Chapter 14 Summary and Analysis – The Last Devil to Die
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Complete Summary
The chapter opens on the morning of January 4th in the Fairhaven police station’s Incident Room. The team, led by DCI Chris Hudson, has been called together to discuss progress on the murder of antiques dealer Kuldesh Sharma. However, a surprise awaits: Senior Investigating Officer Jill Regan of the National Crime Agency (NCA) has taken command of the investigation for reasons unknown to the local officers.
Jill addresses the assembled squad with contempt. She informs them that there are no clues, no evidence, and no intelligence—only a murder that has stalled for over a week. She announces that at midday an NCA team will arrive and relieve the local officers, declaring the Incident Room (and Chris’s office) out of bounds. When Chris tries to ask a question, Jill cuts him off, stating she was only joking about questions. She dismisses the team and tells them to find some other crime to solve.
Chris hangs back to confront Jill in private. He directly asks why the NCA is involved in a local antiques murder. Jill deflects, claiming ignorance. Chris presses, asking if the case overlaps with an international drug operation. Jill again avoids answering and orders Chris and Donna away. She reveals they have set up a temporary office for Chris in a Portakabin in the car park and insists they focus on a stolen horse case instead.
Sensing that fighting Jill in public is futile, Donna ushers Chris out. As they descend the stairwell, Chris observes that Jill’s abrasive attitude suggests she is hiding something. Donna agrees, noting that no one is that obnoxious naturally. They decide to pursue the murder investigation covertly. Donna reveals that she has kept Kuldesh’s mobile phone (not yet logged into evidence due to an unmanned evidence store). She will retrieve it from her locker. Chris authorizes a quick trace of the phone’s calls, while maintaining a cover of investigating the horse theft in Benenden.
Key Events
- The Fairhaven team assembles in the Incident Room expecting a briefing from Chris, but Jill Regan of the NCA takes command.
- Jill criticizes the lack of progress, stating there is no CCTV, DNA, fingerprints, or eyewitnesses.
- She announces that an NCA team will replace the local officers at midday and orders everyone to leave the Investigation Room.
- Chris privately questions Jill about the NCA’s involvement; Jill stonewalls him.
- Jill reveals a temporary office for Chris in a Portakabin and steers them toward a stolen horse case.
- Donna and Chris exit the station, acknowledging that Jill is clearly hiding something.
- Donna remembers she has Kuldesh’s phone (unlogged) in her locker; they agree to trace his calls covertly.
Character Development
Chris Hudson – Chris is visibly bristling throughout the chapter. His authority is undermined, yet he remains determined. He shows political awareness by not openly confronting Jill in front of the squad, but he refuses to simply walk away. His decision to pursue the murder investigation in secret demonstrates that his commitment to justice outweighs institutional protocol.
Donna de Freitas – Donna is sharp and quick-witted, firing back at Jill’s metaphorical insult. She is the one who recognizes that the evidence store was unmanned—a lucky break that allows her to keep Kuldesh’s phone off the official record. Her willingness to bend the rules for the sake of the case shows her growing confidence and loyalty to Chris.
Jill Regan – A new antagonist. Her contemptuous tone, refusal to answer questions, and order to “track down that poor horse” reveal a character who is either deliberately obstructive or operating under orders she cannot disclose. She is efficient but ruthless, and her behavior is so unnatural that Chris and Donna immediately suspect a cover-up.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Secrecy and institutional power – The NCA’s sudden takeover symbolizes a higher authority that can shut down a local investigation without explanation. Jill’s opaque reasons for seizing the case underline how power structures can hide uncomfortable truths.
Loyalty vs. obedience – Chris and Donna choose loyalty to the victim and to justice over obedience to a superior. Their covert plan—tracing the phone while pretending to chase a stolen horse—represents a form of quiet rebellion.
The detective’s instinct – Both Chris and Donna rely on instinct, noticing that Jill’s abrasiveness is too extreme to be natural. The chapter portrays gut feeling as a legitimate investigative tool.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 14 is a pivotal turning point. It removes the official murder investigation from Chris and Donna’s hands, forcing them to operate unofficially. This raises the stakes and establishes the central mystery: why does the NCA want to keep the Sharma case out of local hands? The chapter also sets up the subplot of the mobile phone, which will almost certainly become a critical piece of evidence. Furthermore, it deepens the reader’s distrust of institutional authority, a recurring strand in the novel.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Jill Regan take over the murder investigation, and what reasons does she give to the team?
Jill Regan does not provide a clear reason to the team. She implies that the NCA has jurisdiction because of some unspecified higher-level interest. She tells Chris that if the case overlapped with an international drug operation she wouldn’t tell him, and she repeatedly deflects his questions. Her public reason is that the local investigation has stalled.
2. How do Chris and Donna respond to being removed from the case?
Chris initially tries to confront Jill privately, but when that fails he agrees to Donna’s suggestion that they keep investigating secretly. Donna retrieves Kuldesh’s phone (which has not been logged into evidence) and they plan to trace his calls while pretending to work on a stolen horse case. They consciously decide to operate outside official channels.
3. What does this chapter reveal about the relationship between Chris and Donna?
The chapter shows a partnership built on trust and shared intuition. Donna reads Chris’s mood (“Can feel Chris bristle”) and physically ushers him out when she senses a confrontation is pointless. They communicate non-verbally and quickly agree on a covert plan. Their banter (“She’s a charmer”) reflects a comfortable working friendship that allows them to navigate an institutional crisis together.