“Yes.”

“Who?”

“Mr. Mason and Carly.”

“Mr. Mason, Carly, and Luke were in the kitchen.”

“And Linda,” Earl added.

“Mr. Mason, Carly, Luke, and Linda were in the kitchen.”

“Yes. Katie was taking a nap. I was in the dining room. Eating my sandwich. Baloney.”

“And who was arguing?”

“Everyone.”

“About what?”

“Money and Katie. And Linda being a whore. And Pappy being cheap like Luke.”

“What did they say about Katie?”

Earl strained to remember. “Katie didn’t belong with Linda.”

“Why?”

“’Cause Linda was a whore.”

“Who said that?”

“Luke.”

“And then what happened?”

“Linda started to cry.”

“She started to cry,” Decker said. “Go on, Earl. You’re doing great.”

“I got mad. I don’t like to see Linda cry.”

“So what did you do?”

“Got my gun.” Earl’s lower lip began to tremble. “I shot Luke and Mr. Mason.”

“Shot Luke and Mr. Mason?”

“Yes.”

Decker said, “Then what?”

“Shot the rest.”

Decker asked, “Who did you shoot first, Earl?”

Earl thought for a moment, then said, “I think Mr. Mason.”

“Are you sure it was Mr. Mason?”

“Maybe Luke,” Earl said.

“Think real hard.”

“Hard…I don’t like to think about it.”

“I know, Earl,” Decker said. “And you’re doing a great job. But you’ve got to try again. Who’d you shoot first?”

“Mr. Mason.”

“Why?” Decker asked.

“’Cause he called me a stupid, ef word retard.”

“What did you do after you shot Mr. Mason?”

“Shot the rest.”

“Why, Earl?”

“They was givin’ me a headache.” Earl burst into tears. “Can I go home now? I feel very bad.”

“A couple more questions, Earl,” Decker said. “What did you do after you shot all of them?”

Earl wiped his nose on his sleeve. “I don’t know.”

“Try to remember, Earl.”

“I…I just sat there.”

“And what happened to Katie?”

“Katie?”

“Yes, Katie. You said she was taking a nap.”

“Yes.”

“Did she wake up?”

“Yes.”

“Then what happened?”

“I…I don’t remember.”

“Did you take her out of her crib?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Where’d you go after you shot them all, Earl? You didn’t stay at the house all the time your parents were away.”

“No.”

“So where’d you go?”

“Waited.”

“Waited for what?”

“For Granny to call. She took me away. Up to Fall Springs.”

“Granny D called you up?”

“Yes.”

Earl seemed on certain ground now, answering the questions with no delay.

“Granny D called, and what did you tell her?”

“Told her I did something bad.”

“And what happened to Katie?”

“Katie was crying.”

“Okay,” Decker said. “Granny called—”

“Granny D.”

“Yes, Granny D called, and you told her you did something bad. Anything else?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Told Granny D I shot them all.”

“And what did Granny D do?”

“Came down and picked me up.”

“What did she do with Katie?”

“Don’t remember.”

“Granny D didn’t take Katie with her?”