Land of Careful Shadows Read Online Free Page A

flapped crisply on the flagpole above them. Fitzgerald looked down at Vega’s blistered ankles beneath his dark slacks. “You’re limping.”
    â€œGee, I wonder why.”
    At the Escalade, Vega turned to face Fitzgerald.
    â€œSo, you get a DV complaint. How do you determine whether or not to make an arrest?”
    â€œWell, if the victim wants to press charges and all, we can arrest the assailant—”
    â€œâ€”And do you? Normally?”
    â€œUm, it depends—”
    â€œâ€”On the victim’s immigration status?”
    Something in Fitzgerald’s eyes retreated. “We’re not allowed to ask about immigration status.”
    â€œI know that,” said Vega. “But you’ve got an idea the moment you meet them—from their ethnicity, where they live, how willing they are to give you their full names—”
    â€œâ€”That’s profiling. We’re not allowed—”
    â€œâ€”Cut the police academy bullshit, Fitzgerald. What do you think you did to me? You know as well as I do that every cop sizes up the people he comes into contact with even if he doesn’t admit it. All I want to know is why Bale didn’t arrest José Ortiz for beating the crap out of his wife. Was Bale lazy? Does he believe domestic violence is a personal matter? Or is there some unwritten rule in town that frowns on making DV arrests when the parties involved are suspected illegals?”
    Bingo. Vega read his hunch in the young man’s eyes.
    â€œIt’s—it’s sort of discouraged. With complainants we suspect are—undocumented. On account of—then the victims have like, you know—special victim status—”
    â€œâ€”They’re eligible for U visas,” said Vega.
    â€œYeah.” Fitzgerald kicked at a puddle. “I mean, I personally don’t have a problem with a crime victim petitioning the government for permission to stay in this country legally. And maybe it really would be dangerous for a woman like Vilma Ortiz to go back with her husband to her own country. But there’s a feeling in Lake Holly that letting undocumented women file for U visas because their husbands or boyfriends hit them is—sort of—”
    â€œâ€”A way to con the system into supplying green cards to illegals.”
    â€œYeah.”
    Better black and blue than green seemed to be the sentiment in Lake Holly. Vega sighed. “Okay, Fitz. We’re even now.”
    The rookie didn’t seem so sure. He looked back at the building. “I hope I didn’t just screw myself out of a job. How’s it going to look if Vilma Ortiz ends up being the body in the reservoir and I just drew a big fat bull’s-eye on the department for allowing her husband to put her there?”
    â€œCould’ve been the boyfriend, don’t forget.”
    â€œFat chance of him ever coming forward.”
    â€œOh, he’ll come forward,” said Vega. “I’m going to find him and send him an invitation.”

Chapter 3
    T he man sat with his back against the cinder-block wall, feeling the clammy embrace of his rain-soaked hoodie. It was freezing in the center. He blew on his hands and rubbed them together. Today of all days, he needed his fingers to work. He couldn’t go on much longer like this.
    He tried to open the brown paper bag from the hardware store without disturbing the English class going on in the middle of the room. Ten men in baggy dungarees and well-worn baseball caps were wedged into student desks in a semicircle. A gray-haired white lady in a long, shapeless sweater stood before them, drawing something on a chalkboard. A scaffold and a noose. The man wondered what aspect of North American customs she could possibly be illustrating. Not exactly Welcome to the United States! But then, he knew that already.
    He had traveled under a name that wasn’t his to a land where he didn’t speak the