Raquel Santos interview

Saturday, July 11, 2020 – 11:02 a.m.

Raquel Santos was the Fontaine family's housekeeper.

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

Caution: Contains some strong language.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Raquel Santos

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for stopping by, Ms. Santos.

Raquel Santos: Will this take long? I've got a lot to do.

Detective Murphy: We hope not. Would you please state your name and address for the record?

Raquel Santos: Raquel Santos. 594 Hathorn Road.

Detective Murphy: Thank you. As you know, we're looking into the death of Mr. Fontaine.

Raquel Santos: Uh-huh. And what does that have to do with me?

Detective Armstrong: You don't seem too cut up about his death.

Raquel Santos: It's too bad. He paid me good wages, but we weren't like family or nothing. It was just a job.

Detective Armstrong: Why don't you start by telling us how you ended up there?

Raquel Santos: My boyfriend, Benito. He works there sometimes. Cuts the weeds, takes care of the cars, that kind of thing. He heard the maid was leaving and gave me the number. I have excellent references.

Detective Murphy: That was when?

Raquel Santos: Late last year.

Detective Armstrong: Benito, what's his last name?

Raquel Santos: Why do you want to know?

Detective Armstrong: Just routine questions, Ms. Santos. If he worked for Mr. Fontaine, we'll want to talk with him.

Raquel Santos: Flores. He didn't work there. I mean, not normally. He just helped Joey out sometimes.

Detective Murphy: Joey?

Raquel Santos: Joey Beecher.

Detective Armstrong: So you're saying Benito worked odd jobs for Mr. Fontaine. Is that right?

Raquel Santos: Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: Not much money in that.

Raquel Santos: No.

Detective Armstrong: So where'd he get all the cash?

Raquel Santos: What?

Detective Armstrong: That's a nice necklace you've got there. Did he give it to you?

Raquel Santos: Huh? Oh. Yeah. Yeah, he did. So what? I mean, he saved up for it is all. He wanted to give me something special.

Detective Armstrong: Does Benito have other work on the side?

Raquel Santos: No.

Detective Armstrong: Maybe he stole?

Raquel Santos: Get real.

Detective Armstrong: What about drugs?

Raquel Santos: No way. I don't know nothing about that. Look, if you want to know about Benito, why don't you ask him? I thought you wanted to talk to me about work. What does my personal life have to do with it?

Detective Armstrong: You're right. Let's talk about your job. Did you live at the Fontaine residence?

Raquel Santos: No. Just 7:00 to 7:00 Monday to Friday, plus if they have a party or something, I help out. Keep the kitchen clean for Mrs. Fontaine, polish the silverware. She cooks but doesn't like to clean up the mess.

Detective Murphy: Mrs. Fontaine. You mean Ashley Fontaine?

Raquel Santos: Yeah. She was like his third wife or something. She could've been his daughter. Disgusting.

Detective Murphy: How did you get along?

Raquel Santos: Huh?

Detective Murphy: With Mrs. Fontaine. How did you two get along?

Raquel Santos: Oh. Fine. She can be a bitch, but that's okay. All those rich bitches are the same. We got along okay.

Detective Murphy: No disagreements?

Raquel Santos: Nothing special, no.

Detective Murphy: Okay. What about Mr. Fontaine? Anything special there?

Raquel Santos: He wasn't around much. I got there, and he'd be gone to the office. I help with dinner, and maybe I see him then. He'd say hello and maybe how are you. Be nice to the help, that kind of thing. Otherwise, it was just me and the little wife at home.

Detective Murphy: What about Mr. Fontaine's children?

Raquel Santos: They aren't around. Except for that one, Grant. What an idiot. All that money and it goes up— I mean, he's a total loser. If I were rich like that, I would use it. You know, see the world, buy a place of my own, maybe own a business or something. He just hangs around.

Detective Armstrong: You like money?

Raquel Santos: Yeah. Who doesn't?

Detective Armstrong: Enough to kill someone for it?

Raquel Santos: You're crazy. That's not what happened. It was a robbery, right?

Detective Armstrong: That's what we're trying to figure out. Tell us about the house. Was there security?

Raquel Santos: Yeah, there was an alarm system. They didn't pay too much attention, but they kept the doors locked. I guess the old man had a safe or something.

Detective Armstrong: A safe?

Raquel Santos: Yeah, in his office. I had to clean in there. It was, like, an antique or some s*** like that. It probably didn't even work.

Detective Armstrong: You never tried to open it?

Raquel Santos: No way. I'm not stupid.

Detective Armstrong: Did you know how to work the alarm?

Raquel Santos: No.

Detective Armstrong: But you had keys to the place?

Raquel Santos: Just to the back door, near the kitchen. That's where the hired help goes.

Detective Armstrong: So you could have helped someone get in.

Raquel Santos: No way. That's not what happened.

Detective Armstrong: Okay. Tell us what did happen then.

Raquel Santos: I don't know. I wasn't there.

Detective Armstrong: Why don't you start at the beginning? Tell us what happened the day Mr. Fontaine died.

Raquel Santos: It was nothing special. I got there at 7:00, like always, and I left at 6:00, 6:30.

Detective Armstrong: That's early.

Raquel Santos: What?

Detective Armstrong: You said you usually work 7:00 to 7:00.

Raquel Santos: Yeah. Right. Mrs. Fontaine, she let me go early.

Detective Armstrong: You had somewhere to be?

Raquel Santos: No, I— Okay, look. She was yelling at me all day, and I just couldn't take it. I said I was going to leave because she was being a bitch, and I just walked out. That's all.

Detective Armstrong: Did that happen often? You walking out?

Raquel Santos: No. Usually, it's okay. I can take it. But the past couple of weeks, it's like she was going psycho. I would put the flowers on the wrong mantel, and she would bite my head off. I don't like being treated like that. I had to do something to show her, to get her respect.

Detective Armstrong: So you quit.

Raquel Santos: No. I was going to go back Monday and talk to her when she calmed down. It was payday. I didn't get my check.

Detective Armstrong: I see. And so you went straight home?

Raquel Santos: That's right. Benny was there.

Detective Murphy: Did you go out?

Raquel Santos: No. I stayed home.

Detective Murphy: What about Benito?

Raquel Santos: He went out with some friends.

Detective Murphy: Where did he go?

Raquel Santos: I don't know. Just out. It was Friday night. He went out. He likes to party.

Detective Murphy: With who?

Raquel Santos: I don't know. Ask him, okay?

Detective Murphy: We will. Did anyone else see you that night?

Raquel Santos: I don't think so.

Detective Murphy: You didn't want to go out?

Raquel Santos: No. I had a bad day. I just wanted to kick back. I had a beer, watched TV, did my nails—that kind of thing.

Detective Murphy: When did Benito come back?

Raquel Santos: Late, I guess 10:00 or something. I was asleep.

Detective Murphy: And when did you learn about Mr. Fontaine?

Raquel Santos: I saw it on TV the next night.

Detective Murphy: You didn't hear anything about it before then?

Raquel Santos: No.

Detective Murphy: Didn't see anyone from the family?

Raquel Santos: No.

Detective Murphy: Okay. One last question, Ms. Santos. Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to kill Mr. Fontaine?

Raquel Santos: I have no idea. I mean, he was rich, so I'm sure there were lots of people out to get him, but I didn't know them. I'm just the maid.

Detective Armstrong: All right, Ms. Santos. Thanks for your help. Stay in touch, okay?

Raquel Santos: Yeah.

Interview ended – 11:22 a.m.