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Back We Were Killers Once Save as PDF
Chapters (65)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Sixteen
  20. Seventeen
  21. Eighteen
  22. Nineteen
  23. Twenty
  24. Twenty–one
  25. Twenty–two
  26. Twenty–three
  27. Twenty–four
  28. Twenty–five
  29. Twenty–six
  30. Twenty–seven
  31. Twenty–eight
  32. Twenty–nine
  33. Thirty
  34. Thirty–one
  35. Thirty–two
  36. Thirty–three
  37. Thirty–four
  38. Thirty–five
  39. Thirty–six
  40. Thirty–seven
  41. Thirty–eight
  42. Thirty–nine
  43. Forty
  44. Forty–one
  45. Forty–two
  46. Forty–three
  47. Forty–four
  48. Forty–five
  49. Forty–six
  50. Forty–seven
  51. Forty–eight
  52. Forty–nine
  53. Fifty
  54. Fifty–one
  55. Fifty–two
  56. Fifty–three
  57. Fifty–four
  58. Fifty–five
  59. Fifty–six
  60. Fifty–seven
  61. Author’s Note
  62. Acknowledgments
  63. Also by Becky Masterman
  64. About the Author
  65. Newsletter Sign-up

It was at one of these times that I told Perry we were crazy to not collar Jerry on the Walker killings. We could say we knew the gun used on the Walkers was .22 caliber and that Jerry bought it. If they would find Jerry, they could match his prints to one found at the scene. It could keep me from being hanged, I said.

Perry begged me not to squeal, he practically got down on his knees and begged me. I asked why he was so stuck on that kid. He said because he had never done anything very noble in his life, and he thought this was a noble thing. I said why do a noble thing for that kid. He said Jerry had his whole life ahead of him, he was just a kid who did not know any better. I said that may be, but the kid had killed six people before the age of sixteen if you counted his own grandfather, two Clutters, and all the Walkers. Maybe it was not such a good idea to leave him loose on the world. Smith said he did not care, he wanted to do this and would I agree. I said I would think about it.

But Jerry must have been in contact with Perry. My father was dead by this time, but my mother came to visit me often. On one visit she told me that a boy had come to the house to say that if I didn’t keep to my word she and my whole family could be in danger. He gave her an article about a bunch of dead dogs that was supposed to show he meant what he said. She gave me the article.

That is why I am writing this true and final confession, and true to my word will go to the gallows without turning on Jerry. But I’ve told Mom that if she or any of my kin is threatened before or after my execution, she should go to Father Santangelo. He has instructions to give this confession to the authorities. I do not imagine Jerry can go long without being picked up on some charge or other, and then his prints can be matched to the Walkers’ house.

This finished, I’ve done everything I can think of to protect my family. Father Santangelo told me that God has forgiven me for the bad things I did in my life, and for the bad things I thought. This is a hard thing for me to believe, but I have to trust him. Now I am prepared to go to the gallows. I even decided what I will say for my last words. I will say, “I just want to say I hold no hard feelings. You people are sending me to a much better place than this has been.”

Sincerely,
Richard Eugene Hickock, April 6, 1965

Fifty–five

“Now why would you say that?” Beaufort asked Gloria.