Chapter 69: The Kingman Funeral DVD
⚠️ 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 (Complete and Chronological)
Devine arrives at Earl Palmer’s cottage during a relentless rainstorm. He unlocks the door and begins a methodical search of the home, which holds the accumulated clutter of decades—things Earl and Alberta never threw away. In a main-floor bedroom closet, Devine finds Alberta’s clothes, shoes, and a large collection of well-worn hats. On the bathroom sink are lotions and a glass perfume bottle; two toothbrushes remain in their holder.
In a drawer in the den, Devine discovers piles of notes Alberta wrote to Earl, most accompanied by drawings showing her artistic talent. Each note is signed “Love, Your Bertie.” Devine sits down and reads them, moved to tears. One drawing depicts Earl and Alberta walking hand in hand along a rocky shore, with the message “Happy Retirement to Us, My Love.” He carefully folds the notes and returns them to the drawer.
Moving to the front room, Devine examines a shelf of VHS tapes and DVDs. Among commercial movies and family recordings, one DVD catches his eye: WILBUR KINGMAN’S FUNERAL. He puts the disc into the player and watches.
The funeral footage shows a packed church. Wilbur’s coffin is brought to the altar. Devine pauses the film to identify attendees. In the front row sits Patricia Kingman in a loose black dress. Fred Bing, the undertaker, directs the funeral crew, and two older men who resemble him stand nearby—likely his father and uncle. Françoise Guillaume greets people at the door.
Dak, Jenny, and Alex Silkwell sit together; Jenny consoles Dak while Alex stares blankly. Clare Robards and Senator Silkwell are beside them. Harper appears in the back row wearing a sergeant’s uniform; Wendy Fuss is absent. A group of burly lobstermen, red-eyed and stricken, pay their respects.
Annie Palmer sits next to her grandparents. Alberta holds Earl’s hand, watching him anxiously. Earl has a bandaged face, a neck brace, a cast on his right arm, and a cane—evidence of his earlier injuries. On Earl’s other side sits Benjamin Bing, the police chief, with a granitelike face and imposing physique. Devine notices something on Bing’s chest: a military decoration. “Damn, so he was a soldier?” Devine mutters.
As the film continues, Bing leans close to Earl and speaks earnestly; Earl’s reaction is one of shock. Later, when the service ends, Bing helps the limping Earl out, his arm around him, all the while talking in a way that seems to deliver blow after blow to Palmer. Devine then watches Alex Silkwell hang back, staring at Bing and Palmer. She shudders, grips a pew for support, then Jenny helps her out. Françoise Guillaume returns and glances at the direction Bing and Earl went, then at the Silkwell sisters, before leaving alone.
The film ends. Devine pockets the DVD. Although he heard no audio, the visual evidence is powerful. Alex’s reaction to Bing is especially telling. Devine resolves to find Benjamin Bing as quickly as possible—before someone else dies a violent death.
Key Events
- Devine searches Earl Palmer’s cottage and finds Alberta’s personal belongings, including her hats and toiletries.
- He discovers a drawer filled with handwritten notes and drawings from Alberta to Earl, signed “Love, Your Bertie.”
- Devine watches a DVD of Wilbur Kingman’s funeral, pausing to identify the mourners.
- He spots Benjamin Bing wearing a military decoration on his police uniform.
- During the funeral, Bing speaks intently to Earl, who reacts with shock.
- Alex Silkwell shudders when she sees Bing and Earl together, suggesting a connection.
- Françoise Guillaume observes the interactions before leaving.
- Devine takes the DVD and concludes he must find Benjamin Bing before more violence occurs.
Character Development
Devine shows a deeply empathetic side as he reads Alberta’s notes and feels the weight of the lives lived in the cottage. His emotional response (“eyes watering”) humanizes him beyond his role as an investigator. He also demonstrates sharp observational skills, pausing the funeral footage to note every attendee and later connecting the visual cues—Bing’s conversation with Earl and Alex’s shudder—into a coherent theory.
Earl Palmer is seen only through the funeral video, but his physical condition (bandaged, braced, cast) reinforces the lasting damage from a prior assault. His shocked reaction to Bing’s words implies a hidden secret that has haunted him.
Benjamin Bing emerges as a key figure of interest. The military decoration on his chest adds a new dimension: he is not merely a local police chief but a former soldier. His intense, one-sided conversation with Earl suggests he possesses knowledge or a threat that deeply unsettles the older man.
Alex Silkwell appears visibly disturbed by seeing Bing and Earl together. Her shudder and need to steady herself indicate a personal, possibly traumatic, connection to events surrounding Wilbur Kingman’s funeral.
Françoise Guillaume is shown observing both groups, hinting at her own curiosity or involvement.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Actually Evidenced Here
- Memory and Loss: The cottage preserves Alberta’s presence through her clothes, perfume, and notes. The DVD, a record of a funeral, freezes a moment of collective grief.
- Hidden Truths: Clutter “stuck away in places that could not be seen” mirrors the secrets buried in characters’ lives. The funeral DVD becomes a window into a hidden interaction between Bing and Earl.
- The Past’s Weight: Earl’s injuries and the notes from Alberta show how past love and violence continue to shape the present. The military decoration on Bing suggests his past as a soldier carries into his current role.
- Observation and Revelation: Devine’s careful viewing of the DVD—pausing, noting reactions, reading body language—underscores the theme that truth often lies in what is seen but not heard.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 69 supplies critical visual evidence that links several major characters to a single event: Wilbur Kingman’s funeral. It reveals a previously unknown military background for Benjamin Bing and plants the first concrete sign that Alex Silkwell has a deep, unexplained fear of him. The DVD also documents Earl Palmer’s physical state and his shock at Bing’s words, suggesting a history that may be central to the larger mystery. By pocketing the disc, Devine gains a tool to solve the case—and a race against time to find Bing before another death occurs.
Study Questions and Answers
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What does Devine find in the drawer of Earl’s den, and how does it affect him?
Devine finds a collection of notes and drawings that Alberta wrote to Earl, each signed “Love, Your Bertie.” The notes are personal, affectionate, and reveal Alberta’s artistic skill. Devine is moved to tears, showing how deeply he connects to the private history of the Palmer family. -
Why does Alex Silkwell shudder when she sees Benjamin Bing speaking to Earl during the funeral?
Alex’s shudder suggests a profound emotional reaction—possibly fear, guilt, or recognition of a dangerous secret. The visual of Bing leaning in and Earl’s shock implies that Bing’s words are threatening or revelatory, and Alex may be complicit or a target. The exact reason is not yet revealed, but the reaction establishes a link between Alex, Bing, and Earl. -
What new detail does Devine notice about Benjamin Bing in the funeral footage, and why is it significant?
Devine sees a military decoration on Bing’s chest and realizes, “Damn, so he was a soldier?” This detail is significant because it adds a layer to Bing’s identity beyond that of a small-town police chief. It hints at specialized training, possible trauma, and a code of conduct that may affect his actions. It also raises questions about his past and how it might connect to the deaths in the story.