Chapter 8: The Chief — 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 questioning Roger, Chief Ed Kapenash decides whom to interview next. The bride’s parents, Greer and Tag Garrison, have requested privacy due to Greer’s health, and the groom, Benjamin Winbury, has gone to the hospital to check on Celeste. That leaves the groom’s brother Thomas, the groom’s father Tag Sr., and the best man, Shooter Uxley. The Chief considers Shooter the most promising lead because Dickson reported that Shooter was missing when the police first arrived, then showed up an hour later in a taxi—with all his luggage, as if he had planned to leave permanently.

The Chief finds Shooter staring at the water behind the police tape and invites him to sit on a bench under the rose arbor. Shooter appears fearful. The Chief asks where he was the previous night. Shooter says he was at Topper’s restaurant at the Wauwinet Inn, having a “booty call” with a bartender named Gina. He claims he took his luggage because he thought he might stay overnight, but changed his mind and returned early. When the Chief presses for Gina’s phone number, Shooter hesitates, then excuses himself to use the bathroom, claiming an upset stomach from the raw bar. The Chief suspects Shooter intends to text Gina to corroborate the story.

While Shooter is inside the cottage, the Chief phones his friend Bob from Old Salt Taxi, who confirms he picked Shooter up at the Steamship dock—not the Wauwinet. Bob says Shooter had a ticket for the 6:30 slow boat but missed it, so he asked to be driven back to the Monomoy estate. The Chief realizes Shooter lied about the Wauwinet. A text arrives from funeral director Bostic, who is coming to collect Merritt’s body. The Chief then knocks on the cottage door. Getting no answer, he forces the door and finds the bathroom window wide open. Shooter Uxley has escaped.

Key Events

• Chief Kapenash prioritizes interviewing Shooter Uxley over other wedding guests.
• Shooter claims he spent the night at the Wauwinet Inn with bartender Gina, but cannot provide her number.
• The Chief calls cab driver Bob, who reveals he picked Shooter up at the Steamship dock, not the Wauwinet, and that Shooter had a ticket for an early ferry.
• Shooter excuses himself to the bathroom and flees through an open window.
• The Chief learns the medical examiner will collect Merritt’s body.
• The chapter ends with Shooter’s disappearance, raising suspicion.

Character Development

Chief Ed Kapenash: The Chief demonstrates seasoned investigative instincts. He reads body language (Shooter’s sweat, cautious tone) and uses his network (Bob the cab driver) to verify alibis. His protectiveness of his daughter Chloe colors how he views Shooter’s “booty call” story, but he remains professional. His suspicion that the victim’s phone holds the key reflects his modern understanding of evidence.

Shooter Uxley: Shooter appears nervous and evasive from the start. His lie about the Wauwinet Inn is shaky; he deletes the supposed text from Gina and cannot produce her number. Carrying all his luggage suggests he planned to leave Nantucket permanently—a strange move for a best man on the day of the wedding. His escape through the window confirms his guilt or, at minimum, his deep involvement in the night’s events.

Bob (taxi driver): Though a minor character, Bob provides the pivotal piece of counter-evidence. His friendship with the Chief and his precise memory of the pickup location make him a reliable source.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Deception and Alibi: The chapter foregrounds the theme of false stories. Shooter constructs an elaborate alibi involving a bartender, but it crumbles under simple fact-checking. The Chief’s experience tells him that people lie about where they were—and why.

Truth Hidden in Technology: The Chief believes that if they can find Merritt’s phone, they will have the answers. This motif connects modern digital footprints to the search for truth. Similarly, Shooter’s deleted text message and the phone call to Bob show how technology both aids and complicates investigations.

Escape and Flight: Shooter’s flight through the window recalls the idea of a guilty party literally running away. The open window symbolizes a sudden exit from accountability, leaving the investigation at a new starting point.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 8 is a turning point in the investigation. The Chief’s interview with Shooter exposes a blatant lie and leads to a suspect fleeing, raising the stakes for the entire inquiry. Shooter’s escape shifts him from a person of interest to a primary suspect. The revelation that he had a ferry ticket for early morning indicates premeditated departure, which contradicts the narrative of a carefree wedding weekend. Meanwhile, the impending autopsy report promises to clarify cause of death and may further incriminate Shooter. This chapter also deepens the Chief’s character, showing his methodical approach and reliance on trusted local contacts.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does the Chief decide to interview Shooter Uxley before the other wedding guests?
The Chief learns that Shooter was missing when police arrived and later returned with all his luggage. This pattern suggests Shooter may have planned to leave permanently, making him a more suspicious figure than the groom’s father or brother.

2. How does the Chief catch Shooter in a lie about his whereabouts?
The Chief calls Bob from Old Salt Taxi, who confirms that Bob picked Shooter up at the Steamship dock, not at the Wauwinet Inn. Bob also states that Shooter held a ticket for the 6:30 slow boat, indicating he intended to leave Nantucket early.

3. What does Shooter’s decision to flee tell the reader about his role in the death?
His escape strongly suggests guilt or deep involvement. An innocent person would likely cooperate to clear their name, but Shooter runs, implicating himself in whatever happened to Merritt.