Thursday, May 17, 2001 - 11:00 a.m.

The witness, whom Arlene Melton named as her alibi for the time of the murder, came in to the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Office in response to a request from investigators. Detectives Sam Murphy and Ted Armstrong conducted the interview, which was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA = Detective T. Armstrong

SM = Detective S. Murphy

JW = JP Wallace

TA: Would you please state your name and address for the record?

JW: What do y'all want this time? I haven't done anything. You got that S.O.B. Roger for killing Missy, so I know it can't be about that.

TA: JP, give us your name and address, and then we'll tell you why we brought you here.

JW: Yeah, yeah, yeah. My name is JP Wallace. My address is 1657 Jefferson Avenue, Oxford, Mississippi, United States of America, Northern Hemisphere, Earth.

SM: A little less attitude and you'll get out of here a lot faster.

JW: I didn't want y'all to be at all confused about my address. Since you keep asking me every damn time you haul me down here whenever any little thing goes wrong in this town, I gotta figure you don't know it yet.

SM: It's going to be a long day.

TA: JP, you still working over at the Emerson Plant?

JW: Yes sir, I am. I'm an excellent employee.

TA: You still managing to eke out an existence on $250 a week?

JW: You'd be amazed how far I can stretch a dollar.

SM: Yeah, right. Now JP, we just want to get a few answers from you, so if you can stay focused on what we're asking and keep the smart aleck answers to a minimum, maybe we can get through this in short order. Okay?

JW: You know me, Sam. Always willing to help out whenever I can.

TA: You know a woman named Arlene Melton?

JW: You better believe it.

TA: When did you meet her?

JW: The weekend of the Double Decker Festival. She's one hot number, let me tell you.

SM: Spare us the lurid details of your tawdry fantasies. How well do you know her, exactly?

JW: Well enough. Not as well as I'd like, but all in good time.

SM: Did you see her at any time on Monday, April 30th?

JW: Well now, I don't have my appointment book with me. Let me think... That was the Monday after the festival, right?

TA: Yes. Did you see her that day?

JW: Hmm... well, as a matter of fact... I believe I did see her that day.

SM: When?

JW: We met for breakfast. Unfortunately, I had to drive over to her motel to meet her that morning, instead of just rolling over.

SM: Uh-huh. So why did the two of you meet for breakfast that day?

JW: Why, to enjoy the pleasure of each other's company, of course. What other reason could there be?

SM: Maybe you had a little business to transact?

JW: Well, I am a businessman, that's true. And I never turn down an opportunity to make a little cash. But what sort of business could I have with Arlene?

TA: Maybe you had a little something to sell that she wanted to buy? Maybe a little pot? A little coke?

JW: You mean did I sell her something to keep a plant in or perhaps a beverage? Surely you're not saying I've indulged in any sort of illegal activity. What kind of man do you think I am?

SM: I think the answer to that question is abundantly clear. Did you sell her anything that day?

JW: Well, sales of pottery or beverages might both be lucrative businesses, but unfortunately I'm not involved in either one.

SM: What did the two of you do that day then?

JW: I picked her up at her motel. We took a leisurely drive over to the Huddle House, where we enjoyed a tasty breakfast and some excellent conversation. Later, I took her back to her motel.

SM: Where was she staying?

JW: Same place she's staying now. At the Ole Miss Motel.

TA: What time did you pick her up?

JW: I don't remember.

TA: Think.

JW: It was early, probably around nine or so, I guess.

TA: And what time did you get to the Huddle House?

JW: I don't know, maybe nine-thirty?

SM: JP, it takes maybe five minutes - maybe - to get from the Ole Miss Motel to the Huddle House. But somehow it took you half an hour to travel that distance?

JW: I told you we took a leisurely drive. We weren't in a hurry.

SM: Why not? What were you doing?

JW: Now Sam, that's just your problem. Not everything has to be rush, rush, rush. You have to take a little time to enjoy the scenery, to savor life, to live in the moment. You need to relax a little. You know, I could help you with that if you want me to...

SM: No thanks. I'd rather you just tell us why it took you so long to get to the Huddle House.

JW: Well... I don't know. I'm just guessing on the times. Maybe it wasn't that long after all.

SM: Did you stop anywhere on the way to the Huddle House?

JW: Nope, not that I remember.

SM: Did you go anywhere near Rowan Oak?

JW: No. Why would we want to go there?

TA: You tell us.

JW: Can't think of any reason to go there. Not during the day, at least.

SM: What does that mean?

JW: Not a thing, not a thing. Just messin' with ya.

TA: Yeah, I bet. Can you tell us what time you brought Arlene back to the motel?

JW: Well, I'd just be guessing again, you understand?

TA: Yeah, yeah. So what time do you guess you brought her back?

JW: Maybe around eleven, eleven-thirty? Couldn't say for sure.

SM: So you and Ms. Melton spent two hours or more at the Huddle House?

JW: Why does she get to be "Ms. Melton," but I'm "JP"?

SM: Couldn't say for sure. Maybe it just seems like she deserves that extra respect.

JW: And I don't?

SM: Do you think you do?

TA: Look JP, just let go of the name thing. Did you spend two hours at the Huddle House with Arlene or not?

JW: Yes, I guess I did.

TA: And then you took her directly back to the motel?

JW: Yes.

TA: Did she invite you in? Or did you just drop her off?

JW: I hate to admit it...

SM: Be brave.

JW: She didn't invite me in. Not that time anyway. She said she had to get some sleep in case she had to work with those guys she was with later in the day.

SM: Did you meet these guys?

JW: When?

SM: Ever.

JW: Well the one guy, he's dead now.

SM: Yes, we'd noticed that.

JW: I saw him around when I first met her, but I haven't seen him lately, obviously.

SM: Obviously. Do you know his name?

JW: Arlene said he was Mike.

SM: What about the other guy? You know his name?

JW: Something strange like Wincell or Wenzel or something. I don't know.

TA: You seen him around too?

JW: He's around a lot. I don't think he likes me seeing Arlene, not that he has anything to say about it.

TA: Why do you suppose that is?

JW: Probably jealous.

TA: Jealous of what?

JW: My relationship with Arlene.

SM: What has Ms. Melton told you about her relationship with this man?

JW: Not a thing. None of my business. What she does on her own time is her own business. I don't tell her about any other women I might see.

SM: How convenient for both of you. Did Ms. Melton ever tell you anything about Mike or Wenzel? About how she met them? How she got along with them? How they got along with each other?

JW: She said they were going to make her rich with some kind of video game. Sounded like a load of ****, pardon me Sam, a load of nonsense to me, but what do I know about video games?

SM: What do you know about video games?

JW: I played a lot of Joust and Donkey Kong when I was a kid.

SM: But you don't know anything about this game that was going to make Ms. Melton rich?

JW: Not really. She said she was going to be the star of the game, whatever that means. Apparently, it means she's going to be rich. Or at least she was before this Mike guy croaked. Now, who knows?

SM: You don't seem to troubled by the fact that a close associate of hers was murdered.

JW: Why should I be? He was nothing to me. It's not like it was with Missy.

SM: Oh, you were upset about Missy being killed but not this man?

JW: That's about the size of it. I mean, I didn't lose it when Missy died or anything, but I wasn't happy about it either. But this Mike guy, I didn't even know him.

SM: And it doesn't worry you that you have this... close relationship with a woman who was also involved with a man who was brutally murdered?

JW: No. Why should it?

TA: You already told us that you and Arlene didn't talk about your other personal relationships. Does that mean she never told you anything about how she got along with Mike or Wenzel?

JW: She said they were nice guys, but she didn't have a lot in common with them. I mean, they were really too old to enjoy the things she likes to do.

SM: Like what?

JW: You know, Sam. Or maybe you don't. It has been awhile since you were her age, hasn't it? Arlene likes to have fun. She likes go out, have a few drinks, listen to bands and dance. Things like that.

SM: It's our understanding that Mike and Wenzel did enjoy those sorts of activities.

JW: Maybe they did or do in that Wenzel's case. But not like Arlene does. She doesn't get tired and want to go home before midnight. At least, if she does want to go home early, it's not because she's tired.

TA: Yeah well, we don't really need to hear about that. Did Arlene ever say anything about how Mike and Wenzel got along with each other?

JW: She said they argued a lot. About stupid stuff. She said it was really annoying.

TA: Did she say what kind of stupid stuff?

JW: I don't know. I guess maybe money sometimes, that stupid computer game sometimes. Who knows? And who cares? Haven't you asked her about this stuff? Why are you asking me?

TA: Do you know Tate Moore?

JW: The Kudzu Kings guy? Yeah, I know him.

SM: How do you know him?

JW: We see each other around town sometimes.

SM: Is he another one of your... clients?

JW: You mean do I sell him pottery or beverages? I couldn't say.

SM: Why not?

JW: Well, if he was one of my clients, and I'm not saying he is or was or even that I have any clients. But if I did have clients and he was one of them, my guess would be that he's the type who'd be more interested in pottery than beverages. But of course, I don't really know anything for sure.

SM: Of course not. Do you know whether Mr. Moore knows Ms. Melton, JP?

JW: You're just trying to twist the knife on that name and respect thing, aren't you? But don't worry. I'm not biting.

TA: Could you answer the question? Do you know whether Tate and Arlene know each other?

JW: I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

SM: Think they know each other as well as you know her? Or maybe they know each other even better?

JW: I really couldn't say. You'd have to ask them about that.

TA: So that day you had breakfast with Arlene, what time was it when you stopped by Rowan Oak?

JW: Ted... that's beneath you. You know I already said we didn't go there.

TA: Did you help Arlene kill Mike? Or did you just wait in your truck while she took care of it?

JW: Oh Ted... here I'd been thinking you were such a good detective and you were showing our friend Sam here the ropes. But you disappoint me. I would never kill anyone. I'm not a violent person. Arlene does have her good points, but I certainly wouldn't help her do something like that. And I don't sit in my truck waiting for any woman to do anything. Besides, we never went anywhere near Rowan Oak that day. I hate to burst your bubble, but Arlene did not kill that guy. Not while she was with me anyway. I hope you have a better suspect than her or you're in big trouble.

TA: Thanks for your concern. What about Wenzel? Anything in your interactions with him or anything that Arlene's told you that would make you think maybe he killed Mike?

JW: Man, I don't know. I really don't know anything about the guy. Maybe he did kill the other guy. Maybe he didn't. I don't know.

TA: Okay, JP. I can't begin to tell you what a help you've been today. If we have any more questions, I imagine we'll know where to find you.

JW: Sure thing, Ted. I'm happy to help you out any time you need me. See you later, Sam. It's been a thrill, as usual.

TA: Get out of here, JP. We'll be in touch.

JW: Y'all have a good day now.

End interview 11:41 a.m.