Buried Prey
Chapter 10
by Sandford, JohnLucas Davenport, preoccupied with the recent discovery of the Jones girls’ remains, shifts between bureaucratic tasks and personal reflections. He directs his researcher to locate the girls’ parents and approves crime-related statements for the governor. Meanwhile, he coordinates with Marcy Sherrill to arrange a chaplain’s notification to the grieving family. The weight of the case lingers as Lucas attends a contentious meeting about DNA sampling for arrestees, though he remains detached from the debate. Later, he discusses the case over dinner, sparking a forensic conversation, and ends the evening with social visitors before retiring, only to dream of the Jones girls.
Lucas’s personal life intertwines with his professional concerns as he wakes in the early hours, thinking about his pregnant wife, Weather, and their growing family. Excited about their upcoming daughter, he reflects on his love for his existing children, including his adopted daughter Letty. Despite his contentment, he worries about Weather’s health and sleep struggles due to her pregnancy. As he dozes off again, memories of his old colleague Fred Carter resurface, along with Carter’s grim humor about retirement and terrorism. The Jones girls’ haunting images persist in Lucas’s mind, underscoring the unresolved case.
At dawn, Lucas retrieves newspapers, eager for coverage of the Jones case. The *Star Tribune* features it prominently, while the *Pioneer Press* buries it, highlighting media discrepancies. The article reveals the fractured lives of the Jones parents, deepening Lucas’s somber mood. After reading, he returns to bed briefly, then wakes refreshed and calls his colleague Del to express his desire to join the investigation. Del acknowledges the political hurdles of involving Lucas in a Minneapolis case but agrees they could handle it better than the local team.
The chapter captures Lucas’s dual focus on the haunting cold case and his domestic life. His determination to pursue justice for the Jones girls contrasts with his tender moments with family, revealing his multifaceted character. The unresolved tension between professional duty and personal fulfillment drives the narrative forward, setting the stage for his deeper involvement in the investigation. The chapter ends with Lucas poised to take action, bridging his past experiences with the present case.
FAQs
1. What is Lucas’s emotional state regarding the discovery of the Jones girls’ bodies, and how does it manifest in his daily life?
Answer:
Lucas is deeply affected by the discovery of the Jones girls’ bodies, as evidenced by his inability to “get away” from thoughts of them throughout the day. The case preoccupies him—he discusses it during dinner, dreams about the girls at night, and wakes up at 4 a.m. with the dream lingering. His emotional turmoil is subtle but persistent, showing in his distracted demeanor (e.g., calling it “another day in the life”) and his subconscious revisiting of the past (dreaming of his younger self with Fred Carter). This reflects how unresolved cases weigh on him psychologically.2. How does the chapter illustrate the tension between law enforcement procedures and civil liberties, using the DNA sampling debate as an example?
Answer:
The chapter highlights this tension through Lucas’s meeting about collecting DNA samples from arrestees. Civil libertarians argue it violates privacy, while proponents compare it to routine mugshots and fingerprints. Lucas’s apathetic reaction—wanting to “lie down and take a nap”—suggests bureaucratic fatigue with such debates. However, the discussion underscores broader themes in the chapter: balancing investigative tools (like DNA) with ethical boundaries, mirroring the moral complexities in the Jones case. The scene also critiques systemic inertia, as Lucas’s disengagement implies these debates often lack resolution.3. Analyze how Lucas’s personal life (e.g., family, routines) contrasts with his professional challenges in this chapter.
Answer:
Lucas’s domestic stability—his pregnant wife Weather, their children, and mundane routines (e.g., fetching newspapers, hosting friends)—sharply contrasts with his professional turmoil. While he cherishes family (e.g., excitement for a new daughter, watching Weather sleep), the Jones case intrudes via dreams and preoccupation. The juxtaposition humanizes him: his thrill at “beating the door in his underwear” contrasts with his grim reflections on the girls’ “bony smiles.” This duality emphasizes how detectives compartmentalize trauma, yet underscores how work seeps into personal life, as seen in his 4 a.m. wakefulness.4. Why might the author include the anecdote about Fred Carter and his retirement fears? How does it connect to the chapter’s themes?
Answer:
Carter’s anecdote serves two purposes. First, it reinforces the theme of mortality—his morbid joke about terrorists “dropping the dome on [his] head” parallels the Jones girls’ unresolved deaths, both underscoring life’s fragility. Second, it reflects Lucas’s nostalgia and unresolved guilt. Carter, a relic of Lucas’s past, symbolizes lingering regrets (like the cold case). His focus on retirement—a future he may not live to enjoy—mirrors Lucas’s introspection about aging (“looking at fifty”) and legacy, tying into the chapter’s exploration of time, memory, and justice.5. How does the chapter use media (newspapers, TV) to comment on the public’s relationship to crime stories?
Answer:
The chapter critiques media sensationalism and competition. Lucas notes the Star Tribune prominently features the Jones story, while the Pioneer Press buries it—likely due to missing the scoop. This reflects how media prioritizes drama over sensitivity (e.g., interviewing the girls’ divorced parents). The impending TV coverage also pressures law enforcement (“It’s gonna be on TV pretty quick”), showing how public scrutiny shapes investigations. The contrast between Lucas’s personal grief and the media’s commodification of tragedy highlights a recurring theme: the dissonance between human stories and their public portrayal.
Quotes
1. “Lucas’s position was supine: that is, whenever he heard people arguing about it, he wanted to lie down and take a nap.”
This quote humorously captures Lucas’s disengagement from bureaucratic debates (in this case, about DNA sampling) while subtly commenting on the exhausting nature of political discussions in law enforcement.
2. “Girls are always good. More girls are even better.”
This simple yet powerful statement reflects Lucas’s deep affection for his daughters (both biological and adopted) and his joyful anticipation of welcoming another girl into his family, revealing his softer paternal side.
3. “‘The thing is,’ he’d told Lucas, ‘you can never tell where the terrorists will hit next. What if they decide on a big city, but one out of the limelight? One that no one expects?’”
This dialogue with Carter highlights the pervasive post-9⁄11 anxiety among law enforcement, even in mundane security jobs, while showcasing the dark humor and fatalism common in their profession.
4. “Besides, he got a little thrill from beating the door in his underwear.”
This small, humanizing detail reveals Lucas’s playful side and the mundane rituals that ground him amidst heavy criminal investigations and family responsibilities.
5. “‘I want to get in on this.’ […] ‘They won’t do it as well as you and I would.’”
This exchange with Del shows Lucas’s professional pride and instincts kicking in regarding the Jones case, setting up his re-engagement with this haunting cold case from his past.