PASSIONS OF CRIME

Managing Business

Eight – Managing Business

Manuel Sierra glanced nervously at his watch.

"Goddamn it." said he, "It's been three hours since Dad left."

"Should we try finding him?" asked Oliver.

"I've asked Tommy to look into it. He's went out with a couple of guys some time ago. They'll report in about half an hour. But that's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?"

Manny sighed.

"What if he got arrested?" asked he, "What if he ran into the cops or something?"

"You know Dad. He's been avoiding cops for as far back as we've been in the business."

"That's the problem, Ollie. They've been waiting fifteen years to get him."

"He's gonna be alright."

"Yeah, I'd like to believe that."

There was silence for some time.

"So," began Oliver, "Connor plead not guilty today. What do you think about that?"

"We've got more important things to think about right now. And after we killed Joanne Roseborn I don't think he'll continue fighting the case."

"We didn't have to do that, Manny."

Manuel sighed.

"I know. And I'll tell you it ain't easy man. I feel sorry for the bitch, I really do. But what's gotta be done has gotta be done."

"I think it was wildly unnecessary. You don't just go on killing people man!"

"Just shut up, will ya? You know nothing about the position I'm in. Don't you realise man that if Dad doesn't come home or ends up in jail it's all on me, don't you get that? I've got the FBI and the cops trying to bust our ass here and we're not gonna spend any more time on whining over some chick who didn't deserve to die!"

"Talk softly man! You'll wake up Sarah and the kids!"

"Oh what the hell Ollie! They're deep sleepers, they can take it!"

"I'm just saying..."

"Well don't! You have no idea how complicated things are right now man. We're going to hell if we don't think here."

"I have a suggestion, if you're asking."

"I don't need one, but tell me. I'd take just about anything from anyone right now."

"The way I see it, if the cops are coming after something, they're gonna come after the coke. We've got seven hundred pounds of that shit in our basement and it doesn't get uglier than that."

"So what do you say we do?"

Oliver sighed. "We lose the coke." he replied.

Manuel didn't object. He didn't shout or argue or scream. He just thought for some time and considered what his brother had just proposed.

"Okay," said he, "how?"

"We've got trucks. We've got plenty of places to move the drugs to. Places where the cops won't find them."

"That ain't enough. Our places are gonna be no good if Dad's caught. We gotta take it somewhere real quiet. Someplace not even Dad would think of keeping them."