A Stranger in the House

Shortly after Karen’s accident, her husband, Tom Krupp, returns home to 24 Dogwood Drive from work. Karen and Tom have been married for two years. He notices that Karen’s car is missing from the driveway. The front door is unlocked, which is unusual. He notices that Karen was in the middle of making dinner when she left. Assuming she has simply gone to the corner store to pick up something, he finishes making dinner.

When Karen still hasn’t returned, he begins to worry. He goes into their bedroom and finds her phone and purse there. He realizes something is wrong and begins to call her friends. Then, he calls 911.

Officer Kirton reports to the scene of Karen’s accident. He wonders what a suburban woman is doing in the bad part of town.

Officer Fleming goes to the Krupp residence.

Three teenage boys go into the abandoned restaurant. They find the body of a man who has been murdered. They steal his wallet, cell phone, watch, belt, and ring. Then they leave.

Meanwhile, Officer Fleming tells Tom that a woman has been found in Karen’s car badly injured. They are not sure if it is Karen because the injured woman does not have ID on her. Tom speculates someone stole Karen’s car, but then worries because if it is not his wife who was in the accident, then Karen is still missing.

Officer Fleming takes Tom to the hospital to identify the injured woman. The nurse hands Tom the woman’s personal effects and he recognizes them as belonging to his wife.

Officer Fleming and Officer Kirton talk about the accident at the police station. Fleming assumes Karen is hiding something from Tom.

Tom’s younger brother Dan joins him at the hospital for support. Dr. Fulton tells Tom that his wife has suffered a serious concussion but that she will heal.

Tom goes to see Karen in her hospital room. She is too badly injured to speak much. Tom is relieved to see she is alive, even if he is troubled by the extent of her injuries. She tells him she does not remember what happened.

Tom leaves Karen to rest and speaks with Dr. Fulton. The doctor tells him that it is typical for patients to have retrograde amnesia after a severe concussion like Karen’s but that Karen’s memories will likely come back “in their own time” (23).

The next morning, Brigid Cruikshank, Karen’s neighbor across the street and good friend, goes to the hospital. Tom tells Brigid that Karen was in a car accident and that she does not remember “the accident, or anything leading up to it” (25). Brigid is surprised to hear that the police are investigating the incident. Brigid offers her support to both of them. Tom tells her that Karen is likely not up to seeing anyone yet, but Brigid ignores him and goes to see Karen in her hospital room. Brigid reassures Karen that the accident was not her fault. Tom comes in, and Brigid leaves. Karen wonders why Tom does not like Brigid.

Later, Dr. Fulton talks to Karen. He tells her that her memories will likely come back, but it is hard to say exactly when.

That night, two teenagers looking for a place to make out go into the abandoned restaurant. They see the dead man on the floor. The girl wants to call the police, but the boy warns her not to get involved. They leave quickly.

The next morning, Brigid’s husband Bob, owner of a funeral home, tells her he will not be home that evening because he has to work. Brigid thinks all he cares about is if she is attending her fertility appointments.

Dr. Fulton tells Officers Fleming and Kirton that Karen has amnesia and remembers nothing of the accident. Karen tells them the same thing. Officer Fleming gives Karen a ticket for “reckless driving” and counsels her to get a lawyer.

Tom goes home and cleans up the house in advance of Karen’s return. He notices he cannot find her rubber gloves.

That evening, Dr. Fulton tells Karen that she kept saying the name “Robert” when she came in. Karen’s heart races. She tells him she does not know anyone by the name of Robert, but she nevertheless asks Dr. Fulton not to mention it to Tom. He agrees.

The next morning, Officer Fleming goes to the Krupp residence. He tells Tom they are pressing charges for reckless driving. He asks Tom about their marriage. Tom says he loves Karen and that he has no idea why she was in that part of town on the day of the accident. Tom insists Karen was not running away from him. Tom tells Officer Fleming that Karen has never been in trouble with the law, as they are “rather dull.” Tom works as a chartered accountant and Karen as a bookkeeper. He refuses to let Officer Fleming search the house. After the officer leaves, Tom searches the house but finds nothing to explain what happened.

Across the street, Brigid sees the officer arrive and enter the Krupp home. She reflects on how she made an effort to befriend Karen when she moved into Tom’s house two years prior. She helped Karen get a job as a bookkeeper for her husband’s funeral home chain.

Three days after the accident, Tom drives Karen home from the hospital. Karen is comforted by being home and grateful Tom cleaned up, but she is dizzy and has to go lie down. Once in her bedroom, she reflects on how “frightened she’d been” because, over the past few weeks, she had “come home and found things slightly out of place, subtle signs that someone had been going through her things” (48). She has not told Tom about this.

Tom makes dinner and they eat together. Tom reflects that things between them have changed. Karen wishes she could remember what happened.

The next morning, Tom tells Karen they have an appointment with a lawyer. They meet with the lawyer, Jack Calvin. Calvin seems skeptical that Karen does not remember what happened and, like the police, wonders what Karen was doing in the bad part of town. Karen reassures the lawyer she does not have a record. Tom drops Karen off at home and then goes in to work. He wonders “what secrets his wife might be keeping” (56).