Katie reasons that Zenon and Rice might not still be on her island; perhaps another person killed them and scuttled their boat. This person might be a whistleblower for the activities on Ringrock and thus be Katie’s ally. But she knows she can trust no one. She heads home the long way around the island.

A flashback chapter reveals the short biography of Lupo, one of the three men with whom Katie is obsessed. As a criminal from the age of 11, he is violent and frequently rapes young girls.

As she walks back, Katie plans to protect herself and her island; she doesn’t want to flee Jacob’s Ladder. However, more gunfire changes her mind. She intends to go home, get her go bag with money, and drive her boat to the mainland. Once home, though, she sees that the door to the boathouse is open.