Contents
Fourteen
Overview
Arthur continues stealing rare books in November but heeds Gwen’s advice to pace the thefts, balking at taking a priceless Frankenstein and settling for a lesser first edition. At a prison Thanksgiving, Erin’s stirring grace moves Arthur, yet he hides his peril and decides to keep stealing to protect Erin and Tana.
Summary
In November, Arthur intensifies his rare-book thefts, taking a 1765 shipbuilding treatise. World events like the fall of the Berlin Wall barely register; his focus is survival under the Nighswanders’ demands.
Planning to wipe out his debt quickly, Arthur considers a massive haul but follows Gwen’s counsel to move slowly. When he reaches for an 1818 Frankenstein, panic and guilt stop him, and he substitutes a less valuable Fitzgerald first edition, aligning with Gwen’s strategy to provide smaller, regular payouts.
Before Thanksgiving, Arthur visits Black Cricket for a family meal with his incarcerated mother, Erin. The Nighswanders do not appear. In the prison gym, Erin delivers a compassionate grace about love, guilt, and finding freedom within confinement, moving Arthur to tears.
Arthur nearly confesses his situation but envisions disastrous outcomes for Erin and for Tana’s unborn child if the Nighswanders retaliate. Choosing secrecy to protect them, he commits to continue stealing until he is caught or Erin gains parole, deflecting his emotion with a joke as the chapter closes.
Who Appears
- ArthurContinues rare-book thefts, heeds Gwen’s pacing advice, resists stealing Frankenstein, visits Erin, conceals danger, resolves to keep stealing.
- ErinArthur’s incarcerated mother; delivers moving Thanksgiving grace about love, guilt, and freedom, inspiring and heartbreaking Arthur.
- GwenAdvises Arthur to pace thefts, influencing his decision to avoid a high-value risk and proceed cautiously.
- Jayne NighswanderOff-page antagonist whose threats drive Arthur’s thefts; her potential retaliation silences him.
- TanaOff-page; pregnant and vulnerable, central to Arthur’s fear of retaliation and reason for secrecy.