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MARCHING POWDER

and took another step backwards. ‘Why would I ask him? He’ll only lie as well. He’s your friend.’

‘He is a policeman. He can show you his identity card, if you want.’

‘Well, what did you do, then, if you are in prison? Kill someone?’

‘No. Drugs.’

This seemed to make sense to her and I could see that she was no longer so sure that I was lying.

‘I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to believe. This coke is so strong. I don’t know what I’m thinking. I don’t even know you. I have to go now. I think it’s best if I just go.’

‘Well, if you don’t believe me, why don’t you come with me?’ I said.

It was a big risk. The major would already need extra payment because we were late and it would be hard to convince him to let her in. However, it might just work and even if it didn’t, at least she would see that I wasn’t lying. Maybe she would come and see me on visitors’ day.

‘Come with you? What, to the prison, you mean?’

‘Yes. My curfew was half an hour ago. I have to go back now.’

‘You want me to come and see if you actually go into the prison? What’s the point of that?’ She was softening and I had my arms around her once more. ‘No. I want you to come into the prison with me. To stay the night.’ I kissed her. I felt her body relax. She was thinking about it. She said something to her friend, Sharon, in Hebrew and they had a short argument. Sharon was even more annoyed than before, but finally they agreed to something.

‘OK, then. Let’s go,’ she announced and the two girls walked quickly towards the entrance to get their jackets, with Jaime and me trailing behind. I hailed a taxi and opened the back door for the girls. Jaime put his arm around Sharon to help her into the taxi but she broke away and got into a different taxi and drove off without saying goodbye to anyone. Yasheeda shrugged and we got into the back seat together, with Jaime sitting in the front. We kissed most of the way back to the plaza. The driver and Jaime kept their eyes straight ahead and said nothing until we pulled up outside San Pedro prison.

‘Muy bien, señor.’

‘Well, here we are. This is the prison,’ I whispered to Yasheeda.

It was past four in the morning, so the plaza was completely empty and the metal gates of the jail were shut tight. Everything was

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