Recollection Of Questionable Events

Curiosity Killed The Cat.

“Apparently some hoodlums stole their trash…only to throw it through their living room window that same night.”

“Really?” I asked nervously. Riggs seemed to be getting happier by the minute, and that could not be a good thing.

“Yes, do you recognize this man?” 

Riggs placed some photographs in front of me, and I immediately recognized the man who had almost caught us throwing garbage in his house.

“Yes…I think we got the wrong house. “

“Wrong, you got the right house. The items you took were actually thrown out by this family.”

“That’s not right…that’s not the man who followed us around.”

“I believe you,” he stated, placing five more photographs in front of me.

The images were of five different men; all white, middle aged, bald and chubby. But there was only one with beady eyes…a face that I would recognize anywhere.

“This man, he was the one following us.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know who is?”

“Obviously not, I thought he was my neighbor,” I said frustrated.

“His name is Arnold Carson, and he owns one of the largest security firms in the state…which we believe is a front to launder money and move drugs.”

“I don’t understand how that relates to me.”

“It’s exactly why you’re here…you work for him.”

“What?”

“Or you work for the Muerte Cartel directly, transporting money and drugs between the major distributors.”

“What?”

I waited for Riggs to start laughing at his bad joke, but it never happened. My breathing started to get heavier, and I grasped the sides of the table trying to stabilize myself.

“Ms. Torre…let’s stop playing games.”

“I’m not playing any gam--”

“I want to know who you work for, and the details of your involvement in the operation so far.”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about…”  When did this interrogation turn into…well an interrogation?

“Riggs, what exactly do you think Araceli did?” Cesar asked, stepping in (finally).

“You’re kidding right? She was caught trying to deliver a car full of drugs to our local gangs.”

“What?” I shrieked. It seemed like it was the only word I knew…but how else could I react?

“The car…full of drugs…this morning,” Riggs stated, obviously getting a little frustrated.

“I still don’t know what you’re talking about…what car...oh.”

“Oh, you remember now?”

“Maybe…but it’s not what you think.”

“Riggs, you know this is all a misunderstanding,” my cousin interjected.

Riggs settled back into his chair. “Last one Torre. Make it count.”

After the fiasco of a mission, things had been eerily quiet between Monica and me. She seemed afraid to be alone, and wouldn’t leave my side (she’d even decided to spend the night).

And now we were both running my errands. During the whole ride to the grocery store, she’d looked over her shoulder…to make sure we weren’t being followed (we weren’t, I checked too).

“Monica, I think we can leave the car now.”

We’d been sitting in our parking spot for about fifteen minutes, and my patience ran low. I’d had as much ‘Monica’ time as I could handle.

She double-checked the parking lot and nodded her approval. I briskly walked out towards the entrance, anxious to make it to the store before she changed her mind (and overly excited to be around other people…normal people).

It’s probably why it took me a while to realize Monica hadn’t followed me, and fear overtook me. The past events had made me paranoid of everything.

Quickly looking back, I noticed Monica hunched over the front tire of a car two spaces down from ours.

“Is something wrong,” I asked.

“I found some keys,” she said running towards me, with a large keychain jingling in her hands.

“Okay, let’s give them to someone in the store.”

“Sounds good, but I wonder what these buttons do.”

“Open something…” I started to say, when a loud beeping startled me.

The noise came from a car in the row next to ours, a very expensive-looking car that was now unlocked.

 “Lock it again,” I urged.

“Okay, okay…hold your damn horses,” she muttered.

Clearly frantic, she just started pressing random buttons. I didn’t think they were the right ones though, because the trunk suddenly popped open and an alarm went off.

People were looking around, trying to figure out who had broken into the car. Some nosy women were even pointing at the two of us, and that was my cue to run.

We both rushed into the grocery store, refusing to look back at the commotion outside. Once we were safely inside, we started to laugh out of nervousness.

“Monica, you should probably turn that key in…anonymously.”

My cousin simply nodded and slowly walked towards the registers. I stayed, trying to catch my breath and from the corner of my eye I caught sight of my bald neighbor coming towards me.

The only way to escape was to head back outside, and loose him in the crowds coming back in. My focus blinded me to the police cars parked in front of the store….or the big scary cop coming my way.

“Ma’am, you’re under arrest for stealing….”

That stupid garbage.

 

 

“And then you arrested me,” I finished.

“Ms. Torre-“

“You can prove Monica found the keys, and returned them.” Cesar interrupted.

“It doesn’t mean anything, maybe their routine went wrong,” Riggs said.

“But there's also no proof it was anything other than an accident."

Way to go Mr. Lawyer.

“So why is Carson following her?”

“I think that’s your job to figure out,” Cesar said.

Riggs chuckled, "The only reasons I can come up with have Ms. Torre in the middle of his association with the cartel."

“So call us back when you’ve actual proof. Are we done now?”

“I will walk you out,” Riggs said, shaking my cousin’s hand with a wink.