DET. MARTINEZ: Mailboxes Plus, Agoura, box number 1498.
MR. JONES: That was for research.
DET. STURGIS: What kind of research?
MR. JONES: I’ve been thinking of a possible project: pornography research — recurrent images in an overly organized society — as a form of ritual. Obviously, I didn’t want material sent to my home or my campus office — you get on pervert lists, and I didn’t want a flood of garbage coming in. So Kristie rented the POB for me.
DET. STURGIS: Any reason you didn’t rent it yourself?
MR. JONES: I was busy, Kristie lived out there, and it just seemed convenient.
DET. STURGIS: Any reason you rented it under the name of Ralph Benedict, M.D.? A physician who’s been dead for two and a half years and just happened to have treated your wife’s aunt for diabetes?
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
DET. STURGIS: Any reason you had medical apparatus shipped out to that post office box using Ralph Benedict, M.D.’s name and medical license number?
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
DET. STURGIS: Any reason you had insulin and Insuject insulin-delivery systems, such as the one we found in your hand in your daughter’s hospital room, shipped to that post office box in Ralph Benedict, M.D.’s name?
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
MR. JONES: Ridiculous. Cindy knew about the POB, too. I gave her my spare key. She must have used it for that.
DET. STURGIS: She says she didn’t.
MR. JONES: She’s lying.
DET. STURGIS: Okay, but even so, why’d you use Benedict’s name to get the box? It’s your name on the application form.
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
MR. JONES: I want to — I want to clear my name, Tony. In all honesty, Detective, I can’t really answer that one. It must have been subconscious. Cindy must have mentioned Benedict’s name — yes, I’m sure she did. As you said, he was her aunt’s doctor, she talked about him a lot, and it stuck in my mind — so when I needed a name for the box, it just popped into my head.
DET. STURGIS: Why’d you need an alias in the first place?
MR. JONES: I already explained that. For the pornography — some of the stuff I received was really disgusting.
DET. STURGIS: Your wife says she knew nothing about the box.
MR. JONES: Of course she does. She’s lying. Really, Detective, it’s all a matter of context — seeing things in a different light, using a new lens.
DET. STURGIS: Uh-huh.
MR. TOKARIK: Now what are you pulling out?
DET. STURGIS: I think it’s obvious. This is a mask.
MR. TOKARIK: I fail to see—
MR. JONES: No big deal. It’s from the carnival — Delta Psi’s carnival. They dressed me up as a witch. I kept the mask for a souvenir.
DET. STURGIS: Kristie Kirkash kept it. You gave it to her last week and told her to keep it.
MR. JONES: So?
DET. STURGIS: So I think you put this on when you injected Cassie. So you’d look like a woman — the wicked witch.
MR. TOKARIK: Ridiculous.
MR. JONES: I agree with you there, Tony.
DET. STURGIS: A souvenir, huh? Why’d you give it to Kristie?
MR. JONES: She’s a Delta Psi. I thought the sorority would like to have it.
DET. STURGIS: Considerate.
MR. JONES: I’m their faculty adviser. What’s the big—
DET. STURGIS: You have a thing for your students, don’t you? That’s how you met your wife, isn’t it? She was your student.
MR. JONES: It’s not unusual — the teacher-student relationship...
DET. STURGIS: What about it?
MR. JONES: Often... sometimes it leads to intimacy.
DET. STURGIS: You tutor her, too? Your wife?
MR. JONES: As a matter of fact, I did. But she was hopeless — not very bright at all.
DET. STURGIS: But you married her anyway. How come? A smart guy like you.
MR. JONES: I was smitten — “this spring of love.”
DET. STURGIS: You met in the spring?
MR. JONES: It’s a quotation—
DET. STURGIS: Shakespeare?
MR. JONES: As a matter of fact, yes. I fell deeply in love and was taken advantage of. A romantic nature. My bête noire.
DET. STURGIS: What about Karl Sobran? He take advantage of you too?
MR. JONES: With Karl it was different — with him, ironically, I wasn’t naïve. I knew what he was, right away, but I felt I could help him channel his impulses.
DET. STURGIS: What did you know he was?
MR. JONES: Classic antisocial sociopath. But contrary to popular belief, those types don’t lack consciences. They merely suspend them at their convenience — read Samenow. As a police officer, you really should. Where was I? Karl. Karl is very bright. I was hoping to direct his intelligence in a constructive manner.
DET. STURGIS: Like murder for hire?
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
MR. JONES: Stop sighing, Tony. That’s ridiculous. Of course not. Did Karl actually say that?
DET. STURGIS: How else would I know about him, Prof?
MR. JONES: Ludicrous. But he is a sociopath — don’t forget that. Genetic liar. At worst I’m guilty of underestimating him — not realizing how truly dangerous he was. As much as I didn’t respect Dawn as a human being, I was horrified to find out she was murdered. If I’d known, I’d never have written that letter to Karl’s parole board. Never have... Oh, my God.
DET. STURGIS: Never have what?
MR. JONES: Talked idly to Karl.
DET. STURGIS: About Dawn?
MR. TOKARIK: Don’t answer that.
MR. JONES: You’re sighing again — it’s very wearisome, Tony. Yes, about her, as well as other things. I’m afraid I must have thrown out idle comments about Dawn that Karl must have misinterpreted horribly.
DET. STURGIS: What kinds of comments?
MR. JONES: Oh, no, I can’t believe he actually — How she was harassing me. He misunderstood. God, what a horrible misunderstanding!
DET. STURGIS: You’re saying he misunderstood your comments and killed her on his own?
MR. JONES: Believe me, Detective, the thought makes me sick. But it’s an inescapable conclusion.
DET. STURGIS: What exactly did you tell Sobran about Dawn?
MR. JONES: That she was someone from my past who was bothering me.
DET. STURGIS: That’s it?
MR. JONES: That’s it.
DET. STURGIS: There was no solicitation? To kill or hurt her?
MR. JONES: Absolutely not.
DET. STURGIS: But there was payment, Prof. Two thousand dollars that Sobran deposited in his account the day after her murder. He had some of it in his pocket when I arrested him. He says he got it from you.
MR. JONES: No problem. I’ve been helping Karl for a long time — so he could get on his feet, wouldn’t have to revert.
DET. STURGIS: Two thousand dollars?
MR. JONES: Sometimes I get a little loose with the purse strings. It’s an occupational hazard.
DET. STURGIS: Of being a sociology professor?
MR. JONES: Of growing up wealthy — it can be a real curse, you know. That’s why I always tried to live my life as if the money didn’t exist. Keeping my life-style unpretentious — keeping away from all the things that have the potential to corrupt.
DET. STURGIS: Like real estate deals?
MR. JONES: My investments were for them — Cindy and the kids. I wanted them to have some kind of financial stability, because teaching school sure won’t give you that. That was before I realized what she was doing.
DET. STURGIS: By “doing,” you mean sexual behavior?
MR. JONES: Exactly. With everything that walked in through the door. The children weren’t even mine, but I took care of them anyway. I’m a soft touch — it’s something I need to work on.
DET. STURGIS: Uh-huh... Was Chad yours?