54. Carter

Carter, uneasy after a disastrous dinner with Birdy and his wife Jane, leaves for Spyglass with Birdy during the Day of the Dead parade. He notes The Smuggler’s Inn is dark and texts his sister, then grows anxious upon spotting Mary’s red Mini at Harrison Woolf’s house.

Outside Spyglass, Diana Harris emerges, claiming she delivered a casserole and fishing for news about Eden’s body; Birdy dismisses her. Carter connects the red Mini to the unseen carer who once parked at Spyglass, strengthening the theory that Mary previously cared for Birdy’s grandmother and later impersonated Eden.

Harrison opens the door, initially invoking his solicitor. Birdy presses, laying out the evidence that Mary Kendall impersonated Eden and that Harrison colluded. Harrison relents and lets them in, but Carter’s instincts warn something is wrong.

Inside, the dim, cold house and two suitcases by the stairs suggest Harrison intends to flee. As they move toward the kitchen, Carter receives a late-night message from the coroner’s office about the body found on the beach.

Harrison demands to know if the body is Eden; Birdy pushes Carter for the result. The chapter ends with the identification message unread aloud, freezing the confrontation on a knife-edge.