The information about Titch and Big Kit leaves Wash reeling, and he is annoyed with Tanna for trying to help him feel better. For clarity, Wash realizes that he needs to seek out Peter Haas, whom he suspects might be the same man as Peter House. Wash writes Peter three separate letters over the course of several weeks but receives no response, and he is “disappointed” and “shaken” (322).

Wash and Tanna begin to get along again, and continue to plan the aquarium.

Tanna mentions that Mr. Goff has a distant colleague in Amsterdam with a potential new specimen, although they are uncertain of the truth of his claim.

Together Wash and Tanna visit the completed tanks and are happy with their progress. As they leave, Wash scans a newspaper article about a hanging, only to find a familiar name within the pages, for which he “stopped short in the street and could find no words” (326).

Although they are both disturbed by the news in the paper, that evening they have a winter picnic with Mr. Goff in the park. While Wash and Tanna are both in a bad mood, they try to hide it so that Mr.