Chapter 25: Analyzing Meagin's Phone Records and the Purple Diamond Mystery

⚠️ 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

Back in his office, Milo continues trying to trace the missing maids but shifts focus when he receives Meagin March's phone records via email. He and Alex review seven months of call logs, finding numerous calls to nail salons, boutiques, jewelers, and food deliveries, but almost no texts. Personal calls are nearly all to Lana Demarest and Toni Bowman, with a pattern of brief calls to Gio Aggiunta starting three months earlier. One outlier stands out: an eight-minute call to an 805 number, which a reverse directory reveals is the auxiliary of St. Jerome's Catholic Church in San Pietro, Ventura County. They speculate about the call being a heated discussion with an ex, a confession, or a family connection. Alex suggests Meagin's claimed Midwestern roots may be a fabrication and that she might have originally been from California, drawn to Vegas for her looks but eventually turning to escorting.

Alicia reports no agency record for either maid. Milo then contacts Toni Bowman, who says Meagin asked for a housekeeper referral. Toni's own housekeeper Rosa recommended someone, but Rosa is on vacation in Mexico for another week, unreachable. Just as they are about to call it a day, Douglass March phones, demanding the return of Meagin's jewelry, particularly a purple diamond necklace he paid $100,000 for. He plans to sell it for a profit and argues all her possessions are legally his. Milo deflects and later discusses the call with Alex, who notes March's anger but doesn't label him a psychopath.

To assess the necklace's value, Milo contacts Harold Saroyan, a jeweler he worked with before. Saroyan explains that true purple diamonds are extremely rare and estimates a real 1.5-carat pear-shaped stone at $250,000 to $350,000, but stresses it is likely a fake or a chemical enhancement. This leads Milo and Alex to suspect Meagin may have scammed March: she could have bought an amethyst and pocketed the difference. The chapter ends with Milo declining a dinner invitation from Alex, feeling the pull of solitude after a long day.

Key Events

Milo and Alex analyze Meagin's seven months of phone records, noting the absence of texts and the prevalence of calls to luxury services.
They identify one unusual call to an 805 number, later identified as the auxiliary of St. Jerome's Catholic Church in San Pietro.
Alicia confirms that neither maid was placed through any agency.
Toni Bowman provides a lead: Meagin asked for a maid referral, and Toni's housekeeper Rosa recommended someone, but Rosa is on vacation in Mexico and unreachable.
Douglass March calls Milo, angrily demanding the return of Meagin's jewelry, especially a purple diamond necklace he paid $100,000 for.
Milo and Alex contact jeweler Harold Saroyan, who estimates a true purple diamond could be worth $250,000–$350,000 but believes the necklace is likely a fake.
They theorize that Meagin may have scammed March by purchasing an amethyst and pocketing the difference.
Milo declines Alex's invitation to dinner, opting to work alone.

Character Development

Milo Sturgis: Displays dogged persistence and a wry sense of humor, even when exhausted. His willingness to consider alternatives (e.g., Meagin's background) shows his open-mindedness.
Alex Delaware: Provides psychological insight into Meagin's possible motivations and helps analyze the phone data. His recall of the jeweler's name aids the investigation.
Douglass March: Emerges as greedy, entitled, and angry, focused on financial gain rather than grief. His tone suggests a controlling personality.
Meagin March (posthumously): Revealed as potentially deceptive, not only in her affair but possibly in financially scamming her husband.
Harold Saroyan: A knowledgeable and helpful expert, willing to assist the police despite his age.
Toni Bowman: Cooperative but limited by her housekeeper's absence; she provides useful context about the maid referral.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Greed and Deception: The purple diamond necklace symbolizes the financial betrayal at the core of the March marriage. The suspicion that Meagin faked the purchase highlights the theme of appearances versus reality.
Hidden Identities: The mysterious phone call to a distant church and Meagin's possible false background underscore the idea that people conceal their pasts.
The Persistence of Investigation: Milo's “grasping at straws” reflects the detective's reliance on small, seemingly minor clues (a single phone call, a referral from a housekeeper) to unravel a larger mystery.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the investigation by introducing a potential financial motive for Douglass March, who may have been defrauded by his wife. The discovery of the call to San Pietro opens a new geographical angle and suggests Meagin's past in California rather than the Midwest she claimed. The maid lead through Rosa remains dangling, promising future developments. The chapter also contrasts Milo's solitary work style with Alex's offer of companionship, emphasizing the emotional toll of the case.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does the phone call to St. Jerome's Catholic Church auxiliary in San Pietro stand out to Milo and Alex?
The call is eight minutes long, the only personal call to a number outside Meagin's known circle. Its location, Ventura County, fifty miles from L.A., suggests a connection—possibly a family member, an ex, or a confession—that doesn't fit with Meagin's presented identity as a Midwesterner.

2. What does the purple diamond necklace reveal about the relationship between Douglass March and Meagin?
Doug claims he paid $100,000 for the necklace, but a jeweler estimates a genuine purple diamond would be worth significantly more. Milo and Alex suspect Meagin may have bought a cheap amethyst and kept the difference, showing she not only cheated romantically with Gio but also financially deceived her husband. This fuels Doug's anger and potential motive.

3. How does the investigation into the maids' whereabouts stall in this chapter?
Alicia finds no agency records for either maid. Toni Bowman gives a lead: her housekeeper Rosa recommended a friend, but Rosa is on vacation in an unspecified Mexican village with no contact information. Milo cannot follow up for at least a week, leaving the identity and location of the maids unknown.