The Woman in the Library

Content Warning: This portion of the guide includes descriptions of stalking behavior, physical assault, gender-based violence, and murder.

Freddie confronts Cain on the phone. For every question he has a response to explain away his suspicious behavior and lies, leaving Freddie torn about her two notions of who Cain is. She decides to do more investigating. The next day, Freddie talks her way into the Metter residence by pretending she thought Whit and Marigold intended to meet her there for a planned lunch date. Jean puts Freddie in the guesthouse because she isn’t happy to see her and calls Whit to pick her up. Jean also warns Freddie that Cain is dangerous, that he deserved his sentence when he was a teen, and that Jean will do anything to protect Whit. As she waits for Whit, Freddie discovers a well-thumbed copy of Settling, Cain’s novel, and an investigative piece Whit wrote for The Rag. Whit is a good writer and must have done more work for The Rag than he told her.

When Freddie meets up with Whit and Marigold, the three friends argue. After the attack on his mother, Whit now believes Cain is guilty of killing Caroline. He and Marigold are displeased that Freddie still clings to the idea that Cain is innocent.