Chapter 25: The Hidden Notebook – Netty's True Fortune
⚠️ 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
Simon Latch enters Eleanor Barnett’s home at 3 P.M., wearing jeans and a sports coat to avoid looking like a lawyer. He is nervous about being there after dark and dislikes the idea of nosy neighbors. He photographs her wrecked Lincoln, which is totaled. Inside, he finds the house spotlessly clean, with dated furniture and appliances. Simon is searching for financial records. He goes through her mail, finding cancellation letters from Allstate, past-due bills, and a checkbook. The checkbook reveals her spending habits but no sign of her Rumke-Brown wealth management statements or East Federal bank statements. Simon feels like a voyeur but tells himself someone must investigate. He finds old magazines but no important papers.
The doorbell rings: neighbors Norris and Rose Frazier question him. Simon politely deflects, claiming he is Netty’s attorney. After they leave, he sits and realizes there is no evidence of a fortune—no stock shares, no piles of cash. He confronts the ugly truth: he may have been duped by a lonely old woman who pretended to be rich. He admits greed led him to this mess. He leaves, has dinner at a diner, and returns to his office. There, while organizing Netty’s bills, he discovers a hidden thin notebook tucked inside the checkbook binder.
The notebook contains quarterly entries: for 2015, Netty recorded huge holdings—238,000 shares of Coca-Cola worth about $9.7 million, 127,000 shares of Wal-Mart worth about $6.4 million, plus cash and CDs across accounts totaling millions more. Simon realizes that Netty obsessively kept track of her wealth verbally with ‘BB’ (Buddy Brown) and ‘Albert’ at East Federal, never receiving paper statements. The last entry is December 6. Relieved, Simon visits the hospital, gives Netty a kind update, and offers to bring her favorite egg rolls in the morning. He understands money will now solve her legal troubles.
Key Events
- Simon enters Netty’s house at 3 P.M., anxious about being chanced upon.
- He searches her small study, finds checkbook, past-due bills, but no investment statements.
- Neighbors Norris and Rose Frazier interrupt; Simon identifies himself as her lawyer.
- Alone again, Simon concludes Netty is not actually wealthy and that he was fooled by greed.
- Back at his office, he discovers a tiny hidden notebook inside the checkbook binder.
- The notebook lists quarterly updates from 2015 showing millions in stocks and bank accounts.
- Simon relaxes, then visits Netty in the hospital, where she expresses worry about the accident.
- He reassures her and promises to bring shrimp egg rolls the next morning.
Character Development
Simon Latch – Simon’s initial unease reveals his discomfort with deception; he feels like a voyeur searching an old woman’s belongings. He admits his greed (“Greed. At least he could admit it.”) a moment of self-awareness. After finding the notebook, his entire mood lifts; he feels vindicated and powerful. His attitude toward Netty softens from cynical suspicion to protective caretaker, offering to bring her favorite food.
Eleanor ‘Netty’ Barnett – Although not present for most of the chapter, Netty’s cunning nature is fully exposed. She has hidden her wealth so thoroughly that even her lawyer doubted her. Her love of secrecy and fear of others discovering her money drives her to destroy statements and rely only on quarterly phone calls. In the hospital, she appears frail yet sharp, smiling warmly at Simon.
Norris and Rose Frazier – The neighbors are cautious and slightly nosy. Rose is blunt about hearing Netty was drunk. Their visit underscores Netty’s social isolation; they note she never visited Rose in the hospital.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Greed – Simon experiences greed firsthand: he admits he took on an old woman with large legal problems because he anticipated a rich estate. The discovery of the notebook redeems his gamble but also makes him question his own ethics.
Secrecy and Hidden Wealth – Netty’s entire financial life is built on concealment. She refuses paper statements, hides her notebook inside a false folder in the checkbook. The hidden notebook symbolizes her obsessive need for control and privacy, even from her lawyer.
Trust and Betrayal – Simon was ready to dump Netty as a client when he believed she had no money. The reversal shows conditional loyalty. Netty, in turn, trusts only verbal reports from her advisers, not written records.
Judgment and Appearances – Simon’s initial assessment of Netty’s house leads him to conclude she is not rich, mocking his own judgment. The theme is that surface appearances (old furniture, no computer) can be misleading.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the turning point of Simon’s arc in the story. Up to now, he has been caring for a client he suspected was poor and possibly senile. Here, he hits emotional rock bottom (thinking he was a sucker) and then is immediately shown Netty’s true, massive wealth. The revelation changes everything: Simon will now likely help Netty more aggressively, solve her DUI and lawsuit problems with cash, and his future trust in her will be tested. The chapter reinforces the narrative of hidden fortunes, a core theme of the book.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What evidence does Simon initially find that suggests Netty is not wealthy, and how does that affect his plans?
Simon finds past-due bills, checkbook stubs showing modest spending, no computer, and no bank or investment statements. He concludes there is no fortune, and he feels duped. He decides to drop Netty as a client to avoid being responsible for her DUI and lawsuits, since she won’t pay his fees.
2. How does the discovery of the hidden notebook change Simon’s view of Netty?
The notebook reveals millions in stocks and cash. Simon realizes Netty is highly organized and secretive, not scatterbrained or poor. He feels vindicated and sees her as a wealthy client worth protecting. His earlier greed is justified in his own mind, and he becomes more attentive and kind.
3. Why does Netty keep her financial records only in a small notebook hidden inside a checkbook binder?
Netty is terrified that someone will discover her money. She refuses paper statements from her brokers and bank because those could be seen. By relying on quarterly phone calls and jotting down numbers in a notebook she hides, she maintains absolute control and secrecy. This behavior matches her cautious, reclusive personality.