How long could it take to concoct a story that falls apart this easily, maybe 20 or 30 minutes, perhaps while painting your fingernails, in a bathroom or something...
So DPD knew her well, then?
No wonder they knew to check on her kids that night.
What they had going for them is "hey, this is Durham" and had it stayed in Durham, it might have worked.
But what they forgot was the big fish/small pond factor.
The great white sharks are not to be messed with.