McCade would testify at both his parents’ trials that he was bound in the basement, after having been beaten, but he heard the murder taking place upstairs.

Yes.

McCade’s parents then reported Baptiste missing from their hotel in Pensacola during a vacation six weeks after the child was actually killed. As it was summer, the absence of the child until then had gone unnoted.

Yes.

At that time, McCade reported to a detective that his parents were providing erroneous information, but as this information was received from a child, it was disregarded.

Yes.

As per your account, McCade kept all that was happening during that tour not only from Lyla, but also Mancosa and the entirety of the band.

Yes.

He was surrounded by his family, but he went through this alone.

[Closes eyes slowly]

Yes.

Aftermath

Jesse:

[Returns to room with two drinks, one mixed with ice—a rum and coke—which he hands off, one a healthy two-finger dose of amber liquid, which he takes back to his seat]

[Off tape]

Thank you.

[Muttering before taking a swallow] Don’t mention it.

I’m sorry, but considering the most recent bent of your story, I feel the need to ask. You drink?

[Lifts drink and grins wanly]

Not really.

A beer now and again.

My baby likes wine, so I take her to Sonoma. Napa. France, ’cause that’s where the really good shit is.

I’ll have a glass with her.

Most of the time, I avoid it.

But after all of that…

[Trails off]

I understand.

I’m a fuckin’ millionaire.

[Suddenly smiles with genuine humor]

And when I drink the serious shit, I drink Wild Turkey.

[Lifts glass in a salute]

You can take the boy outta Indiana, but you can’t take Indiana out of the boy.

You remember when I told you about Tommy and Preach sitting at the table in that camper, planning world domination?

[Off tape]

Yes.

Well, there’s a lot of stories about a lot of bands. From the almost pathological dysfunction of Fleetwood Mac to ZZ Top’s “same three guys, same three chords.”

Preacher and Tommy were determined that we were not gonna be Fleetwood Mac.

[Shakes head]

Don’t get me wrong, every move was not calculated.

Lyla for one.

But it is very rare a member of a band goes into that band with a mind to keeping that band together at all costs. With a plan on how to do that. Understanding the pitfalls and planning to avoid them.

They wanna write music.

They wanna play music.

They want people to want to listen to their music.

They wanna bag chicks.

They want success.

They want adulation.

And the last thing on their mind is: this band has talent, it’s going places, so no matter what, this cannot go wrong.