Chapter 9

Summary

• The narrator reminisces about a past episode involving her friend Emmy, a missing woman. The narrator lived with Emmy for some time after losing out on a job and being unable to afford a place of her own.
• Emmy had been a generous woman, even going on to join the Peace Corps. They had established a bond which persisted even after Emmy left for her assignment and the narrator got a full-time job.
• The narrator describes an incident where Emmy deliberately cut a man, Aaron, with a knife and made it look like an accident. She wanted to warn Kyle, who inquired about Emmy, about her strong character and her intolerance of people who try to walk all over her.
• Despite her stories about Emmy's assertiveness, the narrator chooses to tell Kyle a more sympathetic story about Emmy's selflessness and generosity, hoping to gain public sympathy in finding the missing woman.
• When Kyle leaves, he leaves behind no trace of Emmy, not even her toothbrush or clothes. However, he leaves behind Emmy's address from eight years ago.
• The narrator makes a plan to find Emmy, using her personal knowledge and history with Emmy to her advantage. She goes to various hotels and inns within the town and surrounding ones to investigate, asking about Emmy's whereabouts.
• None of the places she visits have information on Emmy. However, she becomes interested in a place called Break Mountain Inn, which has a new shift worker who doesn't know anything, causing her to suspect that they are looking for a replacement.
• At the last stop, she finds what appears to be a watch that once belonged to John Hickelman in her car. Overwhelmed by the darkness and the shocking discovery, the narrator comes to a realization that whatever she'd felt coming had already arrived.