LAW & ORDER – TO CATCH A KILLER – PART III As told by Michael: “Hold up,” Michael ordered. He had just rounded the back corner of the 7-11 mini-market, the empty Pepsi can from Ambers home in hand. Ahead, the store owner was wheeling a pallet jack toward the first stack of soda still resting inside the old storage shed. The owner paused and looked his way. “Have you moved anything? The owner shook his head no. Michael stepped forward. He reached through the torn shrink wrap grasping an unopened container. Pulling it out into the daylight, he compared lot the numbers side by side. It was a perfect match. The empty can from Amber’s driveway had clearly come from this pallet. “You find something?” The owner was excited. Michael grinned knowingly. “I’ll need this new one for evidence. “No Problem. Anyway I can help.” Michael bid a hasty farewell and rushed back to his car. Five minutes later he was at his desk. Everyone on dayshift had left for lunch or was in the field working their own cases. Michael attempted to contact his supervisor; no luck and forged ahead. Sitting at his computer, he began to type: “On Tuesday, July 25, between the hours of 0200 and 0500 within Island County, Washington a crime occurred, to wit: Burglary in the Second Degree and Theft in the Third Degree and your affiant believes that evidence of this crime is located on, about and within the property and residence at #78 Thunderbird Mobile Home Park….” Michael typed rapidly. He had soon completed his Search Warrant Affidavit laying out in logical sequence the facts and conclusions he believed provided him probable cause to enter the residence at #78 and search for the additional cans of stolen Pepsi. He knew well that anything else he might stumble onto in plain view could be then be legally pursued. And while he would never admit it, that was his plan. Michael printed off the document, proofed it, corrected the spelling errors and re-printed the four pages. He tried his supervisor one more time. No answer. Protocol required a supervisor review a warrant before it was taken before a judge, but Michael sensed time was critical. In twenty minutes he was inside the chambers of a Superior Court Judge and raising his right hand. “Do you solemnly swear…” Michael blurted, “I do.” The judge reviewed the affidavit, but his brow furrowing towards the end. He removed his glasses and looked up sternly. “You wrote a search warrant for a couple cans of Pepsi?” The judge’s tone was tainted with irritation that his time was being used for a seemingly trivial matter. “Granted, I find you have probable cause…but for a couple of cans of Pepsi…” He sighed, “Well good luck detective.” The judge affixed his signature to the document and handed it to Michael. He beamed, grasped the sheets of paper and rushed out only to bump into his supervisor, the Chief of Detectives in the hallway. “What do you have there?” The gnarled veteran inquired. Michael gulped. The Chief was a stickler for protocol. “A search warrant.” The Chief’s eyes narrowed. “Let me see that.” Michael slowly passed it over. The Chief scanned the document. Michael braced. Slowly the Chief lowered his hand and glared at Michael. “So, you want to tell me about this?” “Ah…” “Never mind, it’s a good warrant.” Michael smiled. “Can I have a couple of uniforms to go with me?” The Chief’s expression hardened. “You can have one. For a couple of cans of Pepsi I’m not wasting any more.” Michael thanked the boss and raced out of the courthouse. In twenty minutes he and a lone uniformed Sheriff’s deputy would be on Amber’s doorstep. The door would open or they would simply kick it in. Regardless, in twenty minutes, Michael would be on right on track to catch a killer.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 08:47:27 +0000
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