Bluebird, Bluebird

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2017

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Part 4, Chapters 19-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 4, Chapters 19-20 Summary

Keith gives details on the night in question using many racially offensive terms. He spotted Michael and Missy on the farm road in Michael’s BMW. Keith blocked them with his truck. Keith notes Michael’s car was Hitler’s favorite. He had an instant hatred for Michael. Missy emerged from the car and Keith was filled with rage, desiring to ram the car into them. This was not the first time Keith caught Missy on the road with another man. Keith’s mind turns to Lil’ Joe and his son. He is glad Mary killed him, as he might have done it himself. Keith flashes back to how he and Missy met, fell in love, and started their life together. His time in jail ruined their relationship. Missy defended herself and Michael, saying Michael was just giving her a ride home. Keith rushed to assault Michael. As Missy shouted and tried to stop him, Keith savagely beat Michael and was surprised that Michael fought back with such intensity. Keith threw dirt in Michael’s eyes, temporarily giving him the upper hand, and Keith moved to grab the board. Missy stepped in between the two and said he would have to kill them both. When she mentioned him returning to jail, he stopped, and they left in Keith’s truck. Van Horn tells Darren he thinks Keith is lying but Darren thinks he is telling the truth about Michael. Van Horn asserts Keith killed Missy to cover for the murder of Michael and wants to arrest him. Darren’s theory is Keith killed Missy, but did not kill Michael, at least not without help. The missing car is still in question. Van Horn vehemently disagrees. Darren brings up ABT and how if Keith had killed Michael as an initiation to ABT, he would not have been offered the opportunity to kill Darren by Brady. Van Horn does not want to discuss ABT. He asserts it is a domestic case, not a racial hate crime. Van Horn says Keith was not man enough to be a part of ABT. Darren asks him not to arrest Keith, but to hold him on assault charges and let Darren continue the investigation. Geneva stays in jail. Van Horn gives Darren two days.

Darren leaves the courthouse without another meeting with Geneva, the work of Van Horn. Chris Wozniak and Randie arrive, and Darren stops him and asks if he can clarify some details before he makes his report. Wozniak is visibly upset and tells Darren he will note deal with the Rangers as he disagrees with the handling of the case. Greg Heglund spoke with Wozniak, and he says he will only speak to the feds in the future. Darren drives to a liquor store and purchases, while in uniform and badge, a bottle of whiskey. Randie takes over driving as Darren drinks from the bottle. They drive a mile outside of town as Darren goes over the gist of Keith’s confession and Darren’s assertion that Keith had help. Darren asks her to pull over and she ignores him, so he grabs the wheel to turn into the icehouse. He is tipsy but wants to go inside and find Keith’s accomplice. Darren demands they tell him who helped Keith as Randie waits in the truck, ready to make a quick exit. Lynn the bartender starts to answer, but is stopped by Brady. Darren realizes he is breaking the law and getting nowhere, so he leaves. Darren and Randie conduct a search around the rural areas of town and the one nearby called Garrison. Randie says she is feeling unwell and begins to have a complete emotional breakdown. She wants Darren to stop looking for the car, arrest Keith, and let her return home.

Part 4, Chapters 19-20 Analysis

Indirect narration delivers Keith’s detailed confession, which is an internal monologue full of racist, white supremacist vernacular and hatred towards anyone Keith views as other. He sees outsiders as a threat to his and other white citizens’ way of life. Though the rant is vitriolic and disgusting, he reveals a true love for Missy. His murder of her was not premeditated but was born out of pure rage and jealousy. Keith’s testimony brings to life Missy’s character. She is unable to speak for herself in death and Keith’s detailing of her heroic defense of Michael shows she was a strong woman unafraid to stand up to her husband. The testimony also brings to life Michael as he fights for his life against Keith but was savagely brutalized for simply talking to a white woman.

Though it appears Van Horn has joined ranks with Darren against Keith, he refuses to yield his power to Darren. The Sheriff wants the case to go away as quickly as possible because he does not dare to face the evil that lies beneath his town. In an ironic turn, Darren, a Black man, finds himself fighting for a white man not to be accused of a crime. Darren is a man who prides himself on true justice and despite Keith Dale’s heinous murder of his wife, he is still a person who deserves fairness. Darren wants to find the true culprit in Michael’s murder and bring them to justice, not rush to a conclusion and close the case. Van Horn believes Darren to be too focused on the Aryan Brotherhood’s possible connection. Darren’s concern is not misplaced. Though the group holds a particular significance for Darren, Van Horn should be concerned about the influence of a militant, white supremacist group infiltrating his town. Van Horn knows the power Geneva holds on Darren and he uses her as a pawn against him.

Just as Darren thinks he has a foothold in the case, the tides turn again when Wozniak arrives at the courthouse. The reporter does not respect Darren or his position. Wozniak mentions his suspension, which throws Darren off balance in a way he cannot recover. Any talk of the loss of his Ranger status is emotionally debilitating for him. To make matters worse, Wozniak was tipped off by Darren’s friend Greg. In response to all the stress, Darren’s addiction rears its ugly head. Under the influence of alcohol, he makes a poor decision in going to the icehouse. He was fortunate to get out alive, but he recognizes no one in the white community is going to step up and help him find the truth. His behavior is unprofessional, and it unnerves Randie. She looks to him as a safe place in all the chaos of the situation. Their intoxicated rambling from one end of the county to the other is fruitless. Randie becomes completely unhinged, and for a moment, doubt is cast on Randie’s character. When she insists Darren will never find the missing car, a potential red herring is introduced and questions arise as to whether Randie is responsible for Michael’s death.