Listen for the Lie
by Amy Tintera
Contents
Chapter Twelve: Lucy
Overview
Lucy spends the day on birthday-party errands while Beverly keeps pressing her to call Ben and stay engaged with his reopened investigation. Back at home, Lucy is drawn into Kathleen’s wine-heavy social gathering, where the town’s fascination with Ben’s podcast and with Lucy’s murder accusation becomes impossible to ignore.
The chapter highlights how thoroughly Savvy’s case still defines Lucy in everyday life, even during routine family preparations. Lucy responds with sarcasm and dark humor, maintaining control socially while still avoiding a direct move toward Ben.
Summary
While buying flowers for Beverly Morrow’s birthday party, Lucy gets a text from Beverly asking whether Lucy has called Ben Owens. Lucy phones Beverly instead, and Beverly immediately asks about the latest podcast interview with Colin Dunn and again pushes Lucy to contact Ben. Lucy avoids committing, ends the call, and overrules her mother’s preference for pink roses by ordering gerber daisies, following Beverly’s wishes.
When Lucy returns to her parents’ house, she finds her mother, Kathleen, struggling to clean while balancing on a crutch. Lucy helps with the housework, and Kathleen updates her on the party plans: relatives are booked at the inn, more family members are coming in from Houston, and the arrangements are moving ahead. Lucy makes clear that she has no desire to reconnect with estranged relatives, but Kathleen still expects her to participate.
The purpose of the visit becomes clear when Kathleen’s friends arrive carrying wine. Lucy lets them in and identifies the gathering as less a tea and more a social drinking session. She sizes up the women, accepts a glass of wine, and joins them in the living room, where the conversation quickly turns from small talk to Beverly’s party and Lucy herself.
As the women discuss the family celebration, Kathleen admits that Lucy could not help with phone calls because some relatives would be startled to hear from her. Lucy answers with dry sarcasm, and the group reacts with a mix of discomfort, curiosity, and amusement. The exchange reinforces how Lucy’s reputation still shapes ordinary social interactions, even in her parents’ living room.
The conversation then shifts to Ben Owens and his podcast. The women gossip about Ben’s looks, mention the new episode, and speculate about the case, including Colin Dunn’s rumored affair. Lucy reveals that she has been listening closely enough to know Ben’s age, then uses dark humor by saying she is eager to learn whether she killed Savvy. Her joke shocks Janet and irritates Kathleen, showing that Lucy continues to use blunt, morbid wit to control situations where everyone else is quietly judging her.
Who Appears
- Lucy MorrowBuys party flowers, avoids calling Ben, helps Kathleen, and deflects gossip with dark humor.
- Kathleen MorrowLucy’s mother; manages party plans from home, hosts friends, and tries to control awkward conversation.
- Beverly MorrowLucy’s grandmother; presses Lucy to call Ben and asks about Colin’s podcast interview.
- PeggyKathleen’s blunt friend; pushes Lucy about the party and steers talk toward Ben’s podcast.
- JanetNewer town resident; follows the podcast closely and is shocked by Lucy’s jokes.
- MarianKathleen’s friend; joins the wine gathering and comments on Ben and Lucy.
- BetsyFriend who brings brownies, keeps the mood light, and reacts uneasily to the murder talk.
- Ben OwensPodcaster reopening Savvy’s case; discussed throughout as Beverly urges Lucy to contact him.
- Colin DunnSavvy’s ex and podcast subject whose new interview is mentioned early in the chapter.