On the way to the house we radioed the dispatcher here in Fort Atkinson and told him to call Lieutenant Thorne to find out the name of the two city workers who’d delivered Dahmer’s possessions to the landfill. “And we need to know if the landfill they used was the one here in Fort Atkinson.”
We also called for backup to be sent to the farmhouse-an ambulance too. I didn’t say so, but I wanted it there because I knew if I was left alone with Griffin, he would be needing it.
The town of Fort Atkinson didn’t have a SWAT team, but Webb told us they’d call in the one for Jefferson County.
We were only two or three minutes from the landfill. “How long till they get here?”
“Twenty minutes. Fifteen maybe-but I’d say that’s pushing it.”
Not what I wanted to hear.
Standing around waiting for people to show up to do what I was prepared to do right now wasn’t what I had in mind for this afternoon. I wanted to go and get Griffin the minute we arrived.
If he’s even there.
That was true. It was also true that I wasn’t in my jurisdiction. Admittedly, that did put a few wrinkles in things.
I could work through a few wrinkles.
When we were about half a mile from the farmhouse, the dispatcher radioed back, relaying the message from Thorne: yes, the landfill was the one in Fort Atkinson; the names of the two city workers were Roger Kennedy and Dane Strickland. I hadn’t heard of either of the two men before, but I knew we were going to have a talk with them before everything involving this case was said and done.
Just as we were finishing up the transmission, we arrived at the farmhouse.
It was a small, ranch-style home, half burned down. The roof on the east side was caved in, the walls were blackened, the windows broken.
Griffin’s car was parked out front.
But why would he come here to flee?
Officer Webb, Radar, and I exited the car and unholstered our weapons. Radar immediately took position behind a nearby tree that gave him a clear line on the front door. Webb crouched behind the car, using the hood to steady his shooting arm.
I kept my door open, eased behind it, and eyed the farmhouse for movement. Saw none.
The sky was pregnant with snow. Clouds hung down like heavy, dark scabs.
The wind was dead. The day, still.
I really wanted to go into that house right now, but it wasn’t smart for any number of reasons-not the least of which: we had a possible hostage situation and storming the place without finding out where Mallory was could put her life in danger.
The air reeked of damp rot and dank smoke from the landfill that lay only a hundred meters beyond the house, surrounded by an eight-foot-tall wooden fence.
With the air smelling like this and the house in the shape it was, I couldn’t imagine anyone coming out here to party, as Webb had mentioned, but then I remembered we were talking about two people who lived in a home filled with memorabilia of serial killers and pedophiles. Who on earth knew why they did what they did.
Carver pulled up, parked, got out and we consulted for a moment. I was anxious to use the mic on his cruiser’s PA system to try to call Griffin out of the house, Carver was bent on waiting for the Jefferson County SWAT team.
“With all due respect, Detective,” he said at last, “this is our jurisdiction; this is our case. Since it was a federal search warrant at the house and you’re working with the Feds, I had no problem with your involvement there, but out here, this is our turf. He’s our guy to bring in.”
He had a point and if I were in his place I might’ve been saying the same things. “Sergeant, I couldn’t care less about who gets the credit for bringing this guy in. And I want that girl, Mallory, safe, just like you do, but…” I thought of what to say next, changed my tune a bit, and gestured toward Radar. “How about Sergeant Walker and I take the back of the house. Cover it until the tactical unit gets here.”
“Good. Thanks.” He nodded, and Radar and I circled around in case Griffin tried to leave the house and flee through the landfill.
I wasn’t sure exactly how everything was going to play out, but I did know that if I found out Mallory was in danger, from back here it’d be a lot easier to move on the house without any of Carver’s guys getting in the way.