North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws
Chapter 68 - 67: Gangs: Del Rio Police Station_1

Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Gangs: Del Rio Police Station_1

Del Rio is a small border town in Texas. Due to the constant influx of illegal immigrants from the Mexican border, the local security situation is rather complicated.

Upon arrival, Harry was gobsmacked. A large number of scantily-clad Mexican women, perfectly fitting the African American aesthetic, were brazenly standing outside the numerous temporary wooden shacks at the town’s entrance, waving at passing vehicles. As long as you had US dollars, you could indulge your secret fetishes here to your heart’s content.

Seeing Harry’s eager demeanor, Dean chuckled lightly. "Harry, after we’re done, you can roll in the sheets with ten chicks if you like, no problem. Don’t forget, you’re loaded now."

A million-dollar winning ticket, minus close to 45% in federal and state taxes, left about 550,000 US dollars in legal funds. Dean took 500,000 US dollars for himself, while Harry received a neat 50,000 US dollars in hush money, equivalent to nearly eight or nine months of his previous salary. For Harry, who had been living paycheck to paycheck, he truly was rich now.

However, the exorbitant cost of money laundering made Dean’s heart ache, and for the first time, he considered starting a company. According to his still somewhat vague plan, for self-preservation and a better life, he would strive for promotions and power openly, while secretly supporting a small gang, connecting with Eve’s Narcotics Division to grow and expand. This process would inevitably require legitimate money laundering channels. But this was just a preliminary thought. To put it into practice, he would need to climb to a certain position and attract more suitable people.

As he was lost in thought, the police car came to a stop.

Malago exhaled a breath laced with alcohol, tiredly saying, "Alright, we’re here. Let’s get out."

The Del Rio Police Station was the only station in this small town, its architectural style rather rugged, with its earthy yellow tiles making it look even more basic. Malago led the way, and the three of them headed inside.

All along the way, police officers greeted Malago warmly. Compared to Los Angeles, the officers here were not only much more lax in their discipline, but many weren’t even wearing uniforms. The one trait they all shared was their Caucasian ethnicity, and they exuded a gangster vibe that Los Angeles officers didn’t have. They seemed more like gang members than officers! Dean also noticed that many of the hairy officers had the same tattoos on their arms.

Harry stuck close to Dean; only then did he feel a little safe. He stood out too much here. As they walked, people occasionally looked his way. Fortunately, thanks to Malago, no one came up to cause trouble.

Passing through the office area, Malago took Dean and Harry to the police station’s backyard. There were some temporary prisons left over from the seventies and eighties, resembling courtyards with small rooms sectioned off by iron bars, devoid of any privacy.

In the yard, two shirtless, hairy men stood in front of an enclosure, watching two Mexican men fight inside, occasionally letting out laughter like they were watching monkeys.

"What the hell are they doing?" Harry asked curiously.

"Animal fighting. Just a boring way to pass the time," Malago said, explaining briefly for Dean’s sake. He then patted the exterior sliding gate. "Beach! Gado! Friends from Los Angeles are here! Open this damn gate for me!"

He spoke nonchalantly. To people like Malago, these illegal immigrants weren’t even considered human; even if they were killed, nobody would investigate.

The two shirtless officers heard the commotion, and seeing it was Malago, jogged over. "Whoa, Boss Malago," one of them sneered, "since when do you have a negro friend?"

"Shut your filthy mouth!" Malago glared at the speaker. "Gado, if you don’t open this damn gate in three seconds, I’m assigning you to border patrol!"

"Don’t do that, Boss Malago!"

The two officers hurriedly shut up and struggled to pull open the dilapidated sliding gate.

Thanks to Malago’s intimidating authority, minutes later, Dean and Harry passed through the crude outdoor cells holding the male prisoners and arrived at an indoor prison section with relatively better conditions. This area housed female prisoners. There were currently four in total: two white women and one Asian woman lay on their beds, staring listlessly. A much younger-looking white girl was curled up in the innermost cell, like a terrified little rabbit. Dean noticed used condoms and cigarette butts in some corners, and due to the poor air circulation, he could smell the faint scent of marijuana.

Seeing them approach, the two white women and the Asian woman immediately scrambled up from their beds and yelled at Malago, who was in the lead, "When are you going to get rid of this little bitch? Because of her, we’ve lost all our freedom!"

"Shut up, bitches!" Malago kicked the bars, silencing the three women, then turned to Dean with an embarrassed explanation. "These three include thieves and swindlers. To get special supplies during their confinement, they make deals with the guys downstairs."

Harry didn’t dare speak. Those petty, corrupt cops in Los Angeles, compared to these guys, were just a bunch of castrated, kind-hearted little lambs.

Dean just shrugged. "At least they got what they wanted, didn’t they?"

Malago was initially stunned, then burst into laughter. "Yes, you’re absolutely right, Dean! You should really come work at our precinct. I believe you’d do great things."

"It’s too remote here," Dean said, shaking his head. He walked to the innermost cell and tapped the bars. "Marina?"

Marina, who had remained curled up, timidly lifted her head at the sound and looked outside.

"I’m Detective Dean from Los Angeles," Dean said with a charming, warm smile. "Don’t be afraid. We’re here to ask about your brother and to take you back to Los Angeles."

"Really?" Marina asked, her face full of skepticism. She had initially thought that once her whereabouts were discovered, she would be sent back to Los Angeles for investigation. Instead, the local police had thrown her in jail, where she witnessed a darkness she had never seen on the outside.

"Of course!" Dean tossed his detective badge to her.

Marina hurriedly caught the badge, flipping it open to inspect it. Inside was Dean’s photo, his smile warm and reassuring.

"BOO-HOO! Take me away! I don’t want to stay here!" Marina could no longer hold back her emotions. She rushed to the bars, grabbed Dean’s hand, and began to cry loudly.

"SIGH." Seeing this, even Harry, a teddy bear of a man, felt a pang in his heart.

Malago and his damn goons!

She’s just a fifteen-year-old kid!

「In a clean little room.」

After a shower and some food, Marina’s emotions finally stabilized.

In her account, Dean and Harry also learned what had truly happened to the Shane Family at that time.