Chapter 22: Cole Confronts Anya Given – A Terrifying Encounter
⚠️ 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
Elvis Cole tails Anya Given as she makes deliveries to five offices on Ventura Boulevard and six along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The deliveries offer no chance to speak with her. When Anya turns into a Ralphs parking lot, Cole follows and parks three rows away. He decides to approach her inside the market, where other shoppers will make the encounter feel less threatening and more accidental.
Cole finds Anya in the chips and snacks aisle, studying bags of chips. He tries to get her attention by clearing his throat, but she remains absorbed. When he finally speaks her name, Anya reacts with a violent startle, dropping the bag. Cole apologizes, introduces himself as Elvis, and offers to buy her coffee. She denies knowing John Beller, claiming she never met him. Her face is pale, her breathing shallow, and she looks terrified.
An older woman in purple pants notices the exchange and calls for security, believing Cole is bothering Anya. Anya shouts for Cole to get away and runs from the store. She fumbles into her van, backs out too fast, clips a woman’s cart, and speeds off. Cole realizes Anya is not just fleeing him—she is escaping something. His phone buzzes with an incoming call from Lori.
Key Events
- Cole follows Anya Given on her delivery route through Ventura and Topanga Canyon.
- He decides to approach her in a supermarket to avoid appearing like a stalker.
- Anya’s extreme startle reaction when Cole speaks her name in the chips aisle.
- She denies knowing John Beller and asserts she never met him.
- An older woman intervenes, mistaking Cole for a harasser and calling for security.
- Anya shouts for Cole to leave and flees the store in panic.
- She nearly hits a shopping cart while escaping in her van.
- Cole receives a phone call from Lori, his client.
Character Development
Elvis Cole shows strategic thinking and empathy. He chooses a public setting to reduce threat, speaks softly, and tries to build rapport. His observation that Anya’s fear seems directed at something beyond him demonstrates his detective instincts and sensitivity to trauma.
Anya Given undergoes a dramatic shift from calm to terror. Her startle response is “over-the-top wrong,” suggesting deep-seated fear or guilt. Her denial of Beller is emphatic, but her body language betrays her. She is clearly hiding something.
The older woman acts as a protective bystander, highlighting how easily a well-intentioned approach can be misinterpreted.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Fear and Its Origins. Anya’s disproportionate terror raises questions about what she has experienced. Her fear is not simply about a stranger approaching her—it hints at a traumatic past or a dangerous secret related to Beller.
The Unreliable Witness. Anya claims ignorance, but her panic contradicts her words. The gap between what she says and how she behaves becomes a clue for Cole and the reader.
Public vs. Private Confrontation. Cole deliberately chooses a public space to seem less threatening, yet the encounter still escalates. This motif underscores the difficulty of gaining trust when power dynamics and past trauma are involved.
The Disguise of Normalcy. Anya is occupied with a mundane task (choosing chips), but the encounter shatters that normalcy. The supermarket becomes a stage for hidden fears to erupt.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the mystery surrounding John Beller’s disappearance. Anya’s extreme reaction suggests she knows more than she admits—and that something sinister may have occurred. Cole’s failed approach forces him to reconsider his strategy and raises the stakes: he is now dealing with a witness who is terrified, not merely evasive. The chapter also introduces Lori’s call, hinting at new developments that will drive the investigation forward.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Cole decide to approach Anya in the supermarket rather than confront her on her delivery route?
Cole wants to avoid seeming like a stalker. Approaching her inside a public store with other shoppers around makes the encounter feel accidental and less threatening. He believes the presence of families and witnesses will make Anya feel secure enough to talk. -
What does Anya’s reaction suggest about her relationship with John Beller?
Her extreme terror, pale face, and immediate denial of knowing Beller indicate she is hiding something. She claims she never met him, but her body language and panic suggest a traumatic connection or fear of consequences if she reveals the truth. -
How does the older woman’s intervention affect the encounter?
The older woman’s assumption that Cole is bothering Anya escalates the situation. It gives Anya a reason to shout for help and flee, ending any chance of conversation. The intervention also reinforces how easily an attempt at gentle questioning can be misinterpreted as harassment.