Chapter Sixty-One Summary: A High-Stakes Phone Call

⚠️ 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

Still on the phone with Detective Cordova, Denise is walking home through Manhattan. Cordova presses her about her husband’s alleged affair, suggesting the husband wasn’t sleeping with her or Mia Gomez and that the entire narrative might be a con like three-card monte. Denise pushes back, citing evidence—condoms in his pocket and a matching wrapper in Gomez’s apartment, plus photographic ties. Cordova then pivots to praise her investigative ability, recounting her work on The Cornerstone of Marriage, where she solved a husband’s allergic death by spotting a herbal supplement made with fish oil. He uses that example to imply she used similar logic to kill Declan, who was allergic to peanuts. Denise hangs up. During the call she notices the police lieutenant Daniels across the street and ADA Carmen Saffi behind her. At the Beresford, doorman Teddy gives her a business card from Roy Harrison of Internal Affairs; Harrison’s message is “cops like to play cards too.”

Key Events

Cordova questions whether Denise’s husband had a real mistress or is creating a false narrative.
Denise defends her version by citing physical evidence (condoms, photos).
Cordova compliments her crime-solving skills using the Cornerstone of Marriage case.
Cordova then directly accuses her of using similar methods to kill Declan by exploiting a peanut allergy.
Denise hangs up the phone.
She spots Lt. Daniels across the street and ADA Saffi (in a wig) behind her, both watching her.
At her building, doorman Teddy delivers a card from Internal Affairs officer Roy Harrison.
Harrison’s cryptic comment hints that cops may be playing their own game.

Character Development

Denise Morrow: Remains defiant and quick-witted, insisting on the evidence-based version of events even when pressured. She recognizes she is being tailed but does not panic. Her ability to control the narrative is tested.
Detective Cordova: Shows a more analytical and respectful side before turning accusatory. He has read her books and studied her methods, indicating he views her as a worthy adversary.
Lt. Daniels and ADA Saffi: Appear briefly as silent observers, increasing the sense of surveillance.
Roy Harrison: Introduced as an Internal Affairs officer. His message suggests he may be offering or warning about a deal that involves police corruption.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Narrative Control: The chapter hinges on who gets to tell the story. Cordova tries to rewrite Denise’s husband narrative; Denise insists she sticks to facts. The phone call is a battle over narrative ownership.
Three-Card Monte: Cordova uses this con-game metaphor to imply that the husband-as-mistress story is a misdirection. It signals that appearances may be deliberately manipulated.
Evidence vs. Spin: Denise repeatedly emphasizes evidence (condoms, photos) while Cordova suggests the evidence itself could be part of a setup. The tension between hard proof and interpretation is central.
Surveillance: Daniels and Saffi openly following Denise highlights that she is now the subject of official scrutiny. The doorman’s card from Internal Affairs adds another layer of watchers.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter escalates the conflict from suspicion to a direct accusation of murder. Cordova explicitly links Denise’s known expertise in poisoning cases to the death of Declan, suggesting premeditation. The introduction of Internal Affairs officer Roy Harrison opens a new subplot: perhaps someone inside the NYPD is willing to cooperate with or against Denise. The simultaneous tailing by Daniels and Saffi confirms that law enforcement at multiple levels is closing in. Denise’s decision to hang up and head home suggests she is preparing to dig in and fight.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What evidence does Denise cite to support her claim that her husband was having an affair with Mia Gomez?
Denise points to condoms found in her husband’s pocket that matched the brand of a condom wrapper discovered in Gomez’s apartment, as well as photographic evidence linking the two. She argues that these facts make the affair narrative the most logical conclusion.

2. Why does Cordova bring up the case of The Cornerstone of Marriage?
Cordova uses that case to demonstrate Denise’s exceptional skill at uncovering hidden causes of death—here, a husband who died from a shellfish allergy due to a fish-oil supplement. He then implies she could have applied the same reasoning to kill Declan by exploiting his peanut allergy, turning her own investigative method into evidence against her.

3. What is the significance of Roy Harrison’s business card and his comment “cops like to play cards too”?
Harrison is an Internal Affairs officer, indicating that the NYPD’s oversight division is now interested in Denise. His cryptic remark suggests that he may have information about police corruption or that the police themselves are engaged in a deceptive game. It also hints at a possible alliance or a warning that Denise must navigate a new layer of official intrigue.