Character Analysis
Deputy Marla is the crooked cop in this story. She's working under Detective Starr, and at first she seems all nice and trustworthy, even offering to help Mo look for her biological mother:
"You didn't let me finish," she said. "We don't handle cold cases, but if there's ever a specific piece of information I can help with, or if you need a sounding board, come see me. I'll do what I can. As a professional courtesy." Then she grinned, and winked. "Just don't tell my boss," she whispered. (15.70)
But in time, Deputy Marla starts getting a little too pushy for information. She also starts acting shady when it comes to listening in on conversations, so Mo and Dale stop trusting her. It's a good thing that they don't give her all the information that they have, too, because it turns out that Deputy Marla has been working with Robert Slate this whole time… and she's armed and dangerous. Yikes.