Dillinger - Jack Higgins [19]
'What's it say?'
'Shanghai Rose.'
Dillinger laughed out loud.
'Every time Rivera goes into town he sees that sign. Oh that Rose, she's something special.'
'You're not sweet on her, are you now?'
'Me?' Fallon said. 'She's a lady. Sides, she wouldn't look at anyone as decrepit as me. In Hermosa, she's like a princess waiting for a prince to come along.'
Dillinger thought they'd have come for him by now. Fallon had dozed off. Now that he was waking up, Dillinger asked him, 'Why does Rivera have such trouble getting help for the Hermosa place?'
'The mine's a death trap. Least five cave-ins I know of. Christ knows how many dead Indians. He uses Apaches up there.'
'Apaches? I thought they went out with the old West.'
'Not in Sierra Madre. That was their original stronghold. Still plenty around up there.'
'If it's that bad, why'd you agree to go back? Why not cut and run when they let you out?'
Fallon shrugged. 'I don't have a centavo more than the change for the five dollars you gave me. In this country a gringo without money in his boot ...' He shrugged.
The door opened and Hernandez looked in. 'Senor Jordan, will you come this way please.'
Dillinger picked his way between the Mexicans and followed Hernandez. They mounted the stone steps, passed along the whitewashed corridor and paused outside the office. Hernandez knocked and motioned Dillinger inside.
The air was heavy with the aroma of good cigars. Santos had one clamped firmly between his teeth. He took it out and grinned cheerfully. 'Ah. Senor Jordan. Sit down. I am happy to tell you that your troubles are over.'
Dillinger hardly noticed him. He had eyes only for Don Jose Manuel de Rivera as he turned slowly from the window and smiled. 'We meet again, Senor Jordan.'
'Seems so.'
'I am pleased Don Jose has employment to offer you,' Santos said, smiling. 'He has agreed to pay the balance of your fine out of his own pocket.'
'I came the moment I heard at the hotel that you'd been arrested,' Rivera said.
'That was real kind of you.'
'After speaking with Senor Santos it occurs to me that you may now review my earlier offer of employment in a somewhat different light.'
'I think you could say that.'
'Then you will be prepared to accompany me to Hermosa on the evening train?'
'What about my car?'
Rivera turned to Santos. 'It is his pride.'
'Mexico,' Santos said, 'has a generous heart. Senor Jordan may have his beautiful white automobile, without its arsenal, of course.'
Rivera picked up the passport. 'I will see that this is returned to Senor Jordan at a more suitable time.'
'Of course, Don Jose. I regret, however, that in the matter of the confiscated money, the law must take its course. However, in the circumstances and as Senor Jordan is now, as it were, in your custody, we will say no more about the fine.'
'How will I get my car to Hermosa if I go with you?' Dillinger asked.
'As I do with mine,' Rivera said. 'It travels on the flatbed railroad car reserved for automobiles. You are then prepared?'
Dillinger thought, I am prepared to see if Shanghai Rose is as beautiful as her picture. If she hates this son-of-a-bitch as much as I do, we ought to get along real fine.
5
Dillinger was amused by the idea that, for a change, he was being taken for a ride. With all the coal he'd stolen from the Pennsylvania Railroad, he'd never travelled any distance on a train before. Just an hour out he'd had the crazy idea of getting into his convertible on the flatbed and staying in it for the rest of the train ride because a car was a natural place for him to be.
The train was fun. He was following the conductor along the narrow corridor of the Pullman car and had to brace himself every couple of steps as the train swayed and rocked. The attendant knocked