Page 97 of Precise Justice

“Yeah, I think so. When we got her information for the rape, I remember she gave her address as a dorm at St. Kate’s.”

“We’re gonna need a warrant from Ramsey County,” Lucy said.

“Yes,” Melissa agreed.

An hour later, they were done. Realistically, the only evidence they hoped to find was a hammer. Specifically, a claw hammer. They found two of them. Unfortunately neither one was a three-inch straight claw.

“According to Benny Shambhani, these are the wrong type,” Lucy told the sergeant when he showed them to her. “Bag them anyway. We’ll get them tested.”

“Sorry,” Randall said.

“It’s not your fault. You guys can take off. I’ll take the hammers. Thanks.”

Outside, Lucy asked Melissa, “Call your buddy over in St. Paul. See if he’ll do us a favor and get a warrant for us.”

“I knew you were gonna ask,” Melissa said.

There was a detective, now a lieutenant in St. Paul with whom Melissa had a brief relationship. It barely lasted three weeks. One night Melissa got a phone call from a very angry woman regarding her police officer husband. That ended it.

“You still have him listed in your phone?” Lucy asked when she saw Melissa dial him.

“You never know when you might need…hello, Jerry. Been a while…”

When the call was finished, the two women went to their car. Walking down the sidewalk toward the street, Melissa saw the inquisitive look on her partner’s face.

“We need to do the warrant for Ramsey County then email it and the affidavit to him. He has a judge he knows who will sign it. Okay?”

“Okay,” Lucy said.

“He’s actually a nice guy. Good looking, too,” Melissa said.

“He hit on you again, didn’t he?”

“He did, yeah.”

“And?”

“I said no,” Melissa replied.

“Atta girl,” Lucy said. “What?”

“He is really good looking.”

“Just what the hell is going on here? What are you doing? Get out of my…” they heard then saw a young woman yelling at them from the dorm room’s doorway.

The St. Paul uniformed patrol officer went back to the door. He held up a hand to the girl to keep her out.

As he was doing this, Lucy went to her and Melissa retrieved a copy of the search warrant from Robbie’s desk top.

“We’re Minneapolis police detectives. We have a valid search warrant to search this room,” Lucy politely said. “Are you the roommate of Robbie Powell, Cynthia Palmer?”

“Yes,” the girl said. “Now I don’t care, get out or I’ll call my father. He’s very influential.”

“Swell. Go right ahead,” Melissa said while showing her Robbie’s copy of the warrant. “In the meantime, you’ll have to stay out.”

“You can’t look through my stuff,” she indignantly replied.

“Yes, we can. Now, please step back,” which Cynthia did. “Thank you,” Melissa said as she closed and locked the door.