Before the moment of this quotation Bel and her friend named Ash we discussing how it was weird her mother had returned from 16 years of being missing. Rachel (Bel’s mom) reappearing had made Bel feel but of relief and skeptical of the situation, especially when Bel sees the inconsistencies in her mother’s account of the past years. Ash is one of the crew members filming the documentary about Bel’s mother’s reappearance. And Bel confides in Ash about her suspecting that her mother faked her disappearance and reappearance.
“She would have needed a reason, Bel, to go through all that effort. People don’t just decide to disappear. She’d need a motive. A reason.” (page. 201)
In the quotation Ash is telling Bel that her suspecting her mother faked her whole situation may not be as crazy as she thinks. Ash is explaining to Bel that she needs to find out the reason or motive for why her mother would fake it all or who is responsible for helping her do this.