Night Watch

John Wheeler is Ellen's husband, a pragmatic and controlling figure who tries to manage a mounting crisis with cool rationality. He dismisses Ellen's sightings as delusions and resists revealing the truth, even as financial and personal stakes rise. He orchestrates professional interventions and attempts to steer Ellen toward help, while hinting at his own complicity in the affair.

Ellen Wheeler is a traumatized woman whose nervous breakdown hides a calculating mind. She orchestrates the feigned insanity to weaponize the system against her husband and his lover. She stages sightings of murder to exhaust the police and trap them in a jealous web, culminating in real murders executed with eerie precision. The twist reveals a chillingly cool resolve beneath a fragile exterior.

Sarah Cooke is Ellen's visiting friend who becomes entwined in the couple's affair. She serves as a skeptical ally who grounds Ellen’s visions, yet is nevertheless trapped in the relationship and drawn into the plot. Her presence acts as a catalyst for the scheme and its eventual violent fallout.

Inspector Walker is the practical detective who questions neighbors and follows leads with cautious determination. He moves the investigation forward until nothing concrete is found, and he privately informs John that the case is officially closed. His skepticism and routine approach highlight the gaps in perceiving deception.

Tony is Ellen's psychiatrist friend who provides a clinical lens on her experiences and urges medical intervention. He frames Ellen’s condition in professional terms and suggests a Swiss clinic respite, acting as a rational foil to the crisis. He serves as a voice of reason within the narrative’s psychological intrigue.

Mr. Appleby is the quiet neighbor who planted the Laburnum and later reveals a deeper knowledge of the house’s history. His calm, unobtrusive presence masks a willingness to protect Ellen’s scheme by withholding information. His final encounter underscores the elusive nature of truth within the surrounding community.