Chapter 36: Disposing the Evidence at Wollaston Beach
⚠️ 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 discovering a ceramic turtle – the likely murder weapon – in her laundry hamper, the protagonist (Natalie) decides she cannot act immediately because Detective Santoro might be watching her. She forces herself to eat a small dinner but burns the spaghetti due to distraction. About four hours later, she drives to Wollaston Beach, her favorite summer spot.
During the drive, she tries to figure out who might have planted the weapon to frame her. She considers Melinda Hoffman (Seth’s wife) but doubts she would go that far. She also realizes that her unlocked home made it easy for someone to enter.
At the cold, empty beach, Natalie smashes the ceramic turtle into pieces on her back porch before leaving. She carries the shards in her shoulder bag, walks out into the water, and throws each piece as far as she can, watching them sink. Once the bag is empty, she feels safe, believing the bloodstained pottery is now unrecognizable.
Back at her car, she receives a call from a blocked number. She shouts into the phone, claiming she knows who is messing with her and threatening to call the police. The caller remains silent. She hangs up in frustration, then worries that other evidence might be hidden in her house.
Key Events
- Natalie waits hours before leaving to avoid suspicion.
- She drives to Wollaston Beach, reminiscing about summer visits.
- She smashes the ceramic turtle and disposes the pieces in the ocean.
- She receives a blocked call and lashes out at the silent caller.
- She fears there may be more planted evidence in her home.
Character Development
Natalie shifts from passive fear to active decision-making. Destroying and disposing of the weapon shows her willingness to tamper with evidence to protect herself. Her outburst at the blocked caller reveals growing paranoia and desperation. The chapter also highlights her isolation – she has no one to confide in and must handle the crisis alone.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Framing and Trust: The planted weapon raises questions about who among her acquaintances could be setting her up.
- Water as Cleansing: Throwing the shards into the ocean symbolically tries to wash away guilt, but the cold, empty setting suggests the effort may be futile.
- Silence and Communication: The blocked caller’s silence mirrors the lack of answers Natalie receives from the police or her loved ones.
- Ordinary Objects Turned Deadly: A decorative ceramic turtle becomes a murder weapon and then a burden.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter marks a major turning point: Natalie actively obstructs justice by destroying evidence. Her decision escalates the stakes and deepens her involvement in the crime. The unanswered blocked call reinforces the theme of an unknown enemy, while her final thought – that other evidence could be hidden – sets up ongoing suspense for the next chapter.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Natalie smash the ceramic turtle before heading to the beach? She smashes it because a single large object is harder to dispose of and easier to identify; breaking it into many pieces makes it more likely that the fragments will be washed away and unrecognizable.
2. What reason does Natalie give for believing the turtle was planted in her home? She notes that her door was unlocked when she returned from Dawn’s house, making it easy for anyone to enter and hide the weapon. She also recalls that she did not touch most items in Dawn’s kitchen, so the fingerprints there were probably left by someone else.
3. How does Natalie react to the blocked call at the end of the chapter? She shouts into the phone, claiming she knows who is calling and threatening to go to the police. The caller remains silent, which frustrates her and leaves her feeling powerless and anxious about more planted evidence.