Carl Asher interview #2

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – 2:00 p.m.

Carl Asher was Victor Jennings' friend and employee.

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

Participants:

• Detective S. Murphy
• Detective E. Parker
• Carl Asher

Detective Parker: Please state your name and address before we begin.

Carl Asher: Carlton Asher, 122 Caroline Circle, Oxford.

Detective Parker: Thank you for coming in. After the way our last meeting ended, we thought we might have a problem getting you to cooperate further.

Carl Asher: My bad. I tend to overreact from time to time.

Detective Murphy: Let's start fresh. Have you thought of anything that might help us in our investigation?

Carl Asher: Sure haven't.

Detective Parker: All right. Is there any member of the Jennings family that you think would want Victor dead?

Carl Asher: Why would you ask that? You think one of them killed him?

Detective Parker: I'm just interested in your impression of them.

Carl Asher: Sure you are. Brad thought Victor was the best thing since canned salmon. Little Ray couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. And Margaret? Nah, he was her son, and no matter how much she disliked him, a part of her still loved him.

Detective Parker: So you don't think any of them could've killed him?

Carl Asher: Isn't that what I just said?

Detective Murphy: Please, Carl, let's keep it civil. We're just trying to find some answers.

Carl Asher: I don't have the answers. I don't know who killed him. It sure wasn't me!

Detective Parker: When did you last see Victor alive?

Carl Asher: I don't remember. A day or two before he died maybe?

Detective Murphy: Are you sure you didn't see him the day he died?

Carl Asher: I'm not sure. I don't remember. I might have, I guess.

Detective Parker: Someone told us you were there that day, having coffee in the room Victor was killed a few hours later. Remember now?

Carl Asher: Uh, yeah, I do. My days seem to run together sometimes. I think I was there that morning. Vic's lawyer was there also.

Detective Parker: Did you go into Victor's office that day?

Carl Asher: No.

Detective Parker: Are you sure? I know how your days seem to run together.

Carl Asher: Yeah. I'm sure.

Detective Parker: When was the last time you were in his office?

Carl Asher: Man, I don't know. Who cares?

Detective Murphy: How about this? We understand Victor kept a variety of knickknacks on the credenza in his office. Is that true?

Carl Asher: Are you talking about those dumbass executive toys?

Detective Murphy: Maybe. Do you remember what any of the toys were?

Carl Asher: I don't know. A Slinky, some pendulum thing, that goddamn applause button.

Detective Murphy: Anything else?

Carl Asher: Yeah, but that's all I remember. I don't play with toys.

Detective Murphy: Did you notice if any of those things were not on the credenza anymore the last time you were in his office?

Carl Asher: No.

Detective Murphy: No, they were all still there?

Carl Asher: No, I didn't notice.

Detective Parker: What time did you leave Victor's house on the 9th?

Carl Asher: Shoot, I don't know the exact time. Like you said, my days run together. How in the hell could I give you a time?

Detective Parker: How about a general time, Carl? Can you do that?

Carl Asher: It was a few minutes after the lawyer got there. Vic needed privacy to talk to him and for what he was doing later.

Detective Murphy: What was he doing later?

Carl Asher: He was expecting company.

Detective Parker: Who?

Carl Asher: I believe it was a lady, more or less.

Detective Murphy: More or less?

Carl Asher: Some of his women were more ladylike than others.

Detective Murphy: Did he say anything specific about this company he was expecting?

Carl Asher: I wouldn't repeat what he said to a fine lady such as yourself.

Detective Murphy: That's very gallant of you. Did you by any chance have an accident while you were there that day? Bad paper cut or anything like that?

Carl Asher: Yeah, actually. I broke a coffee cup and cut myself picking up the pieces. So what?

Detective Murphy: There was a lot of blood in the kitchen. I just wanted to know if any of it might be yours.

Carl Asher: I don't think so.

Detective Parker: You've got some experience with … let's call it self-defense. Do you think the killer was injured when he or she killed Victor?

Carl Asher: Are you still trying to pin this on me? How many times do I have to tell you I didn't kill him?

Detective Parker: I don't know. Just something about you makes me want to keep asking.

Carl Asher: C'mon. What about that Kyle Colby kid? He came after Victor with a baseball bat. Maybe he came back with a knife.

Detective Murphy: Right now we're talking about you, not Kyle Colby.

Carl Asher: Don't forget that fancy pants Hawke either. Victor was going to expose his dirty little secret. Hawke certainly didn't want that.

Detective Parker: Interesting. What did you do after you left Victor's house on the 9th?

Carl Asher: I went to get something to eat. Then I ran a few errands, went home, and watched some TV.

Detective Murphy: What programs did you watch?

Carl Asher: I don't remember. No, wait. I was watching basketball, Ole Miss and Missouri. Good game.

Detective Parker: One more time, Carl. Did you kill Victor Jennings?

Carl Asher: I told you no, bitch. How many times you do you want me to say it?

Detective Parker: That's about enough of you for today, Carl. Go. We'll be in touch.

Interview ended – 2:33 p.m.