Albert Plum interview #2

Tuesday, September 6, 2022 – 10:45 a.m.

Albert Plum was at the Marshall family reunion on August 20, 2022, and at Lamar Park on August 25, 2022.

Detectives Murphy and Parker re-interviewed Mr. Plum at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective E. Parker
• Albert Plum

Detective Parker: Thanks for coming in on such short notice.

Albert Plum: No problem:

Detective Murphy: For the record, please state your name and address.

Albert Plum: My name is Albert Plum. I live at 2282 Haley Street. So what's up?

Detective Parker: Last time we talked, you said you would help with the investigation any way you could.

Albert Plum: That's right. Law and order are good for business.

Detective Parker: Good, so maybe you can help us clarify a few things.

Albert Plum: I'll do what I can.

Detective Parker: Where did you go after the Marshall family reunion?

Albert Plum: I went home.

Detective Parker: What time was that?

Albert Plum: I'm not sure. I think I got home around 9:30 or 10:00 p.m.?

Detective Parker: And what did you do then?

Albert Plum: I— well, I don't want you to get the wrong idea.

Detective Parker: About what?

Albert Plum: About an hour after I got home, Liz called and asked me to meet her for coffee.

Detective Parker: Liz?

Albert Plum: Elizabeth Barton. She wanted me to meet her at Huddle House.

Detective Parker: And did you?

Albert Plum: Yes. I got there about 11:00 p.m., and she came in a few minutes later.

Detective Parker: You didn't pick her up?

Albert Plum: I offered to, but she said it was out of my way and she could just meet me there.

Detective Parker: So she could've been calling you from anywhere?

Albert Plum: No, she was at home. I saw it on my Caller ID.

Detective Murphy: Is this something you do often? Go out late at night to meet women?

Albert Plum: Uh, no. But Liz said she couldn't sleep because she was still upset about running into Oscar, and she wanted to talk.

Detective Murphy: Why didn't she ask you to come to her house to talk? Or just talk on the phone?

Albert Plum: I don't know. She just said she wanted to meet at Huddle House, so we did.

Detective Parker: How long were the two of you there?

Albert Plum: It must have been a couple of hours. We got to talking, and the time just got away from us.

Detective Murphy: And you were talking about Oscar Knight the whole time?

Albert Plum: No. We started out talking about him, of course. It was very upsetting for both of us to see him all of a sudden after so many years. But talking about him led us to talking about high school, and we ended up reminiscing about the good times, which didn't include Oscar, obviously.

Detective Murphy: So you sat there drinking coffee and talking until 1:00 a.m.?

Albert Plum: It could have been a little later. I don't remember exactly. And we ended up ordering some food, too, after a while. You can't drink coffee for that long on an empty stomach, even if it is decaf.

Detective Murphy: What did you have to eat?

Albert Plum: Liz got a BLT. I had French toast, which I really shouldn't have eaten that late, but it was delicious.

Detective Parker: When you and Liz left the Huddle House, did you go your separate ways?

Albert Plum: Why, of course, we did. What are you trying to imply?

Detective Parker: I'm not implying anything, sir. When you left, where did you go?

Albert Plum: I went home.

Detective Parker: And Liz?

Albert Plum: She went home as well, I assume.

Detective Parker: You assume?

Albert Plum: I didn't follow her. She said she was going home, so I assume that's what she did.

Detective Murphy: Can you prove you went straight home that night?

Albert Plum: How could I possibly prove something like that?

Detective Murphy: You live pretty close to the Rebel Inn, don't you?

Albert Plum: I suppose so.

Detective Murphy: It's less than half a mile, isn't it?

Albert Plum: If you say so. I never measured it myself.

Detective Murphy: And you drove right by there on your way home from the Huddle House, didn't you?

Albert Plum: Yes.

Detective Murphy: Did you stop in to see Oscar Knight on your way home that night?

Albert Plum: I did not. I told you that before. It's a ridiculous notion.

Detective Murphy: Did you happen to see Liz Barton pull into the Rebel Inn parking lot on her way home?

Albert Plum: Of course not. Liz would never do such a thing.

Detective Murphy: Did you see any cars you recognized in the Rebel Inn lot that night?

Albert Plum: I'm not in the habit of inspecting the Rebel Inn parking lot every time I drive by. I wouldn't know who was there or who wasn't, and I really couldn't care.

Detective Parker: We hear you were dining at Bouré recently.

Albert Plum: How do you know where I've been eating lately?

Detective Parker: Were you there?

Albert Plum: I like to support local businesses, just as they support mine. What of it?

Detective Parker: Did you go alone?

Albert Plum: No, I was with Pauline Jones.

Detective Murphy: You're quite the ladies' man, aren't you?

Albert Plum: It wasn't a date. Pauline and I are just good friends.

Detective Murphy: Like you and Liz Barton are just good friends?

Albert Plum: Precisely.

Detective Parker: We understand you and Pauline were arguing about Oscar that night.

Albert Plum: Who on earth would tell you such a thing?

Detective Parker: Is it true?

Albert Plum: I wouldn't say we were arguing. A lot of people have been discussing Oscar since he came back to town, and that's all we were doing. But we went to Bouré after Oscar was already dead if the news reports are to be believed, so what does it matter?

Detective Murphy: Maybe you were arguing over how not to get caught for killing him.

Albert Plum: That is ludicrous. Why in the world would we kill him? He would've left town in a day or two, and we would've been rid of him anyway.

Detective Parker: Tell us again what you were doing at Lamar Park on August 25th.

Albert Plum: It's a public park. I don't have to justify going there.

Detective Murphy: You were seen coming out of the woods.

Albert Plum: You must be mistaken.

Detective Murphy: I don't think so.

Albert Plum: I don't know what you've heard, but I didn't do anything wrong. I went to the park. It's not a crime.

Detective Murphy: We're not trying to embarrass you, Albert.

Albert Plum: Listen to me. I did not kill Oscar Knight. I had nothing to do with his body parts ending up in the lake at Lamar Park. That is all I have to say on the matter. I would like to leave now.

Detective Parker: I'm confused. I thought you wanted to help us with our investigation.

Albert Plum: I do, and I will. But my visit to Lamar Park had nothing to do with Oscar, and that's all I'm going to say about it. May I leave now?

Detective Parker: We're not holding you, Mr. Plum. You're free to go.

Detective Murphy: We'll let you know if there's anything else you can do to help our investigation.

Albert Plum: I'll be happy to help you find Oscar's killer if I can. Good day, ladies.

Interview ended – 11:05 a.m.