Chapter summaries The Waiting Michael Connelly

Chapter 7: The Restaurant Stakeout and DNA Collection

⚠️ 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 and Masser continue their surveillance of Judge Purcell, following his Mercedes to the Parkway Grill in Pasadena. Without calling for backup, they enter the restaurant and secure seats at the bar to observe the judge and his female companion. Ballard collects a tissue from the restroom trash after the companion uses it, securing a DNA sample. When the judge receives a phone call and leaves abruptly with a to-go bag, Masser improvises a stumble to steal the judge’s soupspoon. They tail the judge back to his house, where RHD detectives – including Gil Perado – arrive for a search warrant. Ballard instructs Masser to take both DNA samples to Darcy Troy at the lab the next morning and to investigate Nicholas Purcell’s birth certificate for evidence of adoption.

Key Events

  • Ballard and Masser tail Judge Purcell and his companion to the Parkway Grill.
  • Ballard decides against requesting reinforcements, believing they can handle the operation.
  • They enter the restaurant and order food to blend in at the bar.
  • The companion visits the restroom; Ballard follows and retrieves a lipstick-stained tissue from the trash.
  • The judge receives a phone call and leaves early with a to-go bag.
  • Masser fakes a trip at the table to steal the judge’s soupspoon.
  • Ballard and Masser follow the judge back to his house on Arroyo.
  • RHD detectives, including Ballard’s former colleague Gil Perado, arrive with a search warrant.
  • Ballard directs Masser to deliver the DNA samples to Darcy Troy and to check Nicholas Purcell’s birth certificate for a filing date that might indicate adoption.

Character Development

Renée Ballard demonstrates her resourcefulness and tactical patience. She chooses to operate without backup and exploits a bathroom encounter to gather evidence. Her terse reaction when Masser asks about Gil Perado hints at past professional friction. Ballard also shows trust in Masser by delegating the lab drop and records search.

Paul Masser exhibits both nervousness and quick thinking. His whispered panic when the companion approaches the bar gives way to a cleverly staged stumble that nets the spoon. He accepts Ballard’s instructions without pushback.

Judge Purcell remains largely offstage but his sudden departure suggests a development that may be linked to the case. The companion’s identity is still uncertain; Ballard’s collection of her DNA indicates a need to clarify whether she is the judge’s wife or the mother of Nicholas Purcell.

Gil Perado’s appearance signals a potential intersection with another investigation. Ballard’s reluctance to engage with him implies unresolved history.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

DNA as forensic currency – The chapter revolves around collecting genetic material from ordinary objects (tissue, spoon), highlighting how modern investigations turn casual contact into evidence.

Surveillance and patience – Ballard and Masser’s stakeout requires hours of observation and the willingness to wait for the right moment. Their ability to adapt when the judge leaves early is a test of improvisation.

Professional history and tension – Ballard’s past connection to Perado surfaces without explanation, suggesting that old cases and loyalties continue to influence her present work. This motif is recurring in the series.

Deception in police work – Both Ballard (pretending to fix a contact lens) and Masser (feigning a trip) use harmless deceptions to obtain evidence, raising questions about the ethics of covert collection.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a procedural pivot. The successful collection of two DNA samples moves the investigation from surveillance to laboratory analysis. The abrupt appearance of RHD detectives underlines that Judge Purcell is entangled in multiple threads. Ballard’s decision to send Masser alone to the lab and to the registrar’s office isolates her for a side mission, setting up potential narrative divergence. The unresolved question of the companion’s identity and the hinted adoption both deepen the mystery.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why did Ballard decide not to bring in extra help for the restaurant operation?
    Ballard believed she and Masser could handle the situation without drawing attention. She also wanted to avoid the logistical overhead of coordinating more officers on short notice.

  2. What two DNA samples did Ballard and Masser collect in this chapter?
    Ballard took a tissue used by the judge’s companion containing lipstick and saliva. Masser stole a soupspoon that Judge Purcell had used during his appetizer.

  3. What did Ballard spot when they returned to the judge’s house that changed her plans for the next morning?
    She saw Gil Perado and another RHD detective arriving with a search warrant. This made her decide to have Masser handle the DNA drop and birth certificate check while she attended to something else (likely related to her history with Perado).

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