after lunch. You’ll have the afternoon to sun yourselves and my ‘leering friends’ will be far away from you. Why do you do this to me?”
Annibel said nothing as she took another sip. Though fifteen years younger than her husband, she was his intellectual equal and took no crap from him. She was careful, though, not to humiliate him in front of the men, a behavior that kept her alive. If she feared his wrath, she didn’t show it, and Daniel respected her ability to spar with him. He liked having at least one member of his train that kept him honest. She then spoke.
“You’ve become distant. You all but ignore the girls, and you do ignore me — unless I come up to your lair before Pepé and the others get to you. You haven’t touched me in days, and you are snapping at everyone.”
“Didn’t I just invite you to go fishing?”
“Daniel, not with them!” Annibel shot back, pointing downstairs. “And even if you took me out on the boat alone, they would be following us in the other, keeping ‘security watch’ over the most powerful man in Venezuela. I can’t be myself with you out there, but at least I can understand why. Up here, in our home, I cannot understand why. You tell me I have everything. You have everything, including me and the girls, and yet you are unhappy. Why? Just talk to me!”
The most powerful man in Venezuela assessed her in silence. Her eyes not blinking, Annibel waited for his answer. He put down his cup and opened up to her.
“Shipments are way down. In one area, they are down to zero, completely cut off. People have gone missing on the high seas without a trace. Not one trace, and we don’t know why. We suspect the Americans, but maybe it’s another cartel.”
“Sinking your boats? Who would be so stupid?”
“You never know.”
“Then ask. Ask if they are experiencing losses, too.”
“You know it’s not that easy, and I don’t want them to see me sweat.”
“Fine then,” Annibel shrugged, exasperated. “You are concerned about business, yet plan to go fishing this afternoon.”
“Something is happening out there!” Daniel growled, careful to keep his voice down and temper in check. “And, if we don’t figure it out soon, the money is going to dry up fast. When it does, not only are your shopping trips to Caracas over, but we are over. The jackals will be on our doorstep. If I don’t keep the money flowing to the army and the politicians and my network, or if I show weakness for even a moment, then we’ll be surrounded. Fast. So, yes, I’m going fishing, as much to relax as to show that I’m not too concerned. Those jackals