The Westing Game

On the third morning of snow, the residents “stood at their side windows scoffing at the danger, daring to dream” (63). Turtle waits in her room for her mother or Angela to come braid her hair, but they’ve forgotten about her. She walks over to Flora Baumbach’s for help. While they chat, Turtle discovers that Flora had a daughter, Rosalie, though it is unclear what happened to her. Turtle discloses that her real name is Alice.

The Sunset Tower residents gather in the coffee shop, and Theo leads the meeting. The subject of the transcribed will is one of the first topics the group approaches. Annoyed by Sydelle’s “self-congratulatory” (66) mannerisms, Mr. Hoo stands up and slams the missing notebook down on the table. He is not the thief, he says. Someone left it in his restaurant. Sydelle, however, goes on a tirade against him and anyone else in the room who goes to his defense.

Grace Wexler announces that the notebook is full of gibberish, that although the shorthand reflects proper character, the words don’t mean anything. Sydelle responds that the reason no one can read it is because she’s written it in Polish.

Mr. Hoo suggests that Sydelle receive a larger chunk of the inheritance if she lets the others read the English translation of the will.