Chapter 38: Adam Morgan 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
Adam Morgan continues cold-calling a list of numbers in search of Nicholas Miller, but he has no luck. He takes a break, pours himself a double scotch, and darkens the house, closing the curtains and lighting a fire to match his mood. He wallows in self-pity, questioning the fairness of his situation. After drinking, he calls Rebecca and leaves a voicemail, mentioning he is halfway through the list and inviting her for dinner. He then calls Sarah, professing his love and asking her to call back. He reflects on the possibility that Kelly’s murder was committed by Greg’s brother or by Scott, and he considers having Sarah help him read Scott’s intentions. His mother arrives, opens the curtains, and brings groceries of childhood snacks: Lunchables, string cheese, Gushers, and Go-Gurt. Adam tells her about a potential book deal, and she reveals she has been consulting lawyers, all of whom consider his case a lost cause except Sarah. She expresses confidence that innocent people don’t go to prison, and then leaves, saying she has a commitment out of town. Adam eats a packet of Gushers, remembers the taste from childhood, and resolves to continue calling, refusing to become one of the wrongly convicted.
Key Events
- Adam completes half the phone list with no leads on Nicholas Miller.
- He drinks scotch, darkens the house, and sinks into depressed rumination.
- He leaves voicemails for Rebecca (dinner invitation) and Sarah (declares his love).
- Adam speculates about the real murderer, naming Greg’s brother and Scott as possibilities.
- His mother arrives, opens all curtains, and unloads nostalgic snack foods.
- Adam tells her about a seven-figure book deal and movie offer.
- His mother reveals that no lawyer except Sarah is willing to take his case.
- She insists innocent people don’t go to prison and departs for a commitment.
- Adam eats Gushers, taps into childhood memory, and resumes dialing.
Character Development
- Adam Morgan: Adam oscillates between despair and stubborn resolve. He drinks to numb his hopelessness, yet he still pursues his own investigation. His voicemail to Sarah reveals genuine vulnerability, and his acceptance of childhood comforts from his mother shows a regression to a dependent state. The chapter ends with him recommitting to his phone campaign, driven by fear of wrongful conviction.
- Adam’s Mother: She is controlling and dismissive of Sarah’s abilities, yet protective in her own way. Her bringing childlike snacks infantilizes Adam. Her belief that innocent people never go to prison is dangerously naive, contrasting with Adam’s awareness of the Innocence Project. She treats him like a cubbie-bear, reinforcing a cocoon of denial.
- Sarah and Rebecca: Both remain offstage, reached only via voicemail. Sarah does not return Adam’s calls, highlighting the growing distance between them. Rebecca is still involved in Adam’s search but has not yet reported any success.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Escapism and regression: The darkened room, scotch, and childhood snacks all symbolize Adam’s desire to retreat from adult consequences. The Gushers candy triggers a sensory return to simpler times, a stark contrast to his current peril.
- Denial and parental delusion: Adam’s mother refuses to accept the gravity of his situation. Her assertion that innocent people never go to prison is a form of willful ignorance that mirrors Adam’s own occasional self-justifications.
- The phone as a lifeline and a burden: The cold-calling list represents Adam’s slim hope for exoneration, but the unanswered calls from Sarah and the lack of leads emphasize his isolation.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 38 deepens Adam’s psychological portrait, showing him at his lowest point of self-pity while also revealing his strained relationships with the key women in his life. The visit from his mother both comforts and infantilizes him, underlining his arrested development. The introduction of the book deal adds a layer of irony—his story is valuable even as his freedom is in jeopardy. The chapter also sets up a potential conflict: Adam’s mother will be gone overnight, leaving him alone with his investigation and his demons.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Adam darken the house and close the curtains in the middle of the day?
Adam is trying to match his internal mood—dark, hopeless, and waiting for time to pass. The dim environment allows him to stew in depression and feel as if the slower he sips his drink, the slower time will move. -
What does Adam’s mother’s choice of snacks reveal about their relationship?
She brings foods Adam enjoyed as a child (Lunchables, Gushers, Go-Gurt), which treats him as a child in need of comforting. This reinforces a dynamic where she protects him from adult realities, and he accepts that dependency even as an accused murderer. -
How does the author use the Gushers candy at the end of the chapter?
The candy’s “juice oozes out” and arouses his taste buds exactly as he remembered from childhood. This sensory memory momentarily sweeps away his fears, allowing him to re-engage with the phone list. It symbolizes a regression to a time before his troubles, giving him just enough comfort to continue fighting.
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