Thirteen

In her darkened room, Pip and Ravi process the latest escalation—chalk figures climbing toward her window. Ravi urges safety and tells Pip to stay with him or tell her dad, but Pip insists she must handle it herself, framing it as something she’s good at and needs to confront.

Pip analyzes the harassment’s design: faint chalk figures that vanish with rain or traffic, dead pigeons no one takes seriously, an empty envelope, and the “Dead Girl Walking” not placed at her home. She concludes the tactics are meant to appear explainable, discredit her, and isolate her from help. She and Ravi infer the stalker likely has done this before.

Favoring a research approach, Pip googles terms related to chalk figures and pigeons. A 2012 UK Newsday article surfaces about the DT (Duct Tape) Killer, active in nearby towns. Though ultimately caught years later, the piece details his victims, trophy-taking, and a police profile emphasizing planning, misogyny, and distance-decay patterns.

Crucially, the article quotes Julia Hunter’s sister, Harriet, who recalls pre-murder anomalies: chalk stick-figure lines near their house, dead pigeons brought in despite an elderly cat, and prank calls. These mirror Pip’s current experiences, suggesting a deliberate stalking pattern. The discovery confirms Pip’s fear that her stalker is calculated, possibly experienced, and likely someone she knows, strengthening her resolve to investigate.