Complicado (Queen of the South, My Season 6)

Part 18 - Straight Shooter

"Did you get the funds all right?" Kelly Anne asked.

"Yep. The hotel was the only place that didn't need to check my ID as they already have ...sorry for the trouble of having to talk to their admin, but there was no other way." James sighed.

"No worries. On another note, I filed the application for the business' separation...and am now busy checking schoolwork for the girls. How is everything else?", she added.

"We're managing. I am not looking forward to getting on a ship...", James started saying but was interrupted: "I don't envy you...you know I hate having to puke my guts out!" and she laughed her loud laugh. "How's my favorite boy doing?"

"Hah...didn't you have two favorite boys?" James teased her.

"I mean the one that's with you...The one that's here...I have him doing some algebra before his soccer practice." Kelly Anne elaborated.

James planned on telling her only general things about Tony's state of wellbeing, but he heard Pote in the background grumbling that they should stop 'yapping', so that he could talk to James. Kelly Anne said 'bye' and handed over the phone.

"Cabron, what is this talk about the Englishman pendejo ...having a house on the Island?" Kelly Anne obviously had told Pote the news that James had gotten from Avi. The news that Lancaster's family owned property in Madagascar.

"Avi said it was registered to a numbered corporation, but they had traced the ownership to his mother. She lives somewhere in England...the old lady has a disability of some sort and doesn't travel...For the family to keep this property so far away, someone must be using it!" James reasoned.

"So, what are you going to ask me then?" Pote said.

"Why are you asking me ...when you already know?" James decided to play his game.

"Marcel and Chico bought a piece of land on Madagascar too, right?" Pote asked.

"Yeah...I bet it has the same history...polluted by the previous owners and sold for pennies. I would ask you to hop on a flight and check the land and the house of the mother, if you...can!" James hesitated as he knew Pote had been against the whole 'providing help' affair.

"Do I have a choice?" Pote exhaled deeply.

"You do...if you say 'no'...nobody will hold it against you!" James knew working Pote took time.

"Hmm...Sure thing!...And why can't they send the cops?" Pote asked.

"Because Mossad can't just sanction an op in another country...Certain conditions must be met...Maybe they could ask the local police to check things out...But I don't trust the local police!" James said.

"Orale, cabron!" Pote grumbled. "I'm gonna have Kelly Anne book me on a flight tomorrow! Send me the locations, okay?"

===

James decided that as cash was king and was burning a hole in his pocket, he would be better off to buy some items that might come in handy. He walked into a gun store he saw in the sleazy part of town wondering if his lack of ID would be a problem. He had told neither Teresa nor Kelly Anne about his fright that Tony had died in the explosion. The thought that their minds would link it to Tony Parra's similar death was enough to outweigh any principle about openness that he firmly believed in.

He walked in the store and looked around. Shotguns and rifles hung on the wall over boxes of ammunition. Just like in his shooting range! Handguns gleamed under the glass counter. Black, gray, ones with cylinders, and ones without. There were even some collectible ones, that could be seen in old movies.