Chapter Thirty-Six: Vera's Secretive Plan

⚠️ 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

Joe Ashworth had a restless night, troubled by a text from his wife Sal showing their daughter Jess in costume for a Youth Theatre performance. He feels guilty for missing the show and torn between his family and his duty to Vera. At breakfast, Vera is unusually chirpy while DC Rosie looks exhausted, confessing she is a city girl unsettled by the silence and dark. Vera asks Rosie about her personal life, and Rosie reveals she broke off an engagement because her fiancé wanted children rather than a shared life; her mother still resents the cancelled wedding. Vera offers a sympathetic nod—unusually avoiding a wisecrack about Joe's own marriage.

Joe asks about calling in uniformed officers, but Vera refuses, insisting on a discreet approach during the busy Witch Hunt weekend. She wants to find Chloe, who is believed to be hiding somewhere in the village—either at the hotel or with her friend Alice. Vera assigns Joe to the hotel, instructing him to get a uniform and search staff-only areas. Rosie is to scout Alice's home, borrowing a coat and boots from Ma to blend in as a walker. Vera keeps her own plans vague, tapping her nose secretively. Joe senses that Vera is holding back details, perhaps because she does not fully trust Rosie.

Joe dons hotel staff uniform—black trousers, white shirt, and gold waistcoat—and explores the backstage areas: narrow staircases, cold stores, the subterranean staffroom. He asks staff if they have seen a young girl, but no one recognizes Chloe. After hours of fruitless searching, he decides the mission is a wild goose chase and returns to the village.

As he approaches the centre, he encounters the fancy dress parade: a brass band followed by children in costumes—cats, witches, warlocks. He spots Alice, her face painted green, in a tall witch's hat and cloak, holding hands with her boyfriend who is dressed as a Harry Potter character. They lead the procession to the pub’s function room for a costume competition. Joe follows, then goes into the bar looking for Vera. The landlady Ma says she hasn't seen Vera since breakfast. Stepping outside, Joe phones Vera but gets no answer. Rosie appears beside him, still wearing Ma's oversized waterproof, and suggests they get a drink.

Key Events

Joe receives a text from Sal with a photo of Jess in costume; he feels guilt over missing her performance.
At breakfast, Vera questions Rosie about her personal life; Rosie reveals she broke off an engagement because her ex wanted kids, not a partnership.
Vera outlines a discreet search plan: Joe at the hotel, Rosie at Alice’s home, while she keeps her own movements secret.
Joe searches the hotel’s staff areas for signs of Chloe but finds nothing.
He abandons the search in the early afternoon and returns to the village.
Joe witnesses the Witch Hunt weekend parade, seeing Alice and her boyfriend leading the procession to the pub.
Joe cannot locate Vera; Rosie joins him and they decide to get a drink.

Character Development

Joe Ashworth: His internal conflict intensifies. He feels like a "crap dad" for missing his daughter's performance and considers breaking free of Vera to please his family. Yet he remains compliant, carrying out orders even when frustrated. His unease grows when Vera withholds information, making him question her trust in the team.
Vera Stanhope: Shows uncharacteristic restraint—she does not make a wisecrack about Joe’s marriage and instead offers a sympathetic nod to Rosie. Her secretiveness about her own plans suggests a strategic or possibly mistrustful approach. She is focused and energetic, but deliberately vague.
Rosie: Reveals vulnerability by sharing her failed engagement and her wariness in relationships. She looks tired and out of place in the village, and her horror at wearing Ma's cast-offs shows a touch of vanity. Her allergy to dogs prevents her from using a dog-walker disguise.
Alice: Briefly glimpsed leading the parade, her green-painted face and witch costume confirming her active role in village festivities. She seems at ease with her boyfriend, contrasting with Chloe’s hidden absence.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Duty vs. Family: Joe’s guilt over missing Jess’s performance highlights the conflict between professional obligation and personal life. The photograph and Sal’s text act as a subtle reproach.
Secrecy and Trust: Vera’s decision not to disclose her own movements makes Joe wonder if she doubts Rosie’s discretion. This motif of withheld information creates tension within the team.
Surveillance and Disguise: Vera’s plan—using uniforms and borrowed clothes to blend in—reflects the theme of disguise and hidden observation. Joe’s uncomfortable uniform and Rosie’s oversized coat emphasize their roles as undercover watchers.
Community Ritual: The Witch Hunt weekend parade, with its brass band and costumed children, symbolizes the village’s traditions. The public festivities contrast with the private search for a missing girl, underscoring the tension between normalcy and crisis.
Hidden Spaces: Joe’s exploration of the hotel’s servants’ quarters—narrow stairs, cold stores, the windowless staffroom—mirrors the search for Chloe, who is hiding in unseen corners. The hotel’s architecture of hidden service spaces parallels the investigation’s need to uncover secrets.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Joe’s personal dilemma, setting up a potential choice between his family and his loyalty to Vera. It also advances the investigation by narrowing the search to the hotel and Alice’s home, while Vera’s secret plan hints at a larger strategy. The festive atmosphere of the Witch Hunt weekend provides a crowded backdrop that could either conceal Chloe or flush her out. Joe’s failed search and Vera’s absence at the end raise the stakes, leaving the reader wondering where Chloe might be and what Vera is really doing.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Joe feel conflicted about his role in the investigation in this chapter?
Joe is torn between his duty to Vera and his family responsibilities. A text from Sal showing Jess in a Youth Theatre performance makes him feel guilty for missing it. He wonders if he can ever please both the strong women in his life—Sal and Vera—and considers whether it is time to break free of Vera.
How does Vera’s behavior differ from her usual style, and what might this suggest?
Vera is unusually secretive about her own plans, tapping her nose and refusing to share details. Joe notes she has never withheld information from him before, which unsettles him. This could indicate she mistrusts someone on the team—perhaps Rosie—or has a more complex plan she wants to execute alone.
What role does the Witch Hunt weekend play in the chapter’s atmosphere and investigation?
The weekend provides a chaotic, crowded setting that Vera hopes to use for discreet surveillance. The fancy dress parade fills the village with strangers, making it easier for the team to blend in but also harder to spot Chloe. The festivities create a stark contrast to the serious search, highlighting how normal life continues amid a crisis.