How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"We are safe, but there is a killer among us. We must prepare to defend ourselves if necessary. And the best defense is what, Soldier?"
"A good offense," I said. "You've told me a million times." (6.15-16)
No wonder Mo is so tough and doesn't give up in the face of danger—she's been trained by the Colonel, who reminds her that the best defense is a good offense. That's useful when it comes to dealing with escaped murderers.
Quote #2
"Technically, this isn't inside my jurisdiction, but your mayor's asked me to investigate and I've agreed," he said. "Besides, I have a hunch this may tie in with the murder I'm investigating in Winston-Salem. Does anyone have a problem with that?" (6.90)
Detective Starr isn't about to give up on this investigation or Tupelo Landing, even if he hasn't received the warmest of welcomes. He's going to investigate here until he figures out who killed Mr. Jesse.
Quote #3
I took a deep breath. "Calm down. We'll both think." He settled into my rocking chair, the one Miss Lana used to rock me to sleep in when I was a baby. "We'll do like in science with Miss Retzyl," I told him.
"Science," he moaned. "I'm sunk."
"Remember what she told us. Define the problem, then solve it." (7.64-66)
Dale is just about ready to give up on his life because he thinks he'll get pinned for Mr. Jesse's murder, but Mo won't give into despair yet. She still has to go through the scientific method to see what the best course of action would be.
Quote #4
"It's not nuts, and you're not doomed. You're desperate, is all. And it's like Miss Lana says: Desperation is the mother of invention." (7.74)
Talk about a pity party. It's a good thing that Dale has Mo to snap him out of his self-pity and make him think about how to get out of this conundrum. She won't let him just sit there and not do anything to save his own skin.
Quote #5
"We need to hurry too," I told Dale. "We gotta get to the crime scene."
"Us?" he said. "The crime scene?"
"Of course," I said, ignoring the syrup on his chin. "We're professionals." (9.67-69)
Mo takes her job as an amateur detective very seriously and decides that she needs to go visit the scene of the crime to collect clues. She's not going to give up, even if Dale is a little nervous.
Quote #6
Slipping past the bay tree where Starr had tied his crime tape, I headed for the bend just below Mr. Jesse's. I froze as Starr's voice sliced through the honeysuckle. (11.45)
Some crime scene tape and a warning to not cross it won't hold this girl detective back. Mo defiantly crosses Detective Starr, though he winds up forgiving her because she immediately finds the murder weapon.
Quote #7
Blackmail. Atilla had enough on Dale and his whereabouts the night of the murder to shake me down for eternity—another reason to clear Dale's name. (12.13)
Now Mo has another reason to not give up on her amateur investigation: She has to clear Dale's name so that evil Anna Celeste will stop shaking her down for free meals. What an opportunist.
Quote #8
Starr stared at her for a moment. "Miss Lana, I need to talk to Dale and his mother. If you see them, please tell them I'll be at Jesse Tatum's place all afternoon. If I don't see them by the end of the day, I'll come looking for them. And when the Colonel gets in, let him know I'd like to talk to him too. You," he said, looking at me. "Stay away from my crime scene." (12.97)
Mo meets her match in Detective Starr. Even though she tries to argue with him and distract him with her endless chatter, he gets right to the heart of things: He's going to talk to Dale and the Colonel, whether she likes it or not.
Quote #9
I made a decision. "So? My entire life's a long shot. Dale, we'll come up with the thousand dollars. We might as well," I said as his mouth fell open. "We can't do much detective work with you grounded and with Plainclothes Phil following us." (16.40)
Mo's optimism helps her to succeed in even the most impossible of situations. Lavender's been depressed for days about being a thousand dollars short, but Mo jumps in and helps him raise that much money in a single afternoon. She's a born entrepreneur, this one.
Quote #10
He bit his lip. "I don't know. I hear the Blalock place's haunted and that everything's just like she left it. And Lavender says Miss Blalock's TV comes on at odd times, and she changes the channels herself."
I snorted. "Don't be a baby. Five minutes. You'll be a hero."
He sighed. "Five minutes, Mo, but that's all." (24.11-13)
Mo's not going to let Dale's fears about an abandoned house stop them from looking for Miss Lana and the Colonel. She wears him down until he agrees to come with her, even though he's completely spooked. As much as she pushes ahead, you might say Dale pushes through his fears.