Caray, Caray!

Just the facts, my friends. The cold is coming in and I don't like typing with gloves on. – Dashiell Hammett

Leo asked José Luis about the mysterious money in the bank. Neither of them would have been able to save that much money from their salaries. José Luis evaded his questions and accused him of trying to sully his reputation on the eve of of his promotion. The tirade he had been on two days previously made a strong comeback. He tried playing the Brother card. Finally he told him to bring charges or get out of his sight.

Majo held Dario off at gunpoint. He practically dared her to kill him, but she said he was going to have to listen to her. “You don't love me. You are an evil sicko which only knows how to hurt,” she said. “Most of all me and my family. Is that love to you?”

He stared at her. “Put down the gun.” She did not.

“Answer me! Is that love to you?” She would not stop.” “You fuck me, manipulate me, and have me watched.”

“I don't want to lose you. Seriously.”

“You have. I asked you a thousand times to leave me and my family alone! I asked you. Is this love to you?”

He looked down for a moment, as though he were ashamed.

“See? You are empty. You are hollow,” she said. “You don't feel anything.”

“This is Clara's fault, isn't it?” he asked. She moved in closer.

“Don't be cowardly. Everything that's happened is your fault. You are a damned murderer for what you have done.”

José Luis denied accepting any bribes. He insisted the money was earned and saved against the possibility he would be killed in the line of duty. It was to take care of his wife and daughter and was therefore in Leslie's name. He then told Leo he didn't want him at the ceremony and said he would talk to his boss and arrange for him to be transferred back to Monterrey. He then walked out, not caring about Leo's reaction.

“Don't hurt Clara. Don't mess with my people.”

“My love –”

“Don't say that word. The only thing I feel around you is fear.”

“I saved your life –”

“You turned me into your slave. Waiting for your calls all the time. Worrying you would hurt my family. It would have been better if you hadn't saved me.”

“I did it for you, I swear.”

Majo weakened and relaxed her stance.

“Once again with your words. Talk and talk. Very well, but it's really not worth it. I don't want to see you at my house. Not to see Clara or anyone. Because if you show up I will turn you in.” She was crying, but trying to maintain control. “And unlike you I will keep my word. I promise I will denounce you.”

She put the pistol in her purse and left. He stayed in bed. He did not try to stop her.

Fernanda scolded Fabricio for his obsession with proving himself to be better than Eugenio. He wanted to know what she was doing in Eugenio's house. He knew she was no friend to Sonia no matter what she said. She accused him of being genuinely interested in Elisa ever since she had put him up to the pretense of romantic intent. He subtly accused her of projecting her own hypocrisy on others, saying “The problem is you because you are full of hate.”

He looked at her for a moment, then took his jacket and left the office.

Elisa called Leo to tell him that Majo was missing. She was concerned that she might be with Cobra. He was the only person she could trust about this. He told her not to leave the house and to leave it to him. He told her he would be there shortly.

This did not get by Victoria, which Elisa didn't notice. She tried to assure her mother that they would find Majo.

Majo met Clara outside and told her she didn't have to worry. Clara was not so sure; she knew that Dario was a killer. Majo said she was certain because he loved her.

Before his swearing in José Luis thanked some of the attendees and met Sara and Leslie inside near his office. Teresa was not there. Sara had thought she was. Leslie thought she might have been fixing something up at home.

In fact, Teresa was looking for work so she could lave him.  Her limited education was going ti kuut her options.

Majo returned home accompanied by Clara. She told Victoria and Elisa that she and Clara had gone out for breakfast.

“Why did you disconnect the security cameras?” Elisa asked her.

“Because I don't want to be under surveillance. My life is mine and you have nothing to do with it. Get rid of them or I will destroy them all.”

“The cameras are for our safety, especially yours,” Elisa told her.

Maria José directed Clara upstairs, past Victoria who sat down on a couch and sighed with relief. The doorbell rang.

“Ay, thank God she's here.”

“Mother, we're definitely exaggerating. Since all that stuff happened to you you've been very nervous. What is up with you?”

The maid had opened the door to Leo and Elisa told him that Majo had just arrived.

“What? Where was she?”

“She had gone out for breakfast, with Clara. She arrived with her.”

“Well, less bad.” He noticed Victoria. “Good morning, Madam. How are you?”

“Good morning, Leonardo. Thanks for coming but it's not necessary now. Maria José is here now.”

“Yes.”

Victoria excused herself and left the room. Leo waited a few more seconds.

“Do you think she's telling the truth?”

“No.” She looked around. “I'm sure she was with Cobra but I didn't want to say this in front of my mother.”

“Which is why your house needs to be watched.”

“I know, I know. But she doesn't want to cooperate. No way.”

Leo took a call from his mother, who was waiting at the station. She reminded him of the ceremony and he told her he would be right there. He explained to Elisa that his brother was getting Tapia's job, which had made Elisa suspect that José Luis was as corrupt as Tapia. Thus he and José Luis had fought. She asked whether José Luis was involved with the art traffickers.

Majo was drinking from the bottle. Clara was worried and frightened. She was sure Dario would kill her. Majo was nervous, too. “I'm not sure when the storm will begin. And I'm afraid because I still love him.” She took a swig of tequila. “I'm afraid. I'm very afraid that I will never see him again.”

She drank the last of the bottle. At the same moment Dario did the same and let out the cry of a wounded animal.

Serita Martinez, a social worker, called Fernanda from the hospital to tell her that her mother was admitted to the emergency room. She was being sent to intensive care and it was urgent that Fernanda go there immediately. Her mother was accompanied by a small boy. If she didn't come the boy would be picked up by the police.

Leo told Elisa that his argument with José Luis had nothing to do with her' “just an argument between brothers.”
“Just like me and my sisters,” she said. “We fight but we love each other.” However, she had fought with Leo and recognized that they needed to resolve it. It was the case getting in the way. They did not want to be separated.

José Luis was sworn in before the eyes of his mother, his daughter, and two of his colleagues.

A very drunken Majo gave the pistol to Clara for her protection. Clara didn't want it. Majo said that what they had to do was forget Dario. The very sober Clara did not buy this. Majo went on about now they should party. “And if he comes back what do I do?” Clara asked.
“Shoot him.”

Elisa and Leo talked about having to separate for the time being. It was the case, her family issues, and the business. She saw him to the door as though he were going off to war.

Teresa and Reynaldo talked about the future. She was resolute that she needed to make her own money. He said it would not bother him if she needed to wait tables. However, she felt that to be against her sense of dignity. So would being his mistress for theh rest of her life. Reynaldo looked as though he realized he had bitten off too much and might choke.

Elisa thought back to making love with Leo and began to cry. Fabricio arrived. He suggested they talk elsewhere but Elisa said no; she wanted to go to the office. He insisted on going somewhere else as they were leaving.

Fernanda arrived at the hospital where the social worker escorted her to her office. A drunk tried to beg from her and she waited while looking around in distaste. She was told that Juanito was taken into custody because her mother was in no condition to look after him. She asked where her mother was and was told.

Leo went to the police station. He was too late for the ceremony, as Mario pointed out. He left the immediate office and Leo had a few words with Adriana about her relationship with José Luis. Speak of that devil he arrived and gave Leo the information about Leslie's bank account for his investigation. He told Adriana he wanted to see her in his office when she was finished. She looked confused.

Victoria entered the snake pit that was Eugenio's house and confronted Sonia, who was looking less than her best.

“How cynical you are to come back to the home of a man you betrayed.”

“No, no, no. Don't talk about what you don't know.”

“I know a lot more than you think. I know women of your class very well but never have I known any more disgraceful than you.”

“I understand your grief,” Sonia said.

“You understand my grief?” Victoria asked, dripping condescension. “You fucked my daughter's husband. You made a fool of her. You and Marcelo betrayed Eugenio, my daughter, and the whole family when we gave you everything. And look at you now. In the middle of all this luxury you could wish for and don't deserve.”

“I'm not here because I want to be,” Sonia said. “If I could leave, I would. Eugenio is keeping me here by force.”

Fernanda entered her mother's room and asked why she was there, of all places. Her mother replied that she could not afford better. Fernanda said she should have come to her. The doctor entered and told Fernanda he needed to speak to her.

Clara went home and concealed the pistol under her pillow while arguing with her mother, who did not believe that Majo could drive the Cobra away.

Victoria didn't believe a word that Sonia said. She pointed out there were no guards outside. She accused Sonia of lapping up the luxury. Sonia tried to get her to empathize, but Victoria would not. “Never. You can't put me in your place because I am a decent woman.” She told her she was good for nothing, and it was good that Marcelo had not seen her here... before she could betray him as well. That she was useless to him and to everyone else. Before she left she called her garbage under her breath. Just after Victoria left Sonia doubled over in pain.

Majo visited Renata, who had no idea when she would be released. She asked Majo to arrange for her to visit Marcelo in the prison. Majo was uneasy, but finally said she didn't like going to places like that. She tried distracting Renata by telling her she had broken up with Dario. Renata said that this was a good thing and that she had to get out of her depression. That meant she needed to stop drinking. Majo had her doubts, but Renata did not back down. She finally said that Renata had no idea about what she and Elisa had been through. She got up and left. Renata chased after her but was stopped by a nurse and by Mauricio, her inmate guru. He almost chanted at her to calm down. He then hugged her.

The doctor told Fernanda that her mother's condition was precarious. She had liver cancer and it had already spread across the stomach area and had metastized into other organs.
It was not operable and Carmen had very little time left.

José Luis closed his office door and sounded off about Leo, saying that “He is trying to destroy my career.” Adriana would not believe that. José Luis then told her she had to choose. “Him or me?”

Leo took out garbage and was still outside when Teresa arrived in Reynaldo's car. After Reynaldo left Leo confronted Teresa.

Sonia's pains became worse. She screamed for the maid. Victoria was still downstairs. When Maria went into Sonia's room to help her up Victoria just stood in the living room and listened.

Elisa and Fabricio were out looking at locations. She was satisfied with one that needed a lot of work but had an otherwise good view. She looked at him and asked what his expression was all about.

“Don't reject me,” he said. “Elisa, I love you.” He moved in for a kiss.

Labels: imperio