Final answer:
2) She wants to thank them for helping. Mary insists that the officers eat dinner to thank them for helping.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mary insists that the officers eat dinner because she wants to thank them for helping (option 2). In the given text, it is mentioned that Mary wants to show gratitude towards the officers for their assistance. The text states, "She wanted them to eat dinner, or leave some evidence that they had been here, so that the people coming up from the county jail could see that the Hale kitchen was in good hands". This suggests that Mary wants to express her appreciation by providing them with a meal.