Vincent “Vinny” R. Pearson Character Analysis in In the Lake of the Woods

A pale-skinned part-time detective who also runs a Texaco gas station, and the cousin of Myra Shaw, Vinny served in Vietnam, and resents John because of John’s role at My Lai. He works with Sheriff Arthur Lux after Kathy’s disappearance, and is immediately suspicious of John. Long after the case of Kathy’s disappearance is accepted as an unsolvable mystery, Vinny continues to insist that John killed her.

Vincent “Vinny” R. Pearson Character Timeline in In the Lake of the Woods

The timeline below shows where the character Vincent “Vinny” R. Pearson appears in In the Lake of the Woods. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...A waitress named Myra Shaw remembers a loud argument she saw between John and Kathy. Vincent R. Pearson claims that John killed Kathy, an idea that Eleanor rejects as ridiculous. A... (full context)

Ruth Rasmussen says that John threw away a perfectly good teakettle. Vincent Pearson, a part-time detective, insists that John “did something ugly,” but Arthur Lux, the sheriff,... (full context)

...80 years old. He puts on boots and a hat, and tells Ruth to call Vinny Pearson at the Mini-Mart (which happens to be where John and Kathy had their argument... (full context)

...they begin searching the lake. Claude points out that the lake is pitch-black and foggy. Vinny Pearson runs the Texaco station, and is effectively the police officer for the area, but... (full context)

...from Baudette, a town near Lake of the Woods, and sets up a headquarters at Vinny Pearson’s Texaco station. At 9am on September 20, Lux and Pearson drives to John’s cottage,... (full context)

...and feels like an actor. Lux insists that cases like Kathy’s aren’t unusual at all. Vincent says, “Ask the man why he never…”, but Lux cuts him off before he can... (full context)

...height, etc. He also asks John for a picture of Kathy, and when John asks, Vinny explains that the picture will be used in case Kathy’s corpse is hard to identify.... (full context)

...she might be hiking. He also admits to drinking in the evening—five or six drinks. Vinny presses Lux, and Lux asks John why he didn’t check immediately to see if the... (full context)

...had argued, and mentions John’s campaign, and the recent news about John. Lux adds that Vinny was also in Vietnam; Vinny mutters that he didn’t kill any babies while he was... (full context)

Lux asks John one more question before he and Vinny leave: why did John unplug his phone? (Claude mentioned this fact to Lux, Lux says.)... (full context)

After Vinny and Lux leave, John hears Claude and Ruth in the kitchen, making breakfast. John asks... (full context)

...is guilty of killing his wife; a suggestion that Claude promptly denies. He suggests that Vinny intimidated John, and assures John that everything will be fine. He also suggests that John... (full context)

...they never tell anyone. Patricia says that John used to yell in his sleep, and Vinny claims that “something was wrong” with John. Colonel William V. Wilson, a U.S. Army Investigator,... (full context)

...help to keep things like careers and politics in perspective. Lux also tells John that Vinny distrusts John. John insists that he’s telling Lux the complete truth about Kathy. He adds... (full context)

...and Kathy were like onions: no matter how much one peeled, one found more layers. Vinny Pearson claims that John was deliberately leaving out plenty of information, and wagers that there... (full context)

...pretends to look out into the distance. John thinks that everyone is suspicious of him: Vincent Pearson, Lux, and the whole state of Minnesota. That’s the risk of living life as... (full context)

...John, and Claude walk toward the fire, John sees that the men sitting there are Vincent and Lux. Lux and Vincent shake hands with Pat, and Lux hands John a beer.... (full context)

Everyone gathers around the fire: John, Pat, Claude, Vincent, Lux, and at least six other people. Lux introduces everyone to these new men, but... (full context)

...Some time later, Claude taps John, and John notices that almost everyone is gone, including Vincent. He says to Claude, “convicted?” very pleasantly. (full context)

...another collection of evidence about John. The first piece of evidence is a quote from Vincent Pearson, comparing John to the three monkeys who “see no evil,” “hear no evil,” and... (full context)

There follows a series of quotes about John’s multiple names. Vincent Pearson insists that John’s nickname, “Sorcerer,” proves that he was a deceptive man who didn’t... (full context)

...in the boat and speaks into it. Claude’s voice answers. Claude says that Lux and Vincent are monitoring the radio, and possibly listening right now. He adds that police are searching... (full context)

...process of investigating a crime to digging a hole in sand—the hole keeps filling up. Vincent Pearson simply argues that John buried Kathy very deep. (full context)

Arthur Lux agrees with Vincent that something doesn’t add up about Kathy disappearance. He says that John is wrong: one... (full context)