Mr. Rankin.

Did Mrs. Paine say anything about the possibility of your husband being involved?

Mrs. Oswald.

No, but she only said that "By the way, they fired from the building in which Lee is working."
My heart dropped. I then went to the garage to see whether the rifle was there, and I saw that the blanket was still there, and I said, "Thank God." I thought, "Can there really be such a stupid man in the world that could do something like that?" But I was already rather upset at that time--I don't know why. Perhaps my intuition. I didn't know what I was doing.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you look in the blanket to see if the rifle was there?

Mrs. Oswald.

I didn't unroll the blanket. It was in its usual position, and it appeared to have something inside.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you at any time open the blanket to see if the rifle was there?

Mrs. Oswald.

No, only once.

Mr. Rankin.

You have told us about that.

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes.

Mr. Rankin.

And what about Mrs. Paine? Did she look in the blanket to see if the rifle was there?

Mrs. Oswald.

She didn't know about the rifle. Perhaps she did know. But she never told me about it. I don't know.

Mr. Rankin.

When did you learn that the rifle was not in the blanket?

Mrs. Oswald.

When the police arrived and asked whether my husband had a rifle, and I said "Yes."

Mr. Rankin.

Then what happened?

Mrs. Oswald.

They began to search the apartment. When they came to the garage and took the blanket, I thought, "Well, now, they will find it." They opened the blanket but there was no rifle there.
Then, of course, I already knew that it was Lee. Because, before that, while I thought that the rifle was at home, I did not think that Lee had done that. I thought the police had simply come because he was always under suspicion.

Mr. Rankin.

What do you mean by that--he was always under suspicion?

Mrs. Oswald.

Well, the FBI would visit us.

Mr. Rankin.

Did they indicate what they suspected him of?

Mrs. Oswald.

They didn't tell me anything.

Mr. Rankin.

What did you say to the police when they came?

Mrs. Oswald.

I don't remember now. I was so upset that I don't remember what I said.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you tell them about your husband leaving his wedding ring that morning?

Mrs. Oswald.

No, because I didn't know it.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you tell them that you had looked for the gun you thought was in the blanket?

Mrs. Oswald.

No, it seems to me I didn't say that. They didn't ask me.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you watch the police open the blanket to see if the rifle was there?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes.

Mr. Rankin.

Did Mrs. Paine also watch them?

Mrs. Oswald.

It seems to me, as far as I remember.

Mr. Rankin.

When the police came, did Mrs. Paine act as an interpreter for you?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes. She told me about what they had said. But I was not being questioned so that she would interpret. She told me herself. She very much loved to talk and she welcomed the occasion.

Mr. Rankin.

You mean by that that she answered questions of the police and then told you what she had said?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes.