Read Pt 3 Ch 1 (pps 73-85)
The focus turns to Ida. She is back in Brighton and becomes a kind of amateur detective, investigating the circumstances of Hale's death. She speaks to Rose at the cafe and goes to the police to see the report on H's death. The police say it was 'natural causes'. Hale gave Ida a horse racing tip. She hopes it will win to improve her finances.
Make notes on Ida's character and what we learn about her in this chapter. Look pa
rticularly at pages 73, 81 and 84.
Then read Part 3, chapter 2 (pages 86-90)
Spicer is getting restless, anxious and even paranoid. He hears a story about Pinkie at the police station and Rose calls Frank's place. He seems to be trying to convince himself (too hard?) that he isn't and would never be a police informer (p.87).
There are two things worth considering in this chapter. There is the mention of the 'shaky banister' in Frank's place that is often mentioned when Spicer is around (this will become important later).
More importantly, the theme of fat
e is referred to. Consider Hale's tip and Ida's bet in the previous chapter. Consider how Spicer walks along the prom and at one point passes Ida. Spicer doesn't realise he has accidentally had his photo taken by a seaside photographer. All these things as well as others, seem to suggest that there's an inevitability about what will happen. Remember the first sentence of the book.
