Keith Morrison

They added Raymond Jennings to their wrongful death lawsuit.

And R. Rex Parris himself would conduct the deposition.

Paris came fully prepared.

He had carefully studied all of Detective Longshore's interviews with Jennings.

He'd gotten to know Jennings' mannerisms, his way of talking.

Charming guy could disarm a perfect stranger, even a suspicious detective.

Parris had already invested a considerable sum of money in the O'Keeffe investigation.

And perhaps to add some pressure on the DA, he invited a special guest, a reporter from the Antelope Valley Press.

The local newspaper was there while you deposed this man?

Yes.

Something else that usually doesn't happen?

When Jennings arrived at the big office with the four-foot letters spelling Paris's name, he came alone.

He did not bring a lawyer.

didn't have one.

I do.

Jennings settled himself in the big mauve-colored conference room.

They'd put him in a high-backed boardroom chair with a potted plant behind him.

A few feet away, Michelle's parents, Pat and Mike O'Keefe, stared intently.

They had been cautioned some of the testimony would be graphic, and all of it was being videotaped by a camera crew.

Jennings just swatted that one away.