I Am Pilgrim

Murdoch finds local laborers willing to assist in the transportation of the mirror, with the help of his hotel manager. The work proceeds smoothly until Murdoch is abruptly summoned to the library to examine the now-bare walls where the mirrors hung. They depict swastikas, and Murdoch immediately thinks of his trip to the concentration camp with Bill. Over lunch, Murdoch discusses the history of the house with the disturbed men. They tell him that it used to be known in French as “The Waiting Room” and that it was built immediately after World War II by a German woman. The nearby beach is named after the German architects. Murdoch ponders whether the prior occupants were “waiting for a ship” but leaves for Italy before he can confirm his theory (340).

Though there are moments when the cause seems hopeless, the Uffizi technicians eventually isolate the shape of a person, proving that Dodge was not alone during the fireworks. Murdoch calls Cumali and promises to send her the evidence, and notices that she is “unable to keep the defeat out of her voice” as she accepts the news (347). Cumali finally asks what led him to suspect the case was murder, and Murdoch explains: Only someone Dodge knew could have convinced him to go look out over the cliff, likely with news that Cameron’s helicopter had crashed.