Secret Window, Secret Garden (Book): Pages 265- 287

Summary

The deeper Mort Rainey gets into his divorce, the more he begins to reminisce on his relationship with Mrs. Rainey and what they could've been; and the deeper Mort Rainey gets with John Shooter about who's story was actually written first, and the evidence to prove it, things start getting heated and property begins getting destroyed. First, Mr. Rainey's cat, Bump, was killed, and who else was there to blame other than the infamous Mr. Shooter. Yes indeed Shooter was a member of the "Crazy Folks" as Rainey would say, and he was crazy enough to drive a screwdriver through his cats head. This was Shooter's first symbol/ warning that Mr. Rainey better hurry up and provide the evidence that he published the story first, or he better  just come clean and admit he "stole his story". Yet, Mr. Rainey didn't do either of those things, because before he could get his hands on the magazine (his proof), Amy, his soon-to-be ex-wife, house was burned down to pieces. Amy called Mort crying and in tears and traumatized about the house being destroyed, and although deep down he wanted to burst out in laughter for the misery of both she and Ted (her new boyfriend and soon-to-be husband once the divorce was settled), he held his composure and didn't because he knew it would hurt her way more than it satisfied his spite. So at this moment, all he could do was comfort her and reassure her that everything would be okay... No matter how much he believed otherwise deep down inside. This was just the beginning to a very ugly end.

Quotation 

"The house in Derry took precedence over John Shooter and John Shooter's crazy ideas. It even took precedence over who had done the deed- Shooter or some other fruitcake with a grudge, a mental problem, or both. The house, and, he supposed, Amy. She was clearly in bad shape, and it couldn’t hurt either of them for him to offer her what comfort he could. Maybe she would even... But he closed his mind to any speculation about what Amy might even do. He saw nothing but pain down that road. Better to believe that road was closed for good". (King 286)

Analysis 

We are now very certain that this Shooter guy isn’t just any upset author who believes another author has copied him, he is enraged, and acts as a snake when ready to attack because he is quiet but deadly. And now Mort has realized that Shooter will target anything if it means something to Mort or the ones he love, and anyone if he feels they are getting in the way of their business. This is why he burned down Mort and Amy’s house. As previously stated, this made a large impact on Amy and it was somewhat Mort's job to comfort her. In a strange way, the destruction of their once shared house brought them closer together, even making "what if" thought cross Mort's mind, but he knew to keep his guards up because by letting them down, and trying to rekindle his relationship with Amy, he may have potentially been opening a door to get hurt again by the woman who "stole his love, when his love was really all he had". (King 285)