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53 pages 1 hour read

The Life We Bury

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014

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Chapters 47-54Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 47 Summary

Lila puts Jeremy to bed at Joe’s while Joe goes to buy Jeremy a toothbrush. Joe comes home to find Jeremy is sleeping. Lila is gone. As he realizes this, Joe gets a call from Daniel. He’s kidnapped Lila, holding her as collateral so that he can get his bag of garbage—with his DNA—back. 

Chapter 48 Summary

Daniel instructs Joe to drive to Douglas’ property. He will hand over Lila in exchange for the garbage. Daniel keeps Joe on the phone as he drives, ensuring that he can’t contact the police. However, Joe finds Jeremy’s phone—the one he’d bought him and instructed him to use if anyone ever hurt him—in the back seat of the car as he’s driving. Joe keeps speaking to Daniel on his phone while dialing Max’s number on Jeremy’s. He puts his conversation with Daniel on speakerphone so Max can hear it and makes sure to reiterate the fact that Daniel is DJ, not Douglas. Joe hopes that Max will figure out what’s going and send the police to rescue him and Lila. 

Chapter 49 Summary

Joe continues to drive while talking to Daniel. Joe realizes that Daniel will kill him and Lila. Daniel confirms that this is his plan—and notes that since Joe’s and Lila’s bodies will be near Douglas’ barn, Douglas will be suspected of the crime.

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