Chapter 80 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
Deputy Attorney General Hugh Bastinelli presents his prosecution memo to New Hampshire Attorney General Jennifer Pope, outlining the case against Cole Wright for the murder of Suzanne Bonanno. Pope immediately criticizes the memo, pointing out significant gaps. The medical forensics confirming the bones belong to Bonanno are solid, but the connecting evidence is weak. The only link between Wright and the grave is a watch found at a Lake Marie property he owned, with no witnesses seeing him dig the hole. Pope questions the motive: a secret relationship with a cheerleader that violated team policy. Bastinelli argues Bonanno may have been pregnant, threatening Wright’s career, but Pope notes the lack of fetal DNA, pregnancy test results, or ob-gyn interviews. She demands direct evidence placing Wright with Bonanno after she left her mother’s trailer, plus a connection to the grave. Pope also warns of media and political backlash because Governor Faulkner supported Wright during the primaries and she opposed Faulkner. Bastinelli agrees to have investigator Gagnon dig deeper, and Pope recites a Latin phrase about justice despite falling heavens.
Key Events
- Bastinelli gives Pope the draft prosecution memo against Cole Wright.
- Pope rejects the case as insufficiently proven.
- She highlights missing records, lack of motive evidence, and no fetal DNA.
- Pope demands direct evidence linking Wright to Bonanno’s last known sighting and to the grave.
- Bastinelli agrees to continue investigating.
- Pope mentions political pressure due to Faulkner’s past support for Wright and her own opposition.
Character Development
- Hugh Bastinelli: Shifts from confident prosecutor to defensive subordinate. His reliance on circumstantial evidence and personal belief in Wright’s guilt shows he may be overeager.
- Jennifer Pope: Demonstrates rigorous legal standards and political savvy. She balances a desire for justice with concern for the office’s reputation, refusing to rush a weak case.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Evidence vs. Intuition: The chapter contrasts Bastinelli’s gut feeling that Wright is guilty with Pope’s insistence on hard proof.
- Justice and Political Fallout: The AG fears that a poorly prepared case will be seen as a partisan hit job, especially given Faulkner’s endorsement of Wright and her own anti-Faulkner stance.
- The Latin Motto “Fiat justitia ruat caelum”: Represents the ideal of pursuing justice regardless of consequences, yet Pope wryly adds “just don’t let them fall on me,” highlighting the tension between principle and self-preservation.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter exposes the central legal obstacle in the investigation: the lack of concrete evidence tying Cole Wright to Suzanne Bonanno’s murder. It raises the stakes by introducing political and media complications, and it sets up Bastinelli’s renewed effort to find the missing connections. Readers now understand why the case has lingered for years and what must be uncovered for an indictment.
Study Questions
1. Why does Attorney General Pope reject Bastinelli’s prosecution memo?
Pope finds the evidence circumstantial. The only physical link is a watch at Wright’s property; no one saw him dig the grave. Motive is speculative, based on a relationship that may or may not have existed, and there is no forensic proof of pregnancy.
2. What political pressures does Pope anticipate, and why?
Governor Faulkner supported Cole Wright during the presidential primaries. Since Pope was part of the opposition to Faulkner, she fears the media and Wright’s supporters will view the prosecution as a partisan vendetta rather than an impartial pursuit of justice.
3. What does Pope’s use of the Latin phrase reveal about her character?
She values the ideal of justice above all else (“let justice be done though the heavens fall”) but undercuts it with a joke about not letting the heavens fall on her. This shows she is principled yet pragmatic, aware of the personal and political risks.