• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 550 0

as if no one had ever really lived there. As Dillinger lay on the bed, he heard the great bell of the church toll, and it reminded him of Sunday mornings in Indiana when he was twelve. He'd led his neighbourhood gang - all sixth-grade boys - in a foray to steal coal from the Pennsylvania Railroad and sell it to the women in town. He remembered the happy days in Gebhardt's pool hall, and the even happier times playing baseball. He loved it because it was two games being played at the same time, winning against the other team, and being watched by the girls, who always went after the boys who had played best immediately after the game. Some of those older girls had terrific figures, not like these Mexican women. Jesus, was he getting homesick so soon?

He had to wait it out till the hunt for him cooled off. He had to be steel, like the time he found strength to pour acid on his heel in prison so he could get transferred to yard duty. They owed him nine years! He remembered how good he felt - like he was flying - when he got out of jail that first time. He wasn't going to spend any more time ever behind bars.

The knock on the door stopped his reverie. He hoped it was the damn bellboy with the bottled water he'd asked for more than an hour ago. God, things moved slow in Mexico!

'Come in,' he yelled. 'The door's open.'

What came in wasn't the bellhop but a small wiry man in uniform with a pock-marked face.

'Police, senor,' pock-marks said. 'I am Sergeant Hernandez. May I see your passport?'

Dillinger looked across the room to the dresser where his Colt automatic lay in its holster. The sergeant followed his eyes.

Dillinger swung his feet off the bed, went to his jacket, took out the Harry Jordan passport and handed it to Hernandez, who went through it page by page, his face expressionless.

'How much did you pay for this passport, Senor Jordan?' Hernandez asked.

'Same as anyone else,' Dillinger said.

'I must have you accompany us to headquarters, senor.'

'Would you mind explaining what this is all about?'

Hernandez straightened, his jacket falling open, and drew a revolver from the holster on his left hip. 'Please, senor, let's be sensible about this. No fuss, eh? We must think of the reputation of the hotel.' He pulled Dillinger's Colt automatic from its holster and pocketed it. 'We can drive to police headquarters in my car, or my driver can follow us in your car in case you do not wish to leave that beautiful automobile unattended in front of the hotel. You see, the man who was watching it, he is no longer watching it because he is in jail. Like you, Mr Dillinger, he doesn't want to be turned over to the Federalistas on your side of the border.'

4

In the courtyard a troop of Mexican Federal cavalry was exercising. Dillinger, with Hernandez beside him, waited till he could drive the convertible into the courtyard. He wasn't about to leave it in the street.

When he parked, Hernandez held his hand out for the keys.

Dillinger started to separate the trunk key from the ignition key on the ring.

'Both keys, Senor Jordan,' Hernandez said. 'If you please.'

Dillinger decided not to make a fuss about the trunk key. Considering what was in the trunk, he'd just as soon not call attention to it.

Inside, Dillinger was told to sit down on a rough wooden bench in the white-washed corridor, watched over by Hernandez's Indian. Through the open window, he could hear the shouted commands to the cavalry. If he had to shake loose of this place, he wasn't going to leave the convertible behind, which meant he'd have to be able to get it out of the courtyard. He'd get his keys back or he'd wire the ignition. Getting into the trunk would be a bitch. He was beginning to be sorry he hadn't left the car in the street and gotten a second set of keys made to keep under the bumper as he used to back home.

He stood up to make sure nobody was bothering the car, but the Indian put a heavy hand on his shoulder and made him sit back down.

'Nobody does that to me,' he said uselessly. The Indian didn't understand him. 'You're going to be