A Killing in China Basin

THIRTY-FIVE


A second warrant to search Heilbron’s house was denied, the judge stern with Raveneau after inviting him in and offering him coffee.

‘You searched his house once and found nothing tying him to the China Basin murder or a rape in the San Jose area. You never charged him for the murder. You didn’t have any evidence and still don’t. You had a confession of sorts but it didn’t stand up. By your own account it wasn’t credible and you knew that after you and your partner took him to the China Basin building. Am I correct in saying you didn’t believe his initial confession was credible? That there were inconsistencies with the murder scene?’

The judge waited and when Raveneau delayed, he asked, ‘Do you want milk in your coffee?’

‘No thanks, and yes there were inconsistencies. We hoped to hold him on the rape charge. That one—’

‘I agree that one is eerie but the victim was unable to identify him. The San Jose police showed her photos, did they not? She couldn’t identify him and if I’m not mistaken she told them that she never got a very good look at his face, even when he was working on the tire. She didn’t completely trust him. She didn’t stand too close to him. She was on her cell phone.’ He handed Raveneau his coffee. ‘And there’s no DNA evidence.’

‘That’s why he confessed to it, and I’m sure that’s him in the video. I know his look, I know his walk.’

‘That’s not good enough, Inspector. You arrested and held him once already for five or six days, and you’ve already searched his house. I can understand why he worries you and why you’re focused on him, but you haven’t given me enough.’

‘We have reasons to focus on him.’

‘I’m sure you do, but good reasons or not, you don’t have enough for another warrant. This camcorder or videotape arrangement attached to his van is very disturbing, as is the tape he shot, but you’ve got to bring me something closer to probable cause.’

Raveneau picked up the coffee. He didn’t want coffee but he did want to buy time.

‘Let me try again. Maybe I didn’t write it up well. I thought he was off-balanced and possibly thrill-seeking when he first came in and confessed. Now I realize the first confession may be part of some larger plan or fantasy. Whether he was our killer in China Basin or not, I think the killing was a catalyst for him. It happened in an area he considers his own. Possibly it’s a way of killing he had fantasized about. A little over a day later he came in to confess—’

The judge was exasperated.

‘I know all of this. You can’t re-churn the same stuff you got the last warrant with.’

‘We need to get in front of him before he acts again. We need to get back in his house and in his van and be more thorough.’

The judge jumped on that. ‘The law doesn’t protect you from lack of thoroughness.’

‘We need another chance to search, your honor.’

‘I’m sorry. I just can’t sign it with what you’ve got. Get me something concrete.’

‘What if I rewrite it?’

The judge shook his head. Raveneau took a sip of the coffee, and then set it down near the kitchen sink. At the door before leaving he said, ‘I’ve been at this more than twenty years and I’ve never really seen a guy quite like this one.’

‘There’s always somebody worse.’

Raveneau nodded. He shut the judge’s front door and went down the steps to his car.