House Rules - Chapter 8 (pgs 335-378)

I'm admit that I wanted to get my comments on Chapter 8 posted so I can continue reading on and finish House Rules. I've lost interest a bit and want to pick it back up before I end up moving on to another book. There really hasn't been much more on the "mystery" of Jess' death yet so perhaps that is why.

In Case 8: One in Six Billion, Gary Ridgway is caught because of technology advances that pinned the murders conclusively on him. Jacob conclusively admits to setting up Jess' crime scene in his journals.

Oliver is preparing for the trail at the Hunts and watching Jacob. Theo is secretive and testy. Oliver discovers the Jacob wrote about Jess in his CrimeBusters journals. I am assuming Jacob wrote how he set up the crime scene. Did Jacob really just think that Jess' death was a just chance for him to set up a crime scene for real. No, I don't think so. I think Jacob had his reasons for doing what he did, other than an obsessive hobby.

Then Theo is gone. lol @ Theo thinking he'd need a passport to go from New England to CA. We now know that Theo didn't kill Jess. The way Theo lies to and acts with the nice grandma on the plane show Theo trying on the kind of live he could have had.

Jacob finds out that Theo went to CA via his computer. Jacob relates the time he slept outside of Theo's room to convince him that there was no dinosaur in the house because he wants to get a full night's sleep. Emma think it's because Jacob loves Theo and is trying to make him feel protected. Jacob seem to understand what emotions are and when people have them but he cannot do anything to change them so he doesn't care. Jacob basically says that he was looking out for himself in the case of Jess' death but that is was also good for someone else too.

Oliver pays for Emma's same day airline ticket to CA with money he doesn't have. He is surprised the Henry doesn't know about Jacob's arrest and upcoming trial. He says he'll watch Jacob. I'm surprise Jacob isn't more upset about Emma's absence considering he doesn't like changes to his routine.

Emma reminisces about meeting and dating Henry. Henry sounds like he might be somewhere on the high function end of the Autism spectrum himself. Not picking up emotional cues, talking about lots of detailed facts, and having a set routine. Emma and Henry clearly still have issues with each other. Emma meets Henry's wife and daughters and think this should have been her life with him.

Oliver wants the jury to be able to see AS in actions so he takes Jacob to court to set up his rights under the disabilities act. Oliver gets four of the the five concessions he asked the judge for.

Theo sleeps in one of Henry's daughter's rooms. She didn't know she had a brother. He does not tell her about Jacob. Henry's study is magazine perfect, not lived in. Theo wants to impress his father with the young man he's become in hopes that his father would regret not knowing him. His father has no response and tries to give him money. See suspicion above of Henry having Autism. Henry gives Emma money for that trial. Emma and Theo imagine vacationing in Hawaii as a family, which will never happen because of Jacob.

Jacob talks to a shrink who will testify in court about him. Jacob has inappropriate and misleading responses. Jacob thinks it is wrong to kill someone but can't admit it because it would be breaking another rule. Here might be a tie-in to the title, House Rules, because one of the house rules is "take care of your brother, he's the only one you've got". Jacob thinks he's helping Theo.

Jacob gets to set up a crime scene as a reward for a good grade. Oliver thinks it's creepy that Jacob does this and where he chooses to set up the crime scene. Oliver keys into Jacob's saying he was following the rules when he met with the court psychologist. Oliver insists that Jacob has to dress appropriately in court. Emma confesses to upsetting Jacob on purpose before his court psychologist appointment.

This chapter seemed to be more about Emma and Theo and what they were living through, with some insights on Jacob.