Question M

[Jonetta]

When did Derek Pagano get on your radar? Did you guess he was the abductor before the reveal? Was his brother, Elliot, just as complicit by protecting him?

[Robin]

It crossed my mind when Derek was introduced, that he could be the abductor. We really didn't get much information about him at the time, so I kind of tabled him.

Yes, Elliot should have tried to stop his brother and not cover up his actions.

[Jonetta]

Derek hit my radar when Morgan figured out Elliot left him off the employee list. It was deliberate, which made me think he was hiding something.

Elliot’s actions, or lack thereof, was almost as bad as Derek’s. He knew he was behind the kidnapping and did absolutely nothing, not even to try and talk him out of it.

[Robin]

I can't figure out why Elliot would say nothing about Derek's actions. He could have confronted him about it. He could have called the police. He did nothing.

[Jonetta]

Just like he did nothing when he suspected Derek might have had a hand in his wife’s death.

[Lauren]

Derek was never on my radar. Simply not enough information about him to leap to the conclusion that he would abduct Chelsea.

As to Elliot's actions, it is suggested that he and Derek have some sort of symbiotic relationship. Derek protects Elliot and Elliot covers up his aggressive actions (the boy Derek shoved off an overpass).

Elliot and Derek are two sides of the same coin; they are equally as culpable.

[Charlene]

I agree that they both share the guilt, especially with Chelsea. It
was cold hearted for Elliot to sit there in interview, knowing his brother had taken Chelsea, and that his purpose was not to kill her. In some ways, I fault him more for the cover up.

And how much could he have really loved his wife if he "let" his brother take over trying to "fix" his wife? Didn't he ever suspect that she was murdered, not in an accident? -- really!

[Lauren]

Charlene wrote: "In some ways, I fault him more for the cover up." - I agree. He doesn't have the "excuse" of being controlled by his obsession.

And how much could he have really loved his wife if he "let" his brother take over trying to "fix" his wife? Didn't he ever suspect that she was murdered, not in an accident? -- really!

Yes, there is just something twist about this whole dynamic between Elliot and Derek.

[Jonetta]

It really bugged me how Elliot presented himself more like a put upon victim.

I agree that there is something twisted about this sibling relationship, Lauren. And Charlene, deep down he knew his brother had a hand in his wife’s death. He preferred living in denial because it was easier for him.

Yes, I disliked Elliot more than I did Derek.

[Lauren]

Jonetta wrote: "It really bugged me how Elliot presented himself more like a put upon victim. ."

Me too. I also agree that he knew is brother killed his wife deliberately and just decided to bury it in his subconscious and look the other way.

[Sharon]

Elliott really confused me. Initially I didn't think too much about Derek not on the list of employees because their mother told Morgan & Lance that Elliot hired everyone in the family. It didn't feel like Elliot did it on purpose.

I thought Derek tried to help Candace beat her addiction without Elliot's knowledge. When we saw the Sheriff's interview with Elliot, I was shocked and disgusted that he knew about Candace and still protected his brother by giving him an alibi for Chelsea. I hope both brothers get the same prison time.

[Jonetta]

Sharon, I was open to considering anyone connected to Chelsea as a suspect in the beginning because there were no other clues. But once he failed to list his brother and I learned about his wife’s unusual death, he hit my radar and never left.

[Sharon]

You're right. I should have picked up on that faster than I did. I went back to re-read the conversation with his mother then Elliot. I thought that Elliot mentioned his family working for him too. Bad detective day for me.

[Lauren]

Sharon wrote: "Bad detective day for me."

I totally missed it too, Sharon.

I'm going to have to ramp up my game with Leigh's books. She is just too twisty!