of course I had doubted her

[Maybo]

I believe Theresa now, although two weeks ago when she told me her story for the first time, of course I had doubted her. I don't doubt her anymore, not a single detail.

Source: At Home With the Horrors: 14 Tales by Sammy Scott

Why did the writer use “had doubted” instead of “doubted”?

 

[emsr2d2]

That's a good question. In my opinion, they should have used the past simple.

 

[dunchee]

I quite like the "had doubted" there, so I did some digging. Apparently, Scott first published this story on Reddit.

I think the fictional writer wrote "had doubted" because of what follows:
"... not a single detail. Because every day, she calls to tell me all over again."

He had doubted her (story) before his first realization that what she said was all true -- the next day she called again after she died.

Another possible connection is in the first paragraph:
"I knew it from the moment she had said, 'Daddy, Ray is here.'"

The last one is for my own amusement -- the fictional writer is already dead, so the readers are indeed reading a ghost story.

 

[Maybo]

He had doubted her (story) before his first realization that what she said was all true -- the next day she called again after she died.

"although two weeks ago when she told me her story for the first time, of course I had doubted her."

Doesn't the sentence mean "he doubted Theresa before she told him her story for the first time"?

 

[Tarheel]

How could he doubt her story before she told it to him?

 

[Maybo]

How could he doubt her story before she told it to him?

That’s why I don’t understand the use of “had doubted”.