Buried Prey
Chapter 14
by Sandford, JohnThe chapter opens with Letty attending a prejunior-year party hosted by a snobby friend, arriving in a Porsche driven by Weather to fit in with the elite crowd. Meanwhile, Lucas picks up Del in his Lexus SUV, and their banter shifts to Del’s contemplation of getting a wiener dog for his toddler. Their lighthearted conversation about pets and socialization contrasts with their eventual task: locating Robert Sherman’s house in St. Paul. Despite Lucas’s confidence, the duo struggles with the city’s confusing street layout, eventually relying on GPS to find the fragmented Iowa Avenue neighborhood.
Upon arriving at Sherman’s house, Lucas and Del notice the suburban ambiance—mature trees, older homes, and the sound of piano music from a neighbor’s house. Sherman, a heavyset man in casual attire, greets them at the door, immediately suspecting they’re investigating him due to his resemblance to a suspect in the Jones girls’ murder case. Tensions rise when Sherman denies any involvement, only for a neighbor to provoke him by shouting accusations. This escalates into a physical altercation between Sherman and the neighbor, with their wives joining the fray, hurling insults and nearly coming to blows.
Lucas and Del intervene, separating the combatants and restoring order. The conflict stems from a long-standing feud over Sherman’s large garage, which blocks sunlight from the neighbor’s tomato garden and disrupts the peace with constant noise. The neighbor admits to tipping off the police about Sherman’s resemblance to the suspect, hoping to leverage the investigation against him. The situation highlights the petty grudges and suburban tensions underlying the seemingly mundane setting.
The chapter concludes with Lucas diffusing the situation, warning both parties against further escalation while acknowledging their mutual animosity. The chaotic scene underscores the unpredictability of police work, blending humor with the frustrations of dealing with personal vendettas. The chapter balances the mundane—grilling plans and pet discussions—with the absurdity of the neighborhood feud, all while advancing the broader mystery of the Jones girls’ murder investigation.
FAQs
1. How does the author use sensory details to establish the setting and atmosphere in the neighborhood where Sherman lives?
Answer:
The author employs vivid sensory descriptions to create a tangible sense of place. Visual details include “older clapboard houses,” “full-grown maple and ash trees,” and Sherman’s elevated house with a “newer concrete driveway.” Auditory elements feature piano music (“a familiar tinkly movie theme”) drifting from a neighbor’s house, while olfactory imagery includes Del noticing the smell of “cooking pork chops.” These details collectively paint a picture of a quiet, established suburban neighborhood, which contrasts sharply with the chaotic confrontation that later erupts. The sensory richness grounds the scene in realism and heightens the abrupt shift to conflict.2. Analyze the significance of the garage dispute between Sherman and his neighbor. What deeper tensions does it reveal?
Answer:
The garage conflict symbolizes long-standing interpersonal tensions and suburban grievances. The neighbor’s complaints about the garage casting shade on his tomatoes and the noise from Sherman’s saw reflect typical neighborhood disputes, but they escalate due to deeper resentments. The mention of Sherman’s son being a football star while the neighbor’s son was cut from the team hints at competitive parenting and social jealousy. The neighbor’s decision to falsely report Sherman as a murder suspect out of spite underscores how petty grievances can spiral into malicious actions, revealing themes of vengeance and the destructive potential of unresolved conflicts.3. How does the dialogue between Lucas and Del during their car ride contribute to character development?
Answer:
Their banter reveals their camaraderie and contrasting perspectives. Del’s earnest argument about pets socializing children (“a kid ought to grow up with a pet”) contrasts with Lucas’s sarcastic rebuttal (“Look at you. You’re not socialized”). This exchange highlights Del’s role as the more reflective, family-oriented partner, while Lucas’s teasing humor showcases his pragmatic, irreverent side. The discussion also subtly critiques modern parenting anxieties (“When the hell did everybody start worrying about socialization?”), adding depth to their personalities and reinforcing their dynamic as partners who balance each other’s viewpoints.4. Why might the author have chosen to introduce Sherman’s resemblance to John Fell as a plot point? How does this misunderstanding drive the scene’s tension?
Answer:
The mistaken identity serves as a catalyst for both humor and conflict. Sherman’s resemblance to Fell creates immediate suspicion, but his “cheerful, hang-out face” and marital status subvert expectations of a killer, adding irony. The neighbor’s false tip—motivated by spite over the garage—turns a routine police visit into a chaotic confrontation. This plot device critiques how personal vendettas can distort justice, while the ensuing brawl (complete with hair-pulling and shouted insults) escalates tension through physical comedy and absurdity, underscoring the unpredictability of human behavior.5. Evaluate Lucas and Del’s handling of the neighborhood brawl. What does their response reveal about their professional skills?
Answer:
Their actions demonstrate experience and adaptability. Lucas quickly intervenes to separate Sherman and the neighbor, leveraging physical force (“yanked him by the collar”) while Del uses a controlled restraint technique (“levered him onto the grass”). Lucas’s command (“Everybody shut up, or you’re all going to jail”) shows authoritative de-escalation, and their teamwork in diffusing the women’s fight highlights their coordination. However, their muttered exasperation (“Ah, man…”) and Lucas’s pragmatic resolution (“no harm done at this point”) reveal their weariness with petty disputes, emphasizing the mundane realities of police work beyond dramatic crime-solving.
Quotes
1. “Letty wasn’t a snob, but something about the whole insider-clique idea appealed to her sense of investigation.”
This quote introduces Letty’s character and her investigative nature, showing how she approaches social situations with curiosity rather than superficial interest. It sets up her role as an observer throughout the story.
2. “Wiener dogs don’t retrieve. They were bred to go down into badger dens and fight the badgers.”
This humorous exchange between Lucas and Del reveals their camaraderie and provides comic relief while also subtly hinting at themes of aggression and tenacity that appear later in the chapter.
3. “When the hell did everybody start worrying about socialization? Look at you. You’re not socialized, and you’ve done okay. Well, I mean, you’re not in jail, anyway.”
Lucas’s sarcastic remark highlights his pragmatic worldview and establishes the contrast between his perspective and Del’s more conventional parenting concerns, revealing their differing personalities.
4. “Sherman was trying to get up, and Lucas shouted, ‘Stay down, stay down,’ and then the women started, circling each other like a couple of Mexican fighting cocks, yelling at each other.”
This vivid description captures the chaotic neighborhood confrontation, illustrating how quickly tensions escalate and demonstrating Lucas’s role as a mediator in volatile situations.
5. “‘Where’m I supposed to grow my tomatoes?’ the neighbor bleated at Lucas. ‘You can’t grow tomatoes in full shade.’”
This quote encapsulates the absurdity of the neighborhood feud while revealing how trivial grievances can spiral into major conflicts, mirroring larger themes in the story about perception and conflict.