How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I tried not to sound impressed. "You stole Mr. Jesse's boat?"
He studied his fingernails. "I wouldn't say stole," he said. "But I did borrow it pretty strong." (1.39-40)
Mo is usually the one getting into trouble in their little friend duo, so she's actually impressed when Dale admits to stealing Mr. Jesse's boat. It's not the right thing to do, but it sure is fun.
Quote #2
The café gasped and I gave Dale a sharp kick in the shin. "I mean, it's Dale," he said, his eyes filling with tears. Dale's family is like that. Let the Law come within twenty yards of them, and every male over the age of six—uncles, brother, father, cousins—starts lying his fool head off. (2.30)
What is it with Dale and his family? They all start lying as soon as they're around law enforcement, and Dale is no exception. If he's not careful, Detective Starr is going to become suspicious of what he says.
Quote #3
"A couple years ago, maybe."
Dale's face reflected my shock. The Colonel never lies. My shock went molten in a heartbeat. "You can stop picking on the Colonel," I shouted, stepping on the Pepsi crate for extra height. (2.104-105)
Uh-oh, this isn't good. Now two people Mo loves (Dale and the Colonel) are lying through their teeth to Detective Starr. Why won't they just step up and tell him the honest truth? What are they so afraid of?
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.
Quote #7
"I'm not charging Dale with anything," Starr said. "If you let him ride out in cuffs I'll take them off of him as soon as we get to the café. Dale's no killer, I know that. But there's a chance the killer's watching this investigation, and if he thinks Dale's our suspect, he might get sloppy." (13.111)
Detective Starr figures that the easiest way to lure a murderer out of hiding is to arrest someone else publicly. He asks Dale to be his fake suspect, even though everyone knows that Dale couldn't possibly murder someone.
Quote #8
"The double-chinned lady with the jealous husband," I said, pointing to Mr. Jesse's girlfriend. I winked at Lavender and sat down.
"Me?" she sputtered. The crowd turned. "I barely knew Jesse Tatum, and my husband doesn't have a jealous bone in his body," she said. "We were at a shag contest in Myrtle Beach the day Jesse died. Anything else you've heard is a lie." (15.45-46)
Leave it to Mo to spill peoples' secrets during Mr. Jesse's funeral and to point out his married girlfriend. She doesn't even realize that she's making things super awkward for the woman and her husband.
Quote #9
"It was a lie," I said, finding my voice again. "Dale's daddy told it after the car crash that brought the Colonel to town and made him forget his life." Somehow, it didn't sound so good out loud. "The point is, Slate might think that rumor about the money is true. I'm thinking that's why he kidnapped Miss Lana." (20.35)
There's a rumor going around that the Colonel has a suitcase full of cash, but it isn't true. Still, lies can motivate someone like Robert Slate to track down the Colonel and Miss Lana and hold them for ransom.
Quote #10
"Deputy Marla and I got a lot in common."
He snorted. "No you don't. She's playing you."
"Playing me? Why would she? There ain't nothing to win."
"Yes there is, you just can't name it yet," he said. "Believe me. She's as much as a con as my uncle Mike, and he's doing three to five." (22.46-49)
Mo thinks that Dale is just being crazy and paranoid when he starts suspecting Deputy Marla, but it turns out that he's onto something. She's definitely not to be trusted.