The Waiting Chapter 37 Summary & 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
Ballard returns to the Ahmanson Center to find Colleen Hatteras still working. Hatteras updates Ballard on two leads: she found no trace of the St. Vincent’s yearbook senior Victor Best, and she has new information on the Willa Kenyon case connected to the Black Dahlia investigation. Hatteras contacted the Lost Angels site manager, who found a physical missing-persons file from 1950. The file revealed that Willa Kenyon was a singer and named her boyfriend, Adolfo Galvez. Hatteras located Galvez’s son and grandson still living in Los Angeles. Ballard approves Hatteras to follow this lead the next day. Ballard then writes a summary of her interview with Jacqueline Todd for Captain Gandle and composes an email requesting approval for a road trip to Las Vegas to interview Rodney Van Ness, a key figure in the Pillowcase Rapist case. Hatteras sees the email and asks to accompany Ballard, but Ballard refuses, citing Hatteras’s need for additional field training. After Hatteras finally leaves, Ballard retrieves the key to the lockdown room, intending to open Elizabeth Short’s suitcase.
Key Events
- Hatteras reports no success in finding Victor Best from St. Vincent’s.
- Hatteras obtains the original 1950 missing-person report for Willa Kenyon, including her boyfriend’s name.
- Ballard approves Hatteras to make contact with Adolfo Galvez’s descendants.
- Ballard files a report on the Jackie Todd interview and emails Captain Gandle requesting a Las Vegas trip to interview Rodney Van Ness.
- Hatteras asks to join the Vegas trip but is told she needs more field training.
- Ballard waits for Hatteras to leave before entering the lockdown room to open Elizabeth Short’s suitcase.
Character Development
- Renée Ballard: Demonstrates strong leadership by managing Hatteras’s enthusiasm and protecting her from burnout. She controls the flow of case information, but shows trust by letting Hatteras pursue the Willa Kenyon lead. Her patience and strategic waiting define her approach.
- Colleen Hatteras: Shows dedication by working late and actively digging into cold cases. She is eager to transition from computer work to fieldwork, but must accept Ballard’s boundaries. Her frustration is tempered by respect for Ballard’s authority.
- Maddie Bosch (mentioned as Officer Bosch): Though not present, Bosch is listed as Ballard’s intended partner for the Vegas trip, indicating a deepening professional partnership.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Waiting: The chapter title and Ballard’s action of waiting for Hatteras to leave underscore the theme of patience in investigative work. Ballard bides her time to act alone.
- Cold Cases and Physical Evidence: The discovery of a paper file from 1950 contrasts with digital records, highlighting the ongoing value of tangible documents in solving old mysteries.
- Teamwork versus Independence: Ballard encourages Hatteras’s work but maintains control over field operations, balancing collaboration with the need for solo investigation.
- Interconnectedness of Cases: The Black Dahlia and Pillowcase Rapist lines converge through Ballard’s actions, showing how multiple cold cases can be linked by a single detective’s focus.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 37 advances two major plot threads: the Black Dahlia investigation gains a new lead through Adolfo Galvez, and the Pillowcase Rapist case moves toward a crucial interview. Ballard’s careful management of Hatteras demonstrates her growth as a leader, while the final scene—retrieving the suitcase—builds anticipation for a possible breakthrough. The chapter reinforces the novel’s central tension between methodical waiting and decisive action.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Ballard wait for Hatteras to leave before retrieving the suitcase?
- Ballard wants to avoid Hatteras’s interference and potential burnout. She also prefers to examine the physical evidence alone to maintain focus and control over the Black Dahlia lead.
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What new information does Hatteras uncover about Willa Kenyon?
- Hatteras learns that Willa Kenyon was a twenty-two-year-old singer who disappeared in 1950, and that her boyfriend was Adolfo Galvez. She finds that Galvez had a son and grandson still living in Los Angeles, who might have knowledge of Willa.
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Why does Ballard refuse Hatteras’s request to join the Las Vegas trip?
- Ballard explains that Hatteras lacks the required field training for such an operation. She wants to ensure the trip’s success and protect Hatteras from potential danger, while also reinforcing the importance of each team member’s role.