Jonas plans to kill Chuffey eventually, fearing he will say things that will fan suspicion on Jonas. However, it is too soon now after the fall-out from the Assurance Company's collapse and the theft done by Crimple and Bullamy. Jonas keeps expecting something to happen His main concern, though, is when the body will be found. He constantly thinks about it.
Jonas wonders where Mercy is. She went out but hasn’t returned. He worries she will say something damning about him. He wonders if she went into his room while he was gone. Chuffey tells him she went to see Mrs. Todgers. Worried that they are plotting against him, he sends a servant to fetch her home. The servant comes back and says Mercy left there three hours ago.
Chuffey accuses Jonas of harming Mercy. Jonas says he doesn’t know where she is. Chuffey threatens Jonas not to harm Mercy. He is old, but he can speak. Jonas threatens to stop him from speaking.
Mrs. Gamp enters. She is ill at ease. Jonas tells her Chuffey had a fit and to take him upstairs. Just then, Elder Martin Chuzzlewit, Lewsome, Mark Tapely, and John Westlock enter the room. Jonas accuses Lewsome of being a liar. He is upset when he realizes that he committed murder over this—realizing this is where Montague got his information.
Elder Martin orders Chuffey to speak. Chuffey frets over Mercy. Martin tells him he’s removed her into his care. Jonas becomes afraid, knowing they are closing in on him. However, he becomes hopeful when Chuffey tells Lewsome that he is wrong. He knows the truth.
Jonas did buy the drugs and mixed it into the cough medicine. However, he never put it in his father’s drawer. Anthony found it and realized his son wanted his death. He blamed himself for how he raised his son. They burned this bottle, but Anthony pretends that he took it to Jonas. He plans to reveal to Jonas that he knew about it and forgives him. He hopes that Jonas will become a better man and raise his son better. He commented that the mixture tasted funny. However, instead of stopping him or admitting the truth, Jonas merely walks out. Anthony was broken-hearted, and that is what killed him. He begged Chuffey to spare his son.
Jonas orders Martin out and to restore his wife to him. Martin tells Chuffey to come with him, but Chuffey wants to stay with Mercy. Just then, Nadgett appears—pointing out Jonas as the man who murdered Montague. Jonas is arrested. Jonas and Martin are surprised that one of the arresting officers is Chevy Slyme, who has become a cop.
Nadgett reveals that he has been watching Jonas very closely under Montague’s orders. Nadgett tracked down everyone involved with Anthony’s death—the undertaker, doctor, etc. Nadgett claimed he saw Jonas creep out of his house in disguise. He lost him on the road. He learned from Mercy that Jonas told her he was sleeping, so he assumed Jonas meant to return. He watched the house. He watched him come back in the same clothes that matched the description of a man seen near the time of Montague’s murder. He followed him later when he dumped the clothes in the river. He had the police fish the clothes up and saw that they were covered in blood.
Jonas bribes Slyme to give him five minutes in the next room. After five minutes, Slyme breaks into the room. Jonas whimpers he hasn’t had enough time. However, they realize in the coach he has poisoned himself. He dies.