Chapter 37 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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 Grayson and Avery report their findings to the group, Jameson immediately suggests they need to speak with Nan, the Hawthorne family’s longtime caretaker and confidante. He reasons that Nan is likely the only living person who might know whether Tobias Hawthorne had any family that Zara, the estate lawyer, is unaware of. Xander tries to lighten the mood by describing Nan’s whereabouts as a game of hide-and-seek, but Nash points out that it is Tuesday morning, which means Nan will be in the chapel—a habit she has kept for years.

Jameson and Avery walk to the Hawthorne chapel, located beyond the hedge maze and west of the tennis courts. The chapel is small but ornate, with stone arches, hand-carved pews, and stained-glass windows. Inside, they find Nan resting in a pew. Without turning around, she barks at them to close the door, then scolds them for missing their weekly poker game the previous day. Avery apologizes, admitting she has been distracted. Nan reveals that she is not praying but “giving our Maker a piece of my mind,” and Jameson explains that Tobias built the chapel specifically so Nan would have a place to yell at God. Nan adds that Tobias once threatened to build her a mausoleum instead, and that he never expected her to outlive him.

Avery seizes the opening and asks whether Tobias had any family of his own—parents, siblings, or mentors. Nan explains that Tobias’s parents had him late in life and did not know what to do with a boy like him. He had no siblings. His father died of a heart attack when Tobias was a teenager, and his mother died about a year later, leaving him truly alone by the time he met Alice, Nan’s daughter. When Jameson asks about mentors or friends, Nan says Tobias was never in the business of making friends; he was focused solely on making money. She describes him as single-minded, wily, and brutal, but also insists he was good to Alice and to her. Jameson murmurs “family first,” and Nan agrees, adding that no man builds an empire without doing things they are not proud of, but Tobias never let that follow him home. His hands were not always clean, but he never raised them to his family.

Avery’s mind latches onto the phrase “his hands weren’t always clean,” which echoes the kidnapper’s first message. She begins to wonder whether the revenge plot has always been aimed at Tobias Hawthorne himself, not at Toby or Avery. She asks Nan what Tobias did to make his hands unclean, but Nan offers no answer. Jameson then asks Nan what she would say to someone seeking revenge against the Hawthorne family. Nan pats his face and replies that she would tell that person to get in line.

Key Events

Jameson proposes asking Nan about Tobias’s unknown family, and Nash identifies Tuesday morning as the time to find her in the chapel.
Avery and Jameson locate Nan in the chapel, where she scolds them for missing poker and reveals the chapel’s purpose as her place to yell at God.
Nan provides a brief history of Tobias’s family: he was a late-in-life child, had no siblings, and lost both parents by his late teens.
Nan describes Tobias as a single-minded businessman who made no friends and focused only on money, but who treated Alice and Nan well and never raised his hands to family.
Avery connects Nan’s phrase “his hands weren’t always clean” to the kidnapper’s first message, sparking a theory that the revenge is aimed at Tobias himself.
When asked what she would tell someone seeking revenge, Nan says she would tell them to get in line, implying many people have reason to resent Tobias.

Character Development

Avery – This chapter deepens Avery’s investigative mindset. She moves from gathering facts to forming a new hypothesis: that the entire revenge plot may be directed at Tobias Hawthorne, not at her or Toby. Her internal shift—from seeing herself as the target to seeing Tobias as the ultimate object of vengeance—shows her ability to re-evaluate evidence and consider larger patterns.

Jameson – Jameson takes the lead in seeking out Nan and asks pointed questions about Tobias’s past. His gentle approach with Nan reveals a softer side, and his question about revenge shows he is thinking strategically about the family’s enemies. He also demonstrates his characteristic intuition by connecting Nan’s comments to the broader mystery.

Nan – Nan emerges as a keeper of secrets. She is willing to share some details about Tobias’s family but clams up when asked about his moral compromises. Her final line about getting in line for revenge suggests she knows more than she is saying, and that Tobias’s past may be far more complicated than anyone suspected.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Revenge and Its Targets – The chapter reframes the central mystery. Avery’s realization that the revenge might be aimed at Tobias rather than at her or Toby shifts the narrative’s focus from a personal threat to a legacy of wrongdoing. Nan’s “get in line” comment reinforces that Tobias likely accumulated many enemies over his lifetime.

Moral Compromise in Building an Empire – Nan’s statement that “no man has ever built an empire without doing a thing or two they aren’t proud of” introduces the idea that Tobias’s wealth came at a cost. The phrase “his hands weren’t always clean” becomes a key motif, linking Tobias’s past actions to the present danger.

Family First – Despite Tobias’s ruthless business dealings, Nan insists he was good to his family and never raised his hands to them. This tension between public ruthlessness and private loyalty complicates the portrait of Tobias and raises questions about what he might have done to protect his family—or what he might have sacrificed.

The Chapel as a Place of Confrontation – The chapel, built by Tobias for Nan to yell at God, becomes a symbolic space where hidden truths are confronted. It is here that Avery begins to question the true target of revenge, and where Nan offers cryptic answers that hint at deeper secrets.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 37 is a turning point in the investigation. It provides crucial backstory about Tobias Hawthorne’s origins, revealing that he was essentially alone in the world before meeting Alice. More importantly, it introduces the possibility that the revenge plot is not aimed at Avery or Toby but at Tobias himself, which reframes every clue and message the characters have encountered so far. Nan’s refusal to answer Avery’s question about Tobias’s “unclean hands” creates a deliberate gap in the narrative, suggesting that the truth is more damaging than anyone has yet guessed. The chapter also deepens the theme of family loyalty, showing that even those who loved Tobias acknowledge his moral compromises. This sets the stage for the next phase of the mystery, where the characters must uncover what Tobias did to earn such enmity.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Avery connect Nan’s phrase “his hands weren’t always clean” to the kidnapper’s first message?

Avery recalls that the kidnapper’s first message used similar language about unclean hands. This verbal echo makes her realize that the revenge might not be directed at her or Toby, but at Tobias Hawthorne himself. The phrase suggests that the kidnapper knows about Tobias’s past misdeeds and is seeking to punish him posthumously, using Avery and Toby as pawns.

2. What does Nan’s final comment about “getting in line” reveal about Tobias’s legacy?

Nan’s comment implies that many people have reason to want revenge against Tobias. It suggests that Tobias’s ruthless business practices created a long list of enemies, and that the current kidnapper is just one of many who might have a grudge. This widens the scope of suspects and indicates that the motive for the revenge may be rooted in Tobias’s past actions rather than in the present-day lives of Avery or Toby.

3. How does the setting of the chapel contribute to the chapter’s revelations?

The chapel is a place Tobias built specifically for Nan to express her anger, which makes it a fitting location for discussing Tobias’s flaws and the possibility of revenge. The sacred yet confrontational atmosphere allows Nan to speak more freely about Tobias’s character, while also providing a quiet, intimate space where Avery can make her crucial deduction. The chapel’s symbolism—a place to yell at God—mirrors the characters’ attempts to confront the hidden truths of Tobias’s life.