The Cartel Lawyer

by Dave Daren

  “I think that might work,” I hedged.

  It was a bad idea to have the beautiful woman in my studio apartment with the bed in plain view like a beacon, but I knew I could resist the temptation for one night. As long as I focused on the work and not the luscious curves underneath her dress, or how soft her lips had been when she’d kissed me.

  “Perfect,” she responded, and her smile brightened a little as her honey-brown eyes twinkled with excitement. “This story is going to be big.”

  “It will be,” I agreed. “And it will get my client out of that terrible place.”

  “How is he?” she asked with a small, worried frown that pulled her bow-shaped lips down at the corners.

  “As good as can be expected,” I shrugged.

  I hadn’t told her who my client was, or about his father, but it was a matter of public record so it wouldn’t be hard for her to figure out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had already looked into it. I still had no intention of bringing up my employer first. If she had questions about either Camilo or Osvaldo, then she would have to ask them on her own. I wouldn’t provide any information that would turn her focus toward Osvaldo if I could help it because she may decide to change the subject of her big story to the cartel leader rather than the Everson Juvenile Detention Center, and my intimidating boss would not tolerate the attention.

  “I can’t believe any judge would sentence someone to that place if they knew what it was like,” she muttered before she took a big bite of the creamy mashed potatoes.

  Her eyebrows drew together as she chewed, and I could see her process the statement.

  “The center might be paying them off,” I ventured.

  I wasn’t quite ready to reveal what I’d found out about one judge in particular. I knew that the reporter would realize it eventually, and it would add to the popularity of her scintillating news report.

  “We should definitely start looking into the judges who sentence kids to the center the most,” she said as she pushed her plate away from her and placed her napkin next to it on the table. “I can talk to some of the parents that I interviewed and see if there are any names that stand out.”

  “Good idea,” I nodded. “But if we find anything, then we’ll have to make sure our proof is bulletproof before we bring it to the DA or the whole thing will be tossed out.”

  “True,” the beautiful woman frowned as she ran a hand through her long hair. “And corrupt judges are worth an exposition all on their own.”

  “It could be your second big story,” I said as I pushed my own plate back. “You could turn it into a series.”

  “Exactly,” she grinned at me, and my stomach did a flip at how beautiful she was.

  “Did you want any dessert tonight?” our waitress asked as she appeared next to our table to take our empty plates.

  “I couldn’t eat another bite,” Eloa said with a small shake of her head. “But it was all fantastic.”

  “It was,” I agreed.

  “I’m so glad you liked it,” the server said. “I’ll be right back with your check.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a smile before I pulled my wallet out. “Dinner is on me.”

  “I appreciate that,” the Brazilian bombshell across from me said as a blush stole across her face. “I think we have enough to finally take Everson down.”

  There was a fire in her eyes as she pursed her lips and nodded her head, and I could easily picture her behind a news desk as she exposed corruption wherever she found it. She would be loved by the entire nation, and taking down the Everson Juvenile Detention Center was just the beginning.

  “Here’s your receipt,” the waitress said as she brought back my card.

  I hadn’t even seen her take it because I’d been so focused on Eloa and the future I could see unfolding for her, but I recovered from my shock fast enough to give the server a smile before she hurried off to a table that had signaled they needed her.

  “I’m glad that we’re so close to getting my client out of that place,” I told the beautiful woman as we stood to leave. “No one should have to be there.”

  “I wish I had an excuse to go in,” the reporter said with a sigh as she slipped her messenger bag onto her shoulder. “I could sneak some pictures. The only ones we have right now are from the kids that are inside. And they have to be careful not to get caught so all of the pictures are blurry.”

  “Maybe you could connect with an inspector,” I suggested while we weaved through the tables.

  “I’ve tried,” she huffed. “No one will give me any information. They say it’s a security breach.”

  She rolled her honey-brown eyes as we walked across the parking lot toward her car. Her hips swayed with every step, and I was mesmerized by the way the skirt of her dress bounced against her well-toned thighs.

  “I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” I said as I tried not to think of the kiss we’d shared the last time we said goodbye.

  A breeze wafted around us and the subtle scent of gardenias and honey from her perfume filled the air around me as she pulled her keys from her bag and unlocked her car.

  “I had a really good night,” the alluring woman said as she looked up at me.

  “I did, too,” I said with a grin while I opened the door for her. “We make a great team.”

  “We do,” she said with a nod. “I guess I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

  “Let me know when you’re home safe,” I told her as she slid into the driver’s seat.

  “Okay,” the gorgeous woman flashed me another thousand kilowatt smile as she shut the door and started the car.

  I waved as she drove away, and then shook my head as I forced my brain to restart. I thought about the way her dress had hugged her ample breasts and the swell of her buttocks underneath the skirt of her dress as I got into my own car.

  She was a stunning woman with curves that wouldn’t quit, and muscular legs that she accentuated with bouncy skirts. She had worn a wine-red lipstick that had lasted through dinner, and I imagined what they would taste like as I pulled onto the highway.

  I should’ve invited her over when I saw her hesitate before she’d gotten into her car, and I had known then that she’d wanted to come home with me. I didn’t have to know exactly where we were going with our friendship, and we still had plenty of research to distract ourselves with if she decided she didn’t want to pursue anything physical once she was at my apartment.

  The traffic had thinned out once I exited the highway, so I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and searched for Eloa’s number. I’d just found it when red and blue lights started flashing behind me. I glanced into my rearview mirror to see a Miami Police Department cruiser right behind me.

  I pulled off into an open parking lot with tall street lights that illuminated the few cars that were scattered around the rectangle of asphalt. I put my old Honda in park, turned it off after I rolled the window down, and then reached over to pull out my driver’s license, insurance card, and registration.

  “Do you know why I pulled you over today?” the police officer asked as he sidled up to my window.

  He had one hand casually resting on his gun while the other reached forward to take my information. He was only a little taller than my car, but what he lacked in height he made up for in the massive muscles that threatened to rip the sleeves of his uniform.

  “I don’t,” I confessed as I looked up at him.

  “Texting and driving is a dangerous crime,” he responded. “As a lawyer you should know better.

  A pulse of fear raced through me. My information didn’t have my profession listed obviously, and there was only one way he would know that I was a lawyer. He must have been sent by someone to pull me over. I doubted it would be Osvaldo, but I couldn’t completely rule out my employer, either.

  “I was going to make a call,” I managed to say despite my suddenly thick tongue.

  “Mmmhmm,” the officer said as he handed my license and
paperwork back to me. “I think you need to learn to leave well enough alone, Mr. Torres.”

  “Excuse me?” I asked while I stuffed my driver’s license back into my wallet and ignored my racing pulse.

  “Some families are just bad,” he said while he leaned down to rest one arm on my open window.

  His other hand was still on his gun, and I glanced around the parking lot in hopes that there was a camera that was recording the interaction. I found one that was pointed our way, and I made a point of putting my hands on the steering wheel so if something happened, the officer wouldn’t be able to say I’d reached for a gun.

  “And those families just make bad kids,” the cop continued with a small shrug. “Those kids might deserve the places they find themselves.”

  “Alright,” I said with a small nod.

  “I’m glad you understand,” the officer said as he reached a beefy hand in to pat me on the shoulder. “Now, I’m gonna be generous and let you off with a warning this time. But word of advice… maybe you should think about what kind of cases you want to pursue.”

  “Sure,” I responded.

  “I hope you have a good night,” the man told me with a wry smile.

  I waited until the cop had gotten into his cruiser and driven away before I started my car with shaking hands. I didn’t know if he’d been sent by the judge or Everson, but it seemed more likely that the old magistrate had seen me in his court and realized that I had started to investigate him.

  Judge Travis Williams had shown his hand by sending a cop to harass me. He had something to hide, and as I pulled out onto the road, I wondered if the judge had been up to more than just accepting bribes. He wouldn’t want his finances to be under too much scrutiny, but sending a cop made me sure that there was more to the corrupt magistrate than I’d originally thought.

  I would need to search through the judge’s case history again, into the adult cases that came across his bench, and the connections he’d made at that country club. I had struck a nerve with the fat man, and it was crystal clear that he wanted me to back off. I sighed as I realized that I had yet another person threatening my life, and both of them wanted very different things from me.

  And then my thoughts drifted to the beautiful reporter that I’d been about to call. There was no way I could put her in the middle of such a dangerous situation.

  Our romantic night would just have to wait until I’d exposed the corrupt judge and freed Camilo.

  Chapter 16

  I drove the exact speed limit on the way back to my apartment so that I didn’t draw any more unwanted attention from the police. I sighed when I parked in front of my building and didn’t see the familiar black car of Osvaldo’s goons. The one time I wanted the gun-toting men around, and they were nowhere to be seen.

  There were a few people out and about as I climbed out of my car. A young woman in a flowy summer dress strolled toward her apartment with bags of groceries in her hands. An older man that I recognized from my building was walking his ancient terrier. The little creature’s legs pumped hard as it hurried after its human, but it kept getting distracted by the trees that were planted along the sidewalk.

  The evening had cooled a bit since the sun had set, and even the humidity seemed to have taken a break as a salty breeze drifted down the street. There were no stars visible in the sky, too many street lights, but the lit windows from the other apartment buildings lent a different romantic atmosphere to the night.

  I stood in the peaceful moment as I breathed in and out, and my heart finally slowed back to a normal rhythm. When I didn’t feel as if there were other policemen in the shadows ready to jump out and arrest me, I started to walk toward the door to my building.

  “Hey, there,” the older man said as he shuffled toward me. “You live here, right?”

  He had on brown slacks and matching loafers, a white, short-sleeved button-up with black palm trees, and he had swept his short silver hair back in an effort to cover the large bald spot in the middle of his head. His shoulders were hunched in from age and hard work, but there were still muscles underneath his pale wrinkly skin.

  “Yes, sir,” I said with a small smile. “My name’s Rob.”

  “I thought I recognized you,” the man said with a grin while he tried to tug his dog backwards as it sniffed my leg. “Sorry about Betty. She’s just a curious little thing. My name’s Elmer.”

  “It’s nice to officially meet you,” I responded as I shook the hand he held out to me.

  His grip was stronger than I expected for his age, and I gave him another once over to see if he had any of the taletell tattoos that would mark him as a dock worker or military man. He had a black splotch on the top of his right forearm that looked vaguely like it could be the Marine Corps insignia.

  “It’s nice to meet you, too, Rob,” the old marine said with a nod of his head as I held open the door for him. “You always seem like you’re in a hurry. Seen you go on some late night runs. What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a lawyer, sir,” I said while we strolled across the lobby toward the elevator.

  “A lawyer?” the older man asked as he stepped into the elevator.

  He tried to tug Betty onto the elevator after him, but the dog seemed hesitant at first. The doors started to shut, and both me and the small dog darted inside together.

  “What kind?” Elmer asked when we were all inside the box.

  “I’m a defense lawyer, sir,” I told him as I pressed the button for my floor.

  “Ah,” the ex-Marine said as he nodded his head in understanding. “That explains why you’re coming and going at all hours. Well, you have a good night. And be safe. There’s been some dubious-looking men around the area lately.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, sir,” I said as I stepped out onto my floor.

  My shoulders were tense again as I unlocked the door to my apartment. At least one neighbor had noticed Osvaldo’s goons hanging around, and if they started to call the cops, then I would have to deal with my employer’s anger at their intervention and whatever officers the judge sent to my home. I needed to wrap this up, and soon, if I didn’t want more personal visits from Alvaro or corrupt policemen.

  I double-checked that the locks on my doors were in place before I gave the rest of my apartment another once over. I didn’t see any dangerous cartel members, or the giant Alvaro, so I let myself relax a little. For the moment, at least, I was safe from the dangerous people I’d entangled myself with.

  The bed called to me as I set my briefcase down on the kitchen counter, but I hadn’t checked my email from the Public Defender’s Office in almost a week, and I knew that the exit interview was still waiting for my attention in the digital inbox. I tugged my laptop out from inside my briefcase and then plopped down on my couch so I could finish the last of the paperwork from my previous job.

  There was a new episode of Law and Order: SVU in my DVR, so I pressed play while I booted up my computer. I shrugged out of my suit jacket while I kicked off my shoes and then curled up on the couch with the laptop balanced on my outstretched legs. By the time the episode ended, I’d finished the exit interview and answered the last few questions my old coworkers had for me. I was completely done with the Public Defender’s Office, and Osvaldo was officially my only employer.

  I stood and stretched as I thought about the cartel leader. He was terrifying, with a scowl that could melt bones, but his son had been wrongly imprisoned. I couldn’t fault his rage there because I had my own regarding the situation, and despite his threats, he’d been relatively patient so far. I just needed to prove to him that I hadn’t lost my touch, and to do that, I had to get Camilo released while I handled the other cases he’d given me.

  The first one, Luke, had already been given community service and was back in school. He’d been relatively easy since I’d been able to have the case dismissed, but Michael’s would be a bit more difficult. He was a repeat offender with a violent rap sheet, so there was no way
I could get him a walk, but I was confident that I could get him a reduced sentence. His trial was the next morning, and I knew that Osvaldo would have someone watching to make sure that I didn’t fail him again.

  I sent a quick text to Michael to make sure that he would be there in the morning and had just finished brushing my teeth when the gruff man replied. He’d confirmed that he’d be there, that he knew the drill, and that he’d be on his best behavior.

  It was the best I could hope for, so I sent him a thumbs up emoji and finished getting ready for bed. I planned to sleep later than I usually did because I didn’t have to leave my apartment until eight-thirty. I could stay in bed until seven-thirty and catch up on some much needed rest before court.

  The morning light peeked in through the closed blinds on my windows as my alarm went off, and for a second I thought I’d slept too late, but I relaxed when I remembered that I didn’t have court until ten a.m..

  I threw off my blankets and started the process of getting ready. My five o’clock shadow had started to become a scraggly mess so I made sure to shave, and then I ran some water through my wavy hair until it resembled something resembling styled.

  The coffee pot had finished the brewing cycle when I emerged from the bathroom, and the decadent smell of freshly brewed coffee washed over me. I closed my eyes and breathed deep before I shuffled over to fix my cup.

  I tugged open the fridge door to see what I had that could pass as breakfast. There were still a few pieces of fruit on the top shelf from my trip to the corner market so I grabbed one of the oranges. I leaned over the counter as I peeled the rind off and drank my coffee. The juice from the orange dripped down as I ate, so I wiped it up with a paper towel.

  As soon as I was done I brushed my teeth and finished getting ready. I’d picked out a dark-gray suit, white button up, black tie, and my most comfortable black dress shoes. It looked good on me, and as I grabbed my gear for the day, I felt like I could conquer the world.

  The drive to the courthouse was short, and I’d picked the perfect time to leave so that I’d only catch the tail end of rush hour traffic. As I pulled into the parking garage, I even found a spot on the first level which I took as another good omen. I checked my hair in the rear view mirror because I’d driven with the window down, and when it was presentable, I climbed out of my car and headed toward the courthouse.