Friday, March 15, 2024 – 12:30 p.m.

The fingerprint results raised a few questions for the detectives, so they asked officers to bring in Linus Broadwell for another conversation.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed Mr. Broadwell at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Linus Broadwell

Detective Murphy: Thank you for coming today, Mr. Broadwell.

Linus Broadwell: You hardly gave me any choice, sending your thugs to haul me in here like that.

Detective Murphy: We didn't send any thugs, sir. The officers were polite in their interaction with you, weren't they?

Linus Broadwell: As polite as they know how to be, I suppose, but sending them was unnecessary. You could have simply called me, and I would've come at my earliest convenience.

Detective Murphy: And we appreciate that, sir. We just wanted to make things easier for you and provide transportation for you.

Linus Broadwell: I assume you'll also provide transportation for me after we're finished here since I don't have my car.

Detective Murphy: That'll be taken care of. Don't worry.

Linus Broadwell: Well, get on with it. I'm a busy man. What do you want?

Detective Murphy: If you'll just state your name and address for the record, we'll get right to that.

Linus Broadwell: Ridiculous! I am Linus Broadwell, and I reside at 3063 Davis Drive.

Detective Murphy: Thank you.

Detective Armstrong: We need to talk about this man, Rolf Warner.

Linus Broadwell: We've already talked about him. I told you, I don't know him.

Detective Armstrong: And we already told you, we know that's not true.

Linus Broadwell: You claim I spoke to him after one of the tours, correct?

Detective Armstrong: Yes, on Tuesday.

Linus Broadwell: I suppose that could be true. I speak to a lot of people. What of it?

Detective Armstrong: This wasn't just some pleasant chit-chat. Witnesses say you were furious with him.

Linus Broadwell: Why would I be furious with some tourist I didn't even know? It's nonsensical.

Detective Armstrong: I agree, but you were. You want to tell us why?

Linus Broadwell: I very much doubt I was furious, as you claim, but if I were, I'm certain I would merely have been reprimanding a discourteous visitor. It's unfortunate, but occasionally, it is required when someone touring the home is disrespectful.

Detective Armstrong: How was he disrespectful?

Linus Broadwell: I've told you multiple times now that I don't recall the gentleman, so how do you expect me to remember the details of his misbehavior?

Detective Murphy: Mr. Broadwell, as curator, you're responsible for the house and the grounds at Rowan Oak?

Linus Broadwell: That's correct.

Detective Murphy: I know you keep a close eye on everything in the house. Are you equally concerned with the details of the grounds?

Linus Broadwell: Of course.

Detective Murphy: Do you ever do any work on the grounds yourself? Maybe prune a shrub or weed a flowerbed?

Linus Broadwell: Don't be silly. We have staff who handle that. If something needs to be done, I let them know, and they take care of it.

Detective Murphy: Do you ever help out? Get your hands dirty, so to speak?

Linus Broadwell: Never. I'm far too busy to indulge in recreational gardening.

Detective Murphy: I see. Do the groundskeepers ever leave any of their equipment out overnight if they're planning to use it in the same location the next morning?

Linus Broadwell: Certainly not. They are required to put everything in its proper storage place before leaving.

Detective Murphy: What if they forget? Do you ever put their tools away for them?

Linus Broadwell: I do not. I contact their supervisor, who takes whatever steps are necessary to remedy the situation.

Detective Murphy: What steps would those be?

Linus Broadwell: I'm sure I don't know. Either he comes over and puts the equipment away himself, or he calls the workers to come back in and take care of it. My only concern is that it gets done, not how it gets done.

Detective Armstrong: You don't do manual labor. Is that what you're saying?

Linus Broadwell: Do you have a point, detective?

Detective Armstrong: I do. If you don't do manual labor, if you don't get involved in any way with the landscaping work at Rowan Oak, why are your fingerprints on the pickaxe that was used to kill this man you claim not to know?

Linus Broadwell: They're not.

Detective Armstrong: I know you don't like it when I call you a liar, but I'm gonna have to do it again, Linus. I've got the report from the crime lab right here, and your prints are on that murder weapon. Care to explain?

Linus Broadwell: The answer is obvious. Your lab made a mistake.

Detective Armstrong: Are you trying to make me call you a liar again?

Linus Broadwell: You can't expect me to account for the vagaries of your own people.

Detective Armstrong: Here's what I expect you to account for, Linus—your fingerprints on the murder weapon, your lack of an alibi, your argument with the victim less than 24 hours before he was killed.

Linus Broadwell: I've already told you all I know about each of those things, detective. Now, really, this is a waste of my time to keep rehashing the same subjects again and again.

Detective Armstrong: You're doing it again, Linus. Forcing me to call you a liar. You haven't told us all you know. You've told us precisely nothing. That needs to change, and right now, if you have any hope of this conversation not ending with you in cuffs.

Linus Broadwell: In cuffs? Are you suggesting you plan to arrest me?

Detective Armstrong: Now you got it.

Linus Broadwell: You plan to arrest me for killing this tourist?

Detective Armstrong: Yep.

Linus Broadwell: That's—I—you—how—

Detective Armstrong: Come on, Linus. If you've got something to say, spit it out. Otherwise, I'd just as soon get you booked and get on with my day.

Linus Broadwell: Do you know what that man was planning to do?

Detective Armstrong: He was making a video game.

Linus Broadwell: So he said.

Detective Armstrong: He wasn't making a video game?

Linus Broadwell: It's of no consequence. He and I did disagree about what he was planning to do. I acknowledge that. I attempted to explain to him—again—why his proposal was unacceptable, and he advanced on me and threatened me. I had no choice but to protect myself.

Detective Armstrong: So you did see him on Wednesday morning?

Linus Broadwell: I believe that's what I just said.

Detective Armstrong: And your story is that he attacked you, and you defended yourself?

Linus Broadwell: Correct.

Detective Armstrong: With a pickaxe?

Linus Broadwell: It was the closest thing I could find.

Detective Armstrong: If it was self-defense, why did you flee the scene?

Linus Broadwell: I did not flee the scene. I merely went to the house to telephone 911.

Detective Armstrong: And what? When you got to the house, you just forgot to make the call?

Linus Broadwell: The phone was ringing when I walked in. It was a school group wanting to schedule a tour. Making those arrangements took some time. By the time I finished, officers had already arrived.

Detective Armstrong: Uh-huh. And you didn't immediately go out and tell them what happened because?

Linus Broadwell: If you don't mind, detective, I would like to speak to an attorney before I say anything else.

Detective Armstrong: Yeah, I bet you would.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Broadwell, please stand up and put your hands behind your back.

Linus Broadwell: Why? What are you doing?

Detective Murphy: I'm arresting you for the murder of Rolf Warner.

Linus Broadwell: But I asked for an attorney!

Detective Murphy: Yes, and as soon as you're booked, you can contact one.

Linus Broadwell: But I told you it was self-defense!

Detective Murphy: That's something you and your attorney can discuss with the D.A.

Detective Armstrong: Hey, Linus?

Linus Broadwell: What is it, detective?

Detective Armstrong: I just thought you'd like to know that Rolf Warner was working with a partner on that video game, and he's planning to continue without Rolf. So you don't have to worry. Sounds like that game is still going to happen.

Linus Broadwell: Oh!

Interview ended – 1:01 p.m.