Detective Sergeant Mark Goodwin's visit to Mia crackles with unspoken feelings, offering her a glimpse of stability amidst chaos. However, the conversation takes a sharp turn when Mark reveals a crucial detail: the victims were found in rare "Portmanteau" suitcases, a brand out of production since the 1950s. This specific choice by the killer becomes a key lead, pulling Mia deeper into the mystery.
Chapter 46: Portmanteau
The name "Portmanteau" ignites a memory for Mia, who recalls an old invoice from Dave Hunter's garage. Realizing the connection, she and Sonny Hunter race to the garage, only to find the paperwork gone and the space meticulously cleaned. Undeterred, Mia discovers a hidden Portmanteau suitcase inside a disused oil tank, identical to those from her attic. The chapter concludes with a newspaper clipping about a missing journalist, Aaliyah Anderson, hinting at further connections.
Chapter 47: Thirty-Nine Years Earlier
A flashback plunges into the past, revealing a young Dave Hunter held captive by his abusive parents. He hears another child, Precious, locked in the attic. When his parents leave, Dave communicates with Precious through the chimney flue, guiding her to escape through a dismantled section. Together, they flee, but Precious realizes Dave's connection to her captors and runs in terror. A speeding car strikes and kills her, leaving young Dave devastated and guilt-ridden.
Chapter 48: The Warehouse
Back in the present, Mia opens the suitcase to find not a body, but old business documents for "Portmanteau Leathers," owned by Kenneth and Moira Kilgour, the house's former owners. A crumpled Post-it note leads her to Carole Watson, the journalist who wrote about Finn Hunter's affair, confirming Dave's betrayal of his son. Following the paperwork's address, Mia arrives at a dilapidated industrial estate and breaks into a storage unit. Inside, she discovers a horrifying collection of over a hundred Portmanteau suitcases, with forty containing children's clothing, implying more victims. As she reaches for one, Dave's voice stops her: "I don’t think you should do that."
Chapter 49: Cornered
Dave confronts Mia, and she fights back, but he overpowers her, leaving her unconscious. From Dave's perspective, he reflects on Debbie Hunter's view of Mia as a "cancer," though he sees himself and the rest of the family as the problem. He reveals he is dying of cancer and tends to Mia's head wound, a small act of care amidst the horror.
Chapter 50: Penance
Mia awakens tied to a bench, with a gaunt Dave nearby. He offers her a beer and cleans her up, surprisingly calm. Realizing her likely fate, Mia confronts him about the murders. Dave speaks cryptically about his past and his belief that some parents don't deserve their children, expressing sorrow for Precious Johnson. He reveals his terminal stomach cancer as a "penance" for his guilt. Claiming his death will "rebirth" Debbie and Finn, he asks Mia for forgiveness and then slits his own throat, dying before her eyes.
Character Development
- Mia: She transforms into a determined investigator, leading her into a terrifying confrontation. Her courage in facing Dave highlights her strength, but she is left with the psychological burden of witnessing his confession and suicide.
- Dave Hunter: He is revealed as the serial killer, with a tragic backstory of abuse and accidental death. He is a monster, but a dying, remorseful one. His suicide is a final act of Manipulation and Control.
- DS Mark Goodwin: He stands in contrast to the Hunters, offering Mia a potential source of safety.
Themes & Symbols
- The Past Haunting the Present: Dave's horrific childhood and Precious Johnson's death shape him into a killer. The warehouse symbolizes his inability to escape his past.
- Family Secrets and Lies: Dave's true nature is revealed, exposing the family's deep dysfunction.
- Nature vs. Nurture: Dave's story explores whether he was born evil or created by abuse. His attempt to save Precious suggests a lost humanity.
- The Suitcases: They symbolize Dave's secrets, holding his victims and representing the sealed-away past.
- Dave's Cancer: He sees his cancer as a physical manifestation of his guilt, consuming him from within.
Key Quotes
"The rest of us are."
Dave's internal correction of Debbie's statement reveals his self-awareness and acceptance of his role in the family's dysfunction. He acknowledges that the rot extends beyond Mia, implicating himself and the other Hunters in the cycle of secrets and lies.
"Penance the size of a fist."
Dave's description of his cancer as a "penance" highlights his belief that he is being punished for his sins. The physical manifestation of his guilt underscores the psychological weight he has carried for decades, slowly destroying him from the inside.
Significance
These chapters mark the climax, revealing the killer's identity, backstory, and motive. Dave's suicide shifts the narrative, leaving Mia as the sole witness and changing the focus to the fallout for the surviving Hunters. His death is a catalyst for the final act.
Analysis
John Marrs uses pacing and perspective to build tension. The flashback provides context for Dave's actions, creating a complex emotional response and forcing a confrontation with Nature vs. Nurture. The warehouse confrontation contrasts Mia's fear with Dave's cryptic pronouncements. His suicide is shocking yet inevitable, denying judgment and framing his death as a twisted act of love, ensuring his secrets continue to poison the family.