Page 37 of The Perfect Stranger

Ana had no reason to pull me from the wired room. She owed me nothing.

“What’s he looking for?” I asked almost to myself and was surprised when she answered.

“He brings in a lot of businessmen he doesn’t trust. When they drink and are distracted by women their guard drops, and they always reveal too much. Secrets. Transgressions. Motives.”

“Gabriel told me to me to get a lap dance.”

“Gabriel is here?” Her fingers that had been drumming nervously on her bicep stilled, as she waited for a response.

“Yes, he’s in the next room.”

Ana swallowed hard. She was nervous. “Did he tell you to come in here specifically?”

“Yes.”

“The bastard!” she muttered, looking away.

“Is there a problem?”

“Gabriel likes to push the boundaries.”

“Is there a reason for concern?”

“Not yet.”

“Ana, I’m not sure I’m following.”

“Gabriel knows his Uncle Luis does not share me with other employees.”

“Not even Gabriel?”

She shook her head, and I considered the weight of her words. It was a possibility Gabriel was setting me up. Drugs always came first to a cartel boss, but the right type of woman would follow a close second. He was a naturally suspicious man in his line of business, and putting me in wired room was just to cover his own ass.

“You seem to very popular here. Gabriel tells me, his uncle considers you his favorite.”

“Luis has certain… expectations.” Knowing I was one of ‘them,’ a Santos, brought down a wall.

“I’m sure a man in his position would.”

She nodded. “How do you know Gabriel and Luis?” she asked, trying herself to figure out if I was being thrown to the wolves.

“Gabriel has a lot of enemies. That’s why he needs me.”

“Are you his henchman?”

“You could look at it like that.”

“You kill for him?”

“Yes.”

“Well…” she smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, “…he is either very fond of you, or he is happily sinking you into a world of no return.”

Closing the door on Ana, I stepped into the hall precisely one hour after the fact and waited for Gabriel.

‘Come see me again,’ she had urged before I said my farewells. She gripped my forearm, eyes sending me an array of messages.

Stay safe.

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