was alone in his locked room, fuming because he’d been forgotten. He had not seen or spoken to anyone in over an hour.
Riley Drumm found his green van parked at the city jail. He’d been driving the streets and was relieved to find the van. He was also concerned about his son and what kind of trouble he was in. The Slone City Jail is next door, and attached, to the police department. Riley went to the jail first and, after some confusion, was told that his son was not behind bars. He had not been processed. There were sixty-two prisoners back there, none by the name of Donté Drumm. The jailer, a younger white officer, recognized Donté’s name and was as helpful as possible. He suggested that Mr. Drumm check next door with the police department. This he did, and it too proved confusing and frustrating. It was 12:40 a.m. and the front doorwas locked. Riley called his wife with an update, then he pondered how to get inside the building. After a few minutes, a patrol car parked nearby, and two uniformed officers emerged. They spoke to Riley Drumm, who explained why he was there. He followed them inside and took a seat in the lobby. The two officers left in search of his son. Half an hour passed before they reappeared and said that Donté was being questioned. About what? Why? The officers did not know. Riley began waiting. At least the boy was safe.
The first crack occurred when Kerber produced a color eight-by-ten photo of Nicole. Weary, alone, frightened, uncertain, and overwhelmed, Donté took one look at her pretty face and began crying. Kerber and Morrissey exchanged confident smiles.
Donté wept for several minutes, then asked to use the restroom. They escorted him down the hall, stopping at the window so he could see Torrey Pickett sitting at a table, holding a pen, writing on a legal pad. Donté stared in disbelief, even shook his head and mumbled something to himself.
Torrey wrote a one-page summary in which he denied knowing anything about Nicole Yarber’s disappearance. The summary was somehow misplaced by the Slone Police Department and has never been seen.
Back in “The Choir Room,” Kerber informed Donté that his pal Torrey had signed a statement in which he swore, under oath, that Donté was seeing Nicole, that he was crazy about her, but she was worried about the consequences and trying to break up. Donté was desperate and stalking the girl. Torrey was afraid he might hurt her.
As Kerber delivered this latest series of lies, he read from a sheet of paper, as if it were Torrey’s statement. Donté closed his eyes, shook his head, and tried to understand what was happening. But his thoughts were much slower now, his reaction time deadened by fatigue and fear.
He asked if he could leave, and Kerber yelled at him. The detective cursed him and said no, he could not leave, because he was their prime suspect. He was their man. They had the proof. Donté asked if he needed a lawyer, and Kerber said of course not. A lawyer can’t change the facts. A lawyer can’t bring back Nicole. A lawyer can’t save your life, Donté, but we can.
Morrissey’s notes make no reference to the discussion about lawyers.
At 2:20 a.m., Torrey Pickett was allowed to leave. Detective Needham led him through a side door so he would not bump into Mr. Drumm in the lobby. The detectives in the basement had been warned that the defendant’s father was in the building and wanted to see him. This was denied under oath at several hearings.
Morrissey began to fade and was replaced by Needham. For the next three hours, while Morrissey napped, Needham took notes. Kerber showed no signs of slowing down. As he hammered away at the suspect, he seemed to energize himself. He was about to break the suspect, solve the case, and become the hero. He offered Donté another crack at the polygraph, this one to be limited solely to the question of his whereabouts on Friday, December 4, at approximately 10:00 p.m. Donté’s first reaction was
Riley Drumm found his green van parked at the city jail. He’d been driving the streets and was relieved to find the van. He was also concerned about his son and what kind of trouble he was in. The Slone City Jail is next door, and attached, to the police department. Riley went to the jail first and, after some confusion, was told that his son was not behind bars. He had not been processed. There were sixty-two prisoners back there, none by the name of Donté Drumm. The jailer, a younger white officer, recognized Donté’s name and was as helpful as possible. He suggested that Mr. Drumm check next door with the police department. This he did, and it too proved confusing and frustrating. It was 12:40 a.m. and the front doorwas locked. Riley called his wife with an update, then he pondered how to get inside the building. After a few minutes, a patrol car parked nearby, and two uniformed officers emerged. They spoke to Riley Drumm, who explained why he was there. He followed them inside and took a seat in the lobby. The two officers left in search of his son. Half an hour passed before they reappeared and said that Donté was being questioned. About what? Why? The officers did not know. Riley began waiting. At least the boy was safe.
The first crack occurred when Kerber produced a color eight-by-ten photo of Nicole. Weary, alone, frightened, uncertain, and overwhelmed, Donté took one look at her pretty face and began crying. Kerber and Morrissey exchanged confident smiles.
Donté wept for several minutes, then asked to use the restroom. They escorted him down the hall, stopping at the window so he could see Torrey Pickett sitting at a table, holding a pen, writing on a legal pad. Donté stared in disbelief, even shook his head and mumbled something to himself.
Torrey wrote a one-page summary in which he denied knowing anything about Nicole Yarber’s disappearance. The summary was somehow misplaced by the Slone Police Department and has never been seen.
Back in “The Choir Room,” Kerber informed Donté that his pal Torrey had signed a statement in which he swore, under oath, that Donté was seeing Nicole, that he was crazy about her, but she was worried about the consequences and trying to break up. Donté was desperate and stalking the girl. Torrey was afraid he might hurt her.
As Kerber delivered this latest series of lies, he read from a sheet of paper, as if it were Torrey’s statement. Donté closed his eyes, shook his head, and tried to understand what was happening. But his thoughts were much slower now, his reaction time deadened by fatigue and fear.
He asked if he could leave, and Kerber yelled at him. The detective cursed him and said no, he could not leave, because he was their prime suspect. He was their man. They had the proof. Donté asked if he needed a lawyer, and Kerber said of course not. A lawyer can’t change the facts. A lawyer can’t bring back Nicole. A lawyer can’t save your life, Donté, but we can.
Morrissey’s notes make no reference to the discussion about lawyers.
At 2:20 a.m., Torrey Pickett was allowed to leave. Detective Needham led him through a side door so he would not bump into Mr. Drumm in the lobby. The detectives in the basement had been warned that the defendant’s father was in the building and wanted to see him. This was denied under oath at several hearings.
Morrissey began to fade and was replaced by Needham. For the next three hours, while Morrissey napped, Needham took notes. Kerber showed no signs of slowing down. As he hammered away at the suspect, he seemed to energize himself. He was about to break the suspect, solve the case, and become the hero. He offered Donté another crack at the polygraph, this one to be limited solely to the question of his whereabouts on Friday, December 4, at approximately 10:00 p.m. Donté’s first reaction was
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