CHAPTER 16: The Third Bomb

Summary

Grace Wexler accepts another wedding shower gift delivered by Otis Amber, who's still yelling "Boom!" Angela is opening the gifts and slowly unravels the gold ribbon on one present when Turtle impatiently peeks under the box's lid. Angela jerks the gift away from her sister as fireworks fly out of the box. In the aftermath of the panic, Angela burns her hands and there's a bloody gash across her cheek.

Later, Judge Ford calls a police captain to the lobby of Sunset Towers. The heirs have become paranoid, as they fear not only a murderer among them, but also a thief and bomber. The police captain explains that there isn't enough evidence to search all the apartments, as the heirs try to figure out who's guilty of these crimes. Theo asks the captain if the explosions at the coffee shop weren't from gas pipes but bombs; the captain hedges by calling them pranks. After a religious outburst from Crow, Theo tells Chris that she'd be a likely suspect except she wasn't in the building for the first two bombs. Chris says she was indeed in the building but Theo says she wasn't. The captain says the bombs were just fireworks triggered by a striped candle in an open jar and that Angela wouldn't have hurt herself if she hadn't tilted the box towards her face. The next day, Chris notes that Otis Amber limps.

Angela is placed in the hospital bed next to Sydelle Pulaski. Angela says she doesn't remember and Jake assures her that it's only traumatic amnesia. Turtle thanks her sister for keeping the box from going off in her own face and had brought Angela's tapestry bag to the hospital. The doctors have said that the burns on her hands will heal but there will be scars on her face. Turtle reminds Angela that she never placed any value on being pretty but adds that the incident was a dumb thing for Angela to do. Sydelle, who was pretending to be asleep, realizes her partner was the bomber - and is proud of her for it.

Notes

Otis Amber's "Boom!" at the Wexler's door foreshadows what happens in this chapter. Angela's decision to tilt the box in her direction and thus injure herself emphasizes how she wishes to scare others but do no real harm. Ironically, the only person who suffers a permanent injury from the bombs is the bomber herself, Angela - out of choice, as she considers her scar a useful reminder. Turtle intuits that Angela is the bomber, and finds it foolish; in contrast, Sydelle takes pride on finding this out, understanding that Angela needed some way to assert herself. In the same way Angela accommodates Sydelle's strange behavior, Sydelle does the same for Angela out of empathy and friendship, neatly illustrating why they're ideal partners. Theo does not think Crow was in the building for the first two bombs but does not know she lives in the building; Christ tries to tell him but goes ignored, paving the way for Theo's surprise encounter with Crow soon after.

CHAPTER 17: Some Solutions

Summary

On Monday, Turtle's stocks continue to drop and the bomb squad is called for suspicious parcels that arrive --including a box of chocolate Jake Wexler sent his wife Grace. The next day Jake sends a dozen long-stemmed roses, and Turtle rushes into the building yelling "Mrs. BAUM-bach", which was mistaken for "bomb". Madame Hoo learns more English from her partner Jake, who promises to help Grace Wexler and Doug Hoo with their clues and not take a share of the inheritance if they won. The clues PURPLE FRUITED make Grace think of the lawyer E.J. Plum, which James Hoo agrees must be the answer; however, Jake asks about the other clues, FOR SEA WAVES. Madame Hoo serves ribs, using a word she learned from Otis Amber: "Boom!"

Sandy McSouthers has bought a notebook to keep all the information from reports that Judge Ford passed along to him from the private investigator she hired. They go over the notes on the Hoo family, the Westing connection being that James Hoo had sued Sam Westing over the invention of the disposable paper diaper. Mr. Hoo settled with the company out-of-court and his latest invention is paper innersoles, which Sandy takes some credit for when he complained to Jimmy about standing all day.

Late that night, Theo is working on his chemistry homework when he realizes his clues could be interpreted as a chemical solution if FOR and THEE become FOUR and THREE. With N HIS NO that leads to NH4NO3 and leaves four letters out, which spell the name OTIS. He goes to tell Doug what he's discovered, piquing his brother's curiosity. He uses the stairs to go to the fourth floor, knocings on one of two unmarked doors. Crow answers the door, telling Chris he knew she would come, and tells him to pray with her for his angel's deliverance. Crow lives in a maid's apartment between 4C and 4D.

Notes

Turtle's calls of "BAUM-bach" is a classic example of how information can be misinterpreted when one is in a certain frame of mind. Madame Hoo learning the word "Boom!" becomes significant, as it is the nonsense answer she and Jake give at the second meeting of the Westing heirs. Sam Westing makes up for stealing James Hoo's paper diaper invention by offering him the idea for the paper innersole in the guise of Sandy McSouthers. Sam Westing seems to take a special pride in this, even pointing it out in his deathbed, showing the ruthless egotistical side of Westing that not only helped him build his paper empire, but also allows him to control his heirs through the Westing game. Though his game is an atonement for past sins to his chosen heirs, it doesn't mean Westing has changed completely from past ways.

Theo's interpretation of his clues is perhaps the wildest and most brazen, and yet Raskin makes it a distinct possibility when the formula is revealed to be that of ammonium nitrate. Crow sees Theo as the one who will save Angela, something Theo does not understand when she speaks of his "angel". Crow is clearly re-living the experience of her daughter, with Theo as a stand-in for his father George, who was Violet's true love.

 

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