The Traces of Destiny
Information: Amar Utah

"I want to go home, sir, I can't be here" he repeated.

"You should have thought about that last night." Reply Garin.

Garin turned around again and Amar got up from his bed, his face looking panicked.

“Do not go!” yells.

Garin hesitated. "I'm sorry, Amar. I can't help you more."

"You can let me go, sir. I didn't hurt anyone. And if I go back to prison, I'll definitely die. I know it's as sure as I know the sky's blue." His voice is getting louder.

"Yes, but I can't do that." Answer Garin.

"could certainly. You're a camat, you can help me make excuses like I'm just out to buy something and my mom...." Words hang. Her tears seem to be puffing.

Inevitably Garin felt sorry for the man, but his duty was clear. "Sorry," he said again, and he started down the corridor. Amar moved to the bars, grasping them firmly.

"I have information ...."

"Tell the police later, as soon as they drop you upstairs to take care of the paperwork." Garin Sahut.

"Wait!" said Amar again.

There was something in his tone that made Garin stop once again.

"Yes?"

Amar Ulah. The other three men who were in the next cell had been brought up, but he looked around to make sure that he did not ignore the existence of others. He gestured with his finger for Garin to get closer, but Garin stayed in place and crossed his arms.

“If I have important information, will you help me to get out of here?” ask Amar.

Garin held back his smile. "It's not my responsibility, you know that. I can't help you with your mistakes, I suggest you talk to the officer who will check on you later."

"No. It's not like that, sir. You must have known how I work. I'm not testifying, and I'm anonymous. You know that, don't you, sir?"

Garin said nothing.

Amar looked around, making sure he was still alone and there was only Garin there.

“I have no proof of what I'm going to say, but it's true and you definitely want to know.” He lowered his voice, as if telling a secret. "I know who did it that night. I know."

The tone he used and the obvious implication made Garin's hair suddenly stand up.

"What are you talking about?" said Garin coldly.

Amar wiped his lips again, knowing he was getting the full attention of Garin right now.

"I can't tell you any further unless you help me get out of here."

Garin moves toward the cell, feeling out of balance. He stared at Amar until the man backed away from the bars.

"Tell me what?"

"I need a deal first. You have to promise me that you'll get me out of here. Say anything as an excuse to the officers and you can definitely make them have no proof that I was on the street last night."

"No deal, no information. Like I said, I can't go back to jail, I must die here, and my mother she's alone." Amar.

They stood facing each other, neither of them looking away.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you, sir?" amar said at last. "Don't you want to know who did it?"

Garin's heart started pounding, and involuntarily his hands clenched at his sides. Mind turning.

"I'll tell you if you help release me" Amar added.

Garin's mouth opened, then closed as everything - all memories - ran back, spilling onto his body like water from an overflowing sink. It's hard to believe, it doesn't make sense. But...what if Amar is telling the truth?

What if he finds out who killed Maudy?

"You have to testify" that was all he thought to say.

Amar raised his hand. "Possibly. I didn't see anything, but I heard them talking. And if they find out that I'm the one who told them, I'm as good as dead. So I can't testify. I'm not gonna do it."

If I were to be a witness, I'd swear I don't remember telling you anything. And you also won't be able to tell them where you know all that from. It can only be between us-you and me. But..."

Amar shrugged, his eyes narrowed, getting his chance to play Garin perfectly.

"Now you don't have to care too much about the law, do you? You just want to know who did it, and I can help you. And may I choke to death if I don't tell you the truth." Amar is more confident.

Garin grabbed the bars, his knuckles turned white.

"Tell me!" he yelled.

"Get me out of here" Amar replied, somehow staying calm despite Garin's explosive, "and I'll tell you later."

For a long time, Garin was just staring at him.

"I was in Laponta" Amar finally began, after Garin agreed to his demands. "You know the place, right?"

Amar did not wait for an answer. He rubbed his greasy hair with the back of his hand. "It's been a few years or so, I can't remember exactly when, and I was drinking. Behind me, at one of the tables, I saw Heri Panoo. You know him?"

Garin nodded. One of the many famous people in the department he went to. Men are tall and thin, faces bubbly with many pockmarks of acne scars, tattoos on both arms, one of them the face of a woman with fluffy hair, the other a skull with a knife that sticks.

Once arrested for assault, robbery with insurrection, dealing with stolen goods. Suspected as a drug dealer. A year and a half ago, after being caught stealing a car, he was sentenced to third-class prison in Gajamarah Prison, in the northern part of Gajakarta. He will not be free for another four years.

"Heri looked rather agitated, moving her drink, as if she was waiting for someone. That's when I saw them come in. Numan Family. They stood at the door for a while, looking around until they found him. They're not the kind of people I want to approach, so I don't attract their attention. The next thing I knew, they were sitting in front of Heri. They spoke very quietly, almost whispering, but from where I was, I could hear every word they said."

Garin's back became stiff hearing the story from Amar. His mouth felt dry, as if he had been outside in the heat for hours.

"They threatened Heri, but the man kept saying that he had not gotten it. That's when I heard Alex speak up-before, he let his brother do the talking. He tells Heri that if the money doesn't exist until the weekend, then he must be careful, because no one can play around with the Numan brothers."

Garin winks his eyes. Face pale.

"He said the same thing would happen to Heri as it did to Maudy Zefanya."

...*******...