53 pages 1 hour read

Roland Smith

Zach's Lie

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade

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Part 3, Chapters 22-26Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 3: “Zach in the Box”

Part 3, Chapter 22 Summary

Sam searches futilely for Zach at the Grangers’ and Darrell’s houses. Zach’s hotel room is also empty. Sam examines Zach’s backpack and finds Neil’s journal. Zach waits at Peter’s trailer. Zach knows that keeping his old journals and continuing to write caused the mess he is in, but Zach also feels that the journals represent his old life, and that keeping a diary helps him cope with his new life.

Alonzo Aznar and Berry break into the Grangers’ empty home, searching for the family and for Neil’s journal. Peter refuses to tell Paul where the Grangers are, and Alonzo threatens to kill Peter when he returns if Peter does not talk. The men discover a message from Mary to Zach on the phone’s answering machine. She and Wanda are staying at a different hotel. Mary leaves the phone number. Alonzo knows they are in L.A. and plans to go after them once they have Zach.

Sam watches the men leave the Grangers’ house. He wants to follow them but worries that Zach is inside. The house is empty, but Sam finds Zach’s old journals and Commander IF. Sam knows who the men are and realizes they are onto the Grangers.