The Family Remains

Lucy and her children check for Henry at the Angel Inn, but learn that he checked out at lunchtime that day. In the morning, Libby texts Lucy about the visit from Detective Samuel Owusu; she worries that he could tell she was lying. When Lucy hears that Samuel is investigating Birdie’s murder, Lucy flashes back to her violin lessons with Birdie and the way Birdie groomed 13-year-old Lucy to have sex with 46-year-old David Thomsen. She also thinks of the day that David, her parents, and Birdie died. She knows Henry had something to do with their deaths, but isn’t sure what exactly. She remembers helping Henry carry Birdie’s body onto the roof of the house at Cheyne Walk before they ran away. Lucy tries to calm the feeling of panic bubbling up inside of her; if the police are asking questions about Birdie and looking into Lucy’s past, Lucy worries they may find out what she did a year ago.

A week passes after Rachel leaves Michael, relieves that Michael does not try to contact her. She meets with Dominic’s friend, Thea, a divorce lawyer. As she explains to Thea the problems she’s been having with Michael, Rachel decides she will not tell Thea—or anyone—about Michael raping her. But without this detail, her story will make her look petty and wrong in court: She married Michael hastily, and now that he has lost money and is not satisfying her in bed, she wants out of the marriage. Thea suggests that Rachel’s best option is to wait through a two-year separation to avoid needing to go to court or prove anything. A few weeks later, Rachel learns from Jonno that Michael's business is related to drug trafficking. For the next few months, Rachel pours her focus into her jewelry launch with Liberty and does not hear from Michael. In September, she passes Michael on the street; he is with Ella, the woman from Dominic's party. Michael greets Rachel as if nothing is wrong, and congratulates her on her contract with Liberty, information he learned from Ella.

Samuel learns that the trees surrounding the Cheyne Walk house match the leaf traces found with Birdie’s remains. The forensics team gathers evidence at the house and finds pots that Atropa belladonna was grown in, the plant that Mr. and Mrs. Lamb and another man with the initials DT used to poison themselves back in 1994. Investigators never discovered the identity of DT. Samuel continues to try to get in touch with Miller Roe, and learns from a neighbor that Miller mostly lives with his girlfriend. Samuel also gains a warrant to access Libby’s bank account; upon the sale of the house, Libby transferred separate payments of £2.48 million into two other bank accounts, one belonging to Marie Valerie Caron and the other to Mr. Phineas Thomsen. Samuel thinks of the “I AM PHIN” (221) carving from the house and goes to see Libby again.

Lucy tries to make a plan of what to do next to find Henry. She’s worried that at any moment the police might approach her with questions not only about her childhood but also about what happened in Antibes last year. Libby calls her in a panic, saying the police accessed her bank accounts and know about the payments she made to Lucy and Henry. The police now know Lucy’s and Henry’s passport names, and will likely be tracking them soon. Marco gets a text from Kris, who is worried about Phin since he can’t reach him. Kris wants to meet up with Lucy and the kids. Lucy agrees, feeling a sense of urgency to find Henry.

When Rachel's jewelry line launches at Liberty, Michael unexpectedly crashes the launch party. Again, he acts like nothing is wrong between them, remarking on the financing that must have gone into the launch. By late December, Rachel's jewelry line is completely sold out, and orders for more pieces are coming in. She talks to Jonno again at Dominic's annual Christmas party and asks him to find out what he can about Lucy and Marco, Michael's ex-wife and son.

Samuel reflects on his last conversation with Libby, in which Libby claimed that Marie Caron and Phineas Thomsen, whom she gave the house sale money to, are her friends. In the shower, Samuel thinks about the case. He finds it strange that Mr. and Mrs. Lamb would give their first two children the conventional names Henry and Lucy, but give their third the “bohemian” name Serenity (236). He notes that the timing of Birdie’s remains being removed from the house’s roof is likely connected to the timing of Libby taking ownership of the house at age 25. Samuel also muses that the mysterious DT may be the father of Phin Thomsen. He decides he needs to track down Justin Redding, the boyfriend and fellow bandmate who reportedly moved into the Cheyne Walk house with Birdie.

Lucy, Marco, and Stella meet with Kris Doll, explain their relationship to Henry, and warn that Henry is looking for a man named Phin. Kris reveals that he knows Phin, but that his information about Phin is limited. Kris explains that something about Henry is strange. Kris has been trying to contact Phin, but hasn’t heard anything and is worried. When Kris mentions that Phin used to work at the zoo, Lucy decides to go there to see if they can find anyone who worked with him. She lets Marco ride with Kris on his motorbike while she and Stella take an Uber. At the zoo, they find one man who used to work with Phin: Peter Lilley. Peter picked up Phin from the airport when he arrived in Chicago; Peter gives them Phin’s Airbnb address. Lucy and the kids head to the apartment building, where Marco, using the Airbnb website, finds the two rentals in the building. The nicer one of the two has a photo of the front door: teal blue with a fox-head door knocker. They enter the building to look for this particular door.

Rachel arrives in Nice in search of Lucy and Marco. She has the address for Marco’s school, and is surprised to find it in a rough part of town. She thought Michael’s son would attend a private school, now realizing that Lucy may be struggling financially. When Marco emerges from the school building, Rachel recognizes him from a photo Jonno found in the school’s online newspaper. She watches him join a little girl, and realizes Lucy has a daughter. Rachel follows them to a run-down hostel, wondering what to do when they disappear inside. Soon, however, Marco and his sister reemerge with their mother, Lucy. Rachel follows them to the town center, where Lucy busks, playing the violin. Rachel approaches Lucy between songs and drops money in her case. She offers to buy her a glass of wine and two hot chocolates for the children, which Lucy accepts. They chat over the drinks, and as Rachel steers the conversation, Lucy reveals that her ex-husband abused her. Rachel admits she went through the same thing with her ex, but does not reveal her identity. As Lucy goes back to play the violin, Rachel cries silently, overwhelmed to know that she isn’t alone.

Lucy, Marco, and Stella locate what they believe is Phin’s Airbnb, but no one responds to their knock. They go to the café across the street from the apartment building, and learn from the waitress that she just met a man from England who is also trying to find someone. The waitress’s description of the man matches Henry, and Lucy decides that they should wait at the café and watch the building. While they wait, Marco brings up how much their lives have changed in one year; this time last year, he and Lucy were sleeping on the street. Lucy explains that she bought a house for them, and they will finally have rooms and beds of their own. Marco isn’t sure how he feels about leaving Henry’s apartment, which is the first stable home he’s ever had.

Samuel struggles to track down Justin Redding, and instead turns his attention to finding out more about Libby’s dog, the one Libby claims to be watching for her adoptive mother. He finds Libby’s adoptive mother on Facebook, but none of her photos include a dog. Samuel next locates Miller Roe’s phone and finds that it’s near Dido’s house. He calls Libby, who is still staying at Dido’s, and asks if Miller Roe is there. Libby at first pretends not to know Miller, but Samuel persists and she eventually hands the phone to Miller. Samuel asks Miller to come to the station with Libby later that day to answer some questions.

Lucy’s situation haunts Rachel. Rachel wishes she could do something to help Lucy. She does her best to get on with her life, and plans a get-together with friends and her father in April, so she won’t be alone on the first-year anniversary of the day she left Michael. When Rachel's father arrives for the gathering, she notices that he looks thin and worries that he might be ill. She is also surprised that he brings flowers from Tesco rather than the usual boutique flower shop, and sparkling wine rather than champagne. Rachel's father brushes off her questions, saying he is fine, and asks if Michael has bothered her at all since the Liberty launch party. He hasn’t. Rachel explains that Michael is still going out with Ella, and that apparently, his financial problems are over, because he’s been “splashing the cash” again (266). A month later, over lunch, Rachel’s father says he might put his house on the market. Rachel is surprised, but her dad explains that he doesn’t need the space anymore, and wants to save money in case he needs expensive care someday. Rachel again asks if he is ill, but he denies it. After his house sells, Rachel helps him pack, discovering bank statements that confuse her. The balance in her father’s account is £12,200; several payments between £100,000 and £250,000 have been made to an account called PMX Acc.dx over the last few months. When Rachel approaches her dad with her findings, he claims his financial advisor told him to invest in this particular account. But when she calls her father’s financial adviser, he knows nothing about these investments.

Samuel receives a call from a woman named Cath Manwaring, who read the recent article about Birdie’s recovered remains. The article mentions Justin Redding, and features a picture of the band. Cath saw the photo and recognized her gardener, Justin Ugley, as one of the band members. He lives in a camper van, and Cath provides its location. She also believes Justin has drinking issues, and describes him as “very nice…But very damaged” (275). Samuel decides to make the three- and half-hour drive to Cowbridge, where Justin Ugley lives, and tasks Donal with starting Miller and Libby’s interview that afternoon.

Samuel locates Justin and his camper van, and Justin confirms that he is Justin Redding from Birdie’s band, Original Version. Justin didn’t see the recent article about Birdie, and is surprised to learn that her remains were found. Samuel notices Justin’s sad eyes as Justin explains the gradual development of the twisted household of Cheyne Walk. Birdie was obsessed with David Thomsen, a supposed healer Birdie brought to the house to help when Mr. Lamb became ill. She helped David imprison the children in the house and exercise constant control over them. Samuel learns that David’s children were named Clemency and Phineas, and realizes that the name Serenity fits better with this family than with the Lamb siblings.

Justin expresses deep regret at leaving the house without helping the children. In the years after leaving, he became addicted to drugs and went to prison a few times. Samuel questions Justin about the plants he tended in the garden at Cheyne Walk, particularly because of the traces of deadly nightshade forensics found there. Justin denies ever growing the poisonous plant, but explains he left a book of spells and potions behind, along with several unidentified seeds. Samuel senses Justin is lying about the garden, but isn’t sure why. He shows Justin images of the people traveling under the passports Marie Caron and Phineas Thomsen, and Justin identifies them as Lucy and Henry Lamb. Justin notices, too, that Henry seems to have tried to make himself look like Phin, explaining that Henry was infatuated with Phin when they were young. Justin thinks it’s obvious that David Thomsen killed Birdie before killing himself. Samuel explains that this doesn’t seem to be the case, since Birdie’s remains were moved a year ago. As Samuel leaves, Justin explains that all the kids at the Cheyne Walk house are “victims” in his eyes (285).

Jonno does some digging for Rachel and finds that the payments her father has been making are going to a wealth-management company. Rachel calls the company, explaining her concerns about her father, and tries to find out who the payments are going to. While she is on the phone, Rachel’s father agrees to come clean. Someone anonymously sent him nude photos and video footage of Rachel. The person blackmailed him, forcing him to pay to have the compromising images deleted. He showed Rachel some of the photos and videos, and Rachel is appalled at her past choices and how “lost” (289) she was when she sought these sexual encounters. Rachel quickly realizes that Michael must have gone through her camera roll and found the images when they initially met.

Libby calls Lucy again and asks for advice about what to say to the police when she and Miller go to the station to answer questions. She warns Lucy to find Henry quickly and “get your story straight” (291). Lucy worries not only about answering questions about her childhood, but also about what the police may uncover about what she did in Antibes last summer. Marco, still focused on finding Henry, suggests they have Kris Doll call Henry and meet with him. Henry likely won’t suspect Kris of anything, and Lucy and Marco can show up at their meeting place. Kris agrees to the plan, and he and Henry plan to meet for brunch that day.

Just as Lucy, Marco, and Stella are ready to leave the hotel lobby for brunch, Lucy notices two men flash a badge at the front desk and overhears them ask about a guest named Marie Caron. Lucy tries to shepherd the children into an Uber, but the police catch up to them as they get in the car.

Samuel returns to the station that evening. Although Donal is several hours into the interview with Libby and Miller, he hasn’t learned much. When Samuel shows Libby a photo of Lucy checking into a hotel in Chicago three days ago, Libby admits that Lucy is her sister and that Marie Caron is a false identity. With more pressing from Samuel, Libby explains that Lucy is actually her mother, not her sister, and Phineas Thomsen is her father. Libby met Henry by chance about a year ago when she went to the house on Cheyne Walk after it came into her possession. Henry happened to be there, and he introduced her to Lucy. Libby claims she lied to protect Henry and Lucy, who have been “running scared their entire lives” (298).

Rachel learns from Ella that Michael is in Antibes, so she goes there to find him. Michael's housekeeper, Joy, greets Rachel and goes to find Michael. While Rachel waits, she notices an expensive sports car in the driveway and looks through Michael's office, taking pictures for Jonno of any paperwork she finds. She finds a handgun in a desk drawer and discovers emails from PMX Wealth Management on Michael's computer, which she forwards to herself, and returns to the living room. As Michael is coming downstairs, Rachel brings up Michael’s improved finances; when Michael starts flirting with her, she accuses him of gaslighting, abuse, and rape. Before leaving, Rachel also mentions meeting Lucy, and this comment seems to disarm Michael.

The Chicago police connect Lucy to Samuel and Donal via a video call. When they ask Lucy about Birdie, she claims she doesn’t know what happened to her. Lucy believes that Henry hit Birdie with an elephant tusk and killed her, but she didn’t actually see this happen, so she doesn’t tell any of this to the detectives. Instead, she talks about how evil Birdie was, explaining that she “groomed” (309) Lucy to have sex with David Thomsen when he was 46 and Lucy was only 13. This is the first time Lucy has told anyone about what Birdie and David did to her. Furthermore, David and Birdie stole Lucy’s baby. Lucy claims she doesn’t know who killed Birdie, but points a finger at David Thomsen. Samuel explains that this is unlikely since Birdie’s remains were recently moved, and Lucy silently curses Henry for dumping the remains in the River Thames. When Samuel asks for Henry’s whereabouts, Lucy tells him, seeing compassion in the detective’s face.