The Police Interview

Investigators come to Theo's school to question him about the bombing. The interview is tense and formal, with a tape recorder and a room full of adults, including his social worker, the school counselor, and Mrs. Barbour. They ask him to recall the events of that morning, but his memory is hazy and he is terrified of revealing that he took the painting. He lies about small details and feigns ignorance about his location during the blast. The investigators seem to accept his answers, and the interview ends without him confessing to taking The Goldfinch.