Chapter 24

Summary

• The narrator sits in a coffee shop with a view of the Regency Grand Hotel's entrance, observing as the light fades to dusk.
• They hold a teapot and a half-eaten raisin-bran muffin at their table but feel too nervous to eat due to the unfolding events.
• The narrator watches Mr. Preston, a character from the hotel, and receives a reassuring text message from someone named Charlotte confirming that their plan is in motion.
• As the time approaches 6:00 p.m., the narrator grows increasingly anxious, waiting for a sign that their plan is working, while keeping an eye on a silent TV news report.
• The narrator is startled to see their own face on the TV, labeled as a murder suspect connected to a crime at the hotel, and learns they've been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes.
• Police cars arrive, and officers rush into the hotel, resulting in a quick burst of activity that the narrator observes helplessly.
• The narrator contemplates their loneliness and the poor choices it's led to while making a secretive call to a character named Giselle, revealing parts of the plan only known to the narrator.
• Giselle, who is at the hotel, confesses to lying about her relationship with Rodney, her involvement in illicit activities, and expresses regret for implicating the narrator.
• The narrator confronts Giselle, who assures her innocence and promises to reveal the truth to authorities to clear the narrator's name. Giselle's sincerity is in question.
• The narrator instructs Giselle to pack essentials, take her passport, and flee the hotel immediately without contacting Rodney, signifying a test of Giselle's loyalty and friendship.
• In a coffee shop, the waiter confronts the narrator, having recognized them from the news report about the murder; the narrator confirms their identity but insists on their innocence.
• The narrator predicts that the supervisor will call the police, and things will eventually resolve positively.
• Finally, the police exit the hotel with Rodney in handcuffs and a bag of drugs, confirming that the narrator's plan has been successful.
• The narrator reflects on the simplicity of eating and the human commonality it represents while watching Rodney being placed in a police cruiser.
• Detective Stark, who had been involved in the narrator's wrongful accusation, subtly acknowledges the narrator from across the street. The narrator interprets this as Stark admitting she was wrong about them.