La Mujer de Lalo (Lalo's Woman)

The Beginning

"The kill order was from Hector Salamanca."
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"The kill order was from Hector Salamanca."
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That's all that kept replaying in Ana's head the entire night. She didn't get any sleep and her eyes had become red and shrunk. She called in sick at work. Didn't attend any calls. She was just crouched on the bedroom floor, crying.

It was almost noon and she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday's lunch. But that didn't make her hungry though. All She could think about was what would happen if Lalo came to know about his uncle.

She went through multiple scenarios in her head. But at the end of each one, Lalo chose his familia, his Tío. And she was just left stranded, out in the middle of nowhere.

She then remembered, what Marcus had mentioned to her in the hospital, "You think your Lalo would have done that, were he in my place? No. He would've have probably been the one who ordered your kidnap in the first place. He'd have had his way with a pretty little thing like you and tossed you into the trash. That's what guys like him do."

Son of a gun. He very well knew the truth and hid it from her. But wait. Marcus knows Lalo as Jorge de Guzman. Not Eduardo Salamanca. But he probably does know that he is associated with the drug business. Nothing else. He doesn't know that Hector is Lalo's dear uncle. She let out a deep breath.

She decided to talk to Marcus in person about what Gus had mentioned. She took her phone ans typed, "Need to talk. ASAP." And hit send.

Withing the next minute, her phone vibrated with a reply, "Surprised that it took you so long. I'm busy all evening. Drop by my place tomorrow morning."

"Nah. Needs to be done today. Will meet you tonight after your work. That skate park near the station at 9." She replied.

"Done Mrs. :)" A happy Marcus threw his legs on his table, put his hands behind his head and relaxed in his cozy chair.

-----

That evening, Nacho dropped by to check in on Ana. She was a mess. He wondered what had happened to her. Did Lalo have something to do with this?

She was still in her room, but atleast showered and had her lunch to give her the strength to talk to Marcus. She was pacing her room from end to end. Dark baggies were now becoming visible under her eyes.

"Esta bien, hermanita? You look like hell."

On seeing Nacho, she ran to him and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulders. He hugged her back and gently patted the back of her head.

"There something I need to ask you." She told him.

"Yeah?"

"It's about your first time in jail. What exactly happened? Don't give me any bullshit, I've enough going on in my life. I want you to tell me the truth as it was."

After thinking for a minute, he told the story. How he was working for the Salamancas, swinging a couple of packets a week to make ends meet. The problem he encountered that night where one of his buyers happened to be a snitch. Next thing he knew, he was surrounded by cops and was taken into custody.

He even added with disappointment that his papa was informed of him being arrested but didn't move a finger. And that it was the Salamancas who had paid for his bail and arranged his release.

"What? So you didn't know that I was down there at the station past midnight to bring you out?"

"What the hell? When? How did you know? Weren't you in college then?" He threw question after question.

"The cops had informed Tío Manuel about you and he had actually left town for business. He could've have come back and risked closing down his business. But he called me, in the middle of the night and cried in the phone, saying his little boy was arrested. I told him to stay put and that I'd look into the matter and if need be, get help from one of my friend's uncle, who was a famous lawyer by the name of George M. Hamlin."

"Papa knew? Why didn't he say anything till now?" He spoke with a heavy chest.

"I don't know. Maybe he wanted you to think he didn't care about you. Anyways, I went to the station and begged and pleaded with the detective who had arrested you."

"Marcus Pierce."

"Mm. They sent me away. Asked me to hire a lawyer and get things down legally though it was a long shot."

She hid what had happened next.

"So, I just left. Who bailed you out after that?"

"Umm... there was some lawyer whom I'd never met. I'd seen him with Don Hector a couple times. And before you knew it, I was out. It's funny though. I was so sure that it was my end, when I stepped out of the station."

"Why?" A curious Ana enquired.

"Why? That's how things work. When you have a rookie who makes a mistake, especially after he used some of your product and punched his client in the face and fall into a police trap, you get rid of him."

"Then how come your still alive?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. But from then on, I knew that I could never, ever make a mistake." As he said those words, he thought about an incident that had occurred couple months ago. When one of their dealers' place was busted and Nacho had to somehow step his shit up and save the product in there. That was one of the major reasons why Lalo had a great liking towards the boy. He had guts and brains.

"Will you be able to find that lawyer?"

"Sorry what?"

"The lawyer, will you..."

"Yeah, I understood what you asked. Just...why are you asking? Don't say that you're in trouble!"

"What? No! It's just to know about some stuff. Lalo had a few doubts and was discussing his troubles that day. Don Hector wouldn't share the details of that lawyer, so... I just thought I could help him, before he gets back. You know... save time." She managed a fake smile which Nacho could easily see through.

"I'll try. But trust me, you don't want to come between the uncle and nephew. Don't stir the pot, sweet sister." He finished and left her place.

Now, all that's left to do is wait for Marcus.