2D

Were you surprised to find Timothy alive still following the abduction (Chapter 26)? What did you think was causing the pain in his throat and leg?

Yes, I was surprised he was still alive. Up to now, the killer has dispatched his victims before doing what he wanted to do to them. Had he made an error here?
The pain in Tim’s leg, I assumed, was skin having been removed, perhaps? The sore throat, I wasn’t so sure about.

I had no idea what was causing his pain. The description of the pain shooting up his body to his head did not help me to figure it out

Yes, because we were told everything was done to the victim after she was already dead. First mistake we have seen from the killer because he was also surprised he was awake or alive.
I thought the pain in his leg was him missing a foot but the skin being missing is also another thought. Possibly the skin was the reason for the pain in his neck but I wasn’t sure and wanted to know.

No idea re the pain but I think having Timothy alive was Carter's way of bringing the reader into the crime. Everything we've read so far has been after the fact - now, we'll likely be more current as things occur

I thought the pain in his leg was from his foot being cut off.

I’ve just gone back and reread ch’s 26 and 29, which describe Timothy’s last minutes.
There’s reference to a ‘Clunk. Clunk’ noise, and Timothy’s face being pale. This has made me wonder about exsanguination. Has the killer made or got hold of a machine that would pump out Timothy’s blood? Would a dialysis machine work, if it was tampered with in some way?

>7 Sergeirocks: I’m not sure i want to think about that. 🤢

Yes, altered dialysis machine was how all the blood was removed from the victim in another book I read. Dreadful.