The United Cartels of America, Season 6 (Queen of the South)

Part 6 - Echo from The Past

Kelly Anne applied a cold compress to Pote's swollen eye and handed him another one for his throbbing jaw.

"I wiped the blood off your face but wonder if it all came from the nasty gash on your cheek or from a tooth!" She said as he mumbled that 'all his teeth were in their place'.

Then he added surly: "His punches were off; anyone could see that!"

The two women exchanged glances, Kelly Anne wondering why Pote had to badmouth James, whose punches had been quite on point, while Teresa wondering where James had gone and if this rift would ever be healed.

"Are we going to the warehouse, Teresita? You got to see the coke!" Pote stood up shakily and Teresa said a quick 'yes' before Kelly Anne had had a chance to protest.

As they drove around the property to the warehouse, Pote informed her that his quick test for purity could not be precise as he lacked proper 'testing gear', but he was sure it was above 95%.

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Teresa walked solemnly out of the dusty warehouse and looked at the horizon.

Pote was antsy and was getting frustrated at her silence: "We have to find out if the Alicante woman is on it! We must confront her!"

"I already talked to her!" Teresa said.

"And?" Pote glared at her.

"Not about the coke...about James!" Teresa looked away from him and to Kelly Anne who stood on her other side.

It was obvious no one wanted to push Teresa, but both were waiting on her. She exhaled nervously and said: "She confirmed it! I don't know if I believe her."

===

The ride back saw the discussion to have Pote stakeout the warehouse, starting tonight, in order to catch the party that would move the coke, while Teresa would make arrangements to halt the construction until she met with Bustamante the next day and advised the Swiss Bank about the changes that needed to be made.

Pote flipped the car mirror to look at his face as Kelly Anne mumbled: "The man knows where to hit. Your left eye is fully shut!" Pote turned back and glared angrily at her with his good eye.

Then he turned to Teresa who was behind the wheel: "Are we not going to talk about it? He hit me first, Teresita, I swear!"

Teresa shook her head: "Pote, you sound like my sons...when they were kids!"

He breathed heavy: "I'm sorry...really...but when I saw him with..." He cut himself short as the thought of repeating that he had seen her man kiss another woman was cruel.

She turned her head from the road and looked at him for a second: "You already told me what you saw! But I know James...and I know you!...James is someone who always controls his emotions and actions...You tend to jump to conclusions...So, what did you say to him so that he hit you first?"

Pote kept breathing heavily, then finally said: "Maybe you're right...We should focus on the coke now...and talk about all this shit later!"

===

It was not yet dusk as Teresa sat on the ledge of the pool, feet dangling in the water, thoughts floating in her head: thoughts of James and her back in the day, then the two of them with their young children, then with their teenage children, thoughts full of love and warmth.

She let the breeze ruffle her loose hair and the sunglasses hide her reddish eyes from the other few guests enjoying the area.

Then she realized someone sat beside her softly and saw Kelly Anne's untanned hand put a mojito cocktail next to her.