25. A Visit from Patti Love

Summary

• The chapter begins with Patti Love Andrews, Chase’s mother, visiting the Sheriff's office to speak with Sheriff Joe and his colleague, Ed. Patti is worried about Chase’s death, asserting it wasn’t an accident due to her son's athletic capabilities and intelligence.
• Patti discloses an important clue. She says that Chase had a shell necklace, given by a woman commonly referred to as the 'Marsh Girl', which he wore all the time, but it wasn’t present with his belongings post-mortem.
• Joe and Ed consider Patti's suspicions about the Marsh Girl. Although they can't figure out why she would take the necklace if she was involved, they agree it’s worth looking into more and decide to visit the Marsh Girl's place.
• Joe and Ed also consider that Chase’s affairs with the Marsh Girl could be the motive behind his murder, as Patti had previously suspected. They plan to question the Marsh Girl about her relationship with Chase and the necklace.
• Attempts to reach out to the Marsh Girl proved futile. On their first visit, her boat was not found tied to its usual place and it seemed she had already left, possibly upon hearing them arrive. Subsequent attempts to reach her also failed, leading to a decision to obtain a warrant if more information surfaced.