I wonder how much the Peruvian cops would want from the Holloways in order for them to have a little talk with Joran via TA-312 about where Natalie's buried. Given how they got hold of him, I'm betting there's a substantial discount available.
I guess that would be best answered by "it depends". A local accountant who was "suspected" of ripping off several businesses once fell under investigation here. Although not directly involved, a friend's business was, and I went along to see what happened. The accountant was taking legitimate cheques written for legitimate expenses but putting them in his name and raking in the money. Obviously, "services" meant to be paid by these cheques went unpaid.
I was there when the accountant was arrested in Banamex Bank here in town. He, and myself as a witness (I had actually been told to be there by my friend as a witness) and another accountant walked the guilty party to the small downtown substation of the Police. There, the guilty party started to sing about his "innocence" and about how he was being "set up". This, although he had a BAD CHEQUE which was recovered at the point of his arrest.
The Police Chief at the time, of whom I knew passingly having done some basic firearms training work for one of his Shift Supervisors, walked over to me and asked quietly "How good is your Spanish?"
In times like this, I always like to remember Sgt. Moffat in the Rat Patrol telling the German Captain Deittrich that his German was "very good."
"My Spanish is very good." I told him.
He knodded, and then said to me, "Stick around, I think you will find this interesting."
With that, he announced that the "accused" would be taken up to the Court house -- which in those days was directly attached to the local prison -- to be formally charged. We could all find our way up there, please, to witness the charging.
Well, everyone left, and in those days I didn't have my motorcycles yet, but San Miguel was still congested as ever. I think I ended up taking a Taxi up to the Jail. I got there, and everyone had to wait around for like about an hour. I mean, we were thinking, "how long does it take those idiots to drive here?"
Anyway, the two cops who had taken the bad accountant -- his name was Lionell, I remember now, finally arrived. Lionell looked worse for wear. He had been crying, that was obvious, and he looked like he had just had the fear of God put into him. He went into the courthouse, declared his guilt right there in front of everyone, and basically threw himself at the mercy of the court. I was impressed.
Weeks later, I did some more work for the Police Chief, and we formed a rather precarious friendship (I mean, how close do YOU want to be to a Mexican Police Chief?). I asked him about Lionell one night when we were having a beer in Mama Mia's with a nice Department Model 10-7 sitting empty in a bank bag on the table in front of us that I was trying to buy off of him for a new guy we had in the club who didn't have a gun.
"Well," he told me. "I am sure that the men I sent to drive him to the courthouse gave him the option of buying his innocence, or being assigned to a cell that contained the worst rapists and violators that a frightened mind can imagine. Since he obviously did not have the money to buy his way out, he had to accept their word that declaring his guilt and thowing himself on the mercy of the court would be his BEST alternative -- for which they would PROMISE to testify as to his otherwise good character." (Remember my earlier comment on promises.)
"Uh," I asked cautiously, because there are always some things best left unknown, "do you think they roughed him up any?"
At this he smiled. "They might have slapped him a little bit just to get his attention...but they would not have left any marks. They are good at their jobs, that is why I sent them."
My point is, I can certainly assure that my friend whose business was damaged by Lionell did NOT pay any money to get Lionell on his knees in front of the judge declaring his guilt. The police did what they did. The Peruvian Police can likewise decide to do "the right thing" if they chose to. The eyes of the World will see it if they do. On the other hand, they can decide to be scabs and go for the money. It's hard to say, it depends on the men and that is not something easy to predict without knowing them.
In the case of Lionell, he was not jailed. He was found guilty and was ordered to pay back all the money he had extorted over a given period of time to the businesses involved. He was put on a sort of "parole" where he had to check in at the court house every week or so. I think he lasted a few months doing that, and then as so often happens, went up to the States illegally to escape justice here.
One of the best arguments for securing the U.S. border is that the Mexican Bad Apples use the U.S. as a way of running away from their problems here. Do you really think they'll be better citizens up there? You'd have to be living in "la-la" land to believe that, but some people just don't have enough experience I guess.
My point is this: the Holloway family could offer stiff sums of money -- and might not get any "truths" if the Policemen they are dealing with are scum (and that's very possible). On the other hand, by just asking nicely -- and Beth could do a great job of that, I believe -- the natural instincts of the Latin Macho might just kick in and maybe for very little money and only a lot of recognition, the answers could come pouring forth. As I said: it depends. All my opinions here.
