Better late than never! Many of you have been reading these stories since I wrote the first one over 6 years ago. These stories are true. The hitman is real. Here's a post from TBH'er Coon007 explaining how he came to be in possession of these stories:
At the time I met luis, we were working some gold/silver mining project's in the Zacatecas area. And one of my partners Mr.Kilroy has a close friend who is a priest in the Monterrey area that oversee's all the little rural catholic churches. One day a song come on the radio that I had composed and Mr.Kilroy stated to the priest that I had wrote that song, so the priest asked me if I knew about writing books... me and my big mouth said yes, that same afternoon I met with Luis. He told me he a tumor in his brain that could not be operated on and he knew he was going to die, but before he died he wanted someone to write his life story (why i'll never know) so he gave all his money away and went to a small rural church to be forgiven by god for all the crimes he commited. Luis died on 3/10/2004 in that little room behind the church with the priest taking care of him. So here are his stories.
Just in case you need the links to the previous chapters:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 (See the PDF file in the first post)
And here is the long awaited Chapter 7.
Hitman: A True Story
Chapter 7: Hot Shot
I remember the next one well. Probably because it was a one of a kind hit. It was very hot and I was enjoying my newly installed swimming pool when the phone rang. Not very many people had my number, so I had a feeling that my soaking and drinking was about to be interrupted. I was right.
The caller was Don Ernesto Martinez, AKA El Flash. I had met Don Ernesto on a few occasions. He was quite the character. He was called El Flash because of the way he dressed. Ever since he was a teenager he had dressed in flashy clothes and loved to show off his new toys and his abundant money.
El Flash sounded like he wasn’t having the best of days. He said he wanted to see me as soon as possible. I looked down at the cold drink in my hand and out over my new pool. “OK. Where?” He asked me to come to his ranch just outside of Acapulco. I told him I would head that way today.
As I began to plan my trip, I thought about El Flash. Don Ernesto Martinez was thought of as a strange man at the time. He would be considered an eccentric gay or “queen” today. But the people in his small town genuinely loved him. He gave regularly to build a new hospital, schools, and a new church. He gave his money away without a care in the world. But those who underestimated him in the business world always regretted it. I had great respect for El Flash because he controlled his main business (drugs) with an iron fist. He conducted business with all of the major drug lords in Mexico and in the United States. Very few people had double-crossed him and gotten away with it. He was quite the contradiction. The same man that dictated terms to some of the most violent men in the world would also walk down the street every morning to place fresh flowers at the altar of the church he built.
I quickly packed a small suitcase with enough clothes for a few days and drove myself to the airport. I considered myself a fearless man—except when it came to flying. I had very carefully avoided airplanes and always chose to drive, even when it was inconvenient. But I couldn’t avoid it this time. Not enough time to drive. “What the hell did I get myself into?” I mumbled. I was sweating profusely and extremely nervous. I started cursing Don Ernesto under my breath for forcing me to fly. Que chingados es tan importante…What the hell is so important that it could not wait an extra day?
I was sitting around trying to figure out what El Flash could want with me when the call came to board my plane. I could feel my knees trembling slightly as I walked to the tarmac. I almost missed a step going up into the plane. I sucked it up and made my way into the pinche avion and sat down. I finally relaxed a little but then the engines started up. I puckered up and held onto my armrests for dear life. I looked around and saw women and children smiling and laughing and not concerned at all. I felt even worse about myself.
After takeoff I looked out the window and realized that I probably wasn’t going to die and that the view was beautiful from up here. I stared outside at the cloud formations during the entire flight. Landing was a little scary, but after we touched down I felt excited and was actually looking forward to flying again.
But now it was business time and I wiped the grin off my face and turned back into Luis Manuel Hernandez, a serious person with a reputation to uphold. I met a man named Horacio who was holding a sign with my name on it in the luggage area. This was a first for me and I felt out of place and a little concerned that my name was being shown to hundreds of people. Horacio nodded and instructed me to follow him to a waiting car.
***************
The driver didn’t say a word on the long drive to the hacienda. As we arrived I saw the most spectacular entry gates I had ever seen. It was like something out of a dream. The rest of the ranch did not disappoint either. I saw white peacocks and white horses walking around. The hacienda itself was even more amazing. Its gardens, flashy grandeur, and priceless antiques were breathtaking.
Horacio brought me inside and within seconds the man himself, Don “El Flash” Ernesto walked down a flight of stairs to greet me. He was sporting a white suit with a matching cape! Every finger on both hands displayed giant rings with a variety of precious gems and diamonds. He had numerous gold chains hanging from his neck and a well-styled pompadour with no hair out of place. He was holding a slim cigarette in a fancy holder. I was staring at the Mexican version of Liberace.
Speaking in perfect, proper Spanish, Don Ernesto asked me to step into his office. He asked if I would like some coffee or tea. But before I could answer him he said, “Let’s get down to business”. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a briefcase and a set of keys. He opened the case, pointed at all of the bundled cash. “Two million dollars”. He handed me the keys. “One of those is to a Cadillac outside and another is to a condo in Acapulco. Now you work for me!” Those words began a long and prosperous working relationship with Don Ernesto—one that would end badly for anyone who got in his way or angered him for the next ten years.
Don Ernesto set me down at a table and described what my next job would be. “Tonight I am hosting a grand party here at the hacienda. There will be many friends attending, including some well-known business partners, actors, singers, and even the Lieutenant Governor of Sinaloa! But there is one guest that needs some special attention, if you know what I mean. His name is Juan Jose Gomez, AKA La Culebra (The Snake).”
I had never heard of La Culebra before. Don Ernesto quickly filled me in. Gomez had risen through the ranks of one of the most brutal and violent cartels in Mexico. He had no business etiquette or respect for others. He only saw people (those independently wealthy and powerful like El Flash) as targets of opportunity to help him enrich himself and strengthen his power base.
“Luis, I cannot take a chance on a man like this trying to overthrow me and take over my business. I have known people like him my entire life. I can smell his greed and his desire to take me out. My sources tell me that this man has been asking questions about my operation. I am a man of peace and I would rather not resort to violence. As you can see, I would rather throw parties, have fun with good friends, spread around my money to help the poor, and go to mass at the church that I built. But you are different. You know how to solve these problems and are not afraid to get your hands dirty…or bloody.”
Don Ernesto looked at me for a long time and I didn’t know what to say. So I nodded at him with a grim look. He smiled and stood up from the table and walked to the door. He turned around and said, “Be here at 8:00 sharp. Buy yourself an expensive suit. I can’t have my employees walking around looking like a gardener or a stable boy. New suit. 8:00 PM sharp.”
I was left sitting there thinking, “What am I supposed to do with La Culebra and where the hell do I buy a suit?” I didn’t have to worry for long. Don Ernesto tasked his driver Horacio with helping me get around downtown Acapulco for some shopping. The pile of cash that I had already been given was a big help as well. Acapulco was crazy. I had never seen so many gringos in my life. I felt so out of place shopping for “killing clothes” while all of those families were buying souvenirs and having fun. After stopping at a few shops I had purchased an elegant suit and matching shoes. I almost felt guilty for spending an amount that would have taken care of my brothers and I for a few years not so long ago. Horacio asked me if I had the key to the condo that Don Ernesto had given me earlier. When I nodded yes, he took me there and said he would see me at the party later. The Cadillac from earlier had magically appeared at the Condo and Horacio indicated that I should drive it.
***************
I arrived at the hacienda a few minutes before 8:00 PM. Horacio motioned for me to follow him. We walked through several halls of the elegant house without saying a word. We went downstairs into a basement and he opened a large heavy door leading into a dark room. When he turned on the light I found myself turning around in a circle, staring with my mouth hanging open in amazement. The walls contained every type of weapon that a man could ever want or use. There were pistols, rifles, shotguns, even a bazooka! Don Ernesto walked in and shook my hand. We spoke briefly and then I walked to a shelf and picked up a Colt 1911 in .38 Super, one of my favorite calibers.
Don Ernesto shook his head slightly. “Normally I would let you choose any weapon that you would like. But this time things are different. I can’t have La Culebra going back to his family full of bullet holes.”
What the hell is he thinking?
“Choose something else, Luis. I can’t have people seeing him with a bashed in head, cut throat, or blown to pieces”.
“Well that doesn’t leave much to work with except for maybe my bare hands, Don Ernesto”, I said cautiously. He nodded and opened a stainless drawer.
“Ah ha! How about this?” He handed me two little sticks with some piano wire tied between them. “This will do! Kill him with this and then a little make-up at the funeral home will make for a beautiful corpse.” He handed me the sticks and walked away. I was left to follow Horacio out of the room while looking at the unfamiliar weapon and shaking my head. I was a meticulous planner. I didn’t like making things up on the fly or going into a situation ill-prepared. But it seemed that I didn’t have much choice.
***************
Horacio finally started talking after Don Ernesto disappeared upstairs. He handed me a photo of La Culebra. “He is a short, thin man. He is powerful but paranoid. It is imperative that he dies tonight. He will have security with him when he arrives, but as the party gets going he will send them away to the servant’s quarters or to the kitchen. He doesn’t like them hovering around all the time and I don’t think he trusts anyone completely. There will be some very important people at this party—not just a bunch of drug dealers and cartel members. You can’t just kill him anywhere you please…and no holes or damage. We must be discreet for Don Ernesto’s sake. He has a reputation as a civilized host and businessman.
I put the weapon in my pocket and walked back to the main floor of the hacienda. The party was just getting started. I immediately recognized a few movie stars, singers, and a few politicians I had seen on television. Everyone had a drink in hand and light music played in the background. I walked around and smiled and nodded at people as I tried to formulate a workable plan and to learn the layout of the hacienda a little better. Approximately 30 minutes later, La Culebra walked into the hacienda and starting making the social rounds. I watched him without watching him. I saw him look at Don Ernesto several times but he did not approach him. He seemed to be sizing him up. I thought that maybe my employer was accurate in his assessment that La Culebra may be planning to take him out. I did not understand the politics and intricacies of the world they lived in, but I knew people. I and I knew within seconds that La Culebra was not someone to take lightly. And I also found his name, The Snake, to be very fitting.
I spent over two hours thinking of a way to kill the man. My specialty was using torture for getting information or extracting revenge for a client. I had never killed anyone as a “precautionary business decision”. It was in my nature to be aggressive and violent, not passive and gentle. I had a strong drink to ease my nerves while I tried to think of a plan.
Things finally started to come together when I saw that cocaine, weed, and even heroin were starting to flow freely throughout the hacienda. A large number of the attendees were joining in on the festivities. I stood watching with child-like amusement as a doctor (Don Ernesto’s personal in-house physician) administered the heroin shots in a quick efficient manner. A butler walked around and cut up nice little lines of cocaine for the guests to snort off of complimentary mirrors. The drugs were served up like hors d’oeuvres at a normal party, or ice cream and cake at a child’s party. It was unbelievable. I had never seen so many well-dressed, high society people getting wasted out of their minds.
***************
Finally it happened. I saw La Culebra sitting on an elegant sofa, a man rolling up his shirtsleeve for him. He was getting a shot of heroin by the doctor. I immediately turned and went back to the basement room where the weapons were stored. I remembered seeing a cabinet with a large stash of drugs and emergency medical supplies inside. I rummaged through the cabinet until I finally saw what I was looking for. Just what the doctor ordered.
I hurried back upstairs and looked around the main ballroom. The doctor was nowhere to be found. Most of the guests were now sitting instead of standing. I finally spotted the doctor walking towards the kitchen. I followed at a distance until I saw him enter and then quickly exit a side room off of the kitchen. The doctor then returned to the kitchen, made himself a plate of food, and exited the house through a side door. I watched him walk towards the servant’s quarters in the back of the property. I went into the side room and found his lab coat hanging on a hook. I quickly put on the coat and checked the pockets. There were two empty syringes. So far, so good! I quickly filled one of the syringes all the way to the top from the bottle of morphine that I had taken from the basement room.
When I reentered the main ballroom, everyone was talking quietly or sleeping. Most were out of their minds due to the drugs and alcohol. I watched one of La Culebra’s bodyguards actually walk over and take his pulse. Once he ensured that his boss was still alive, he picked up a mirror from a coffee table that had a few lines of coke still on it. He walked back towards the kitchen with the other bodyguard.
I sat down near my target and looked around. No one had noticed me thanks to the lab coat and the fact that most of them were wasted. I checked the kitchen door for the bodyguards and when all was clear I picked up La Culebra’s left arm (the sleeve was still rolled up) and found the recent needle mark. I inserted the needle into the same hole and injected a full syringe of morphine into his veins. I sat patiently until I heard three deep breaths. He quivered a bit and then was gone. I returned the lab coat to the small room and resumed my rounds as a bored party guest.
***************
I spent the remainder of the night with a drink in my hand. I made eye contact once with Don Ernesto. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask about my delay and wondering when I was going to make my move. I gave him a slight smile and a nod and walked past him to refill my glass. I watched La Culebra turn pale and stiff over the next few hours. No one noticed his condition until about 7:00 AM when his two bodyguards, still coked out of their minds, came and checked on their boss. One of them shook his head and they both began to panic a little. They yelled for help and I came from the back of the room and helped carry La Culebra’s body into an empty room in order to get him out of sight of the other guests.
Don Ernesto played the role of a concerned host perfectly. He called for his doctor who came at once. The doctor examined La Culebra and shook his head. “He has most likely died of an overdose. I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” Don Ernesto made the sign of the cross and then asked the guards if there was anything he could do to help them. I think I saw tears forming in his eyes. The man deserved an award for his acting.
I helped the guards carry their boss through a side door and outside to his car. We lay him in the backseat. I gave them my heartfelt condolences and they sincerely thanked me for my help. As they drove away I felt a deep sense of relief for a job well done. I went back to the condo, took a nap, and then enjoyed a well-deserved breakfast. Later that day I received a phone call from El Flash, thanking me for my assistance at the party. I thanked him for inviting me and then Horacio arrived to drive me to the airport. The flight was very enjoyable. I knew I had enough money to last me for a long time. But also knew that I could rarely turn down a job when a respected client called and asked for my services.
At the time I met luis, we were working some gold/silver mining project's in the Zacatecas area. And one of my partners Mr.Kilroy has a close friend who is a priest in the Monterrey area that oversee's all the little rural catholic churches. One day a song come on the radio that I had composed and Mr.Kilroy stated to the priest that I had wrote that song, so the priest asked me if I knew about writing books... me and my big mouth said yes, that same afternoon I met with Luis. He told me he a tumor in his brain that could not be operated on and he knew he was going to die, but before he died he wanted someone to write his life story (why i'll never know) so he gave all his money away and went to a small rural church to be forgiven by god for all the crimes he commited. Luis died on 3/10/2004 in that little room behind the church with the priest taking care of him. So here are his stories.
Just in case you need the links to the previous chapters:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 (See the PDF file in the first post)
And here is the long awaited Chapter 7.
Hitman: A True Story
Chapter 7: Hot Shot
I remember the next one well. Probably because it was a one of a kind hit. It was very hot and I was enjoying my newly installed swimming pool when the phone rang. Not very many people had my number, so I had a feeling that my soaking and drinking was about to be interrupted. I was right.
The caller was Don Ernesto Martinez, AKA El Flash. I had met Don Ernesto on a few occasions. He was quite the character. He was called El Flash because of the way he dressed. Ever since he was a teenager he had dressed in flashy clothes and loved to show off his new toys and his abundant money.
El Flash sounded like he wasn’t having the best of days. He said he wanted to see me as soon as possible. I looked down at the cold drink in my hand and out over my new pool. “OK. Where?” He asked me to come to his ranch just outside of Acapulco. I told him I would head that way today.
As I began to plan my trip, I thought about El Flash. Don Ernesto Martinez was thought of as a strange man at the time. He would be considered an eccentric gay or “queen” today. But the people in his small town genuinely loved him. He gave regularly to build a new hospital, schools, and a new church. He gave his money away without a care in the world. But those who underestimated him in the business world always regretted it. I had great respect for El Flash because he controlled his main business (drugs) with an iron fist. He conducted business with all of the major drug lords in Mexico and in the United States. Very few people had double-crossed him and gotten away with it. He was quite the contradiction. The same man that dictated terms to some of the most violent men in the world would also walk down the street every morning to place fresh flowers at the altar of the church he built.
I quickly packed a small suitcase with enough clothes for a few days and drove myself to the airport. I considered myself a fearless man—except when it came to flying. I had very carefully avoided airplanes and always chose to drive, even when it was inconvenient. But I couldn’t avoid it this time. Not enough time to drive. “What the hell did I get myself into?” I mumbled. I was sweating profusely and extremely nervous. I started cursing Don Ernesto under my breath for forcing me to fly. Que chingados es tan importante…What the hell is so important that it could not wait an extra day?
I was sitting around trying to figure out what El Flash could want with me when the call came to board my plane. I could feel my knees trembling slightly as I walked to the tarmac. I almost missed a step going up into the plane. I sucked it up and made my way into the pinche avion and sat down. I finally relaxed a little but then the engines started up. I puckered up and held onto my armrests for dear life. I looked around and saw women and children smiling and laughing and not concerned at all. I felt even worse about myself.
After takeoff I looked out the window and realized that I probably wasn’t going to die and that the view was beautiful from up here. I stared outside at the cloud formations during the entire flight. Landing was a little scary, but after we touched down I felt excited and was actually looking forward to flying again.
But now it was business time and I wiped the grin off my face and turned back into Luis Manuel Hernandez, a serious person with a reputation to uphold. I met a man named Horacio who was holding a sign with my name on it in the luggage area. This was a first for me and I felt out of place and a little concerned that my name was being shown to hundreds of people. Horacio nodded and instructed me to follow him to a waiting car.
***************
The driver didn’t say a word on the long drive to the hacienda. As we arrived I saw the most spectacular entry gates I had ever seen. It was like something out of a dream. The rest of the ranch did not disappoint either. I saw white peacocks and white horses walking around. The hacienda itself was even more amazing. Its gardens, flashy grandeur, and priceless antiques were breathtaking.
Horacio brought me inside and within seconds the man himself, Don “El Flash” Ernesto walked down a flight of stairs to greet me. He was sporting a white suit with a matching cape! Every finger on both hands displayed giant rings with a variety of precious gems and diamonds. He had numerous gold chains hanging from his neck and a well-styled pompadour with no hair out of place. He was holding a slim cigarette in a fancy holder. I was staring at the Mexican version of Liberace.
Speaking in perfect, proper Spanish, Don Ernesto asked me to step into his office. He asked if I would like some coffee or tea. But before I could answer him he said, “Let’s get down to business”. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a briefcase and a set of keys. He opened the case, pointed at all of the bundled cash. “Two million dollars”. He handed me the keys. “One of those is to a Cadillac outside and another is to a condo in Acapulco. Now you work for me!” Those words began a long and prosperous working relationship with Don Ernesto—one that would end badly for anyone who got in his way or angered him for the next ten years.
Don Ernesto set me down at a table and described what my next job would be. “Tonight I am hosting a grand party here at the hacienda. There will be many friends attending, including some well-known business partners, actors, singers, and even the Lieutenant Governor of Sinaloa! But there is one guest that needs some special attention, if you know what I mean. His name is Juan Jose Gomez, AKA La Culebra (The Snake).”
I had never heard of La Culebra before. Don Ernesto quickly filled me in. Gomez had risen through the ranks of one of the most brutal and violent cartels in Mexico. He had no business etiquette or respect for others. He only saw people (those independently wealthy and powerful like El Flash) as targets of opportunity to help him enrich himself and strengthen his power base.
“Luis, I cannot take a chance on a man like this trying to overthrow me and take over my business. I have known people like him my entire life. I can smell his greed and his desire to take me out. My sources tell me that this man has been asking questions about my operation. I am a man of peace and I would rather not resort to violence. As you can see, I would rather throw parties, have fun with good friends, spread around my money to help the poor, and go to mass at the church that I built. But you are different. You know how to solve these problems and are not afraid to get your hands dirty…or bloody.”
Don Ernesto looked at me for a long time and I didn’t know what to say. So I nodded at him with a grim look. He smiled and stood up from the table and walked to the door. He turned around and said, “Be here at 8:00 sharp. Buy yourself an expensive suit. I can’t have my employees walking around looking like a gardener or a stable boy. New suit. 8:00 PM sharp.”
I was left sitting there thinking, “What am I supposed to do with La Culebra and where the hell do I buy a suit?” I didn’t have to worry for long. Don Ernesto tasked his driver Horacio with helping me get around downtown Acapulco for some shopping. The pile of cash that I had already been given was a big help as well. Acapulco was crazy. I had never seen so many gringos in my life. I felt so out of place shopping for “killing clothes” while all of those families were buying souvenirs and having fun. After stopping at a few shops I had purchased an elegant suit and matching shoes. I almost felt guilty for spending an amount that would have taken care of my brothers and I for a few years not so long ago. Horacio asked me if I had the key to the condo that Don Ernesto had given me earlier. When I nodded yes, he took me there and said he would see me at the party later. The Cadillac from earlier had magically appeared at the Condo and Horacio indicated that I should drive it.
***************
I arrived at the hacienda a few minutes before 8:00 PM. Horacio motioned for me to follow him. We walked through several halls of the elegant house without saying a word. We went downstairs into a basement and he opened a large heavy door leading into a dark room. When he turned on the light I found myself turning around in a circle, staring with my mouth hanging open in amazement. The walls contained every type of weapon that a man could ever want or use. There were pistols, rifles, shotguns, even a bazooka! Don Ernesto walked in and shook my hand. We spoke briefly and then I walked to a shelf and picked up a Colt 1911 in .38 Super, one of my favorite calibers.
Don Ernesto shook his head slightly. “Normally I would let you choose any weapon that you would like. But this time things are different. I can’t have La Culebra going back to his family full of bullet holes.”
What the hell is he thinking?
“Choose something else, Luis. I can’t have people seeing him with a bashed in head, cut throat, or blown to pieces”.
“Well that doesn’t leave much to work with except for maybe my bare hands, Don Ernesto”, I said cautiously. He nodded and opened a stainless drawer.
“Ah ha! How about this?” He handed me two little sticks with some piano wire tied between them. “This will do! Kill him with this and then a little make-up at the funeral home will make for a beautiful corpse.” He handed me the sticks and walked away. I was left to follow Horacio out of the room while looking at the unfamiliar weapon and shaking my head. I was a meticulous planner. I didn’t like making things up on the fly or going into a situation ill-prepared. But it seemed that I didn’t have much choice.
***************
Horacio finally started talking after Don Ernesto disappeared upstairs. He handed me a photo of La Culebra. “He is a short, thin man. He is powerful but paranoid. It is imperative that he dies tonight. He will have security with him when he arrives, but as the party gets going he will send them away to the servant’s quarters or to the kitchen. He doesn’t like them hovering around all the time and I don’t think he trusts anyone completely. There will be some very important people at this party—not just a bunch of drug dealers and cartel members. You can’t just kill him anywhere you please…and no holes or damage. We must be discreet for Don Ernesto’s sake. He has a reputation as a civilized host and businessman.
I put the weapon in my pocket and walked back to the main floor of the hacienda. The party was just getting started. I immediately recognized a few movie stars, singers, and a few politicians I had seen on television. Everyone had a drink in hand and light music played in the background. I walked around and smiled and nodded at people as I tried to formulate a workable plan and to learn the layout of the hacienda a little better. Approximately 30 minutes later, La Culebra walked into the hacienda and starting making the social rounds. I watched him without watching him. I saw him look at Don Ernesto several times but he did not approach him. He seemed to be sizing him up. I thought that maybe my employer was accurate in his assessment that La Culebra may be planning to take him out. I did not understand the politics and intricacies of the world they lived in, but I knew people. I and I knew within seconds that La Culebra was not someone to take lightly. And I also found his name, The Snake, to be very fitting.
I spent over two hours thinking of a way to kill the man. My specialty was using torture for getting information or extracting revenge for a client. I had never killed anyone as a “precautionary business decision”. It was in my nature to be aggressive and violent, not passive and gentle. I had a strong drink to ease my nerves while I tried to think of a plan.
Things finally started to come together when I saw that cocaine, weed, and even heroin were starting to flow freely throughout the hacienda. A large number of the attendees were joining in on the festivities. I stood watching with child-like amusement as a doctor (Don Ernesto’s personal in-house physician) administered the heroin shots in a quick efficient manner. A butler walked around and cut up nice little lines of cocaine for the guests to snort off of complimentary mirrors. The drugs were served up like hors d’oeuvres at a normal party, or ice cream and cake at a child’s party. It was unbelievable. I had never seen so many well-dressed, high society people getting wasted out of their minds.
***************
Finally it happened. I saw La Culebra sitting on an elegant sofa, a man rolling up his shirtsleeve for him. He was getting a shot of heroin by the doctor. I immediately turned and went back to the basement room where the weapons were stored. I remembered seeing a cabinet with a large stash of drugs and emergency medical supplies inside. I rummaged through the cabinet until I finally saw what I was looking for. Just what the doctor ordered.
I hurried back upstairs and looked around the main ballroom. The doctor was nowhere to be found. Most of the guests were now sitting instead of standing. I finally spotted the doctor walking towards the kitchen. I followed at a distance until I saw him enter and then quickly exit a side room off of the kitchen. The doctor then returned to the kitchen, made himself a plate of food, and exited the house through a side door. I watched him walk towards the servant’s quarters in the back of the property. I went into the side room and found his lab coat hanging on a hook. I quickly put on the coat and checked the pockets. There were two empty syringes. So far, so good! I quickly filled one of the syringes all the way to the top from the bottle of morphine that I had taken from the basement room.
When I reentered the main ballroom, everyone was talking quietly or sleeping. Most were out of their minds due to the drugs and alcohol. I watched one of La Culebra’s bodyguards actually walk over and take his pulse. Once he ensured that his boss was still alive, he picked up a mirror from a coffee table that had a few lines of coke still on it. He walked back towards the kitchen with the other bodyguard.
I sat down near my target and looked around. No one had noticed me thanks to the lab coat and the fact that most of them were wasted. I checked the kitchen door for the bodyguards and when all was clear I picked up La Culebra’s left arm (the sleeve was still rolled up) and found the recent needle mark. I inserted the needle into the same hole and injected a full syringe of morphine into his veins. I sat patiently until I heard three deep breaths. He quivered a bit and then was gone. I returned the lab coat to the small room and resumed my rounds as a bored party guest.
***************
I spent the remainder of the night with a drink in my hand. I made eye contact once with Don Ernesto. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask about my delay and wondering when I was going to make my move. I gave him a slight smile and a nod and walked past him to refill my glass. I watched La Culebra turn pale and stiff over the next few hours. No one noticed his condition until about 7:00 AM when his two bodyguards, still coked out of their minds, came and checked on their boss. One of them shook his head and they both began to panic a little. They yelled for help and I came from the back of the room and helped carry La Culebra’s body into an empty room in order to get him out of sight of the other guests.
Don Ernesto played the role of a concerned host perfectly. He called for his doctor who came at once. The doctor examined La Culebra and shook his head. “He has most likely died of an overdose. I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” Don Ernesto made the sign of the cross and then asked the guards if there was anything he could do to help them. I think I saw tears forming in his eyes. The man deserved an award for his acting.
I helped the guards carry their boss through a side door and outside to his car. We lay him in the backseat. I gave them my heartfelt condolences and they sincerely thanked me for my help. As they drove away I felt a deep sense of relief for a job well done. I went back to the condo, took a nap, and then enjoyed a well-deserved breakfast. Later that day I received a phone call from El Flash, thanking me for my assistance at the party. I thanked him for inviting me and then Horacio arrived to drive me to the airport. The flight was very enjoyable. I knew I had enough money to last me for a long time. But also knew that I could rarely turn down a job when a respected client called and asked for my services.
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