What She Knew

This chapter takes place the day after Ben’s disappearance. Rachel and John wait tensely while the search teams scour the woods. The teams discover items of clothing, which Rachel identifies as Ben’s. The police reclassify the case as an abduction.

Rachel and John are driven to Criminal Investigation Division headquarters in Bristol where they meet Detective Constable Emma Zhang. She will be their family liaison officer. Rachel and John are led to separate interview rooms because the police want to see whether their stories tally independently. Jim introduces himself to Rachel and explains that he will be the lead investigator on Ben’s case. As Rachel is being questioned, she can’t shake the thought that this tragedy is all her fault.

When she returns home later, Rachel finds a horde of reporters waiting outside. Her sister Nicky and best friend Laura arrive to help take care of her. Rachel is disturbed to be surrounded by all of Ben’s things while her son, himself, is missing. “I looked at everything, took it all in, but felt only blankness. All of it was meaningless without Ben. Without him, my home had no soul” (98).

The police have informed Rachel that she’s to be filmed at a press conference the following morning, so Laura helps Rachel pick out an appropriate dress.