Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty Eight

Even Ruth was completely captivated now.Outside, it was raining again.It fell from the darkened sky and smacked hard on the glass, and the rain ran down the old glass.Peter went over and closed the door to the front porch. Now, they are in a closed space. He rejoined the crowd, and they formed a circle, staring at each other. "Castongui didn't kill Lillian?" Clara repeated, "Who did that?" Everyone, look at me and I look at you, but be careful not to lock your eyes on anyone.Then all eyes returned to Gamash.Center position. There was lightning outside, and even through the closed windows they could hear the rumble of thunder.Under a flash of lightning, the surrounding dark forest was instantly illuminated, and then plunged into darkness again.

Garmash said calmly.The sound of rain and thunder almost drowned his voice. "One of the things that struck us most about this case was the contrast between the two Lillians. One was the vicious woman you knew." He looked at Clara. "The other was the kind, Happy woman." He turned to Susan again. "Chiaroscuro," said Dennis Fortin. Garmash nodded, "That's right. The contrast between darkness and light. Which one is she? Which one is the real Lillian?" "Do people change?" Myrna asked. "Do people change?" repeated Garmash, "or will they eventually return to what they were? There seems no doubt that Lillian was a terrible person who hurt everyone who was unfortunate enough to be around her. Self-pity. She felt like she deserved everything, and if she didn’t get it, she couldn’t take it. After 40 years of this, her life finally got out of control and she started stumbling under the control of alcohol.”

"She hit rock bottom," Susan said. "Her life was completely shattered," Garmash said. "While we knew she was a mess, it was clear that she was also trying to heal, trying to get her life back together with the help of the AA, and to find," he said. Looking at Susan, "What did you say?" She seemed confused, then laughed, "Peace in the sun." Garmash nodded, thoughtfully, "Yes, this is it. But how to find it?" Gamache looked at everyone's faces and paused briefly on Beauvoir, who looked as if he was about to cry. "The only way to do that is to stop drinking. But what I've discovered over the past few days, for alcoholics, quitting is just the beginning. They have to change. The way they see things, their attitude. They have to clean up the mess they leave behind. Heaps of trouble. Alcohol is like a tornado sweeping through other people's lives." Inspector Garmash was quoted as saying, "Lillian underlined this sentence in the AA handbook. Heart broken. Sweet relationship died."

His eyes fell on Clara now.She looks very touched. "I think she's deeply sorry for you and your friendship. Because instead of supporting you, she's trying to ruin your career. That's one of the things she's genuinely guilty of. Of course, I'm not sure." Add Marsh said.It seemed to Clara that everyone had disappeared except the two of them in the room. "But I believe the starter chip you found in the garden was hers. I think she's been carrying it around, clutching it, trying to muster up the courage to talk to you. Say she's sorry." Garmash took a coin out of his pocket and put it in the palm of his hand.This is Bob's starter wafer.He gave it to Garmash at the AA party.The detective hesitated for a moment, then handed it to Clara.

"Who is it that took you all these years," Ruth whispered, "to forgive?" Ruth looked around the room, but Olivier wasn't looking at her.Like everyone else, his eyes were fixed on Clara and Garmash. Clara reached out, took the coin, and held it in his palm. "But Lillian never got around to apologizing," continued Garmash. "She made a terrible mistake. In her run to change herself, she took several steps from AA. , instead of carefully taking one step at a time. Lillian jumped to the ninth step. Can you remember the exact statement?" he asked the three members of the AA.

"When possible, make direct compensation to these people," Susan said. "But there's another part, isn't there?" Garmash asked. "Everyone seems to be only paying attention to the compensation part. But there's something else." "Unless it hurts them or someone else," Bryan continued. "But how can an apology hurt someone?" Paulette asked. "Because it reopens old wounds," Susan replied. "While trying to put her own demons to sleep," Garmash said, "Lillian accidentally awakens demons in others. A dormant demon is awakened."

"Do you think the person she's trying to make amends to doesn't want to hear her apology?" "Lillian is not a tornado," Garmash said. "A tornado, though destructive, is a natural phenomenon. It has no purpose or will. Lillian maliciously injures people with the intention of destroying them. For a painter In other words, it’s not just their job or career. The art they make is about expressing themselves. If you destroy their work, you destroy them.” "It's a kind of murder," Bryan said. Garmash looked at the young man for a while, then nodded, "That's true. Lillian Dyson murdered, or tried to murder, a lot of people. It doesn't mean taking their lives, but it's just as cruel. Taking their lives Dreams, their creativity."

"Her weapon is her comments," Normand said. "They're far more powerful than criticism," agrees Garmash. "Creative people know that being judged, sometimes negatively, is part of their business. It's not pleasant, but It’s a fact. But Lilian’s words were harsh and mean, and she deliberately defeated those sensitive people. She did achieve her goal. Faced with such evaluation and shame, more than one person gave up their artistic career.” "She needs to apologize to a lot of people," Fortin said. Gamash turned to the gallery owner, "Yes. And she started early. But she didn't think about the second part of the step, which is the possibility of causing damage. Or, maybe she already thought about it."

"What's the meaning?" "I think some of her compensations, though earlier, were genuine. Some were not. I felt like she was healing, but not healthy. Old problems slipping back, disguised as noble deeds. Like many of you People just asked, how can an apology be wrong? But sometimes that’s how it is. Compensation gives a murderer a motive to commit a crime. Compensation to another person gives him a chance to commit a crime.” Everyone looked at each other again.In the shadows, Garmache noticed Beauvoir moving slowly until he stood in front of the door leading to the kitchen.That was the only way out of the room.

They're close to revealing the answer.Gamache knew this.Beauvoir knew.There was one other person in the dimly lit room who knew.The murderer must have felt their hot breath. Garmash turned to Clara. "Lillian is here to apologize to you. I genuinely believe she has a good deal of sincerity, but also some insincerity. She doesn't actually have to choose to come on the night of your big day or wear a sensational dress. Dress. Lillian knows she's probably the last person you want to see when you're celebrating your success." "Then why did she come?" Clara asked.

"Because that vicious part of her still wants to hurt you and ruin your big day." Clara held the coin tightly in her hand, feeling the hard circle in her palm. "Then how did she know about this party?" Myrna asked. "It's a private party. How did she find it here? Sansong Town can't be found on the map at all." "Someone told her," said Garmash. "The murderer told her. Told her about the party and how to find it." "Why?" Peter asked. "Because the murderer wanted to hurt Lillian. Kill Lillian. But he also wanted to hurt Clara." "Me?" Clara was dumbfounded, "Why? Who?" She looked around the room for the one who hated her so much.Finally her eyes fell on a person.