Summary

In Chapter 7, Rachel arrives at the bank. A man identifies himself as part of The Chain and says he has to keep his family safe. He strikes Rachel in the stomach as a warning that she is being watched. Rachel asks for a loan on her house, saying she has to replace the roof. The bank manager, Colin, seems skeptical of Rachel's story of a leaky roof and says the property will not stand for another loan.

In Chapter 8, Ginger has a feeling that Rachel is different from most people involved in The Chain. (The reader of this guide should remember that Ginger is not identified by name until much later in the novel.) At this point, a man named Hank Callaghan is holding Heather's son hostage and Heather is holding Rachel's daughter. The Chain is self-regulating “with only a little nudging from...