Case Histories: A Novel

Jackson reluctantly attends Victor’s funeral and is horrified to see that he is the only guest and that the Land sisters are both wearing strange outfits in loud colors. Afterward, they have lunch, and the sisters show him a photograph of Olivia and Blue Mouse. Jackson is moved by the photo, though he worries he will not be able to find Olivia.

Working the Wyre case, he visits Theo’s former office building which is now a day spa. The attendant lets him see the room where Laura was killed and is disgusted to hear that a murder occurred there. She also tells a skeptical Jackson that she has the second sight and that black cats are lucky for him.

Jackson later picks Marlee up from a sleepover and is horrified to hear her recount stories about dancing provocatively to Christina Aguilera songs. He worries about her growing up too fast and being sexualized by unsavory men. On the way home, they visit Binky. He asks Binky about the Lands who live next door, and she scornfully says that they were wild and that she did not let the police search her garden very carefully.