Read Online My Dark Places by James Ellroy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Ellroy
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didn’t notice much. He had quite a thick head of hair. It wasn’t thick—it was receded back, a little bit. But he still had quite a bit of hair on top.
Q Lay down flat on top?
A Uh huh.
Q How old do you think he was?
A In his thirties—middle thirties, past.
Q Between thirty-five and forty, possibly?
A Uh huh.
Q What nationality would you think he might be?
A She, of course, I didn’t think about her being anything but just American—but for him, I’d take him for a Greek or Italian.
Q Greek or Italian. Is it possible he might have been Mexican or Spanish-type, Latin-type?
A He could have been. (Pause.) His tan was, seemed like he wasn’t dark enough to be a Mexican. ’Course, I know there’s lots of light ones, but—
Q Was there anything particular about the condition of her clothing, at this time?
A No, I didn’t notice. I noticed the dress she had on, when I first waited on them. I know it was low-necked, because the light was shining.
Q About this car. Since we have talked to you last night, have you thought of anything, at all, that might be distinguishing about the car, that could help us?
A No, I thought about the car, last night. I thought, too, it must have had a California license on it. If it had been an out-of-state license, I would have noticed it. We work for tips, and about 99% of the out-of-state cars, you never make anything out of, so you notice them. And I didn’t notice that the car didn’t have the California license on it, so chances are that it did.
Q How about dented fenders, or broken grill work, or anything like that? Do you recall anything—
A (Interrupting) I just noticed that the paint, the finish, was so dull.
Q Did you hear them—after they finished their order and paid you and left—did you hear or see them leave?
A No.
Q Did you, at any time, hear the car running?
A Huh uh. The car wasn’t running when I went to pick up the tray.
Q And you didn’t hear them drive away?
A No.
Q In other words, you wouldn’t know whether it had loud pipes or anything like that on it?
A No.
Q Then, I understand that you saw this car again, later on. When was that?
A Sunday morning, after the bar was closed. It must have been around 2:15 or a little after, because we don’t usually get a crowd in there until about 2:15. But usually the lot’s full by 2:15, and they parked in back, almost to the back, right where we have the light shining over on the side, on her. And I went back to the car, and of course, asked them if they wanted a menu. She spoke up and said she wanted a bowl of chili and a cup of coffee. And I stood there, waiting for him to order, and I guess I wouldn’t have noticed him—I waited for him to order, and finally he said, “Just coffee.”
Q You said she ordered a bowl of chili?
A Uh huh.
Q Just chili, or chili and beans?
A Just chili and coffee.
Q Would there be some beans in the chili, though?
A Yes, always. That’s always served as chili and beans. We don’t serve straight chili.
Q What was her condition, at this time?
A She was a little drunker than she was the first time, but she was still very pleasant. She wasn’t nasty. Real pleasant to wait on, gay and laughing, and when I picked up the tray, she said something—I tried to remember what she said to me, or to him, but I can’t remember what she said, and who she was talking to, but she said something and laughed, and I smiled at her, and I couldn’t remember what she said.
Q What was the condition of her clothing, at this time?
A Her clothes were all right, except for the front of her dress. ’Course, the way the dress was made, I could see practically the whole breast, one side.
Q It wasn’t covered by a
Q Lay down flat on top?
A Uh huh.
Q How old do you think he was?
A In his thirties—middle thirties, past.
Q Between thirty-five and forty, possibly?
A Uh huh.
Q What nationality would you think he might be?
A She, of course, I didn’t think about her being anything but just American—but for him, I’d take him for a Greek or Italian.
Q Greek or Italian. Is it possible he might have been Mexican or Spanish-type, Latin-type?
A He could have been. (Pause.) His tan was, seemed like he wasn’t dark enough to be a Mexican. ’Course, I know there’s lots of light ones, but—
Q Was there anything particular about the condition of her clothing, at this time?
A No, I didn’t notice. I noticed the dress she had on, when I first waited on them. I know it was low-necked, because the light was shining.
Q About this car. Since we have talked to you last night, have you thought of anything, at all, that might be distinguishing about the car, that could help us?
A No, I thought about the car, last night. I thought, too, it must have had a California license on it. If it had been an out-of-state license, I would have noticed it. We work for tips, and about 99% of the out-of-state cars, you never make anything out of, so you notice them. And I didn’t notice that the car didn’t have the California license on it, so chances are that it did.
Q How about dented fenders, or broken grill work, or anything like that? Do you recall anything—
A (Interrupting) I just noticed that the paint, the finish, was so dull.
Q Did you hear them—after they finished their order and paid you and left—did you hear or see them leave?
A No.
Q Did you, at any time, hear the car running?
A Huh uh. The car wasn’t running when I went to pick up the tray.
Q And you didn’t hear them drive away?
A No.
Q In other words, you wouldn’t know whether it had loud pipes or anything like that on it?
A No.
Q Then, I understand that you saw this car again, later on. When was that?
A Sunday morning, after the bar was closed. It must have been around 2:15 or a little after, because we don’t usually get a crowd in there until about 2:15. But usually the lot’s full by 2:15, and they parked in back, almost to the back, right where we have the light shining over on the side, on her. And I went back to the car, and of course, asked them if they wanted a menu. She spoke up and said she wanted a bowl of chili and a cup of coffee. And I stood there, waiting for him to order, and I guess I wouldn’t have noticed him—I waited for him to order, and finally he said, “Just coffee.”
Q You said she ordered a bowl of chili?
A Uh huh.
Q Just chili, or chili and beans?
A Just chili and coffee.
Q Would there be some beans in the chili, though?
A Yes, always. That’s always served as chili and beans. We don’t serve straight chili.
Q What was her condition, at this time?
A She was a little drunker than she was the first time, but she was still very pleasant. She wasn’t nasty. Real pleasant to wait on, gay and laughing, and when I picked up the tray, she said something—I tried to remember what she said to me, or to him, but I can’t remember what she said, and who she was talking to, but she said something and laughed, and I smiled at her, and I couldn’t remember what she said.
Q What was the condition of her clothing, at this time?
A Her clothes were all right, except for the front of her dress. ’Course, the way the dress was made, I could see practically the whole breast, one side.
Q It wasn’t covered by a
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