Chapter Twenty-Seven

As Jane and Dexter leave the Vale of Health, Spencer directs them to a nearby neighbor named Jane who once helped with Daisy. Jane notes Spencer’s single-dad vibe but refocuses on their search.

At Larch Cottage, the neighbor—“the Other Jane”—welcomes them and confirms she used to collect young Daisy. She says Stuart took over Daisy’s care around age ten and that Daisy’s mother became less visible. Hugo the dog now wanders unattended and is periodically returned by locals. She has no current contact for Daisy and doubts Daisy remained at Thornwood.

The Other Jane sketches a household in flux: Daisy lived with her mother and grandmother; a grandfather and an uncle were once present but disappeared from the scene. There were short‑term au pairs when Daisy’s mother was young. She recalls a heavy police presence at the house during lockdown with no public explanation. Daisy also repeated unsettling stories—an attic ghost that “hated little girls” and an uncle named Jasper who “ran away with the circus.”

After leaving, Jane and Dexter share canned drinks on the Heath, debrief, and set next steps. They decide to investigate the lockdown police incident and to track down Jasper, acknowledging they may need help from Dexter’s father’s contacts.