Poor Player by Lesley Krueger

Author:Lesley Krueger [Krueger, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lesley Krueger
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

LATE THE NEXT morning, Aly came to sit with Fernando and me as we nodded in our hammocks. She looked unhappy, saying Cristina had cornered her again at breakfast with the idea of photographing the hacienda. That afternoon. They’d go that afternoon. Miguel? Miguel? Was just leaving for the hacienda. But he’d be happy to come back to the hotel in the afternoon to pick up Aly and her thingummies. Equipment. Cameras.

“I thought Miguel would just brush her off. But he gets this elder statesman look on his face and nods gravely, as if the idea is fit and good. So there’s something behind it. I know there is.”

“He has a girlfriend,” Fernando said, sounding half asleep. “You know her, Hugo. Sure you do. The girlfriend of that dead kid whose body you found. She’s up at the hacienda now. Her family kept the baby. They’re not going to let go of that baby, he’s so blond.”

“Su muchacha,” I repeated, then got it. “You mean it’s Miguel’s kid?”

Fernando shrugged. “The girl’s pretty fair herself. You find a lot of fair ones in that village. Miguel’s family has been here for a long time.”

“I don’t like it,” Aly said. “I don’t want to get involved with these people. Although I’ve worked up a plan.” She brightened for a moment before frowning again. “I’m not going to be able to bring it off if that woman gets me alone.”

“Para servirle,” Fernando told her. At your service.

A few moments later, Cristina poked her head around the corner.

“There you are!” she said, coming over to stand with her back to Fernando. As always, she spoke in English. “Now, the arrangements.”

“I’ve got to tell you,” Aly said. “I can’t take up your offer. I’d be wasting your money. The fact is, I don’t do buildings. I mean, buildings, houses, haciendas, are awfully hard to photograph in any sort of inspired way, and I’ve never been able to get the hang of it. I don’t seem to be able to capture… well, the buildingness of buildings, if you know what I mean.”

“Money?” Cristina asked.

“My fee.”

”Oh, we weren’t… Well, that’s too bad, isn’t it? Inspiration… lacking. That’s really too bad.”

After staring at Aly for a long moment, she disappeared back around the corner.

Aly looked uncharacteristically proud of herself as I explained what had happened to Fernando. We both laughed quietly.

“So rich, and she doesn’t enjoy it,” Fernando said.

Aly looked at him keenly.

“I should take your picture, cuate, and not her precious hacienda.”

“Not yet, not yet. For me, you’ve got to wait till I get back in shape. Damn diet the doctor’s got me on. Excuse my language. No chicharrón.” No cracklings.

I was reminded to take a sip of my breakfast.

“Going for a walk,” Aly said.

“Crema,” Fernando said dreamily. “Mole.”

Smiling gently, he drifted off to sleep.

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