The Family Remains

Police summons Rachel to Antibes, where she is questioned about Michael's death. Rachel is honest about having visited Michael recently, but claims to know nothing about Lucy. The police explain that Lucy visited Michael the same day Rachel did; they tried to locate her, but were unsuccessful.

Rachel worries for herself and Lucy as the investigation continues, until she gets a call from the French detective on the case.

Henry, Lucy, Marco and Stella return to London, and Lucy notices that Henry seems “different somehow, softer” (344). Even though she is glad to be home, she worries that the French police will find her and uncover that she killed Michael over a year ago.

Henry gets a surprise visit from Samuel, who explains that Justin Ugley—previously known as Justin Redding—was found dead by suicide on Friday. Justin left a note, and when Samuel passes it to Henry to read, Henry recognizes Justin’s handwriting from the gardening notebooks they used to read together. Justin’s note explains how guilty he felt after leaving the house at Cheyne Walk; Justin knew how badly David Thomsen and Birdie treated the children. One day, Justin returned to the house determined to get the children out; during an altercation, Birdie was killed accidentally, and Henry and Justin hid her body. Justin assumes that Henry moved Birdie’s remains to protect Justin, and apologizes for letting Henry down.

Henry acknowledges internally that Justin’s explanation of Birdie’s death is a lie, realizing that Justin “sacrificed himself” to save Henry (348). Henry cries for Justin, but also cries out of relief. He decides that Justin’s narrative in the note could easily be true, and allows Justin’s version of events to replace the truth in his mind. Henry tells Samuel that Justin’s note is true, and that Henry moved Birdie’s remains. He can see that Samuel knows he is lying. Standing up to leave, Samuel asks if Henry ever found Phineas Thomsen, and Henry says he didn’t, but explains that it’s a shame since Phin is Libby’s biological father. When Samuel leaves, Henry sits on the floor, shaking.

Rachel reaches out to Lucy after hearing from the French detective. Lucy meets Rachel at Rachel’s apartment, and Rachel reveals having met Lucy a little over a year ago in Nice. Rachel also reveals that she saw Lucy in Michael’s house, cleaning and hiding his body. Rachel told the investigating police repeatedly how terrible Michael was in an attempt to protect Lucy; a few weeks ago, the investigation into Michael’s death officially closed. The police are no longer looking for Lucy. Relieved, Lucy explains that she went to Michael’s house that day to get her and Marco’s passports. She knew Michael would want sex, so she arrived ready to sleep with him in exchange for her “freedom” (353). However, when Michael raped her and pushed her into broken glass, Lucy grabbed a nearby kitchen knife and killed Michael. Rachel admits that Michael raped her too, and explains that he was blackmailing her father. She would probably have killed Michael if Lucy hadn’t done it first. Rachel’s father was able to get his money back from Michael’s wealth-management company after Michael’s death. Lucy and Rachel embrace and open a bottle of champagne together.

Lucy meets her real estate agent at the house in St. Albans to get the keys. Lucy is excited to finally have her own home. Marco doesn’t share Lucy’s enthusiasm for the house at first, but she eventually sees him playing in the yard and feels assured that he will learn to love it there. For a while, the press attention regarding Justin’s suicide, Birdie’s remains, and the Lamb’s childhood was overwhelming, but it’s now starting to die down. Henry and Lucy feel like they now have a fresh start and can put the house on Cheyne Walk behind them. That evening, while the whole family is gathered at Lucy’s new house, Phin arrives. Libby is surprised to see her biological father for the first time, but she welcomes him inside and the family finally feels “complete” (360).

Two months prior to Phin’s arrival at Lucy’s house, Henry recklessly knocks on Phin’s Airbnb in Chicago and enters without an invitation. Henry, drunk and somewhat crazed, confesses that he tried to be like Phin for his entire adult life. He apologizes for making things difficult for Phin when they were young in the house at Cheyne Walk. Phin admits that he has always struggled with his identity; he gives Henry credit for being strong and leading all of the children out of the house. Henry is shocked to learn that Phin doesn’t hate him or hold a grudge against him, and that he isn’t the confident man Henry pictured him to be. Phin explains that he left Botswana because he was afraid to see Lucy and Libby. Henry convinces Phin to come see Libby, and Phin agrees on the condition that Henry won’t tell anyone about seeing him.

Eight months later, Henry shops for a Gold Wing motorbike identical to Kris Doll’s. Once Henry stopped impersonating Phin, he tried to be himself and rediscover his identity. For a few months, it felt good to be Henry Lamb, but after a while, he grew tired of being “dull old Uncle Henry” (368). Now, Henry is on a quest to be like Kris Doll.