Rhoda refuses to rise to Leroy 's baiting until he tells Rhoda that police can discover traces of blood on her cleated shoes , which he pretends to believe she used to beat Claude , explaining the crescent - shaped marks on the boy 's face .
Rhoda refuses to rise to Leroy 's teasing until he tells Rhoda that police can discover traces of blood even after the blood has been cleaned . 
 To taunt Rhoda even more , Leroy then pretends to believe she used her cleated shoes to beat Claude , explaining the crescent - shaped marks left on the boy 's face .