Chapter 17

Summary

• The protagonist feels out of place wearing pajamas in the courthouse for their bail hearing.
• They are accompanied by a young attorney, who seems distracted by his phone.
• The attorney is indifferent to the protagonist's concern about their attire and focuses on the importance of the hearing.
• The attorney fires a series of questions to prepare for the hearing, dismissing the protagonist's joke about traveling to the Cayman Islands.
• They instruct the protagonist to deny any intention to flee the country and clarify they are the sole caregiver for a deceased grandmother.
• The attorney assures that bail hearings are routine, even in criminal cases.
• The proceeding is about to begin, so they enter the courtroom.
• The protagonist's imagination contrasts the serious present with a fantasized wedding aisle walk.
• In court, Detective Stark argues that the protagonist is unreliable, likening her to the deceptive exterior of the Regency Grand Hotel.
• The protagonist is offended by Stark's insinuations and internally defends their rule-abiding nature.
• The young attorney defends the protagonist, emphasizing their stable and law-abiding life.
• The judge inquires about who will post bail and learns of a well-connected acquaintance, Charlotte Preston.
• The protagonist apologizes for their attire and the judge reassures that behavior counts more than appearance.
• The protagonist professes their adeptness at rule-following and lack of intention to violate bail terms.
• The judge seemingly appreciates the protagonist's sincerity and grants conditional bail, allowing the protagonist to go free.