Retrospective: Paris - How things got messy

4.2. Francesco De la Cruz - Exonerated
Fall 1993, Etienne's office

Francesco sipped on his coffee while listening to Etienne. The lawyer explained that he was a friend of Charlotte and wanted to help him for free. He strongly believed that everyone deserved legal advice and support, unrelated to if they could afford it or not.

As Francesco's lawyer, Etienne had gained access to all the police files regarding Diego's murder to prepare Francesco's defense. He had studied them the whole night, and apparently the police had found much more than they had told Francesco, and most of it actually exonerated him. 

Francesco was so mad at the police.
"Officier Roux has been very cooperative", Etienne explained. "He handed me a dossier with the findings, and I must say most of them speak in your favor."
Well, maybe a little less mad at Arthur now. He knew the officier couldn't go against his superior and tell him about their investigation, but at last he had found a way to help him anyway. If people like Arthur and Etienne were the kind Mae usually surrounded herself with, he could understand better where her careless and trusting nature originated.
However, he decided to keep his guard up.

"First of all there's the angle the bullets pierced the body", the lawyer continued. "It's a different one on each of the three. It strongly supports that they were shot while moving, like from a driving car. I believe you and Mademoiselle West have mentioned you heard one before the shots."
Francesco confirmed.
"Honestly the idea that this might have been a hit and run makes more sense with both your testimonies than you driving a car yourself - it's known there's not a car registered to neither you nor Monsieur Santiago, not to mention you don't even own a driver's license."

Francesco laughed. Even if he had one - why should he drive to kill Diego, and then hide the car and meet Mae? 

"Unless you convinced her to lie for you", the lawyer pierced him with his eyes. "There was definitely enough time to kill someone between the bar's closing and Mademoiselle West leaving her apartment."
On what side was that guy, after all?
"Calm down", Etienne said. "I need to know all the details and the absolute truth to build my case for you. I have to emphasize again, that everything you tell me is confidential and the police won't get any sensitive or incriminating information from me. I have the same interest to win this case as you."
Francesco eyed him suspiciously.

"I didn't convince her to do anything", he said.
Truthfully.
Mae had decided to lie for him on her own, but he rather kept that to himself.
The lawyer sighed. "I think we will have to work also on finding those hooligans who robbed you that night - they would make a fine alibi for the time before Mademoiselle West met you."
Francesco chuckled. To think that Diego's scheme to manipulate him to come back could actually help him now, was such a sweet irony. 

"Too bad the police didn't find anything about that so far... They are rather sloppy on those kinds of investigations", the lawyer complained, "but I'm sure we will find out more in time. Now about those warehouse keys and the list of contacts" - Francesco didn't even know about a list, "so far there hasn't been the possibility to tie anything to your person. The rent contract of the warehouse is solely on Monsieur Santiago and the police haven't found anyone that could testify you were even in the area. And as far as the investigation of the contacts goes... no one has even mentioned your name so far, or any second person he worked with that would fit your looks.
I'd say we're safe to plea for case dismissal on lack of hard evidence, or even suggestive evidence against you."
Wow.
That was even better.

Etienne bent forward again.
"But just to be sure... I have it from a good source that the police is desperate to give halt to the increasing trafficking criminality in Paris, and now with Monsieur Santiago's list they have come very close to wipe out at least one of the gangs that run in this city.
We could offer the police a deal. You give them everything you know about Monsieur Santiago's shady activities, and they drop all charges and you get immunity. They have trouble to build a case against you anyway, and like this they would get much more than just one possible murderer they have a hard time to convict."
Francesco smirked. He doubted the inspecteur would let go of him that easy. It was obvious Leroux hated him too much, for whatever reason. And Francesco reciprocated.
But he didn't have to offer anything anyway.

"Diego always had kept his business out of our private life", he told the lawyer. "If I'd bother, I might have caught what was going on, but I never did."
The lawyer shot him a surprised glance. "Nothing, in all those years?"
Francesco shook his head.
"I know he met some strange people, but I don't know any names, and I wouldn't remember faces either. I never cared what he did." More like, he didn't want to care. He had chosen to turn a blind eye on that. Or rather, two blind eyes. He had loved Diego so much, it didn't matter to him if he was involved in criminal activities or not.

Etienne sighed. "Too bad. And still - it's not that uncommon."
Francesco felt his cheeks heat up.

"We'll work without that then", the lawyer said. "But enough for today. I'm sure you want to go home."
Francesco did.

Both had to go the same direction, so they walked together for a while, chatting about mundane things for a change. Etienne seemed to be a decent guy, after all and Francesco felt as relieved as he hadn't in a long time. He finally had a real chance to get out of this mess and he couldn't wait to tell Mae the good news.

When they took a shortcut through a side alley, he almost ran into another man.
No, a group of men.
They didn't seem too friendly. 

He heard Etienne say something, but it was drowned in a loud bang.

"Shut up", one of the men hissed, the gun pointed towards them, and smoke coming out of the muzzle. 

"Now we can talk in peace - Monsieur De la Cruz."