Chapter Nineteen
Word spread quickly around Esteli. Don Pablo came that morning to assess the damage and talk to RJ. Fire was every cigar maker’s fear, and when it hit, it usually wiped out the whole section of the business. Fermenting rooms were warehoused in a different location than the drying and sorting rooms. Then there was the whole operation of making the cigars. While men did most of the heavy lifting, women did the sorting, assuming they could pass the mandatory eye test for color, first. They also did most of the rolling, wrapping, and labeling of the cigars—at least at Huerta Cigars.
RJ stood next to Don Pablo, his arms crossed and his stance wide. He wanted to look like the new Don at Huerta as they surveyed the damage. He had already brought in a few men to do the cleanup.
