Bad Day in Queen's Landing - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

            “Who says I was at the Sheriff’s house last night?”  Hernandez asked. 

“Come on Hernandez,” Cal replied.  “My brother-in-law could tell the tire tracks came from vehicles like yours.  Do you think everyone in this town is stupid enough not to figure it out?”

Hernandez laughed.  “Yeah, I do,” he replied.

Cal was seriously beginning to think he made a mistake.  He thought about the conversation he had with his sister a few months ago, regarding Hernandez.  The rumor had been that Hernandez wasn’t just selling in LaCompt county, and he wasn’t just selling weed.  Carol had told him that cocaine use and heroin use were up tremendously in the surrounding counties.  She had also heard that the Mexican drug cartel was supposedly interested in making some deals with Hernandez.

Cal was beginning to suspect that Hernandez wasn’t honoring their agreement.  There was something else that bothered Cal.  LaCompt county wasn’t that big.  There was only a population of around 15,000 people.  How was Hernandez making enough to pay Cal off $5,000.00 every two months and still be making the money he was obviously making?  As Cal glanced around at all the guns pointed in his direction, he decided that this might not be the best time to ask that question to Hernandez.

“Hernandez, do I need to do something, or not?”  Cal asked.  Hernandez frowned.  “I can’t do what you paid me to do if I don’t know what’s going on.”  Hernandez signaled for his guys to lower their guns.  He leaned in angrily. 

“If you’d done your job, we wouldn’t have to take care of the Sherriff,” Hernandez said in a low voice.

“What do you mean?”  Cal asked.  Hernandez said nothing, stood up, strode over to a table and picked up a file for Cal to see.

“This buried both of us,” he continued.  “Now go do the job I’m paying you for!”  Cal thought about saying something else, but thought better of it.  He left.  Just before he exited the door he turned back.

“Is there anything going on I need to know about?”  He asked Hernandez.  Hernandez barked a laugh.

“No, there’s nothing you need to know,” Hernandez answered, emphasizing need.  Cal turned, walked out to his vehicle, started it, and took off, knowing this was probably the last time he would see Hernandez on friendly terms.