Contents
Chapter Seventy-One
Overview
Daisy returns after Jasper’s attack, and Stuart admits he secretly brought her home and searched for Hugo before retreating to London. When Jane demands answers, Stuart and Daisy reveal Annie Black’s corpse hidden in the outhouse, confirming Jane’s suspicions and escalating the case beyond Jasper to the Vales’ doorstep.
Summary
Jane questions Daisy in the kitchen and learns that Jasper attacked Daisy in the woods. Overwhelmed and unable to stay near Jasper, Daisy walked for miles and called Stuart for help.
Stuart explains he collected Daisy, and together they drove around searching for Hugo, but when darkness fell they returned to London, hoping someone would find the boy. Jane challenges Stuart for hiding Daisy’s return when she first brought Hugo home; Stuart admits he distrusted Jane and feared she might be linked to Jasper.
Jane presses for answers about Annie and Allen, and why the police have not been called. After exchanging a silent agreement, Daisy and Stuart lead Jane outside toward the outhouse, while Jane prepares for possible violence.
Stuart unlocks the padlock. Jane braces for danger, then sees the truth: the slumped, skeletal remains of Annie Black on the outhouse floor. The discovery confirms Jane’s suspicions about the property and shifts the investigation from Jasper alone to the Vales’ home and secrets.
Who Appears
- JaneInvestigator; confronts Daisy and Stuart, demands truth, and discovers Annie Black’s body in the outhouse.
- DaisyReturns after Jasper’s attack; called Stuart, searched for Hugo, then reveals the outhouse to Jane.
- StuartCollected Daisy, searched for Hugo, hid Daisy’s return from Jane out of distrust, then unlocks the outhouse.
- Annie BlackFound dead; her skeletal remains are discovered in the Vales’ outhouse, confirming foul play.
- JasperOff-page threat; attacked Daisy in the woods, prompting her flight.
- HugoOff-page; the child Daisy and Stuart tried to find before returning to London.