The Menacers by Donald Hamilton

Author:Donald Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Titan

15

She was as good as her word. I’d barely had time to get back to the room and wash my face and dig a windbreaker out of my suitcase and tell Carol as much as was good for her to know when there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and there was Señor Ramón Solana-Ruiz, dressed pretty much as I’d first seen him, in his business suit, white shirt, and tie.

His shoes were polished to a luster that was quite commendable, considering the dusty surroundings. As a concession to the desert, however, he’d added a pair of sunglasses to his outfit—or perhaps he just liked the slightly sinister look the big, dark, curving lenses gave to his handsome Latin face. He bowed ceremoniously when I introduced him to Carol.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Lujan.”

“You’re very kind to let us come along,” Carol said. “Will I be allowed to take some pictures, Mr. Solana?”

“By all means. Do you have much equipment? Perhaps you would prefer to follow in your car so you will be less crowded. We will go first to the hotel in town, if you do not mind. I want to question the surviving victim, a Mr. Gregory Henderson, from Los Angeles, California. He came down here to fish over the weekend, I understand.”

“Was he badly hurt?”

“No, apparently he just received some minor burns when he tried to rescue his wife, who died in the fire, but of course the experience was a great shock to him. We will talk with him first, and then we will drive out to examine what is left of his vehicle and camper—that is the name given to those housekeeping units designed for mounting on trucks, is it not? Then, if you wish, you may accompany us to view the body, although I am told it is not a pleasant sight.”

Carol winced, but said bravely, “I’d better cover everything while I have the chance. You never know what shots those crazy people in New York are going to want. Let me get some things together. I won’t be a moment.”

Solana watched her move away across the room. In spite of the impenetrable glasses that masked his face, it was clear that he was favorably impressed—and she did look kind of nice in her crisp safari suit, with a high-necked white sweater replacing, for warmth, the thin blouse she’d worn earlier. When she straightened up, loaded with gear, he hurried forward to help her carry the stuff out to the station wagon.

I followed behind them, and spotted Priscilla Decker waiting by the cars. “Maybe you should have stuck to your nice-girl routine,” I said to her with a grin. “Maybe obvious challenges aren’t what turn Mr. Solana on.”

Priscilla laughed. “That’s all right. He can carry her cameras all he wants, just so it’s my fanny he pinches.” She shivered slightly, and started to put her arms into the sleeves of the quilted jacket she’d been wearing over her shoulders like a cape.

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