Thursday, February 5, 2004 -- 4:45 PM

The witness, who was a finalist in the beauty pageant and an acquaintance of the victim, was interviewed by the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was conducted by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness' knowledge and consent.

SM: Thanks for talking to us. How are you?

SW: Howzit?  I'm doing good. I'm not sure how I can help you. But I'll do what I can.

SM: Would you please state your name and address?

SW: My name is Scarlett Webb. I live at 2215 Jefferson Davis Drive here in Oxford.

SM: And your occupation?

SW: I take some classes and work part-time as a teller at Oxford University Bank. As I'm sure you know, I'm quite active in the pageant circuit so that takes up most of my time.

TA: Do you know why we wanted to talk to you today?

SW: Well, I guess that you're looking into what happened to Barbara.

SM: Why do you think you were selected to be interviewed today?

SW: I guess because we were friends. Mom said the police would probably talk to all of us. We competed together and knew each other for a long time.

SM: How do you feel about talking to us about our investigation?

SW: I'm fine with it, I guess. I don't know what I can do to help, but if I can do anything, I'd be glad to help.

SM: Why don't you start by telling us about the night of the murder?

SW: I went to the gala event. All the finalists were required to be there. And most of the rest of the competitors were there too. After it was over, I hung out a little. Just talked to some of the girls and then I went to my room. I remember I was disappointed because there wasn't anything good on HBO. Some glass shield show and then something about the Super Bowl.

TA: Most everyone else we've talked to partied that night. Or at least it seems like everyone was hanging out, roaming the halls. Sounds like a fun night. You stayed in your room?

SW: Yeah. I don't stay out very late. My mom doesn't like me hanging around and staying up very late. I don't compete very well when I haven't had plenty of sleep.

SM: So you didn't leave your room at all?

SW: No.

SM: Is there anyone who can corroborate that?

SW: I don't guess so. I had a room by myself. It's not like someone was in the room with me -- although my mom had them give her a keycard to my room.

TA: Did you talk to anyone during the course of the evening?

SW: Just my mother. She came by around 11:15 to check on me. Then she called to tell me goodnight around midnight. That was it. I didn't talk to anyone else until the next morning when all the trouble started.

SM: How did you wake up?

SW: Mary Jones came and got me.

SM: And what did she say?

SW: She said that they couldn't find Barbara, that she was missing from her room. So I went to Barbara's room and there was no sign of her. Then somebody called the cops -- Mary, I think -- and we went downstairs to the front desk to meet them.  Then the cops came, and then the manager got a call, and then they found Barbara.

TA: So you went upstairs with the uniformed officers?

SW: No, my mother stopped me. She was very calm and methodical. I knew something was wrong. She has this manner that takes over in difficult times. She would be a great ambulance worker or something. She's very calm, very methodical, very in control when things are going crazy. She told me that I should get my things together and that we would be leaving the hotel soon to go home. She said that there was going to be a lot of commotion and that we should try to avoid that.

TA: Avoid it?

SW: Well, I don't mean that in a bad way. She wasn't trying to run away. It wasn't like that. She just thought we should stay out of the press and stay away from all the photographers and thrill seekers. Anyway, after I put my stuff in my bag, she told me.

SM: What did she say?

SW: She told me to sit down on the bed and that she had some bad news. Then she goes, “Something's happened to Barbara.”  I knew then. She didn't even have to finish her sentence. As soon as the police let us, we checked out of the hotel and went home. Mom wanted to go right away, but the police said we had to stay. She was real relieved when they finally let us go.

SM: What do you think worried her so much?

SW: I don't know. She gets real upset, though, when things don't go exactly her way.

TA: Did you talk to anyone that morning?

SW: No. We packed up and as soon as we were pau, we went home.

SM: Pow?  What does that mean?

SW: Oh, sorry. Pau. That means “done” in Hawaiian. Like saying, I was doing homework but as soon as I was pau, I went to the beach.

TA: We don't often hear Hawaiian spoken here in Oxford.

SW: Mom tells me I shouldn't keep slipping back into that slang. She didn't like the way so many people talked pigeon. But I still slip up.

SM: Tell us about your relationship with Barbara.

SW: I really liked her -- no, I loved her. Like a sister, you know, only maybe closer in some ways. She was so nice, and yet she really was strong and in charge of her life. I wanted to be just like her. She seemed so centered, so in control. It just always seemed to be that she could be anything she wanted. Anything was possible for her.

SM: Did you resent that? 

SW: No. I wasn't jealous of her. It's just that -- well, I shouldn't say this. Mom wouldn't like me talking this way. But the fact is that I hate this stupid town. I want to get out of here. Barbara just always seemed like the type that could go anywhere and succeed. She could go to New York City and be great. Like Sex and the City.

SM: You don't think you can do the same?

SW: I'm not sure. My mom has traveled all over the place. She says that I'm not really strong enough or mature enough to go somewhere like New York by myself. Maybe she's right. But I'd love to try!

TA: Would your jealousy and envy make you think about doing something like hurting Barbara?

SW: I would never even consider doing something like that!  That's crazy.

SM: What you say here is strictly between us. You're not necessarily going to influence our investigation. But who do you suspect could have done this?

SW: I really don't know. I mean, I know Ingrid really hated Barbara. Talk about jealousy!  I'll admit that I was envious of her. Barbara, I mean. But envious in the way you look up to a big sister or positive role model or something. Or when your closest friend succeeds, you know. Ingrid was jealous in a crazy way. She burned to beat Barbara. Or maybe that jerk Denny Buchanan. Everyone in Oxford knows he's a spoiled jerk and that Barbara broke his heart. Well, I don't think he has a heart, but she definitely hurt his pride. I'm no detective. I can't make any judgments on things like that. But I'd look at those two.

SM: Ingrid told us about receiving money from your mother. What can you tell us about that?

SW: I don't know. You'd have to talk to my mom about that.

TA: You don't know any reason why your mother would give Ingrid Freeman money?

SW: No. I mean, Ingrid is always running on about this stupid business of hers and how she needs investors. But I don't know why my mom would want to get involved.

SM: What size shoe do you wear?

SW: My shoe size? A four, but I don't understand why you'd want that.

SM: Just routine. Ms. Webb, we're going to be conducting an extremely thorough investigation here. We may need to talk to you again.

SW: That will be fine. I mean, I guess it will be okay. I don't think my mom will care. You may have to talk to her to schedule it, but it shouldn't be a problem. No worries.

SM: Great. Thanks for your time. We'll be in touch.

Interview ends -- 5:19 PM