Code 61 - Donald Harstad [63]
Downstairs, Borman was just standing in the parlor doorway. “I think,” I said to him, certain that I would be overheard, “we're just about done up there on the second floor. Or, should be within an hour or so.”
Borman said, “Good, and then up to the third floor?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said. “No problem at all.”
“So, what,” asked Junkel, “have you heard from the county attorney?”
“I'll be talking to him again shortly. We really are trying to be accommodating with this, but we also have a duty, and a higher obligation to the court.” I shrugged. “You know how that goes.”
By pulling both Borman and myself off search duties, we had probably lost two or three hours by now. We'd done it to be accommodating to Jessica Hunley in the first place. I'd hoped Ms. Hunley would have arrived, smiled, handed over the keys to the third floor, and left. Not to be. We'd tried to be accommodating when we simply should have taken the lock off one of the doors to the third, and reimbursed the owner.
There's always an upside, though. Although it had been in the back of my mind, I was quite aware that we had also kept Jessica Hunley from talking to the other residents of the house. I knew they'd talked on the phone, but so far they hadn't been able to sit down and exchange information as a group.
FOURTEEN
Sunday, October 8, 2000
17:50
By 17:00, we decided we were ready to proceed to the third floor. Hester and I approached Jessica Hunley with two questions.
“First,” I said, still in my friendly mode, “now that your attorneys are present, I'm going to ask again if you have a key to the third floor.”
Junkel answered. “Yes, she does, but that doesn't imply that she either gives permission for its use, nor if she does allow its use, that she willingly acquiesces to this search.” He looked at Hester. “Who's this?”
Hester said, “Hester Gorse. Special Agent, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.” She produced her badge, and showed it to Jessica first.
“With the mobil crime lab, then,” said Koch.
“No. I'm a general crim agent.” She replaced her badge in her pocket.
“He,” said Junkel, meaning me, “told us he was in charge.”
“He is,” said Hester. “We assist departments with primary jurisdiction.”
“So,” I said, “may we use the key for the third floor? To limit damage.”
“Yes,” said Koch.
“Now, then,” I said, again directly to Jessica Hunley, “what sort of things are up there? I'm asking to see, I guess, if it's a fully furnished floor, or partially, with empty rooms.”
“Don't answer that,” said Junkel.
“Then we have to assume the worst, as far as the length of time it will take to search it. Okay.” I turned to Hester. “Then we better feed the crew before we go up.”
“Right,” she said, with a twinkle in her eye. “There's no other choice. We have to assume it'll be a long one.”
“Want me to go get the food?” offered Borman.
“Nope. We'll order out.” I looked at Hester. “It can be delivered to the reserves outside, since nobody else is allowed in. They can bring it in to us.”
“It's already after five,” said Jessica.
“We'll go for supper,” said Junkel, in that special, accommodating way attorneys have with wealthy clients. “We'll be back in about an hour and a half or so.” He, Jessica, Tatiana, and Koch, in that order, headed for the door.
Payback time.
“Stop right there,” I said. With authority, the way we were taught to do verbal crowd control at the Academy. It almost always works, and it certainly did this time.
I had their full attention. “If you choose to leave, you will not be allowed back in. You will leave the key to the third floor when you go.”
“I don't think so,” said Junkel.
“And,” I said, “you will undergo a personal search before you leave. As expressly permitted under case law.” I stared at him. “You should know that.”
Both attorneys knew I was absolutely correct regarding the search. Although it was originally an outgrowth of drug cases, where individuals were present when the door