Complicated Shadow [2/?]
anonymous
February 2 2011, 00:48:24 UTC
It took most of the rest of the night for the police station to get his statement and send it on to NYPD. As one of the kinder ones explained to Arthur, Antonio Carriedo - the Spanish killer - was a hitman working for the Vargas mafia. He had been on their wanted list for a while now, even though he had already been arrested twice; lack of conclusive evidence and mysterious changes of heart in the juries kept him from being convicted. With an eyewitness in Arthur now, they hoped to put him behind bars once and for all.
“Of course, we’ll have to put you under protection now,” the officer who had explained things and made him tea said. They were sitting side by side in the waiting area, watching the other officers, both from Newark and NYPD, scurry around. Apparently Carriedo was a bigger catch than Arthur had ever thought. “You’ve heard of the Witness Protection Program, right?” Arthur nodded, staring blankly at the cup in his hands. It wasn’t very good tea, but he appreciated the effort. “With the way the Vargas’s have been ever since their old boss fell a few years ago and his grandsons took over, I wouldn’t want you to be out and about by yourself for a long time.” The officer pushed himself upright, a movement which seemed to cause the large man more effort than it should. “We’ll get your paperwork filled out and applied for as soon as we can so we can get you away from here quickly.”
Arthur blinked as he tried to think past his sleep and shock-addled brain. “You mean I have to quit my job?”
The officer shrugged. “For now, at least, until the trial. A case this big, you never know if it’ll take a month or three years.” He pursed his lips together and stared at the wall over Arthur’s head as he thought. “Why don’t I get someone to take you home so you can get some rest? You’ve had a long day.”
Arthur smiled weakly up at him. “You could say that.”
“Of course, we’ll have to put you under protection now,” the officer who had explained things and made him tea said. They were sitting side by side in the waiting area, watching the other officers, both from Newark and NYPD, scurry around. Apparently Carriedo was a bigger catch than Arthur had ever thought. “You’ve heard of the Witness Protection Program, right?” Arthur nodded, staring blankly at the cup in his hands. It wasn’t very good tea, but he appreciated the effort. “With the way the Vargas’s have been ever since their old boss fell a few years ago and his grandsons took over, I wouldn’t want you to be out and about by yourself for a long time.” The officer pushed himself upright, a movement which seemed to cause the large man more effort than it should. “We’ll get your paperwork filled out and applied for as soon as we can so we can get you away from here quickly.”
Arthur blinked as he tried to think past his sleep and shock-addled brain. “You mean I have to quit my job?”
The officer shrugged. “For now, at least, until the trial. A case this big, you never know if it’ll take a month or three years.” He pursed his lips together and stared at the wall over Arthur’s head as he thought. “Why don’t I get someone to take you home so you can get some rest? You’ve had a long day.”
Arthur smiled weakly up at him. “You could say that.”
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