The Bounty Hunters by Elmore Leonard

Author:Elmore Leonard
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Private investigators, Arizona, Mexico, Apache Indians, Western stories, Americans - Mexico, Westerns, Fiction, Fugitives from justice, Bounty hunters
ISBN: 9780380822256
Publisher: New York : HarperTorch, 2002.
Published: 2002-03-14T12:02:36+00:00

Chapter 12

A breeze moved over the square, raising dust swirls about the stone obelisk.

Two rurales lounged asleep in the shade of Duro's headquarters, and in front of Las Quince Letras a row of horses stood at the tie rack a dun swished its tail lazily and the flanks of a big chestnut quivered to shake off flies. A dog yelped somewhere beyond the adobe fronts. And a woman, a black mantilla covering her head and shoulders, passed without sound into the shadowed doorway of Santo Tom+is de Aqu+n. In the heat of the afternoon it was best to remain within.

From the doorway that opened onto the balcony, Lamas Duro watched the man leave the mescal shop and cross the square to the adobe whose sign read Comida. He walked leisurely, carrying a bottle of something.

One of the American filth, Duro said half aloud.

As the figure passed from view he saw two riders then enter the square from the street that bordered the church, and as they passed the mescal shop Duro moved back into the room, buttoning his shirt. He smoothed his hair with his fingers as his eyes went on the desk to see the mescal bottle and glass. Hastily now he gathered them up, finishing the inch of colorless sweet liquid in the glass, and disappeared into the bedroom. He was back in a moment and arranged the papers on his desk in a semblance of order before returning to the doorway. The two riders were almost directly below.

He stepped out onto the balcony and called down, Se+|ores, please come up! his smile as white as his shirt.

The taste of mescal was sour in his mouth and he lighted a cigar as he listened to the double tread on the stairs. Then they were on the balcony and he stepped aside allowing them to enter the room first.

You do me an honor, Se+|or Fl+n and Lieutenant Bowers.

Bowers looked at him quickly.

Duro smiled. This is a small pueblo, Lieutenant. The news does not have far to travel. Perhaps the alcalde tells a close friend' or someone overheard you speaking. He tells a friend. It enters Las Quince Letras and pop' it is out.

Our identity was not intended to be kept secret, Bowers said.

Of course not. Duro smiled. But I wouldn't blame you if you did intend it so. Sometimes there is a problem in crossing into another country to perform a mission of a government nature. Often such matters must be handled with discretion. Of course, here you have nothing to fear. As a representative of Porfirio Diaz, I am at your command.

That's very kind of you, Bowers said woodenly.

Not at all. Duro held up his hand as if he would not think of accepting gratitude. I know His Excellency, Porfirio, would have instructed that I aid your mission in every way' had he been informed of it. After all, the menace of the Apaches is a reason for the existence of our rurales. Actually then, you are giving assistance to us.

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