“I did,” he fully admitted. “But I did that with all of the cartels and mafias in fact. I knew all about Houdini Mancini as they call him, before I went to war with him. Although, that was not my choice.”
“It had been your father’s choice,” I supplied this answer.
He gave me a nod. “There had been many things he decided that weren’t smart for our family.”
“But a good captain and son such as you had to go along with his choices.”
He nodded again.
“Bien, at least you do not have to consider that anymore,” I told him.
He cocked his head at me. “I may have disagreed with him, but I try not to openly oppose his orders. That is not the way a successful cartel operates.”
“That is true but as I said, you do not have to worry about that anymore.”
He looked puzzled as he asked, “Why? Because you are intending to kill me? Is this your kind way of telling me that I will not be around to oppose him?”
I paused. Damn, he didn’t know. He had no idea. I suddenly realized he couldn’t know as he had been in that coma. I wondered if I should even tell him the news. I slowly shook my head and scooted forward on my chair to tell him the truth, “Santiago passed away during your coma.”
Carlos froze and stared at me then he asked in a low tone, “He’s gone?”
I nodded.
“They killed him?” he asked as his eyes glittered.
I shook my head. “He had a major stroke as far as I know. No one facilitated his death.”
Carlos took a deep breath and looked away from me.
I paused at this. Was he sorry? Or was he relieved? Santiago was a hard man. He had done all those things that Gabriela talked about in that recording. He had done horriblethings. I hated the man with a fucking passion as he had sinned in many ways that had hurt a lot of people.
Finally, Carlos looked at me again to ask, “So do you know who is running the Castillo organization?”
“There are rumors,” I tried to avoid a direct answer. I had heard that Alvaro Castillo had taken over with his father Salvador at his side.
Carlos looked upset at the news as the man was his father.
And I did not wish to exasperate his agitation. Not because I had to care. No, simply put, he would be harder to handle and I would never get the answers I needed from him.
He stared at me and asked, “Quién está en la cima?”Who is at the top?
“No one knows really. Seems to be a couple members of your family.” I had no real proof about Alvaro, just rumors.
Carlos seemed to calm down and released a sigh. “It doesn’t matter. I do not intend to compete for a top spot or go back to it.”
I blinked at him in total surprise. “You don’t?”
“No, I cannot.”
“And why not? You are the next in line. You were already a captain, second only to Alvaro and Santiago. It is an easy takeover.”
“I do not want a takeover. In fact, if and when you release me, I will not be returning to my position at all. I will not be part of that shitshow of a life anymore.”
I admit I had a hard time understanding what he meant. “You mean that you do not intend to return to your cartel?”
“It is notmycartel. And yes, that is what I am saying. I will not be returning to that way of life.”
I studied him and he looked determined about this decision. “Is that because your father has passed away?”
