Page 1 of Don't Trust Him

One

Eliza

The way our waitress naturally looks to me for instructions instead of Juan?

I can tell that cuts his balls off.

It isn’t just the waitress deferring to me and seeing me as the important one.

It’s the entire cartel. Cabeza Dios sent Juan like he’s my errand boy.

I inhale, taking in the crisp scent of the saltwater of San Diego Bay on the incredible backdrop of a blushing pink as I sit in the Club Lounge of the InterContinental San Diego.

The San Diego InterContinental Hotel is right on Bayfront Avenue. The astounding views of the Bay paired with perpetual 72-degree weather make it amazing. The accommodating, kind, and exuberant staff put it over the edge and into fabulous territory.

Ever stayed at a Holiday Inn?

Well, it has a more opulent and luxurious cousin that I stay in.

The InterContinental.

Even the carpet is so lush I slide off my Choos to sink my toes in on the way to my room.

Normally I’m at home on 888 Howard Street–the InterContinental San Francisco. Juan had even booked my room there, but I had him cancel and book me here. I told him, I want a change of pace.

The elite business traveler stays at an InterContinental, so I still want a suite at the finest hotel. I just decided to temporarily trade one bay for another.

“Would you like anything else?” the waiter asks me, completely ignoring Juan.

I look at him. He shakes his head. I tell her no.

I arrived a few days ago to pamper myself in unmitigated luxury.

“Is it business or pleasure that brings you to San Diego?” the hotel manager asked me as I did VIP check in.

“A little bit of both,” I told him with a smile.

“Well, I hope you have time to enjoy yourself,” he said, intimidated by my stare.

“I always do,” I had assured him.

And I kept my word.

Being prissy, privileged, and spoiled is great, but I’m itching to do more than just luxuriate. I want a bigger piece of the action.

I take a look at one of my phones. I carry several because, well, when your industry is drugs, you’re pretty much the reasons burners exist. On this particular scroll through my notifications, I’m just looking to see if I have any messages from any of my security guys. They’ll let me know if a shift change at a warehouse or a different customs agent might mean I need to do some extra legwork.

There are no such emails, so I know that the latest cocaine kilos are moving along precisely on schedule.

“The rooms are nice here,” Juan says to me, making small talk.

I look at him. He’s trying to act normal.

“They gave me a suite,” I tell him.

“Damn,” Juan says to me. “Lorenzo approved the spend for a suite?”

“I never stay in anything less,” I say a matter-of-factly and Juan has very little to say back to that.

Technically, we have the same rank in the cartel. We both handle logistics, do advance work, and make payments at all levels.

Clearing his throat, Juan watches Danica leave. “Coke squared is why we’re meeting today,” Juan says almost formally.

Our working relationship has really changed.

We were doing the same job.

Now, I’m moving up in the world, and Juan’s following behind me, delivering me messages.

Where I’m most comfortable on the ground, tackling a problem with tenacity and putting my own thoughts into it. Juan is best placed behind the scenes and following things according to a schedule. My ability to improvise is great for my career. Juan’s inability to think outside the box has pinned him under me. At times, like during this briefing, I get the sense that the cartel just treats him as a glorified errand boy—not worthy of the same type of respect given to me.

“And yeah, they really call it coke squared,” Juan says.

It sounds kind of silly.

I know Juan’s frustrated, but I won’t let it spoil my mood. “Coke squared?” I repeat.

Juan passes me the file folder wordlessly.

“What kind of weird name is that?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.

Shrugging, Juan tastes his drink. He seems to like that, at least, taking a longer sip.

“Seriously, if people do the product in balls, why are we looking to square it?” I add.

At that, Juan laughs with me.

The air feels lighter then. I take a drink of my cocktail, too, and savor the moment. It feels good to be in a meeting here in paradise.

I love that my routes take me all over InterContinental hotels all over the world because who doesn’t like to stay in absolute luxury?

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