Contents
Chapter Thirty-Four
Overview
Jane escapes Thornwood after discovering an outhouse suggesting restraints, narrowly avoiding discovery by Hugo and Stuart. Regrouping, she calls Oliver Bloom, who reveals a volatile teenage affair with Jessamine, hints of past abuse, and her claim of infertility. The testimony deepens suspicion around Thornwood and complicates Daisy’s parentage.
Summary
Shaken by the outhouse with a chair and wall rings, Jane bolts into the garden air, convinced that Allen Black might have intended to drug and restrain her in 2000. Hugo’s frantic barking erupts from the house, forcing Jane to retreat through a broken fence as Stuart scolds the dog.
Jane slips across the Heath to safety and heads to the White Swan to steady her nerves. She reviews and sends the outhouse photos to Dexter, then prepares to speak with Oliver Bloom at noon.
On the call, Oliver initially labels Jessamine “nuts,” then admits he mishandled a brief affair during a film shoot, possibly encouraging her attachment. He describes stalking behavior, a sparse rented room, and intense sexual demands, before the pursuit suddenly ended.
Pressed for details, Oliver recalls Jessamine living near Alexandra Palace, bearing scars she attributed to a car accident, and likely having a history of abuse. He also says Jessamine claimed she was infertile, a revelation that casts doubt over assumptions about Daisy’s parentage and adds urgency to Jane’s investigation.
Who Appears
- Jane TrevallyInvestigator; flees Thornwood after finding a restraint-like outhouse, evades Hugo and Stuart, and interviews Oliver about Jessamine.
- Oliver BloomActor and Jessamine’s former lover; describes obsessive behavior, scars, Ally Pally location, and Jessamine’s claim of infertility.
- HugoStuart’s dog; nearly exposes Jane’s presence at Thornwood with frantic barking.
- StuartHugo’s owner at Thornwood; calls the dog back, unknowingly close to discovering Jane.
- Allen BlackFormer Thornwood owner; Jane recalls his spiked drink, linking him to the outhouse’s sinister purpose.
- Jessamine RichSubject of Oliver’s account; portrayed as obsessive, possibly abused, with scars and a claim of infertility.
- DexterJane’s ally; receives the outhouse photos as Jane documents her find.