In Vegas, the house where Larry and Xandra live is barely furnished, and is surrounded by empty houses at the edge of a new development.

Days later, he goes back and retrieves the bag containing the painting to bring with him to Vegas. They take Theo back to his and Audrey’s apartment to pack a suitcase, and Theo secretly retrieves The Goldfinch and leaves it downstairs with the doormen. Unexpectedly, Theo’s father Larry and his girlfriend Xandra arrive in New York and announce that they are taking Theo to live with them in Las Vegas. He considers telling Hobie about The Goldfinch but is too worried about getting in trouble. Soon, Theo starts visiting Hobie regularly and helping out in his antiques workshop. He is disappointed to learn that she will soon be moving to Texas to live with her aunt Margaret.

She survived but is badly injured Theo goes into a bedroom to see her, and briefly holds her hand. The red-haired girl Theo saw was Welty’s niece Pippa. Theo tells Hobie about meeting Welty, who died in the attack. After going there and ringing the green bell, he is greeted by a man who introduces himself as Hobie. Theo looks up Hobart and Blackwell and discovers it is an antiques shop in the West Village. While Theo struggles to resume his normal life at school, the social workers contact his paternal grandparents in Maryland however, it becomes clear that they do not want to take Theo in. Since Theo’s father Larry is an alcoholic who recently abandoned Theo and Audrey, disappearing to start a “new life,” the social workers bring Theo to the apartment of his friend Andy Barbour, whose wealthy family will look after him while permanent custody is arranged. He waits there for her, but eventually two social workers come to inform him that she is dead. Theo goes back to his and Audrey’s apartment, hoping to find her there. Welty tells Theo to “ring the green bell” at a place called “Hobart and Blackwell.” Carrying the painting and ring, Theo manages to get out of the museum and onto the street, which is crowded with people and first responders. When he wakes up, he finds an old man ( Welty) who gestures to Theo to take The Goldfinch, and also gives him his ring. Suddenly there is a huge explosion, which knocks Theo out. Audrey points out a painting called The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius, which she says is “the first painting I ever really loved.” They separate briefly, agreeing to meet up again in the museum giftshop. Here, Theo is captivated by a young red-haired girl. Before he and Audrey go in for a meeting about his suspension, they briefly duck into the Met, where there is an exhibition about the Dutch Golden Age. After getting into trouble with his reckless friend Tom Cable, Theo has been suspended from school.

Theo Decker is a 13-year-old boy, living with his mother Audrey in New York.

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