The Good Lie

Gwen arrives at Robert’s home, where they drink and sit by a fire outside. Robert reveals that Scott Harden changed his story and has admitted to being released by the killer rather than escaping. Gwen is surprised to hear this because it supports Robert’s claim that Scott is lying about Randall and protecting the real killer. Robert comments that Gwen’s profile “has holes.” He believes that Randall is indeed a sexual predator—three students have filed complaints against him in the last 20 years—but they were all female and thus a completely different pattern from the real killer. They go inside Robert’s house, where he shows her his collection of “oddities”—objects that have personal significance to him. He gestures to an emerald ring and tells her the history behind it, then gives it to Gwen.

Gwen wakes up naked in Robert’s bed, but Robert is already dressed and immediately asks her about John Abbott. He accuses her of lying about John, saying that she knew about “the monster he was” and could have stopped him (198). Gwen admits that she should have gone to the police, and Robert leaves her.