The Wife Upstairs

This part covers Chapters 24-28.

Jane and Eddie begin planning their wedding in Birmingham. Tripp awaits trial for the murder of Blanche. Jane obsessively reads the details of the case and learns that Tripp purchased a hammer days before his wife died. One morning after returning from a run, Jane hears a noise upstairs again. Eddie calls and assures Jane that the noise is nothing.

Jane meets her neighbors for a Neighborhood Beautification meeting. The women tell Jane about the tension between Bea and Blanche that developed over many years, ultimately stemming from Bea’s mother. They compliment Jane on her outfit and note that she is dressing in the same style as Bea. John messages Jane and asks her for another $500. Jane resolves to call the number from Phoenix to discover who is looking for her.

Jane goes to John’s church to confront him. She explains that she spoke with the private investigator from Phoenix, who was searching for a Helen Burns once in foster care with Jane. Jane shared her thoughts on where Helen might be and warned the investigator to stop speaking to John, “who ha[s] a history of conning older women” (317). Privately, Jane reveals that she is Helen Burns.