The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Sadie sits in Lonnie’s apartment and sifts through Pearl’s old clothes. She hopes to find an outfit that will make her look like a rare book collector as she searches the flagged bookstores for the stolen Scarlett Letter. Lonnie’s daughter, Valentina, suggests something from her mother’s wardrobe, and in it, Sadie finds the perfect ensemble. When Lonnie and his wife, LuAnn, return, they discuss Pearl’s penchant for burying grief, as well as the latest book theft. LuAnn suggests to Sadie that her desire to “be like [her] grandmother, an independent woman of letters” (140) may be a defense mechanism against dealing with Pearl’s death.

Later, Sadie joins Robin and Valentina in the park. Valentina, remembering Pearl’s final night, tells them that she confessed to knowing “the truth about the stolen tambourine, and hadn’t told a soul” (141). Sadie realizes her niece means Tamerlane, and asks her if Pearl mentioned who stole it. Valentina nods: “Her father.”

As Laura and Harry play catch in Bryant Park, her thoughts drift to Amelia and her partner, Jessie. She finds their relationship even more provocative than the robust political debates of the Heterodoxy Club. She then heads to Columbia where she meets her thesis advisor, Dr.