How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"You may not know this, but Mr. Jesse was like a father to me," I said. The Colonel's right eyebrow drifted up. "Okay, not like a father," I said. "More like an uncle, maybe. A stingy, selfish uncle who was secretly nice inside." (6.10)
Mo is telling the kind of lie that people tell when they try to think the best of the dead. Mr. Jesse was always mean and stingy toward her (and never gave her a good tip), but Mo still tries to paint him in a flattering light.
Quote #5
"Catfish?" I suggested. It was all bunk, the idea of the Colonel fishing. The Colonel's only fishing story involves a stick of dynamite and a bushel basket. (12.57)
Poor Detective Starr—everyone in Tupelo Landing tells him lies and gossips about his investigation so that all of his clues become common knowledge. Even Miss Lana won't tell him where the Colonel really is. What's a detective to do?
Quote #6
Starr looked up from his notes. "No kidding," he said. "That was real cordial."
"Sure," Dale said. "Mr. Jesse was a real cordial man."
Starr scratched an eyebrow. "Well, I guess I'm a little surprised," he said. "From what folks have told me, I didn't think Jesse Tatum was a particularly cordial kind of guy. Did you find him cordial, Miss Rose?" (13.63-65)
Dale isn't lying because he doesn't want Detective Starr to know what passed between him and Mr. Jesse. Instead he just doesn't want his mother to hear the horrible things that mean Mr. Jesse said about his family.