Joyland

A few days later, Devin arrives at work and sees Eddie Parks topple over, clutching the left side of his chest, in front of the Horror House. Devin immediately starts chest compressions while Lane Hardy calls an ambulance. Eddie still isn’t breathing. Bracing himself, Devin starts rescue breathing, enduring the taste of cigarettes and the stink of jalapeños on Eddie’s breath. Eddie starts breathing on his own. Devin looks up at the grimacing monster faces on the front of the Horror House. The sign above the snarling faces reads, “COME IN IF YOU DARE” (174). Devin thinks of Linda Gray who went in alive and was carried out dead. He remembers Mrs. Shoplaw saying that there was a photograph of the murderer, but the only thing recognizable was a bird’s head tattooed on his hand.

Eddie has always worn gloves—supposedly to conceal psoriasis. Devin strips off Eddie’s gloves but finds no tattoo, just psoriasis. Afterward, Lane finds Eddie’s gloves and asks why Devin took them off. Devin makes up the first ridiculous excuse he can think of. Devin’s removing Eddie’s gloves rouses Lane’s suspicion that Devin is trying to figure out who murdered Linda.