Wads of Paper

These wads of paper are signs of cruelty and acceptance. The boys in Naomi’s class spit wads of paper at her while they make fun of her. Matthew notes that Naomi had gotten so accustomed to the abuse that she no longer even tries to pick them from her hair.

A Severed Finger

This severed finger is a symbol of danger and threat. Coben ends the first part of this novel with a severed finger being found four days after Naomi ran away the second time. This reference to the severed finger suggests that it is Naomi who is in danger. Later, when the severed finger is located by Wilde, the reader learns it is Crash, not Naomi, who is in trouble. The severed finger has been sent to Delia and Dash as a threat that Crash will be hurt even worse if...