Rachel Moody interview #2

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 – 11:10 a.m.

Rachel Moody is the personal chef for the Byrns family.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy re-interviewed her at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Rachel Moody

Rachel Moody: Good morning, detectives. It's a beautiful day, and I have things to do. What more can I possibly tell you? This is about Alyx, right?

Detective Murphy: Please state your name and address for the record.

Rachel Moody: Oh, I forgot the routine. I'm Rachel Moody. I'm the personal chef for Paul and Barbara Byrns, and I live at 1714 Johnson Avenue, Oxford.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. Yes, this is about Alyx Byrns. You told us last time that you wished her dead. Did you make that wish come true?

Rachel Moody: Absolutely not! And I didn't actually want her to be dead. I just wanted her to leave me alone.

Detective Murphy: So, now that she's dead, your feelings have softened?

Rachel Moody: I realize I was wrong to have felt that way about her. She was just a spoiled kid who behaved as if she were the queen bee. I've never been able to deal with people like that.

Detective Murphy: People like what?

Rachel Moody: They're given everything in the world but act like they earned it themselves. They have no idea what it's like to have to make it on their own. Sorry for the rant. I guess it still bugs me.

Detective Armstrong: Just how much did it bug you, Miss Moody? Enough to help her along to her death?

Rachel Moody: No, no. If I were that unhappy, I would've gone back to Ravine.

Detective Armstrong: But you were unhappy, right? So you just permanently got the reason for all that unhappiness out of the way?

Rachel Moody: No, and stop trying to accuse me of murder! I never harmed a hair on her rotten little head. See, now you've gotten me all upset. I never hated Alyx, and I never hurt her. Never!

Detective Murphy: Calm down now. Tell us about the rest of the family. What about Mr. and Mrs. Byrns?

Rachel Moody: Look, if I tell you what goes on behind closed doors in that house, I could lose my job, and I like the job now that the diva is gone. I know that doesn't sound nice, but it's the truth.

Detective Armstrong: Why? What was going on in the house? It's essential that we know all the facts.

Rachel Moody: It's so strange, detective. All of these rich people with their fancy homes and all. Hmph!

Detective Murphy: What do you think about Mrs. Byrns? Could she have killed her daughter?

Rachel Moody: I'm pretty confident that she would never harm her daughter, and I know for a fact that she was fooling around with David. He never mentioned it, but it was just too obvious. Mrs. Byrns is the one I hate, if you must know.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Byrns is having an affair with whom?

Rachel Moody: David Gregory.

Detective Armstrong: But this is all just supposition on your part. You don't know anything for sure.

Rachel Moody: She was always touching him, and I saw them both coming down from upstairs one day. Why else would he be up there? I think Alyx flirted with David, too.

Detective Murphy: Miss Moody, you seem to be giving conflicting statements. You wished Alyx dead but only disliked her. You're happy in your job now that she's dead, but you hate Mrs. Byrns. And now it sounds like you're jealous of both of them. That right there is motive.

Rachel Moody: How many times do I have to tell you that I didn't kill Alyx? Clean out your ears.

Detective Armstrong: What about Mr. Byrns? How do you feel about him?

Rachel Moody: He has always treated me kindly, although he never did anything to stop Alyx from treating me the way she did.

Detective Armstrong: Is he a faithful husband?

Rachel Moody: I don't know for sure, but sometimes I got the feeling something was going on between him and Alyx's friends. I mean, Mrs. Byrns was fooling around, so maybe tit for tat.

Detective Armstrong: Would he have reason to kill his daughter?

Rachel Moody: Are you serious? Kill her? He treated her like gold. She could do no wrong in his eyes. 

Detective Murphy: Which of Alyx's friends did you think had something going on with Mr. Byrns?

Rachel Moody: That Katie. She's trouble too if you want to know the truth—she and Alyx, like two peas in a pod.

Detective Murphy: What about Megan Plummer?

Rachel Moody: Now she's a sweet girl. I don't know what she was doing with Alyx and Katie. She should've found some nice friends instead of those two.

Detective Armstrong: Is there anyone you can think of who would want to harm Alyx Byrns?

Rachel Moody: No, not really. Unless it was the gardener, Josh. He got all dreamy-eyed every time he saw her, but she never gave him the time of day.

Detective Armstrong: Are you saying he wanted to get back at her for ignoring him?

Rachel Moody: I don't know. It just seemed to make him like her more, so maybe not. Have I clarified things now? Because I really must go. I have to get things ready for dinner.

Detective Armstrong: Thank you. You can go. If you think of anything factual, please let us know.

Interview ended – 12:05 p.m.