Contents
Chapter 31
Overview
Recovering from the Century Towers fight, Bret cements a narrative blaming Robert, even as the discovery of Audrey Barbour’s body and the Trawler’s letters later exonerate Robert. Susan briefly suspects Bret after noticing a wound, but he intimidates her into silence. Bret becomes a pariah, receives sinister stalking photos, and suffers further losses. Years later, Thom confronts Bret about Susan’s suspicion; Bret denies involvement, leaving the truth unresolved.
Summary
In Cedars-Sinai, Bret learns his knife wounds are superficial and delivers a detailed statement portraying Robert as unstable, violent, and tied to the Trawler and multiple crimes. He repeats this to police and friends, insisting Robert attacked Susan and Thom and then committed suicide after attacking Bret.
Staying with Laurie Wright, Bret watches news linking Robert to the attacks, then learns police found Audrey Barbour’s mutilated body in the soundproofed Benedict Canyon house. Debbie returns from a cocaine-fueled disappearance, having hidden with musician Shore Lanes, and hears of the chaos; she questions whether Robert’s death was suicide.
Days later, Bret visits a heavily medicated Susan. She shows clandestine photos of her and Robert left in her mailbox. When Susan notices a deep wound on Bret’s forearm where she bit her attacker, she panics. Bret grips her injured hand until she faints, then stages the scene as an overdose incident. Susan never returns to Buckley.
As media attention shifts, the Trawler abducts Leslie Slavin and sends a letter claiming Audrey’s murder and absolving “the God” (Robert). Abigail Mallory releases fan letters the Trawler sent to Robert, publicly clearing him. Bret’s hero narrative collapses; classmates shun him. He receives a manila envelope of stalking photos documenting his movements, Matt at Crystal Cove with a beige van behind him, and a mutilated photo of his dog Shingy.
Tragedy continues when Anthony Matthews dies in a rainy PCH crash. Years later, in 1999 Boston, Thom approaches Bret at a book signing and reveals Susan once called from the hospital, convinced Bret was her attacker. Thom asks if Bret did it; Bret denies. They part without reconciliation, the truth still ambiguous.
Who Appears
- Bret EllisNarrator; survives knife fight, blames Robert, intimidates Susan, becomes ostracized, receives stalking photos; later denies guilt to Thom.
- Susan ReynoldsRecovering from disfiguring attack; receives stalking photos; suspects Bret after seeing his arm wound; silenced and later leaves Buckley.
- Laurie WrightThom’s mother; shelters Bret, tends to Thom’s surgeries, expresses conflicted feelings toward Susan.
- Thom WrightGravely injured leg; later transfers schools; in 1999 asks Bret if he was the attacker; receives denial.
- Robert MalloryDead after Century Towers fall; initially blamed by Bret; later exonerated by Trawler letters and Abigail’s disclosures.
- The TrawlerSerial killer; claims Audrey Barbour and abducts Leslie Slavin; sends letters idolizing Robert; stalks Bret and friends.
- Debbie SchafferReturns from a drug binge with Shore Lanes; questions Bret’s suicide account of Robert; visits Susan.
- Abigail MalloryReleases Trawler’s fan letters to Robert, undermining Bret’s story; publicly doubts Bret’s Century Towers account.
- Audrey BarbourFourth Trawler victim; body discovered mutilated in Benedict Canyon basement.
- Leslie SlavinSeventeen-year-old abducted in Westwood; the Trawler’s final LA victim.
- GayleReynolds family employee; helps after Susan faints, calls a doctor.
- Marty ReedEllis family lawyer; present during Bret’s follow-up questioning.
- Steven ReinhardtDebbie’s stepfather; informs her of the attacks and Robert’s death.
- Shore LanesMusician Debbie hides with during her disappearance; host to drug-fueled weekend.
- Anthony MatthewsClassmate who dies in a rainy car crash on PCH.
- Doug FurthWitnesses Anthony’s fatal crash while convoying to Malibu.
- ShingyBret’s dog; appears mutilated in a threatening photo sent to Bret.