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DARK PARADISE

lay like tightly packed sausages, sleeping side-by-side on the bare concrete, uncomfortable any time, but with his bruises, Alberto found it excruciating, and it ensured they didn't fade fast.

There were always tensions and spats, with everybody hyper-stressed about their cases. Most were trying to cut a deal before the cops handed their case paperwork to prosecutors, at which point it became impossible to quietly slip out — avoiding jail time or a court case — and the price for a deal shot up, as more people required payment.

Alberto had many visits, but often from locals sent by his friends to deliver cash and food. None of the dealers could risk going in and drawing attention to themselves. Immediately after arriving, Alberto had borrowed a phone to call Rafael, warning him that the cops had repeatedly brought up his name. Rafael already knew he was on their radar, but this was another red-hot alert, and he returned to strictly surfing and abstinence.

I clean everything again, stop this, stop that, cut phone, change my phone number. I was already hot, because when Alberto got caught, I was wanted for a couple of years. I stop selling. Be quiet. Wake up 5 am, yoga, surf, come back. Bring my kids to school. Swim, surf. Not using coke, oh sometimes I use a little bit because you know I hid a little bit in the electric toothbrush. — Rafael

Alberto also rang Andre, to warn him and ask for help, given the pills were his. Andre promised to talk to Alberto's lawyer to try to organise a deal with the cops, but no deal was struck before he was moved to Kerobokan Prison.

By that time, Alberto was looking forward to going to jail where, he'd heard, he could walk outside, play tennis and use

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