Lillie Cain interview

Monday, September 16, 2024 – 8:30 a.m.

Lillie Cain is the receptionist at the nursing home where Jerry Shaw was employed.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed her at Yoknapatawpha Acres.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Lillie Cain

Detective Murphy: Thanks for coming in early to talk to us, Ms. Cain.

Lillie Cain: It's okay, but I got to be out at the desk by 9:00. Mr. Landrigan gets mad if I'm late.

Detective Murphy: We'll make sure you get there in time. Would you state your name and address for our records?

Lillie Cain: I'm Lillie Cain. I live in Oxford at 110 Breckenridge Drive.

Detective Murphy: Did you bring the visitors' log?

Lillie Cain: Yes. Here it is.

Detective Murphy: Great. We'd like to take a look at the entries for last Thursday. You're aware of what happened that day?

Lillie Cain: Heck, yeah. That's the day Jerry died. Worst day I've ever had at work.

Detective Armstrong: Why's that?

Lillie Cain: I've never worked with anyone who died while we were at work. That's just weird, right?

Detective Armstrong: I don't want to seem insensitive, but don't people die here sometimes?

Lillie Cain: Well, yeah, but not employees.

Detective Armstrong: Did you know Jerry Shaw?

Lillie Cain: Sure. He was a real flirt. He used to come out to reception and talk to me sometimes.

Detective Armstrong: So you were friends?

Lillie Cain: Yeah, I guess. I mean, I didn't really know him that well, but I guess so.

Detective Armstrong: Did you ever go out with him?

Lillie Cain: No. I don't date people I work with.

Detective Armstrong: And Jerry was okay with that?

Lillie Cain: Yeah, I guess.

Detective Murphy: Let's go over this visitors' log. Is this typical of the number of visitors you see in a day?

Lillie Cain: Yeah. Not that many people come here, really.

Detective Murphy: Can you walk us through who these people are?

Lillie Cain: Sure.

Detective Murphy: This first one, Miriam Collier. Do you know her?

Lillie Cain: No. She's some kind of saleslady. She came to see Mr. Landrigan.

Detective Murphy: And David Lombard?

Lillie Cain: I don't remember— wait, he brought flowers for Miss Rose. It was her birthday.

Detective Murphy: Do you know who sent them?

Lillie Cain: Probably her daughter. She's like a lawyer or something.

Detective Murphy: What about Renee Roberts?

Lillie Cain: Miss Renee comes every day to have lunch with her mama. A lot of people just put their relatives in here and forget about them, but not Miss Renee.

Detective Murphy: Ed Harbison?

Lillie Cain: He comes to see his mother three or four times a week.

Detective Armstrong: It looks like he didn't sign out.

Lillie Cain: What? No, that's not right. Mr. Harbison always signs out. He's real nice about it.

Detective Armstrong: Take a look.

Lillie Cain: That's weird. Maybe he forgot?

Detective Armstrong: Were you at the desk when he left?

Lillie Cain: I'm always at the desk.

Detective Armstrong: Did you maybe take a break or anything that afternoon?

Lillie Cain: Well, yeah, but I was only gone a couple of minutes. I went to the little girls' room, and then I got some sweet tea, but I brought it back to the desk with me. I came right back. I swear.

Detective Armstrong: I don't doubt it. Do you remember what time you took your break?

Lillie Cain: Around 3:00 p.m., I think?

Detective Armstrong: And do you remember seeing Ed Harbison leave that day?

Lillie Cain: I don't know. He's here all the time. Maybe I did?

Detective Murphy: It looks like Matt Hooper came in a few minutes after Ed Harbison. Were you at the desk then?

Lillie Cain: Yes.

Detective Murphy: It says here that Mr. Hooper was delivering oxygen.

Lillie Cain: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: I would've thought deliveries came in through the back.

Lillie Cain: Well, yeah, they usually do.

Detective Murphy: But?

Lillie Cain: Matt likes to come in through the front.

Detective Murphy: And you just let him?

Lillie Cain: Well, yeah. It's easier for him, and he's never here for very long.

Detective Armstrong: You think maybe he likes to come in through the front to see you?

Lillie Cain: I don't know.

Detective Armstrong: Yes, you do. Look at that smile. Come on now.

Lillie Cain: Okay, maybe. Yeah.

Detective Armstrong: And you let him because you want to see him?

Lillie Cain: You know… Matt's cute and everything, but he hasn't asked me out or anything yet.

Detective Armstrong: Do y'all ever have lunch here together?

Lillie Cain: No. He used to make his deliveries around lunchtime, and he'd eat with— with Jerry. But they haven't done that for a while.

Detective Armstrong: How long?

Lillie Cain: I don't know. Two or three weeks, maybe?

Detective Armstrong: Do you know why they stopped having lunch together?

Lillie Cain: I think maybe Matt was mad at him about something. Maybe he found out that Jerry was hitting on me?

Detective Armstrong: How often do you eat lunch here?

Lillie Cain: I usually bring something from home. It's— the food here is not so good.

Detective Murphy: Let's see if we can get through the rest of this list. There are only a few more. After Mr. Hooper, Manuel Cornelius Jr. came in. Were you at the desk when he arrived?

Lillie Cain: Yes. He comes in a couple of times a week to check on his dad.

Detective Murphy: Were you at the desk when he left?

Lillie Cain: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: And Kate Berry?

Lillie Cain: She's so sweet. She comes to visit her grandma, Miss Ada.

Detective Murphy: And Helen Small?

Lillie Cain: She comes to check on her dad a lot lately. It seems like she's been really worried about him.

Detective Murphy: Do you know why?

Lillie Cain: I don't know.

Detective Murphy: But you have a guess, don't you?

Lillie Cain: I don't know. It seemed like maybe she was worried they weren't taking care of him right, but why would they do that?

Detective Murphy: Did she ever say that to anyone that you know of?

Lillie Cain: Not to me. I don't know what she said to anyone else. Are we almost done? I've got to get up front.

Detective Armstrong: Just one more thing. Are there any other entrances or exits where people might come in or go out without you seeing them?

Lillie Cain: Well, there's the delivery entrance back by the kitchen.

Detective Armstrong: And?

Lillie Cain: Okay, don't tell anyone I told you, but I think the alarms on the emergency exits don't always work. Or some people know how to turn them off? I don't know.

Detective Armstrong: What makes you think so?

Lillie Cain: I don't know. It just seems like— I don't know.

Detective Murphy: Since Mr. Harbison didn't sign out, do you think maybe he went out one of those other exits?

Lillie Cain: No. He doesn't work here.

Detective Murphy: Okay. Well, thanks again for talking to us. We'll let you know if we need anything else from you.

Lillie Cain: Okay. Have a nice day.

Interview ended – 8:58 a.m.