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Summary

PART VI: Survival (continued)

Louise, August 1975: Day Three–Judyta, August 1975: Day Three 

Louise, August 1975: Day Three

Louise rides in the front seat of Hayes’ car on the way to her mother’s house. She asks who posted her bail, but he doesn’t know. Hayes says he heard it was a woman and assumes it was her mother. Louise doubts this, given her mother’s neglectful nature. 

As they drive, Hayes reminisces about the past, when he was in a relationship with Louise’s mother and spent time with Louise as a child. Louise, wary of men due to her history with John Paul, remains guarded. Hayes recounts a memory of taking her to Lake George and buying her ice cream. Overwhelmed, Louise begins to cry, realizing that someone had once cared for her without expecting anything in return. 

When they arrive, Louise is surprised to see her mother fully dressed and wearing makeup for the first time in years. Hayes greets her mom, and after brief small talk, he tells Louise that he does not believe she was involved in Barbara’s disappearance. He then shares with her the news that Barbara had been sneaking out of the cabin every night to meet someone, apparently a boyfriend. Louise is stunned by this information.  

Hayes also brings up John Paul and asks if Louise knows where he had been staying all summer. She assumes he had been moving around, but Hayes informs her that he was at the top of Hunt Mountain. He then asks if she knows Lee Towson, to which she responds that she doesn’t know him that well. Hayes reveals that Lee was previously arrested for statutory rape, a fact that comes as a shock to Louise. When asked if she knows where Lee has gone, she says she has no idea. Before Hayes leaves, she asks him to let her know if he finds out who bailed her out of jail. As Hayes drives away, she wishes she had a parent like him.  

 Tracy: August 1975 

On the evening of Camp Emerson’s final dance, the girls of Balsam get ready together, a ritual that marks the end of summer. They shave their legs, select outfits, and apply makeup, transforming into versions of themselves that seem older and more mature. Tracy recognizes that their bond has shifted from childhood friendships into something more complex. 

At the dance, Tracy moves between her Balsam friends and her Survival Trip companions, but she spends most of the night dancing with Barbara. When the band plays I Honestly Love You, the room slows down. She watches as couples form, including Barbara and Crandall, one of the most popular boys at camp. Feeling abandoned, Tracy drifts to the edge of the room, where she briefly encounters Lee—an interaction that later takes on new meaning after Hayes’ revelation about his past. After Lee walks away, Tracy notices Lowell across the dancefloor. He stares at Barbara and Crandall with a sad expression.  

Stepping outside, Tracy spots Annabel in the distance, heading toward Self-Reliance. The sight confuses her since Annabel is supposed to escort the girls back to Balsam when the dance ends. Suddenly, Walter, Lowell’s best friend, calls Tracy’s name from the beach. The two sit together, and he tells her that Lowell had asked Barbara to the dance, but she turned him down. Hearing it aloud still stings for Tracy, although she had long suspected his affections were for Barbara and not for her. Then, Walter shares something even more unexpected—he, too, has feelings for Lowell. 

Louise: August 1975 

From her place on the stage, Louise watches the final dance unfold, observing the campers from a different vantage point. Amongst the campers, she sees the triumphs and failures, genuine joy and forced smiles. In her mind, she compares herself to a god—one who loves and leads unconditionally but does not interfere. She feels deep affection for the lonely ones, the ones at the edges of the dancefloor, wanting to pull them close but knowing that part of growing up is navigating rejection and self-discovery on their own. 

As the dance progresses, she counts each one of her campers to ensure they are all accounted for. She finds everyone except Annabel. At the time, she dismisses it, assuming Annabel has snuck off with a boy. Yet, the reader knows Annabel is not heading into the woods for romance—she is walking toward Self-Reliance. Louise smiles, believing Annabel has maybe found love.  

Judyta, August 1975: Day Three 

At noon, Judy meets Hayes and presents her theory that the town of Shattuck believes the wrong man was blamed for Bear’s disappearance. Hayes listens as she explains that Jacob Sluiter is the town’s usual scapegoat for unexplained deaths. 

However, a second theory emerges: Bear’s own grandfather may have been involved. Instead of dismissing the idea, Hayes recalls that Bear’s grandfather had once been considered a suspect but was never fully investigated. The case had been built against Carl Stoddard, whose connection to Bear made him an easy target. 

Hayes tells Judy she has “the bug”—the obsessive drive to uncover the truth. She wants to seize the moment and take the lead in questioning Peter II. Hayes agrees she should do it but warns her not to scare him off. Before she can leave, Investigator Goldman interrupts, asking if either is good with kids. He implies that, as a woman, she should take charge in this matter. Judy understands the underlying expectations.  

Judyta, August 1975: Day Three 

Judy interviews Christopher Muldauer, an eight-year-old and the youngest camper at Camp Emerson. His parents sit beside him, tense and protective. Christopher is hesitant to speak, but Judy gently eases him into conversation. Eventually, he reveals that he, Barbara, and Tracy were together during the Survival Trip. He remembers seeing Barbara leave the campsite on two different nights. At first, he assumed she was heading to the bathroom but watched as she headed toward T.J. Hewitt’s tent. He claims this happened multiple times—even after they returned from the trip. Barbara continued sneaking out at night and going to  T.J.’s cabin. Though young, Christopher senses that something is wrong and becomes upset.  

Judy reassures him, praising his courage for speaking up, then asks what has been troubling him personally. Embarrassed, Christopher confesses that he wets the bed and tries to stay awake as long as possible to prevent accidents. To comfort him, Judy says she once had the same problem. 

Before the Muldauer family leaves, Christopher’s mother pulls Judy aside. She expresses that they were led to believe Camp Emerson was the best camp around but now has serious doubts. She says she’d be even more nervous if she had a daughter, implying someone might be taking advantage of the young girls at camp.  

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