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    Buried Prey

    by Sandford, John
    “Buried Prey” by John Sandford is a gripping crime thriller featuring detective Lucas Davenport. When the bodies of two missing girls are discovered decades after their disappearance, Davenport revisits a cold case that has haunted him since his early career. The novel alternates between the original investigation and the present-day pursuit of justice, exploring themes of persistence, guilt, and the passage of time. Sandford’s sharp prose and intricate plotting highlight the complexities of police work and the personal toll of unsolved crimes. A standout in the Prey series, this book delves into Davenport’s character while delivering a tense, satisfying mystery.
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    Buried Prey

    Chapter 8

    by Sandford, John

    In Chap­ter 8, Lucas and Del dis­cuss their sus­pi­cions about John Fell as a poten­tial sus­pect in the case, com­par­ing him to Scrape, a men­tal­ly unsta­ble indi­vid­ual who seems like an easy fall guy. Lucas the­o­rizes that some­one may have framed Scrape by plant­i­ng evi­dence, but Del dis­miss­es the idea as over­ly cin­e­mat­ic. Their con­ver­sa­tion high­lights the com­plex­i­ties of the inves­ti­ga­tion, with Lucas acknowl­edg­ing the improb­a­bil­i­ty of such a plot while still con­sid­er­ing it plau­si­ble. The dia­logue under­scores the ten­sion between log­i­cal deduc­tion and the messy real­i­ties of crim­i­nal behav­ior.

    Del shares his per­spec­tive on the per­fect crime, using the mur­der of a crack deal­er as an exam­ple of a low-risk, high-reward sce­nario that often goes unsolved due to lack of inter­est and evi­dence. Lucas coun­ters by point­ing out the unusu­al cir­cum­stances of their cur­rent case, where a black crack deal­er was killed in a pre­dom­i­nant­ly white neigh­bor­hood. Del con­cedes that their focus on a crack-relat­ed motive might be mis­guid­ed, sug­gest­ing they could be chas­ing a nonex­is­tent sus­pect. This exchange reveals the chal­lenges of inves­ti­gat­ing crimes in mar­gin­al­ized com­mu­ni­ties where sys­temic indif­fer­ence com­pli­cates jus­tice.

    Lat­er, Lucas receives a call from Karen Fra­zier, who reports sight­ings of Scrape near the river­bank. Despite her fear of retal­i­a­tion, she pro­vides cru­cial infor­ma­tion about Scrape’s pos­si­ble hid­ing place in old cave open­ings. Lucas insists on speak­ing to her source, Mil­lard, to ver­i­fy the lead, lever­ag­ing Frazier’s con­cern for the miss­ing girls to gain her coop­er­a­tion. Their inter­ac­tion high­lights the eth­i­cal dilem­mas of police work, as Fra­zier feels like a trai­tor while Lucas jus­ti­fies his meth­ods as nec­es­sary for the greater good.

    The chap­ter con­cludes with Lucas locat­ing Mil­lard at a free store, where he attempts to gath­er more infor­ma­tion about Scrape’s where­abouts. The scene sets the stage for a poten­tial con­fronta­tion, empha­siz­ing Lucas’s deter­mi­na­tion to pur­sue the case despite its ambi­gu­i­ties. The chap­ter blends pro­ce­dur­al detail with char­ac­ter-dri­ven moments, illus­trat­ing the moral and prac­ti­cal chal­lenges faced by law enforce­ment in solv­ing crimes with no clear answers.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What is Lucas and Del’s theory about John Fell as a suspect, and why does Del express skepticism about it?

      Answer:
      Lucas proposes that John Fell might be framing Scrape (a mentally unstable individual) for the crimes by planting evidence and feeding clues to the police. He suggests this makes Scrape an ideal fall guy since his mental state would prevent him from mounting a credible defense. Del dismisses this theory as “too much like a movie,” arguing that such elaborate setups rarely work in reality. His skepticism stems from practical experience—most crimes, especially in their line of work, are straightforward and lack the complexity of fictional plots (e.g., “I’ve never known one of those movie plots to work out”).

      Answer:
      Del describes the “perfect crime” as a spontaneous, opportunistic killing of a crack dealer—motivated by desperation, executed quickly, and leaving no meaningful evidence due to the transient nature of drug transactions and low investigative priority. He emphasizes the lack of planning and connection between killer and victim. Lucas counters by highlighting the improbability of such a crime occurring in a racially mismatched setting (a black victim in a white neighborhood) and suggests their investigation might be misdirected. This exchange reveals their differing perspectives on criminal behavior and investigative priorities.

      3. What ethical dilemma does Karen Frazier face when helping Lucas, and how does Lucas persuade her to cooperate?

      Answer:
      Frazier feels conflicted about betraying Millard’s trust by revealing his information about Scrape’s whereabouts, calling herself a “Judas.” Lucas appeals to her concern for the missing girls, leveraging her emotional investment in the case to justify the breach of confidence. He also shares his own discomfort with undercover drug work to establish rapport, framing their collaboration as a necessary evil for a greater good. This highlights the moral compromises often required in investigations and Lucas’s ability to manipulate interpersonal dynamics to achieve his goals.

      4. Analyze the significance of Lucas’s decision not to call for backup when pursuing Scrape. What might this reveal about his character or professional mindset?

      Answer:
      Lucas deliberately avoids calling for backup, despite the potential danger, because he sees an opportunity for personal achievement (“if he picked up Scrape on his own”). This reflects his competitive nature and preference for autonomy, traits common in his “game”-like approach to detective work. However, his “slightest of misgivings” suggests awareness of the risks, revealing a tension between professional caution and ego-driven impulsivity. The choice underscores his tendency to prioritize individual agency over protocol, which could lead to both breakthroughs and vulnerabilities in the investigation.

      5. How does the chapter portray the tension between genuine police work and performative justice? Provide specific examples.

      Answer:
      The chapter contrasts real investigative effort (e.g., interviewing witnesses, analyzing evidence) with the “political ball” of maintaining appearances. Lucas admits they’re “roaming around the black community so it looks like somebody cares, when nobody does,” highlighting the performative aspect of policing to placate public opinion. Meanwhile, Del dismisses the Smith murder investigation as futile due to systemic apathy toward crack-related crimes. This duality is further emphasized by Frazier’s accusation that the search for the girls seems “for television,” exposing the disconnect between actual justice and the optics of law enforcement.

    Quotes

    • 1. “The perfect crime is when you walk up to a guy you don’t know that well, because you want the crack in his pocket. You look around, there’s nobody watching. You pull your gun and Bam!, you kill him.”

      Del’s cynical but pragmatic description of how most crack-related murders actually occur, highlighting the brutal simplicity and lack of consequences in drug-world violence. This sets up the central tension between street-level crime logic and the detectives’ investigation.

      2. “There’s no logic to a crack killing. No puzzle you can figure out. Only hunger.”

      Del’s conclusion about the futility of trying to solve drug murders through traditional detective work. This quote encapsulates the chapter’s theme about different types of crimes requiring different investigative approaches.

      3. “The ball that requires two white guys to be out roaming around the black community so it looks like somebody cares, when nobody does.”

      Lucas’ blunt assessment of the political theater surrounding police work, revealing the disconnect between public perception and investigative reality. This shows the bureaucratic pressures affecting their case.

      4. “It was confusing, but in a pleasant way: it was intricate, like a puzzle, like a really magnificent game.”

      Lucas’ internal reflection on why he enjoys detective work despite its frustrations. This reveals his professional mindset and serves as a thematic counterpoint to Del’s more cynical perspective.

      5. “People are running out of town—”

      Karen Frazier’s observation about the community’s panic over Scrape, showing how media coverage and police activity create collateral damage. This illustrates the social impact of their investigation beyond just solving the case.

    Quotes

    1. “The perfect crime is when you walk up to a guy you don’t know that well, because you want the crack in his pocket. You look around, there’s nobody watching. You pull your gun and Bam!, you kill him.”

    Del’s cynical but pragmatic description of how most crack-related murders actually occur, highlighting the brutal simplicity and lack of consequences in drug-world violence. This sets up the central tension between street-level crime logic and the detectives’ investigation.

    2. “There’s no logic to a crack killing. No puzzle you can figure out. Only hunger.”

    Del’s conclusion about the futility of trying to solve drug murders through traditional detective work. This quote encapsulates the chapter’s theme about different types of crimes requiring different investigative approaches.

    3. “The ball that requires two white guys to be out roaming around the black community so it looks like somebody cares, when nobody does.”

    Lucas’ blunt assessment of the political theater surrounding police work, revealing the disconnect between public perception and investigative reality. This shows the bureaucratic pressures affecting their case.

    4. “It was confusing, but in a pleasant way: it was intricate, like a puzzle, like a really magnificent game.”

    Lucas’ internal reflection on why he enjoys detective work despite its frustrations. This reveals his professional mindset and serves as a thematic counterpoint to Del’s more cynical perspective.

    5. “People are running out of town—”

    Karen Frazier’s observation about the community’s panic over Scrape, showing how media coverage and police activity create collateral damage. This illustrates the social impact of their investigation beyond just solving the case.

    FAQs

    1. What is Lucas and Del’s theory about John Fell as a suspect, and why does Del express skepticism about it?

    Answer:
    Lucas proposes that John Fell might be framing Scrape (a mentally unstable individual) for the crimes by planting evidence and feeding clues to the police. He suggests this makes Scrape an ideal fall guy since his mental state would prevent him from mounting a credible defense. Del dismisses this theory as “too much like a movie,” arguing that such elaborate setups rarely work in reality. His skepticism stems from practical experience—most crimes, especially in their line of work, are straightforward and lack the complexity of fictional plots (e.g., “I’ve never known one of those movie plots to work out”).

    Answer:
    Del describes the “perfect crime” as a spontaneous, opportunistic killing of a crack dealer—motivated by desperation, executed quickly, and leaving no meaningful evidence due to the transient nature of drug transactions and low investigative priority. He emphasizes the lack of planning and connection between killer and victim. Lucas counters by highlighting the improbability of such a crime occurring in a racially mismatched setting (a black victim in a white neighborhood) and suggests their investigation might be misdirected. This exchange reveals their differing perspectives on criminal behavior and investigative priorities.

    3. What ethical dilemma does Karen Frazier face when helping Lucas, and how does Lucas persuade her to cooperate?

    Answer:
    Frazier feels conflicted about betraying Millard’s trust by revealing his information about Scrape’s whereabouts, calling herself a “Judas.” Lucas appeals to her concern for the missing girls, leveraging her emotional investment in the case to justify the breach of confidence. He also shares his own discomfort with undercover drug work to establish rapport, framing their collaboration as a necessary evil for a greater good. This highlights the moral compromises often required in investigations and Lucas’s ability to manipulate interpersonal dynamics to achieve his goals.

    4. Analyze the significance of Lucas’s decision not to call for backup when pursuing Scrape. What might this reveal about his character or professional mindset?

    Answer:
    Lucas deliberately avoids calling for backup, despite the potential danger, because he sees an opportunity for personal achievement (“if he picked up Scrape on his own”). This reflects his competitive nature and preference for autonomy, traits common in his “game”-like approach to detective work. However, his “slightest of misgivings” suggests awareness of the risks, revealing a tension between professional caution and ego-driven impulsivity. The choice underscores his tendency to prioritize individual agency over protocol, which could lead to both breakthroughs and vulnerabilities in the investigation.

    5. How does the chapter portray the tension between genuine police work and performative justice? Provide specific examples.

    Answer:
    The chapter contrasts real investigative effort (e.g., interviewing witnesses, analyzing evidence) with the “political ball” of maintaining appearances. Lucas admits they’re “roaming around the black community so it looks like somebody cares, when nobody does,” highlighting the performative aspect of policing to placate public opinion. Meanwhile, Del dismisses the Smith murder investigation as futile due to systemic apathy toward crack-related crimes. This duality is further emphasized by Frazier’s accusation that the search for the girls seems “for television,” exposing the disconnect between actual justice and the optics of law enforcement.

    Note