The interview was conducted at the Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department and was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Detective Samantha Murphy
Detective Ted Armstrong
Lee Merryweather

Detective Murphy: Good day, Lee. Thanks for coming in again. Please restate your name and address for the record.

Lee Merryweather: Hi, detectives. Lee Merryweather. I still have the same address. For now, anyway. It’s 200 Park Drive, over from Advent Park.

Detective Murphy: For now? What does that mean? Are you looking for another place?

Lee Merryweather: No, I have a new job! I’ve been hired by the Hawke's, as their new personal assistant! Isn’t that wonderful? Soon, I'll be living in California. I am so excited.

Detective Murphy: That's great news. Congratulations. But, we're still working on the Jennings case and have more questions for you.

Lee Merryweather: I've told you everything I can about Victor. What else could you possibly want from me?

Detective Armstrong: We want to make sure you told us everything. We have some conflicting statements from others. You told us before, that you weren't interested in the victim, other than on a professional level. True?

Lee Merryweather: Of course. There was nothing between Victor and I. If anyone said anything different, that person is a liar. Who told you that?

Detective Armstrong: We ask the questions, so please just answer them. Did you make advances toward Jennings? And did he reciprocate?

Lee Merryweather: That's ridiculous! I told you that he wasn’t my type! He was rude and crude. Not someone I'd be likely to flirt with. I can't believe you would even go there.

Detective Murphy: You could have forgotten something. We have information that you made advances, but he rejected them.

Lee Merryweather: Okay, okay, now I bet I know who said that. It was Victor's sister-in-law, wasn't it? That sounds just like her.

Detective Armstrong: I thought you said you didn't meet the family, Miss Merryweather. So, are you telling us now that you did meet them?

Lee Merryweather: My job as a personal assistant requires me to keep quiet about my employer's personal life. I would never get another job if I gave out information like that.

Detective Murphy: So, are you ready now to divulge any important information to us? We have to know everything to solve a murder case.

Lee Merryweather: I still don't have a lot to tell you, but when someone lies about me, I have to vindicate myself. Gayle Jennings was jealous of any woman that came within 10 feet of Victor. What is she so worried about that she would lie like that?

Detective Armstrong: So, there's no truth in what she said. Why would Mrs. Jennings be jealous of other women where her brother-in-law was concerned? Are you telling us that there was something going on between the two of them?

Lee Merryweather: No, in all honesty, I can't say that, but I could see how she behaved around Victor. She acted like a cat on a hot tin roof. She couldn’t sit still and just flitted around him constantly. It was so obvious how she felt about him that I'm surprised he didn't tell her to sit down and calm down.

Detective Armstrong: So, in other words, you're saying that she had the "hots" for your boss. How did Jennings act towards her?

Lee Merryweather: Totally indifferent. One thing about Victor that I caught on about him very quickly was how cold and unfeeling he was around women. He never made passes at me or anyone else that I could see. I decided that he was either very calm, cool, and collected or there was something wrong with him.

Detective Murphy: Did you notice any other problems Jennings had with others? Would you like to amend your earlier statement about people coming to the office?

Lee Merryweather: Of course, there were the Hawkes. That relationship turned sour very fast. Yes, I know I told you no one came to the office and most of his work was done by phone or internet, but I had to be careful. He did have visitors, but the only one I didn't care for was that right hand man, Carl. The rest of the visitors just didn’t seem important, at all. Of course, his lawyer, Tom Eldon, started visiting Vic once he was put under house arrest, but I never noticed anything from him that would be meaningful to you. When his mother came over, I could hear them arguing, but it always got quiet when I went into the office. Same with Raymond. Victor talked to his father on the phone, but I could only hear Victor's side of the conversation and that only when I had to check on something from him.

Detective Armstrong: So, they all did come to see Jennings, after all?

Lee Merryweather: Yes, but this was a strange family, detective. Anytime I needed to go into the inner office, and one of them was there, everything just got very quiet until I left the room.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. You never know, we may need to call you back again.

Lee Merryweather: You're welcome, but I sure hope you are finished with me. I have a new life to get on with. Goodbye.

Interview ends: 11:47 AM