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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

with them an hour after fighting with them,’ I argued, looking into the eyes of the committee members, one by one. Some of them nodded slightly. I was convincing them. That was the atmosphere in the room. I could feel it.

I was also allowed to call witnesses and to tender evidence. El General came and backed up my account about being owed money and of how I had sent him to collect it. He handed over the authorisation note I had written him, as well as the loan contract with the Velascos. But my best witness by far was Julián, who had actually been there when the police arrived. And since he was also a member of the committee, no one doubted that he was telling the truth.

In fact, no one contradicted any of my arguments. I was certain that they were going to let me go on the spot, but the governor stood up and said that the committee needed to finish its investigation before it could arrive at a decision. Until it had done so, the prisoner was to remain in solitary confinement. He nodded coldly to the guards to escort me back to La Grulla.

‘But, governor. What more do you need to investigate?’ I yelled at him, as they led me to the door. When we were in public situations, the governor and I pretended that we didn’t know each other. But by that point, I was too angry to stop myself. ‘I’m innocent and you know it. You said so yourself!’

After my outburst at the discipline committee meeting, the governor came to see me personally in my solitary confinement cell. He apologised for not being able to help me. I offered him money once more, but he refused it.

‘I’m innocent. You know I’m innocent.’
‘I said I believed you, Thomas. But the media are all over us.’
‘Well then, they should get a chance to hear my version.’ I no longer trusted the discipline committee’s internal investigation. Once people knew the facts, there was no way I could be implicated. And the more people who knew, the better.

‘That wouldn’t help you or anyone else, Thomas,’ the governor warned, adjusting the stars on his shoulders. ‘The best thing you can do is to keep quiet. Keep your mouth shut and I promise to get you out of here as soon as things calm down.’