help. He mentions possibly splitting the search party to look for both Hooper and Lola.

Just as hope builds, Officer Bowman arrives. He is a younger officer who says he picked up a teenage girl a few days ago after a car accident. She was the same age and wore the same jacket, but he insists she is not Lola. He verified her identity thoroughly, down to a birth announcement in a local paper. Autumn protests that the jacket is one-of-a-kind, but Bowman remains firm: it’s a misidentification. The chapter ends with Drew’s desperate disbelief and Autumn’s quiet sob.

Key Events

Drew finalizes a presentation of photos, a flier, and a timeline for the Alton police.
The motel bulletin board reveals missing-person posters for Ben Hooper, an elderly man who disappeared two days ago.
The trio waits over an hour at the precinct while officers prepare a search for Hooper.
Officer McCurry takes their statement; Drew confesses to breaking into the police station and stealing evidence.
McCurry calls Eloise and Roane, and suggests splitting the search party to include Lola.
Officer Bowman arrives and reveals he picked up a teenage girl days earlier—same age, same jacket—but verified she is not Lola.
Bowman concludes the diner sighting was a misidentification, crushing the group’s hopes.

Character Development

Drew is the emotional center of this chapter. His sleepless night and meticulous preparation show his obsessive dedication to finding Lola. He is terrified of being seen as a suspect, but he chooses to tell the truth anyway, even when it incriminates him. His hope soars when McCurry takes him seriously, only to crash when Bowman delivers the bad news. His final outburst—“What are the chances that two girls who look exactly alike, with the same jacket, end up in this same town?”—reveals his desperation and his refusal to accept the evidence.

Autumn emerges as the group’s anchor. She confidently speaks to the officer, uses her father’s sheriff background to demand a statement, and keeps her composure during the long wait. When Bowman dismisses the jacket, she immediately points out that it is one-of-a-kind, showing her quick thinking. Her sob at the end is a rare moment of vulnerability, reminding us that she is also emotionally invested.

Max provides comic relief but also quiet support. He falls asleep on the bench, but when he wakes, he stands behind Autumn, grinning as the statement goes well. He is the first to comfort Autumn when she breaks down, showing a softer side.

Officer McCurry is a stark contrast to Roane. He listens without judgment, writes down everything, and even calls Eloise and Roane. His willingness to consider splitting the search party shows he takes the teens seriously, despite their age.

Officer Bowman is the bearer of bad news. He is thorough and empathetic, but his certainty that the girl he picked up is not Lola—based on verified paperwork—creates a devastating plot twist.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Misidentification and the Limits of Evidence – The chapter hinges on the jacket as a symbol of identity. Autumn made it, so it should be unique, yet Bowman insists the girl he saw wore the same jacket. This raises questions about how reliable any single piece of evidence can be, especially when it leads to a dead end.

Hope and Disappointment – Drew’s emotional arc from cautious optimism to soaring hope to crushing despair mirrors the rollercoaster of a real missing-person search. The chapter shows how fragile hope can be when it rests on a single lead.

Authority and Credibility – The teens are repeatedly dismissed as “kids,” but McCurry’s willingness to listen contrasts with Roane’s obstruction. The chapter critiques how age can undermine credibility, even when the information is solid.

Community Response to Missing Persons – The precinct’s frantic search for Ben Hooper shows how a community can mobilize for one missing person, while Lola’s case has been ignored. This juxtaposition highlights the disparity in how missing persons are treated based on age, background, or media attention.

Persistence – Despite the setback, Drew’s internal vow to keep searching (“I won’t stop until Lola is home”) underscores the theme of relentless determination.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the narrative. It is the first time the trio successfully presents their case to law enforcement, and McCurry’s positive response suggests they might finally get official help. However, Bowman’s revelation that the girl he picked up is not Lola—despite the matching jacket—throws the entire investigation into doubt. The chapter forces readers to question whether the diner sighting was real or a coincidence, and it sets up the next chapter’s conflict as Roane arrives. It also deepens Drew’s character, showing his vulnerability and his refusal to give up even when the evidence seems to point away from Lola.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Drew decide to tell Officer McCurry the entire truth, including the break-in?

Drew realizes that half-truths will not convince the police to take him seriously. He has already seen how Roane’s dismissal of his story led to a dead end. By confessing everything, he hopes to demonstrate that his desperation is genuine and that he has nothing to hide. McCurry’s calm reaction—taking notes without judgment—validates this choice.

2. How does the Ben Hooper subplot parallel Lola’s case?

Ben Hooper’s disappearance is treated with urgency: officers from other towns are called in, and the precinct is bustling with activity. In contrast, Lola’s case has been ignored by Roane. This contrast highlights the theme of unequal attention given to missing persons, and it also gives Drew a moment of empathy for Hooper’s wife, who is posting fliers just as he has been.

3. What is the significance of the jacket in this chapter?

The jacket is the key piece of evidence that led the trio to Alton. Autumn made it, so it is supposedly unique. Bowman’s claim that the girl he picked up wore the same jacket—but is not Lola—challenges the reliability of that evidence. The jacket becomes a symbol of hope and then of doubt, forcing the characters to reconsider everything they thought they knew.