you like hunting, I promise to take you to the Siete Gotas Mountains, where there are plenty of deer, ocelots, and lynx. I’ve heard about that place. Well, free up your calendar for November when the season opens, you’ll be the guest of the Federal Preventive Police. I understand, give me an e-mail address; oh, and tell your friendsfrom Interpol that I cooperated. No need to worry, the Mexican police have everything under control.
An hour later he printed out a list of eighteen names.
He looked the first one up in the telephone directory, Carlos Alvarado. Culiacán Farms, a woman answered. Señor Alvarado, please. The elder or the younger? The elder. He heard a friendly voice: How can I help you. My name is Bond, James Bond, he thought, but he said: Edgar Mendieta from the State Ministerial Police, you buy silver bullets in Tucson, what do you use them for? Ah, you had me scared, when the police call it could be anything, please don’t take offense; yes certainly, about five years ago I went with my compadre Federico Villegas, may he rest in peace, to Tucson, he liked to give those bullets as gifts and I bought a box, I still have it, unopened, if you’d like to come by and see it, I’ve got it in a display case as a curiosity. How long ago did your compadre pass away? It’s going to be three years. Could you give me the phone number of one of his relatives? Sure, my compadre Ernestina, 513-98-31, she lives in Chapule on Dr. Romero Street, they own Villegas Farm Tools, a long-standing business in the valley. Do you know of anyone else who likes to shoot silver bullets? We all like shooting, but these are expensive, five years ago I paid thirty dollars a bullet, can you imagine, just for a gift. I thank you for your cooperation, Don Carlos. Excuse me, Lieutenant Mendieta, before we say good-bye, is there any news on the death of Engineer Canizales’s son? Don’t tell anyone, but we are about to zap the murderer. We’re anxious to stay on top of developments in the case, Lieutenant, since we all want the engineer in the palace, right? It’s the perfect place for him. That’s what we farmers think. Thank you again, Don Carlos. Whatever I can do to help, Captain, we are here to serve you.
Zelda and Angelita located the rest. Eleven deceased, and except for Don Carlos and his compadre Ernestina de Villegas, who was away on a trip, they all had moved to the United States and it would cost a fortune to find them. They checked the names, and none of them had a criminal record, none was young, and all were from traditionally powerful families. If we are going to get anywhere it won’t be with that obsolete list. Could there be another? Where do young people buy their munitions? He saw it was impossible and decided to abandon that angle for the moment. They would try another route. He reminded himself that no expert follows the evidence, since in this business the truth always resides precisely where it should not.
With that thought in mind he returned to Canizales’s house.
What was he seeking? He wished he knew.
Twenty
Figueroa took the floor: I have called you here early because I believe we have to do something to make sure that whoever killed our colleague Bruno Canizales gets what he deserves, the police are so incompetent if we let things lie they are likely to drop the case. Brown-skinned, thin, dressed in white. We must not allow that to occur, we should write to the newspapers, get on the radio and talk up the issue, let’s make sure everyone knows about it; I suggest we name two committees, one to speak to the Human Rights Commission and the other to sit down with the policeman in charge or with the girl, Agent Toledo, his assistant; if they play deaf we shall go to their superiors, whoever they are, or to the district attorney. In a white room at the USB center about ten people listened without interest; only Laura Frías and Dania Estrada were paying attention, the latter took the floor: We agree,
An hour later he printed out a list of eighteen names.
He looked the first one up in the telephone directory, Carlos Alvarado. Culiacán Farms, a woman answered. Señor Alvarado, please. The elder or the younger? The elder. He heard a friendly voice: How can I help you. My name is Bond, James Bond, he thought, but he said: Edgar Mendieta from the State Ministerial Police, you buy silver bullets in Tucson, what do you use them for? Ah, you had me scared, when the police call it could be anything, please don’t take offense; yes certainly, about five years ago I went with my compadre Federico Villegas, may he rest in peace, to Tucson, he liked to give those bullets as gifts and I bought a box, I still have it, unopened, if you’d like to come by and see it, I’ve got it in a display case as a curiosity. How long ago did your compadre pass away? It’s going to be three years. Could you give me the phone number of one of his relatives? Sure, my compadre Ernestina, 513-98-31, she lives in Chapule on Dr. Romero Street, they own Villegas Farm Tools, a long-standing business in the valley. Do you know of anyone else who likes to shoot silver bullets? We all like shooting, but these are expensive, five years ago I paid thirty dollars a bullet, can you imagine, just for a gift. I thank you for your cooperation, Don Carlos. Excuse me, Lieutenant Mendieta, before we say good-bye, is there any news on the death of Engineer Canizales’s son? Don’t tell anyone, but we are about to zap the murderer. We’re anxious to stay on top of developments in the case, Lieutenant, since we all want the engineer in the palace, right? It’s the perfect place for him. That’s what we farmers think. Thank you again, Don Carlos. Whatever I can do to help, Captain, we are here to serve you.
Zelda and Angelita located the rest. Eleven deceased, and except for Don Carlos and his compadre Ernestina de Villegas, who was away on a trip, they all had moved to the United States and it would cost a fortune to find them. They checked the names, and none of them had a criminal record, none was young, and all were from traditionally powerful families. If we are going to get anywhere it won’t be with that obsolete list. Could there be another? Where do young people buy their munitions? He saw it was impossible and decided to abandon that angle for the moment. They would try another route. He reminded himself that no expert follows the evidence, since in this business the truth always resides precisely where it should not.
With that thought in mind he returned to Canizales’s house.
What was he seeking? He wished he knew.
Twenty
Figueroa took the floor: I have called you here early because I believe we have to do something to make sure that whoever killed our colleague Bruno Canizales gets what he deserves, the police are so incompetent if we let things lie they are likely to drop the case. Brown-skinned, thin, dressed in white. We must not allow that to occur, we should write to the newspapers, get on the radio and talk up the issue, let’s make sure everyone knows about it; I suggest we name two committees, one to speak to the Human Rights Commission and the other to sit down with the policeman in charge or with the girl, Agent Toledo, his assistant; if they play deaf we shall go to their superiors, whoever they are, or to the district attorney. In a white room at the USB center about ten people listened without interest; only Laura Frías and Dania Estrada were paying attention, the latter took the floor: We agree,
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