Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [131]
NIELSEN Did you tell your mom that?
APRIL She didn't ask me because she knows I have my private life and if I wanted to blow it, I could . . .
NIELSEN April, Gary is in very serious trouble. I know that, I have talked to him about it and there is no question about it. He already told me you were with him at the time and so I know that you know about it. I am not interested in you telling me so that I can charge you. I don't intend to charge you with it, but I do intend to see that you tell the truth.
APRIL I am a split personality. I am controlling it pretty good today. A lot of time I like to just let go and let the other person creep on out . . .
NIELSEN Where did you go last night, when you left home?
APRIL I went riding around with a couple of friends.
NIELSEN Did they know him?
APRIL No.
NIELSEN Do you mind telling me who they were?
APRIL One is Grant and one is Joe.
NIELSEN Where did you stay last night?
APRIL I didn't sleep all night, rode to Wyoming, and just went in the mountains and down this road and came home.
NIELSEN What time did you get home?
APRIL 4:30 or 5:00.
NIELSEN Don't you worry about your mom worrying about you?
APRIL I don't think she worries about me. I'm not afraid of no guns and I am not afraid of no dudes with knives. They don't scare me. I have learned self-defense.
NIELSEN I want to ask you one more time about the service station. April, I think it would be best if you tell me what you know.
APRIL I don't remember the service station in Orem.
NIELSEN Do you remember seeing him pull a gun at the service station?
APRIL We went into a service station right before we went to the Holiday Inn and I am sure there were no guns attached. They may have been carrying them, but that's all.
NIELSEN Who are "they"?
APRIL Any of the dudes that were around.
NIELSEN Do you know any of them?
APRIL I recognize all of them, but I don't know some of their names. One of them works with him at the insulation place.
NIELSEN Insulation?
APRIL Where he works at the Ideal Insulation. I am pretty sure it was the friend we visited.
NIELSEN At the cafe?
APRIL It may not have been.
NIELSEN Are you about ready to go back home?
APRIL Yes. I am wondering why I am here.
NIELSEN I will be glad to help you if I can.
When April came out of the interview, she said, "Mama, they told me Gary killed two men. Do you believe that?"
Kathryne said, "Well, April, I guess he must have."
"Gary couldn't kill someone, Mama."
"Well, April," Kathryne said, "I think Gary told them he did."
Chapter 18
AN ACT OF CONTRITION
Next morning, Gilmore was brought from Provo to Orem, and Nielsen saw him in his office, and apologized about the crowd outside. There were TV lights and a lot of reporters and city employees in the hall, but what really embarrassed Nielsen was that half the police force including off-duty officers had also come out. People were even standing on chairs to get a look.
Nielsen had his secretary bring a cup of coffee. Then he said "Lieutenant Skinner is going to sign a complaint charging you with the homicide of Max Jensen." After a short pause, Gary said, "Hey, I really feel bad about those two guys. I read one of their obituaries in the paper last night. He was a young man and had a kid and he was a missionary. Makes me really feel bad."
"Gary, I feel bad too. I can't understand taking a life for amount of money you got."
Gary replied, "I don't know how much I got. What was there?"
Nielsen said, "It was $125, and in Provo, approximately the same amount." Gary began to cry. He didn't weep with any noise but there were tears in his eyes. He said, "I hope they execute me for it. I ought to die for what I did."
"Gary, are you ready to?" Nielsen asked. "It doesn't scare you?"
"Would you like to die?"
"Criminy," said Nielsen, "no."
"Me, neither," said Gilmore, "but I ought to be executed." "I don't know," said Nielsen, "there's got to be forgiveness somewhere along the line."
A little later, Gary made a private call to Brenda.
"How," he asked her, "did the cops know I was at Craig Taylor's