How It All Goes Down
Patty Day—January 2, 1985, 6:11 p.m.
- Patty is booted from the Cates home, and a detective named Jim Collins exits the house and asks to speak with her about Ben. They relocate to a Dunkin' Donuts, and Patty buys Libby a donut to keep her distracted.
- The detective tells Patty that Ben is a loner at school, and everyone thinks he is weird. He suggests that Ben may have molested his sisters, too. And that he worships Satan.
- Diane tells the detective to "screw off" (21.78), and she and Patty leave.
- At home, the girls have acquired a babysitter—their deadbeat dad, Runner.
- Diane leaves Patty and the girls with Runner, and Runner soon begs Patty for $800.
- Runner owes someone that much money, and he says they might kill him if he doesn't have it.
- Runner asks Patty to give away her engagement ring so that he can sell it, but she refuses.
- Angry at not getting what he came for, Runner leaves—but not before shouting, "Bye girls, your mom's… a B****!" (21.130). Very mature.