Lefevre shows no signs of wanting to collaborate, the fear he had while being brought in has vanished, he is now sitting comfortably.
— I don't have to talk to you. Will you force me to tell you what I know?
We both continue in silence, I don't know what Rogelio is thinking, but right now I would love to give him a beating to lower his fumes.
— I know violent people —Lefevre rises from his post— while I lived in France I had to obey several such people.
As soon as he takes a few steps forward towards us, both guards raise their pistols, the questioned man raises his hands as if he were joking— I can't answer questions if I'm bleeding to death.
I raise my hand to order them to lower their weapons— Be careful not to press too hard —I indicate to a guard to hand me his weapon, he hesitates— It is not a request, it is an order.
Before handing it to me, I notice that he puts the safety on, as soon as he hands it to me I stare at him, I remove the safety of the weapon to show my disapproval and without hesitation a second shot near Lefevre's feet, who sits back on his chair, the door of the interrogation is thrown open, three guards enter with their pistols in hand, one of them attacks the person being interrogated without thinking twice, Rogelio and I are surprised at such an onslaught.
— Everything is fine! —Rogelio exclaims as he turns to the gendarmens who have just entered— we fired.
— Who gave you a gun? —Asks one of the annoyed gendarmens, looks at those who are standing guard, and identifies him.
— I forced him! —I clarify before he is scolded— Will they punish him for obeying me? —everyone hesitates in his answer, I turn my head towards the guard holding Lefevre, I give him a disapproving look— release him, we have an interrogation to continue.
Lefevre stands up while shaking off his prison uniform, the guard adjusts the chair so that he can sit down again, then he looks at the gun in my hand.
— I do not plan to return it —I clarify looking into his eyes—I will try not to shoot it again - I direct my attention to the French who is uncomfortable with my comment.
Although dissatisfied with my answer, he has no choice but to obey me, the three guards leave, while the person being interrogated does not stop looking at my gun.
— I can't believe you shot me.
— Next time I won't fail.
The Frenchman makes uncomfortable faces— I don't like this place, the food is terrible, the cells are small and dirty —he pauses as he looks back at the gun, his hands hold the chair tightly— take me to a better place.
Rogelio smiles as if he had just heard a joke— Do you really think you can negotiate?
— If they shoot me, I swear I'll talk—her voice sounds resigned— but if they do, they wouldn't be very different from the ones they were before —their gaze analyzes us and their voice takes confidence— and you want to create something better, right?
His argument left us speechless, Rogelio and I know that he is right, a part of me is upset with the idea of having to offer him a better quality of life, but if we do not want to resort to violence then we must use wealth to make them come. On our side.
I return the gun to the guard. "We can move you to a more comfortable place, but you have to give us something useful.
He makes himself comfortable in the chair, as if he had already won the negotiation— Where will they take me?
His confidence annoys me— How relevant is what you have to say?
— I need the guards to leave the room.
One of the gendarmes takes a step forward. "We can't do that.
— You can't trust them —Lefevre says resentfully— I've heard them speak, they don't trust you, their loyalty is with the torturers.
— How do you dare!
— Of course I dare, after I speak you will inform the names that I will say and kill you, because you are accomplices, for years I saw you walking around my village and now you hide with your tail between your legs.
With Rogelio we were blocking the passage of the guard, but we kept looking at the Frenchman, I notice sincerity in what he says, if they really act as informants, as soon as they hear the names a race against time will begin to find those people.
— By the authority granted to me by the governance table, I order you to hand me over to Mr. Lefevre, from now on we will keep him as a prisoner.
—We can't authorize that.
Rogelio turns to the guard— Then let whoever has the power to authorize it come, we won't leave here without Lefevre.
The guard opens the door and asks one of his colleagues to call the prison manager, the tense atmosphere increases due to the silence, the footsteps in the corridor are heard, the door opens, a man with a thick build and gaunt skin enters, his eyes are dull.
— They told me they want to take the prisoner.
— That's right, Warden ... —I can see your unwillingness to cooperate.
— Yañez, Warden Yañez.
— Mr. Alcaide Yañez, we are in the middle of an investigation, and we consider that Lefevre may be a key factor, due to protection measures, we need him to be taken into our custody.
— Are you suggesting that my people would not be able to protect you?
— I do not need to imply something like that, if I consider your security deficient, I would tell you openly, what I am saying is that it will be easier for us to take care of you and interrogate you while under our surveillance.
— Mr. Warden —Rogelio intervenes— as my partner says, we want to do this to speed up our investigation, as soon as we resolve the matter, we promise that we will return it.
The warden fixes on the prisoner, as soon as their eyes meet, the questioned leans his gaze to the ground, it is difficult to know if it is due to fear or shame, but I have the feeling that both have a past together.
— So, —I continued pressing— Do we have to call the government table to authorize the transfer?
— No matter who is ruling, they always act as if the laws do not apply to them —after saying that he returns to the door— they can take him away, but if something happens to him, you will be responsible.
I see Lefevre more closely, he is nervous, something tells me that we cannot return him to this place, although it is not the time to worry about how we will move him, now we are one step closer to finding Octavio's murderer.