{"id":1105,"date":"2018-04-12T18:02:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-12T18:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/?page_id=1105"},"modified":"2022-10-26T21:50:02","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T21:50:02","slug":"la-playa-blanco-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/la-playa-blanco-1\/","title":{"rendered":"la Playa Blanco"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Joe Stanley<\/span><\/p>\n

2<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Through out the week, the flow of people eager for his guidance never slowed until Saturday evening. Usually, he kept late hours to see as many as possible, only stopping when Sister Maria forced him to take his rest. When the church grew silent, he left his meeting room to discover what caused this break in the tide of visitors. The church was empty except for three men in suits. They were not typical of the people who sought him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFather Pedro,\u201d said the nearest man, swaggering towards him, \u201cyou have an important visitor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll of my visitors are important,\u201d responded Pedro. He watched the man lower his sunglasses as if in disbelief. He knew already what this goon wanted. The pistol beneath his jacket was clearly visible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone, I think, are quite this important.\u201d said the man as the other two took places behind and beside the Father. They ushered him towards the front door of the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sister Maria stood by the doors as if to help him, but he waved her aside. \u201cEverything is alright,\u201d he assured her, prompting chuckles from the thugs. He stepped through the door which the first man had opened for him. Outside there were two black cars and a limousine. He knew who was inside the long, white machine and walked towards it without being prompted. The door was opened for him and he got inside, sliding across the fine leather seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello Esteban,\u201d greeted Pedro, \u201chow are you this evening?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am well, as always. And you?\u201d responded the drug lord, as he lit a cigarette. \u201cI hope you don\u2019t mind if I smoke. Would you\u2026\u201d he began offering a gleaming silver case to Pedro.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not. Driver, go.\u201d commanded Esteban over his shoulder. The car began to drive slowly with one black car in front and the other behind. \u201cI think you know why I am here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d answered Pedro, waiting for Esteban\u2019s speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not the best way to get my attention.\u201d said Esteban, more as if thinking out loud than speaking to the Father. He turned towards him, continuing \u201cYou have done quite well at becoming famous across our island, they tell me people have come from all over to see you, to hear you. Surely the people have tithed a fortune to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe sum of the people\u2019s money does not make a fortune, Esteban. Even if it did, it means nothing to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh come, there is no need to deny yourself life\u2019s comforts.\u201d he said with a charming smile. \u201cBut I understand you prefer to give it back to them. A school here, a clinic there, you could be wealthy if you wished.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am wealthy, Esteban, in ways that make money meaningless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Esteban could not stifle his laughter, but he pressed on. \u201cI see the little church, perhaps you would like a donation? It would be nothing for me to build something bigger for you, something grand. It would help you see more people. It would help the people understand that the Cartel is not so bad.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is your point?\u201d asked Pedro, \u201cYou wish to buy silence?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be the simplest solution. You stop speaking against the Cartel and I will look after you. If you wish to remain in poverty you can give my gifts away, think of the good you can do with them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can not ignore the harm the Cartel causes, Esteban. I hear it from the people every day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The drug lord snuffed out his cigarette, immediately placing a new one in his mouth. This was beginning to test his patience. \u201cDon\u2019t be so na\u00efve, Pedro. The Cartel is what holds the economy together. The tourists come for the drugs, without it the island would have even less than it does. You say you are for the people, but what you ask would bring them even more suffering.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pedro shook his head. \u201cI ask for nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am not asking either!\u201d said Esteban, raising his voice to slightly less than a roar. \u201cI am telling you to accept either my gifts or the consequences.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry to disappoint you, but I can not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDriver, back to the church!\u201d roared Esteban, and the tires squealed through the turn.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the car stopped, Esteban spoke again. \u201cBefore you go, listen carefully. I give you one more chance. Speak no more of the Cartel or it will not be just you that suffers, I promise that the people who seek you will be punished.\u201d He searched Pedro\u2019s face for any sign of fear, and was all the more angered to find it missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow it is my turn to give you the chance, Esteban.\u201d said Pedro, without a hint of fear or anger in his voice. \u201cRemember that it is God alone who can punish. He can punish you, Esteban, despite the many blessings he has given you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The color of Esteban\u2019s face became nearly purple for a moment. He wanted to kill Pedro himself, right here and now. He took a few deep breaths through his flared nostrils and laughed as he regained his composure. \u201cNot even God can challenge the Cartel.\u201d he spat at Pedro, \u201cGo!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pedro opened the door and stepped out. The cars drove away and Pedro entered the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

next part<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

back to previous episode<\/a><\/p>\n

back to list of stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Joe Stanley 2 Through out the week, the flow of people eager for his guidance never slowed until Saturday evening. Usually, he kept late hours to see as many as possible, only stopping when Sister Maria forced him to take his rest. When the church grew silent, he left his meeting room to discover […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1105","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1105"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2992,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1105\/revisions\/2992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanharker.co.uk\/theghostlyworld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}