Dead End in Norvelt Chapter 26 Summary

  • Jack begins to suspect Miss Volker of the murders.
  • His follow-up nose operation is interrupted by the phone ringing, and Miss Volker has Jack hold the cauterizing instrument while she talks to the caller.
  • Jack sneezes. This causes him to scrape the instrument against the inside of his nose.
  • Strangely enough, this accident actually does a good job (in Miss Volker's opinion) of cauterizing the capillaries.
  • You knew it would happen: Mrs. Droogie is dead.
  • Mrs. Droogie apparently died (wait for it!) sometime after she ate dinner.
  • Miss Volker determines that she died from natural causes, but this time, the body is going to get the full autopsy treatment. The police take it away to the lab.
  • It looks like now Miss Volker will have no choice but to fulfill her promise to marry Mr. Spizz.
  • But wait. There's a loophole: she, herself, is one of the original Norvelt residents, and so can't marry him until she dies (therefore, never). Ha! Sure fooled him.
  • Right on schedule, Mr. Spizz proposes to Miss Volker via a box of chocolates.
  • When Jack delivers the obituary to Mr. Greene, he find out that Mr. Greene strongly suspects Miss Volker of the murders.
  • Jack watches from his house as the police show up and start removing items from Miss Volker's home.
  • Mr. Spizz calls Jack and tells him that Miss Volker has been arrested for murder, on account of the 1080 poison being found on the chocolates at her home.
  • They have also found the poison in the Thin Mints.
  • When Mr. Spizz accuses Jack of being her accomplice, Jack reminds him that he (Mr. Spizz) was actually the last person to handle the food that was delivered to all of the old ladies.
  • He also finds out that Mr. Spizz lied to the police about Jack's buying the poison. He told them that Jack bought it for Miss Volker (and not himself).
  • Hm, not looking too good for Mr. Spizz.