In Chapter 100 of All the Colors of the Dark, Patch finds himself standing in line at the First Union Bank, surrounded by the faded elegance of the bank’s interior. The marble pillars and dusty palms add to the sense of decay, contrasting with the distant view of the Rockies outside. As Patch waits, his thoughts wander back to his departure from Monta Clare, where he had left earlier that morning, feeling a profound emptiness as he drove away from the life he had known. The long journey through various states weighed heavily on him, with a particular emotional encounter standing out. At Chase State Fishing Lake, Patch met Drew and Sally, a couple who shared heart-wrenching stories about their daughter, Anna May, who had been missing for years. Deeply moved, Patch painted a portrait of Anna May, set against the unchanging landscape, and promised to have it displayed at Monta Clare Fine Art as a tribute.

Continuing his travels through Texas, Patch painted portraits of other missing girls, such as Lucy Williams and Ellen Hernandez, capturing their stories in his artwork. For weeks, he lived with very few possessions, often sleeping in his car and eating infrequently, all while carrying the heavy emotional burden of searching for his lost partner, Grace. Along the way, Patch met numerous families, some grieving the loss of their daughters, others still hopeful, yet all united by the common thread of pain and loss. Through these encounters, Patch shared the stories of their missing girls, and in return, he formed connections built on shared grief. Each meeting added another layer to his journey, reinforcing the emotional weight of his search for Grace while deepening his understanding of the profound toll that such loss takes on individuals and families.

Patch’s search continued across multiple states, where he took odd jobs to sustain himself while staying at farms and searching for any clues about Grace’s whereabouts. His journey brought him to the Texas coast, where he was forced to reflect on his own mental state, constantly searching for a girl who, with each passing day, felt more like a ghost from his past. The endless travel and emotional strain began to wear on him, and yet, the thought of Grace kept him moving forward. As his finances dwindled, Patch reached out to Sammy, hoping for some relief or guidance. Sammy, however, unloaded his frustrations about the ongoing recession and the ridiculous offers he had received from potential buyers of missing girls, adding another layer of despair to Patch’s already bleak outlook. Sammy’s words struck Patch deeply, reminding him of the harsh realities surrounding the search for missing individuals.

In a desperate and reckless turn of events, Patch found himself robbing a bank in Tucson, hoping that the money would provide some relief, even if temporarily. He assured the teller that his gun wasn’t loaded, apologizing for the robbery as he took the cash. After walking away from the bank without facing immediate consequences, Patch drove off, knowing deep down that this was just another diversion in his endless search for Grace. He donated the majority of the stolen money to a charity that supports missing persons, realizing that while his actions were morally questionable, they were driven by an overwhelming need to find Grace. Despite the moral compromise, he understood that the quest to find her would likely remain unfulfilled. His journey had already taken him far, and as much as he wished for a resolution, he also knew that it might never come.

This chapter delves into the internal and external struggles Patch faces as he continues his search for Grace, highlighting the emotional and physical toll of the journey. Through his interactions with the families of other missing girls, Patch becomes increasingly aware of the shared pain that defines their lives. His own loss, intertwined with the trauma of others, emphasizes the deep connection between suffering and the human need for closure. The narrative further explores Patch’s sense of detachment, which grows as he distances himself from the world he once knew, yet remains tethered to his mission. Ultimately, Patch’s actions—both noble and desperate—illustrate the complex nature of his character, revealing the lengths he is willing to go to in his relentless pursuit of answers.