Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [123]
GILMORE Holiday.
NIELSEN At the Holiday? Did you sign in on your own name?
GILMORE Yeah, we stayed there until about seven. I took her home.
NIELSEN Seven this morning?
GILMORE Yeah, then I went to work.
NIELSEN What time did you pick her up?
GILMORE Seven. Five. Seven, I don't know. I don't have a watch. I don't like to wear watches.
NIELSEN Was she with you when you stopped at the service station out there?
GILMORE I didn't stop at any service station.
NIELSEN Gary, I really think you did.
GILMORE I didn't.
NIELSEN You saw that .22 Automatic out there on the way in?
GILMORE I seen a gun laying out there.
NIELSEN Have you ever seen it before?
GILMORE No.
NIELSEN Well, if it's registered to you, you're sunk.
GILMORE It ain't.
NIELSEN Okay. I don't know, Gary. I can't . . .
GILMORE Hey, that's what happened. I know you don't believe it.
NIELSEN I really don't, Gary. I really don't, I really don't. I think you did 'er, and I can't understand why you ended up shooting the people. That's what I can't understand.
GILMORE Listen . . .
NIELSEN Gary, that's really the way I feel.
GILMORE Do you think I'd shoot a person with that girl?
NIELSEN I don't know. If you left her in the car down at the corner or she didn't know, that's another matter.
GILMORE You can talk to her . . .
NIELSEN How do we get ahold of her? . . .
GILMORE She lives with her mother . . .
NIELSEN Can you tell me how to get there? . . .
GILMORE I can give you a phone number. She might be kind of hot that I had her daughter out all night . . .
NIELSON April Baker
GILMORE She was with me all the time.
NIELSEN How old is she?
GILMORE Eighteen.
NIELSON She's of age then. I don't know, it just looks bad, Gary. Can you describe the robber?
GILMORE He had long hair, dressed, you know, in Levi's, a brighter jacket, you know, a Levi's jacket.
NIELSEN I'll check that, I'll check it, but I don't believe that. I think as it stands, especially with your past record, I think they have a good case of robbery against you. I still can't understand why they were killed, I can't understand that.
GILMORE Can't understand what?
NIELSEN Why they were killed. I can't understand that. Gary, why were they killed?
GILMORE Who?
NIELSEN The guy in the motel and the guy out there . . .
GILMORE I didn't kill anybody.
NIELSEN I don't know, I think so.
GILMORE Like I told you, I knew just where I was at every minute.
NIELSEN What if I go check with these people and they say, "He's feeding you B.S."?
GILMORE They won't.
NIELSEN You sure? Everybody will say that?
GILMORE They might tell you a little different times or whatever.
NIELSEN What will April say if I ask her about 10:30 last night . . .
GILMORE I don't know, she's a little spacey. When she was young some guys took her out and gave her some acid without her knowing it and raped her. I don't know what she'll tell you. April was with me every minute last night . . . I got lonely for Nicole, so I just went by and got her little sister. April wanted a ride. We got to necking and laughing and giggling, and I kept her all night. Well, look, that's it.
NIELSEN I'll check it, I'll check her.
GILMORE I ain't going to tell you nothing else without a lawyer. That's all, can I eat?
NIELSEN It's getting close to breakfast time, you hungry? I'll tell them.
GILMORE My hand still hurts too . . .
NIELSEN Without an attorney and off the record, you wouldn't answer what I asked you a while ago?
GILMORE What was that?
NIELSEN About why they were killed when you left.
GILMORE I don't know why they were killed. I didn't kill them.
NIELSEN I hope that's true because that just worries me, that part. I can't understand it. I can understand the other. I can understand the stick-up thing.
GILMORE I didn't stick nobody up, and I didn't kill nobody.
NIELSEN Is it all right if I come back this afternoon to talk to you after I check on some of this?
GILMORE I ain't killed nobody, and I ain't robbed anybody.
NIELSEN Gary, I hope not but I have a hard time believing otherwise. At this point I have