Retrospective: Paris - How things got messy

4.6. Francesco De la Cruz - Confession

Fall 1993, Paris police headquarters

A few hours after those gang members had forced Francesco to come with them, he sat in the same interrogation room at the police station as yesterday again.
Leroux barely even tried to conceal his excitement when Francesco told him he came to confess. He just listened quietly and snickered occasionally in his glee, while Francesco told the story as the gun man had instructed him, careful to not forget any details.
It was a struggle.

The pendejo's dirty smirk itched in Francesco's fists. He never had to suppress the urge to beat up someone as much as now the inspecteur. Not even Diego or the gun man.
But he had to keep his composure.
As soon as his confession would be recorded and signed, he'd go back to prison.
And that would be the moment the gun man had promised to release Mae.
Francesco just prayed that asshole would keep his promise.
He'd have to ask Arthur to make sure she came back safely and he hoped he'd get a chance to talk to him soon. The blonde officier wasn't there when Francesco arrived.

And about himself... Francesco didn't really know how he could get out of this mess anymore after his confession.
He'd probably rot in prison forever.
But he saw no other option to save Mae.
His suspicion that the gang had some moles inside the police had been confirmed by the gun man, and under no circumstances would he risk that they would harm her.
Just before he finished, there was a hard knock on the door, and someone burst in without waiting for Leroux' reply.

"That man's innocent", the intruder said, "I have the real culprits' confession on tape."
What?!
"What?!", the inspecteur jumped up, and for the first time today the nasty smirk was wiped off his face. "Girodet, how dare you interrupt -"
No... no, if the plan wouldn't work -

"Leroux, I need you to come with me! Now!", a man in a trench coat insisted, while another officier stood next to him looking like drowned rat.
The inspecteur cursed. "Let's go then! Fabron, watch the suspect!"
He left with the trench coat man and slammed the door, leaving the dumbfounded officier with Francesco alone in the room.

Francesco started to panic.
If the police didn't buy his confession and those gang members would find out...
Fuck.
Mae was god knows where, and if no one found her -
Francesco didn't dare to think about what could happen to her.
He barely could breathe.
Fuck fuck fuck.
He should have listened to his guts when she confessed.

"I love you", he could still hear her voice clearly, sweet and a bit shy, and it had sent his heart sky high all over the roof and all his concerns and doubts to the winds. She meant it.
But he should better have stayed away, never even have agreed to stay at her place at all.
Just - he couldn't.
And now she'd pay the price, and it was his fault.
He had to do something -

He shot a glance to the officier guarding the door with a blank face. He still had no idea who of the police officers were involved in the gang. The only one he knew for sure that wasn't, was that damn inspecteur -

The officier snorted when he noticed Francesco's gaze.
"Nice fuck up, isn't it", he said."Now who would've expected the inspecteur to send a hound to follow you around..." He clicked his tongue. "I pity alreadey my colleague that has to deliver the bad news to Louis..."
He was one of them.
"And envy those that will get to have some fun with your girl -"

The corrupted officier's voice dissolved into a gurgle.
"Where is she?", Francesco hissed.
The man only made some indefinable burbles, so Francesco loosened his grip a little. He coughed.

"Where. Is. She?", Francesco repeated, and pushed him harder to the wall.
Finally the officier spat out an address.

Before Francesco stormed out of the room he submitted to his urges and punched the man.
Damn, that felt good, even if his knuckles hurt.