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Authors: Karin Slaughter
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She added, “And even if there was enough time, there’s no way all the bills would be from the same block from the same district by the time they made it to the opposite corner of the country.”
Will felt some of the pressure lifting off his chest. Given a little more time, Faith would be able to trace the bills back to a particular bank. If that bank had Joe Jenner as a client, the right kind of judge could be persuaded to sign off on a warrant to search Jenner’s accounts. Even the best defense lawyer in the world would have a hard time rebutting testimony from the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. This was exactly the kind of evidence that juries loved to hear.
Will asked, “Is Riggins talking?”
“No. He lawyered up.”
“Please tell me the Idaho cops got a warrant before they searched his car.”
“Didn’t have to,” Faith said. “Paul Riggins is a registered sex offender.”
Will mumbled a curse. “Did the mom know that?”
“No.” Faith looked back at the monitor. Rebecca Brannon was sobbing into the microphones, begging for her daughter back. “But she does now.”
CHAPTER SIX
Yet again, Will sat across from Joe Jenner. He kept his arms crossed, hiding his watch. They were two hours over the correct time now. It was a huge jump, but Jenner had been in the bare interrogation room for so long they were praying that it didn’t matter. For Will’s part, today already felt like one of the longest of his life.
Jenner finally let out a long, bored sigh. “Well?”
Will told him, “The district attorney for the City of Atlanta is waiting outside.”
Jenner seemed unimpressed.
“She’s ready to make a deal with you, Joe. Just tell us where the girl is.”
Jenner did not respond.
Will laid out the evidence they had. “We know Paul Riggins took Abigail Brannon from his girlfriend’s home yesterday morning. Last night, he delivered Abigail to you and Eleanor Fielding at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. You gave Riggins thirty thousand dollars cash for the girl.”
“You have no proof of any of this.”
“We traced the serial numbers, Joe. You should never use new money for this kind of thing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Will laid out what Faith had told him a few moments ago. “The Federal Reserve in Atlanta sent a batch of new hundred-dollar bills to Bank of America’s central distribution center. From there, the bank sent it out to their branches. It’s money, so they’re careful with it. They track the serial numbers. They know where every bill is from the second it enters the system to the second it leaves. Which is why we know that the cash you gave Paul Riggins was withdrawn from three different Bank of America branches: Buckhead, Ansley, and Peachtree Battle.” Will crossed his arms over his chest. “We got a judge to let us peek at your accounts. Last week, youwithdrew ten thousand dollars from three different accounts at three different branches: Buckhead, Ansley, and Peachtree Battle.”
For just a second, Jenner looked surprised. “You can’t prove it’s all the same.”
“Can’t we?” Will had to resist the smile that wanted to come. He liked hearing the panic in Jenner’s voice, no matter how quickly it dissipated.
“I was robbed.”
Will asked, “Did you file a report?”
“I didn’t have time.”
“You just let thirty thousand dollars walk off?” Will shook his head. “Why’d you have it in the first place?”
“I don’t believe that’s anyone’s business.”
“Be sure to tell that to the jury,” Will advised. “I guess you thought you were being smart by limiting each withdrawal to ten grand. Being a tax lawyer, you know that the bank is required to report any transactions over ten thousand dollars. And, of course, on internal flights, the TSA can’t legally limit how much cash you travel with.”
Jenner brushed some invisible lint off the sleeve of his jacket.
“Eleanor
Will felt some of the pressure lifting off his chest. Given a little more time, Faith would be able to trace the bills back to a particular bank. If that bank had Joe Jenner as a client, the right kind of judge could be persuaded to sign off on a warrant to search Jenner’s accounts. Even the best defense lawyer in the world would have a hard time rebutting testimony from the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. This was exactly the kind of evidence that juries loved to hear.
Will asked, “Is Riggins talking?”
“No. He lawyered up.”
“Please tell me the Idaho cops got a warrant before they searched his car.”
“Didn’t have to,” Faith said. “Paul Riggins is a registered sex offender.”
Will mumbled a curse. “Did the mom know that?”
“No.” Faith looked back at the monitor. Rebecca Brannon was sobbing into the microphones, begging for her daughter back. “But she does now.”
CHAPTER SIX
Yet again, Will sat across from Joe Jenner. He kept his arms crossed, hiding his watch. They were two hours over the correct time now. It was a huge jump, but Jenner had been in the bare interrogation room for so long they were praying that it didn’t matter. For Will’s part, today already felt like one of the longest of his life.
Jenner finally let out a long, bored sigh. “Well?”
Will told him, “The district attorney for the City of Atlanta is waiting outside.”
Jenner seemed unimpressed.
“She’s ready to make a deal with you, Joe. Just tell us where the girl is.”
Jenner did not respond.
Will laid out the evidence they had. “We know Paul Riggins took Abigail Brannon from his girlfriend’s home yesterday morning. Last night, he delivered Abigail to you and Eleanor Fielding at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. You gave Riggins thirty thousand dollars cash for the girl.”
“You have no proof of any of this.”
“We traced the serial numbers, Joe. You should never use new money for this kind of thing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Will laid out what Faith had told him a few moments ago. “The Federal Reserve in Atlanta sent a batch of new hundred-dollar bills to Bank of America’s central distribution center. From there, the bank sent it out to their branches. It’s money, so they’re careful with it. They track the serial numbers. They know where every bill is from the second it enters the system to the second it leaves. Which is why we know that the cash you gave Paul Riggins was withdrawn from three different Bank of America branches: Buckhead, Ansley, and Peachtree Battle.” Will crossed his arms over his chest. “We got a judge to let us peek at your accounts. Last week, youwithdrew ten thousand dollars from three different accounts at three different branches: Buckhead, Ansley, and Peachtree Battle.”
For just a second, Jenner looked surprised. “You can’t prove it’s all the same.”
“Can’t we?” Will had to resist the smile that wanted to come. He liked hearing the panic in Jenner’s voice, no matter how quickly it dissipated.
“I was robbed.”
Will asked, “Did you file a report?”
“I didn’t have time.”
“You just let thirty thousand dollars walk off?” Will shook his head. “Why’d you have it in the first place?”
“I don’t believe that’s anyone’s business.”
“Be sure to tell that to the jury,” Will advised. “I guess you thought you were being smart by limiting each withdrawal to ten grand. Being a tax lawyer, you know that the bank is required to report any transactions over ten thousand dollars. And, of course, on internal flights, the TSA can’t legally limit how much cash you travel with.”
Jenner brushed some invisible lint off the sleeve of his jacket.
“Eleanor
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