The Reappearance of Rachel Price
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Chapter Thirty
Overview
Dave Winter tells Bel that Charlie’s last known phone activity was a brief call to Robert Meyer in Vermont, deepening the mystery of Charlie’s disappearance while reinforcing Bel’s suspicion that Rachel may be steering the investigation. Bel chooses not to share the Julian Tripp lead with Dave, keeping her campaign against Rachel separate.
Ash then reveals hot-mic audio from the dinner party in which Jeff pressures Grandpa to remember where “she” was and where “they” found her. The recording suggests Jeff knows more about Rachel’s reappearance than he has admitted, pushing Bel toward a direct confrontation with her uncle.
Summary
Bel goes to Ash’s hotel room after Ash says he and Ramsey have found something. Ramsey leaves Bel and Ash alone, saying a filmmaker should know when not to get in the way, while Ash explains that his documentary footage is being stored and kept separate until they know what they have.
Bel receives a call from Dave Winter about Charlie’s phone records. Dave says Charlie made one brief call at 3:20 a.m. the night he disappeared, and the call pinged near Danville, Vermont. The number belongs to Robert Meyer, who lives outside Barton, Vermont, a name Bel does not recognize; Dave has already asked Rachel, who also claimed not to know him.
Dave says Charlie’s phone has been off since that call, and that there have been more hits on Charlie’s bank card. Bel considers telling Dave about Julian Tripp and the $3,000 but decides not to, wanting Dave focused on finding Charlie while Bel handles Rachel herself. Bel asks Dave to call her first with updates instead of Rachel.
After refusing Carter’s request for a sleepover, Bel turns back to Ash’s discovery. Ash starts recording and plays audio from the dinner party, explaining that Charlie said nothing useful before turning off his microphone, but Jeff forgot his microphone was still live when he helped Grandpa into the car.
In the recording, Jeff urgently asks Grandpa to remember something, asking where “she” was and where “they” found her. Grandpa cannot answer and asks for Yordan. Bel and Ash conclude Jeff was probably asking about Rachel, meaning Jeff believes Grandpa knows something about Rachel’s disappearance or reappearance.
Ash connects the recording to Julian Tripp’s comments about Rachel being scared and mentioning Jeff. Bel realizes there are more secrets buried within the Price family, especially around Jeff and Grandpa. Because Jeff appears to be hiding what he knows, Bel decides she will make him tell her the truth the next day.
Who Appears
- Bel PriceReceives Charlie update, withholds Julian lead, and resolves to confront Jeff about Rachel.
- AshShows Bel the hot-mic dinner audio and helps interpret Jeff’s suspicious questions.
- Dave WinterCalls Bel with Charlie’s phone records and the Robert Meyer lead in Vermont.
- Jeff PriceCaught on microphone pressuring Grandpa about where Rachel was and who found her.
- GrandpaUnable to answer Jeff’s questions, suggesting dementia hides or blocks important knowledge.
- RamseyLeaves Bel and Ash alone after helping find the important documentary audio.
- Charlie PriceStill missing; his final known call points investigators toward Robert Meyer in Vermont.
- Rachel PriceAbsent but central; Bel believes Rachel may be manipulating the search for Charlie.
- CarterTexts Bel asking for a sleepover because Rachel is being difficult again.
- Robert MeyerUnknown Vermont man whom Charlie briefly called on the night he vanished.