A snippet from the investigation in "The Book Club Murders"

It was five o'clock in the afternoon so they were hoping that Mr. Hodges was home for supper.  They were not disappointed.  He came to the door dressed amazingly well for a person of little means.  He wore Docker pants, Gucci shoes, and a Ralph Lauren long sleeved dress shirt.  Pleasantly surprised at his appearance, Beth and Damien accepted his invitation to enter and were guided to the meticulously restored kitchen table and chairs.  Countertops were cleared and wiped.  The floor was sparkling.  Dishes were put away.  By all their observations, Mr. Hodges was a very neat man.
A copy of Tolstoy's War and Peace, lay on the table, with a book mark sticking out near the end.  After looking around the kitchen, Beth and Damien assumed a couple of chairs.
"So, you said you'd like to interrogate me in the matter of Laura Walter's death," he began a little testily.
"Not interrogate, Mr. Hodges, just ask if you happened to notice anything different the night of the murder," Beth quickly responded.  Hodges smiled.
"Would you believe you are the first to visit and ask anything?  The police or sheriff never bothered with me.  I gather they assumed that an old vagrant such as myself, would be of no use to them."  He bent his head a little as his face pondered his own statement.  "And I suppose they would be correct...in most instances."  Their interest heightened when he said the last part of the statement, like he had wanted. "Please join me in a cup of tea," he said as he instantly rose to fetch the tea pot.  Damien protested that they had just had two cups of coffee and needed no more liquids, but was waved off by Hodges, who busied himself preparing his most precious drink.
Following a few minutes of chit chat with his back to his guests, Mr. Hodges returned to the table with his favorite tea.  Sugar cubes were optional.  Beth and Damien accepted the cups and thanked him.
Stirring his sugar cube in his tea with a passion, Damien stopped for a moment and asked the first question.  "So, Mr. Hodges, exactly what do you know about the murder?  You hinted that you knew something."
"I simply said that the police would be correct in most instances that an old person like myself would have nothing useful to report to them."
It had been a long day and Beth let out a frustrated sigh before saying, "Mr. Hodges, we're not here to play games.  Laura Walters was a friend of mine and if you have any information about her death, you should share it with us and the police.  If you really have nothing, please don't waste our time."
Mr. Hodges beamed as he said, "My dear, I assure you that I am not playing games.  I may have something for you, but then again, I may not."  Damien placed his tea cup on the table.
"More games.  Beth, I think we should chalk this up to an old man who wants some attention, go back into town, and stop at the Municipal to see if anyone knows something there."
"My boy, that won't do you any good.  Interview a bunch of drunks who play pull tabs all day and all night long?"  Hodges sipped his tea as he eyed them both.
"All right, Mr. Hodges, then tell us what you mean," Beth retorted.
"Well, the information I have may be of use to you, but that is for you to determine.  I cannot do that for you, nor should I.  I travel around town every day and venture out onto the county roads and ditches in my never ending quest for treasure, uh, aluminum cans, if you prefer.  I may see things most people do not.  My mind is not encumbered by work, relationships, or petty jealousies of anything or anyone, so I remember things that I've seen.  I am focused."  He picked up his tea cup and daintily enjoyed another sip of his tea.