LXC I've been in the lab all day, Completing Other tests for married and filling out paperwork. I'm not sure WHERE Entirely Pepa is ... I think she Might Be out on her first patrol. I've Spent the whole day wondering Where She is and whether she's going to come springing Through That Door to say "hi." Knowing that I've Spent the whole day thinking about this is bothering me to no end, But I can not seem to direct my brain in direction and Stock That Does not end in her.
"I have so much paperwork to do" leads into "Pepa Said she hates doing paperwork."
"I need to go to the supply closet and get some more syringes" derails into "Pepa ADMITTED That she has a phobia of needles."
"I have given an important and Potentiallygerous undercover mission in just two days "spirals into" Pepa and I Are getting together tomorrow to go over the details of the case. "
I think I must be going insane. I've Always Been just a little crazy, But now I must be certifiable. Why can not I get this woman out of my head?! An image of her smiling face Appears in my mind's eye ... and I think I know why. But There's no time for Analyzing it now. There's too much work to Be Done. Wipe That image out of your head. Go stare at Some crime scene photos, Silvia ... maybe that'll help you focus. ______________________________________________________________
It's Friday. Everybody's Been Preparing all day - ironing out the details, checking equipment, going over the plan. Pepa and I are about to leave to her place, but she wants to stop and say goodnight to Paco first.
We’re rounding the corner when Paco, Mariano, Gonzalo, and Curtis come bursting out of the locker rooms.
“I’m just saying...a parked van with
‘Confecciónes Puri’
printed on the side is probably going to look out of place on a street full of bars and clubs,” Mariano throws out in that jittery, wide-eyed way of his.
“And, and...what? One of the club owners can’t be buying dresses for the dancers?” Paco responds.
“Paco, the dancers don’t wear those kinds of dresses,” Mariano explains. “They were those outfits with velcro that they can just pull off.\Our mics ide? "Fuck
.
How did nobody think about that? Everybody stands around
Not Really Knowing What to Say, Not feeling stupid for thinking about Logistical Such an important detail.
"Gonzalo, why do not you go in with Them ...?" Paco suggests. "Not with Them
with Them, But as a patron of the club. You Could Be mic'ed, keep an eye on everything, and keep us in the van Informed of what's going on. "
Gonzalo lets out a long sigh Before agreeing. There's really not much Other option. And, for a second, I'm afraid he's going to want to come over to Pepa's, too, Now That he's Also going in undercover. But, INSTEAD, I says historical part That Does not reqck to the living room.
And, here we are now, poring over files, looking for any important information.
She takes another long swig of coffee and I feel the need to break the silence. “We need to target one of the dancers. See if we can get one of the girls to open up to us...somebody there has to know something.”
“What would make you think any of the strippers would know anything?”
“Ah, I see you haven’t gotten to the end of that file.” I point at the file she's currently holding and she shakes her head indicating she hasn’t. “Well, you might as well put it down and I’ll sum it up for you.”
She closes the file, letting it fall back to its spot on the table, picks up her coffee to drink some more, and looks at me expectantly.
"Miguel and Julio Castillo, the brothers Who are the Leaders and brains of the outfit Entire ... They've never hidden the fact-Women That They Appreciate ..."
"I Can Understand That," she interrupts.
"Sht, Pepa, let me finish."
"Okay. Sorry. Go on. "Another gulp of coffee.
"They've Been Known to hand-pick dancers That They Want to ... get to know Intimately. Every now and then, One of These Women will end up Becoming a mistress - Provided for and well-taken care of ... for a while anyway "
" Right ... That Does not sound like anything out of the ordinary , though. "
" No, not Particularly, But do you remember that There Was a 'big fuck up' last time We Were Trying to Arrest These Men? "She nods and I let out a sigh Before Launching Into the story.
"One of these Mistresses, Isabel Hernandez, Had come forward to us. She Was Involved With The Younger brother, Julio. She Came to us after I beat her to death Nearly Because she got pregnant with Another Man's Baby And She Was Afraid Of What Might have to do to her now That Had she betrayed him. She Came to us ready to Testify Against Both brothers ... She Had Been raped, beaten, Witness Other Drug Trafficking monkfish ... ... and Had Heard and seen Things That Would Also help us get on Murder Charge Them. Everything We Need To make sure the Entire Castles' gang, She Was Going to Give Us. "Pepa is sitting quietly, Taking IT tol in while I pause to take a sip of my own coffee.
“We promised her that she would be kept safe. My father had arranged for Paco and Mariano to stay with her in a hotel room the days before and during the trial. Nobody else knew where they were staying in order to ensure her safety. Isabel...well, she was an alcoholic and during their stay in the hotel room, she was able to convince Paco and Mariano to buy her bottles of vodka. They later told us that she said she’d make a better witness drunk or hungover than going through withdrawls.
“The night before the trial, Paco and Mariano decided to order some Chinese food for dinner. As they were eating, they said they started to worry about Isabel. She was apparently nearly passed out from drinking so muchn the case.
"Alright ... so we go in, Get Hired, play nice with the dancers and hope one of Them Something knows and is willing to talk." She starts pulling together the files, Trying to Arrange Them Into Some semblance of order . "Is that the game plan?"
"Sounds about right now ... All We Need Are Our undercover names." She lights up at this.
"And, What name do you think Should I use? Do I look like a. .. Laura? Lorena ...?" Or
"No. I think you look like a grandmother. "
" What!? That sounds like a grandma's name! "And with this she adeptly pops to her feet, leaps over the coffee table, and tackles me.
"Take it back,
redhead! Better Or give me a name!Mar and Alicia ... that'll work. "
A few Minutes Later, we're Saying goodbye at the doorway. She kisses me on the cheek and tells me to Have a Good night. Just like Gonzalo did earlier. And, just like Earlier, There's a strange pang. Shame? Maybe. Regret? Yes.
... Excitement? Definitely.
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