Tangerine Part 3, Chapter 12 Summary

Sunday, December 3, later

  • Paul's neighbors gather at his house for the meeting.
  • Mrs. Fisher tells the group that she had discovered stolen items in her storage unit and had notified the sheriff.
  • She admits to everyone that Erik and Arthur had been the ones robbing the neighborhood.
  • Erik would keep watch outside homes tented for termites, while Arthur put on a gas mask and robbed them.
  • Mr. Fisher explains that the sheriff has agreed that if all the robbery victims sign paperwork agreeing to accept restitution, either by having the stolen items returned, or by receiving their cash value, then they wouldn't press charges against the boys.
  • The theft victims are mad. Why should they help the thieves out? Mr. Bauer tells them they won't get their stolen property back if they don't. Whoa—blackmail?
  • Finally, though, they agree to the restitution.
  • As they leave, they see that Joey has led the police to the Fishers' house, to pick up Arthur—for the murder of Luis.
  • Arthur's dad immediately starts trying to explain it away, but Paul pipes up.
  • He tells them that he saw the whole thing, and that Erik told him to do it. They question him a little more, and he agrees to give them a full statement later.
  • The sheriff makes Mr. Fisher promise to keep Erik under house arrest for now.
  • As the crowd disperses, Paul's grandparents show up. They're stopping in to visit on their way to Orlando.
  • They all go inside, and Paul's mom and dad tell them everything. His grandparents tell them they're paying now for not punishing Erik when he hurt Paul, and they start arguing.
  • Finally, Mrs. Fisher convinces them to take a tour of the house. Her dad agrees that it's nice—much nicer than the houses he made her live in growing up.
  • That little dig almost makes her cry.
  • Paul's grandparents leave, and his mom gets a call from his principal. They have a meeting tomorrow.