How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Anyway, what did it matter what the kiss meant? If I hadn't told Mr. Olmstead, my sister would still be in Placid, her funeral would not have been held, and I would not be out here searching for her. (10.79)
Yep. Here's an interesting thought: If Georgie hadn't told Mr. Olmstead, would Darlene Garrow still have ended up dead? Does Georgie bear any responsibility for Darlene's death? Yikes.
Quote #5
I heard a half-strangled sound and then Billy began to sob.
I fidgeted for a moment. People don't come to me for comfort and consolation. I don't know why. They don't, is all. But it had led me to conclude that I had no talent for it. Right then, though? I was it. Buck up, I said to myself. I went over, sat down next to him, and laid my hand on his shoulder (like I'd seen others do).
"I can't get her back," he said into his knees. (15.34-36)
Billy confuses us, just as he confuses Georgie. Does he love Agatha? Does he love Polly? He doesn't seem to know his own mind most of the time. Sigh. Love is hard sometimes.
Quote #6
But this time it would be the blood of a man, and not a pigeon.
He deserved it—he killed Agatha, I thought.
My index finger wrapped around the trigger.
How can you be so sure? It was Agatha's voice singing in my head as clear as any spring cardinal's. (17.87-90)
Here, Georgie is passing blame for Agatha's death on to the Garrow Gang, even though she doesn't know for sure that they did it. She's also saying they deserve to pay some pretty serious consequences if they did. This issue of whether anyone gets to decide if someone else lives or dies dominates the rest of the book.