Smooth.
Lamar accepted that. No real choice. "But," he added, "I want to know why they were out there."
It was very interesting. Volont had just told us that he was sorry, but wasn't able to tell us the truth. Since nothing had been said to indicate that the "problems… divulging" had changed in any way, he had already warned us. Obliquely, but nonetheless, warned. So, now, he proceeded to tell us… well, not exactly the truth.
"We've had information," he said, "concerning a possible meeting in this area. Not specifically at the farm where the two killings took place. We were watching, to see who attended." He gave one of his familiar little tight-lipped smiles. "This is all concerning another matter, of course. One that has nothing to do with the area being observed." He shrugged, regretfully. "I'm sorry, but my agents tell me that you really can't see much of the Borglan place from their position." He paused. "So, we don't have any surveillance data we can share with you. I wish we did."
"Me too," said Lamar.
At this point, he'd really said he was sorry it had happened, he wasn't able to tell us the truth, he'd proceeded to tell us something other than the truth, and had just reassured us that it was all better. Very smooth. If I hadn't known him from before, he would have been a comfort. I was beginning to understand my feeling of being watched at Borglan's, though.
I glanced at George, wondering if he was buying this. I couldn't tell from his expression.
Lamar just said, "Maybe you should tell him some more, Carl."
I did. I told him that the Colson brothers had been known to impersonate undercover officers on previous, documented occasions.
"I see," he said. Noncommittal, but interested.
I told him that we had incontrovertible evidence that a person or persons unknown had called the Borglans at their Florida home on the night of the double murder. That, upon receiving that call, Cletus Borglan had left for Iowa the following morning. That he had appeared very concerned upon receipt of the call. That, upon arriving at his farm, he had indicated that he believed that two officers had been shot there, not two burglars.
I stopped.
Volont didn't bat an eye, but I swear I could almost hear relays popping in his head.
"Where," he asked, quietly, "did the call to the Borglans' Florida home originate?"
"Just a second," said Lamar. He picked up his phone. "Where's Mike? No shit? Bring it in, will you?" He looked at Volont. "Tell you in a few seconds," he said. He addressed me. "Mike got here a few minutes ago, and dropped off our letter…"
There was a knock on the door, and Judy stuck her head in, and held out an envelope. "Mike dropped this off a few minutes ago," she said. "I didn't want to bother you…
Being closest to the door, I reached up and took the envelope from her. It was sealed, but it had the phone company logo on it. "That's okay, Mike should have said something…"
"Thanks, Judy," said Lamar. After the door had closed, he said, "Go ahead, Carl."
I carefully opened the envelope and removed the single sheet of paper. It was Cletus Borglan's telephone records, as requested by our court order. And there it was.
LONG DISTANCE
1. 1-11 ORLANDO FL 407-555-3344 1047 P.M.
8.5 DDD NGT 2.87
One call. 10:47 P.M. Central time. Make it 11:47 Florida time. Eight and a half minutes. Direct Distance Dial. Nighttime rates applied. Two dollars and eighty-seven cents. That was it. One single call. But that was plenty.
"Just a sec," I said, reaching for the phone. Sally answered at dispatch. "Sally," I said, as evenly as I could, "what's the Florida number that the Borglans left for us… for contacting them if anything was wrong while they were on vacation?"
She sounded a bit stressed. "You need that right away?"
"Faster than that," I said. I could hear her muttering something to herself as I held my hand over the phone. "Just a second… I think we might have it…"
"Carl, that number is 407-555-3344. Orlando, Florida."
"Yee hah!" I startled her, but I just couldn't help myself. "I'll be damned."
"You guys must have lots of fun back there," said Sally. "Need anything else?"
"No, sorry about the yelling, just good news. Thanks!" I put down the phone.
"So?" said Lamar.
"So. So, the telephone company record here," and I held up the sheet of paper, "tells me that a call was placed from Borglan's residence here in Nation County… the murder scene… at about ten forty-seven our time… to a number in Orlando, Florida. The same number that the Borglans left with us on their residence check form. And," I added, "with the time difference, the call would have been received in Florida at about a quarter to midnight." I looked at Lamar. "Just when your source said it was." I was grinning all over myself.
"Well, bingo," said Lamar. "Just like we thought. Looks like our boy's been holdin' out on us. He's gotta know who it was that he talked to…"
"'Source'?" asked Volont.
I looked at Lamar, and he nodded. "We have a source who was with Cletus Borglan when he received the call from Iowa," I said. Being as matter-of-fact as I could.
It was time to bring Cletus in. I said I wanted an arrest warrant.
"Let me contact Davies." For Volont's benefit, I added, "Iowa Attorney General's office. He's got this case." I spoke toward Lamar. "You can damned well bet Cletus Borglan knows where he is. And that phone bill should be enough to charge Cletus as an accessory in a double homicide. Let's just see how far his loyalty to these murderers extends."
"Even so," said Volont, "there will be arms, and people to use them, around him, too. Perhaps even the killers themselves. You may well need a TAC team, either way. It would be best to wait…"
I smiled. "Nope. I don't think so. I just have to have a warrant for his arrest…"
You have to know who you're dealing with. It always comes down to that. I got Davies on the phone, and did just exactly what he told me to do. I sat down, typed a complaint and affidavit against Cletus Borglan, affirming in part that he "received a confirmatory call regarding the double murder, from the murderer, at the murder scene, while at his residence in Florida. This is confirmed both by confidential testimonial evidence sworn to the court, and a telephone company record of that call, placed on the night of…" The "testimonial" part was Lamar's sister-in-law's account. He called her, and told her to write it out, get herself to the Orlando PD, swear to it, and have them fax it to us. We teletyped them to the same effect, and referred to it as an FBI case. Volont made a telephone call to FBI, Orlando. Reluctantly, I think. But it was for them to assist in whatever way they could.
"You're going to have to move very, very fast, here," he said. "Not just on this Borglan. But very fast on the suspects afterward, as well… They'll know just about as soon as Borglan's been arrested."
"We'll move fast," I said, "but we're going to have to find out just who the suspects are, and that's going to depend on Borglan."
The fax copy of Lamar's sister's statement was in our possession before I got my complaint and affidavit typed out. She was also remaining at Orlando PD until further notice, just in case the judge wanted to have telephone contact with her. The FBI, as it transpired, had given her a ride. Volont was a heavy dude, no doubt about it.
George went with me to the judge.
By 1626, I was slipping and crunching in my car down Cletus Borglan's lane. George was with me, more as encouragement than anything else. I had outlined my plan of attack, and Volont had dragged his heels. Lamar said I could pull it off.