The Accidents Around Tommy

Tommy’s earlier mishaps foreshadow Roger’s recurring use of accidents and reveal that Henry was not the first family member in danger.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Fall from the Swing

A Fall from the Swing A childhood accident Sylvia tells Frankie that Tommy was hurt when a branch supporting his swing gave way. Roger had been pushing the child and was deeply upset afterward. A pattern concealed by care The incident appears to be bad luck and Tommy recovers. In light of later events, the family’s trust in Roger makes the accident retrospectively disturbing.

The Near Drowning

The Near Drowning Another close call Sylvia mentions that Tommy was nearly drowned the previous winter. The details are not explored, and the event is treated as one more frightening childhood mishap. Suspicion accumulates Frankie notices how often Roger’s family has suffered accidents. The pattern does not prove intent, but it makes her reconsider the apparently affectionate uncle’s place in the household.

A Plan Interrupted

A Plan Interrupted Roger’s confession Roger later admits that he attempted to arrange accidents that would remove Tommy from the family. Those attempts failed, so he waited while pursuing a more direct plan against Henry. The child as an obstacle The disclosure reveals that Tommy’s safety was part of a calculated inheritance and property scheme. What Sylvia described as misfortune was, in Roger’s account, deliberate experimentation.

The Inherited Pattern

The Inherited Pattern Accidents as method Roger treats failed mishaps as practical setbacks rather than moral boundaries. The method lets him test how much harm he can cause while maintaining an innocent public appearance. Retrospective reordering The reader can now reinterpret Tommy’s swing fall and near drowning as possible parts of the same design. The pattern of danger reaches beyond the murders that the investigators first recognize.

A Child Left Behind

A Child Left Behind The scheme collapses Roger’s plans against Tommy fail because the wider conspiracy is exposed before he can complete them. Tommy remains with Sylvia after Henry’s death. Innocence amid adult conflict The child’s vulnerability gives the attempted accidents their emotional weight. The criminal plot threatens the family’s future even when its youngest intended victim survives.

Several months before Frankie’s visit

The winter before Frankie arrives

Before Roger’s plot against Henry is completed

After Roger’s letter is read

After the arrest of Moira