In Chapter 9 of John Green's Paper Towns, Quentin, Ben, and Radar continue their search for Margo Roth Spiegelman. As they thoroughly circle the abandoned building (the former mini-mall that Margo had visited), they make a significant discovery that explains the pervasive, unsettling odor in the air.
Their investigation leads them to uncover a rotting raccoon corpse, which is revealed to be the source of the persistent stench described as the "smell of death" emanating from the mall. This discovery provides a moment of fleeting relief for Quentin, as it offers a mundane, albeit grim, explanation for the disturbing smell, briefly easing his worst fears about Margo's fate. However, this relief is only momentary; despite finding the source of the smell, Quentin remains deeply worried that Margo might have committed suicide, a fear that continues to plague him as the mystery of her disappearance deepens.
This chapter is crucial as it resolves one sensory mystery (the smell) while amplifying the central emotional conflict and Quentin's ongoing anxiety about Margo's well-being.
