Child 44 Chapter 54 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Rostov-on-Don, 15 July

  • With dad away on another business trip, Nadya is left home alone. That gives her the perfect chance to investigate her dad's basement, once and for all.
  • Nadya picks the lock and creeps downstairs. She tries to open his chest, but she becomes distracted by the photos of Leo/Pavel that cover the room.
  • Suddenly, Nadya hears "heavy footsteps"—her dad must've come home early (4.54.5). She quickly hides under the bed.
  • Nadya watches as Andrei enters the basement, tying strips of rubber to his feet like makeshift shoes. That's when one of the cats notices her and begins hissing.
  • Andrei is furious. He also feels tempted to do something evil to Nadya, who we discover is not his biological daughter.
  • Andrei calms down once he takes off his glasses. Nadya asks him about the man in the pictures, and he calmly responds that it's his brother Pavel. He says that Pavel will be visiting them very soon.