The God of the Woods

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains descriptions of the death of a child.

Judy arrives at the command post an hour before she is due. She finds several filing cabinets have been brought in; one includes files on Bear’s disappearance. When the day begins, Captain LaRochelle briefs everyone on John Paul, who has been released on bail. They are also searching for Lee Towson, whom John Paul insists is involved. LaRochelle praises Judy for her suspicion about the repainting of Barbara’s bedroom; they have discovered a journal in which Barbara drew plans for the mural, and LaRochelle has arranged for a specialist to remove the pink paint.

Judy is assigned to draw a map of the entire grounds and camp, labeled with the names of each individual who occupies each space. First, however, she returns to Self-Reliance to interview the staff. She begins with a kitchen worker who reveals that she is the daughter of Carl Stoddard. (Although Carl died, the Van Laars were convinced that he abducted Bear.) The woman—Jeannie Clute—explains that the Van Laars are not aware that she is Carl’s daughter. She has nothing good to say about the Van Laars, believing it suspicious that they gave up searching for Bear so quickly.