gotten over Sonia, please ask me again; I promise you won’t have to ask twice, okay?”
“Janie, I plan to hold you to that promise. I promise you I won’t ever try to change you. I want you just the way you are. I also love you dearly. Now what shall we do for an encore?”
“Dan, I want you to just relax and enjoy this time we have. You don’t have to try to please me. I am your friend now and always. I promise I won’t run away and won’t object to what you do for a living either.”
Meanwhile back in Patagonia, the fire department is still investigating the fire that killed Sonia Perdenales.
“Chief, look at what I found. I found this gas can laying in the weeds on the side over there. Chief, I don’t think this was a total lightning strike. I believe this was arson and the lightning just happened to strike too. This is straight-out murder.”
“Bill, have the lab boys from Tucson checked this place with a fine-tooth comb. I want these sons of bitches to pay dearly for what they have done. I want the evidence handled with care and no contamination. This has to be done by the book. This one is for Dan Mesa. He deserves to know the truth, and I’d hate to be the one responsible for this. He is already angry, and this will push him over the edge. I’d better call Sam.”
The phone rings at the ranger station in Nogales. “Arizona rangers, Corporal Garcia speaking. Hello Pop, what can I do for you?” his son answers.
“Son, is Sam in his office? I have some more bad news for him.”
“I will get him for you.”
“Hello, Orlando,” Captain Johnson says when he picks up, “what do you have for me?”
“Sam, we were finishing up our investigation of the fire in Patagonia, and we found something that makes this more than a lightning strike. Sam, that house was drenched in gas and set on fire. The lightning struck the house just by coincidence. This is capital murder. Sam, what will you tell Sergeant Mesa?”
“Orlando, this is one time I wish I was a dogcatcher instead of a ranger. I will just have to tell him the truth. Orlando, let’s meet after work. I need a drink or maybe two.”
“Old friend, I’ll meet you at the bar at five thirty p.m. Take care. We’d better keep an eye on Dan. What is the latest on Carlos and Antonio?”
“Well, we know he bought a maroon Dodge pickup in Douglas. It has a camper on it, and they are supposed to be heading toward San Antonio. I have notified the Texas rangers to keep an eye out for them. Sergeant Savalas is shadowing Sergeant Mesa. Let me know if anything else turns up.”
Janie and Dan are watching an old Bogart movie when the phone rings.
“Hello?” Janie says. “Oh hello, Captain Johnson. Yes, Dan is here.”
“Dan, Captain Johnson wants to talk to you. He sounds strange. I wonder what is going on.”
Mesa takes the phone, wondering to himself what else can go wrong?
“Hello, sir, what can I do for you?”
“Dan, I just got off the phone with Chief Garcia, and he told me that the house fire that killed Sonia was not due to lightning. Someone drenched that house with gas. It is a clear case of murder.” The phone is silent for a few seconds.
“Dan, are you still there?”
Dan’s voice is hard and bitter as he answers, “Yes, sir, I am still here. I will return immediately. I want to get started looking for those two. I’ll see you in a few hours.” After Dan hangs up, he turns to Janie. She sees the change in his face and knows he will be leaving. She waits for him to speak.
“Janie, I have to return to Nogales. They found that it was not a lightning strike that started the fire. It was arson and a clear case of murder. The house was drenched with gas. The lightning was just coincidence.” He turns around quickly so she won’t see the anger in his eyes.
Janie walks around and looks into his eyes. What she sees frightens her and she backs away quickly.
“Dan, sometimes you frighten even me. I know you better
“Janie, I plan to hold you to that promise. I promise you I won’t ever try to change you. I want you just the way you are. I also love you dearly. Now what shall we do for an encore?”
“Dan, I want you to just relax and enjoy this time we have. You don’t have to try to please me. I am your friend now and always. I promise I won’t run away and won’t object to what you do for a living either.”
Meanwhile back in Patagonia, the fire department is still investigating the fire that killed Sonia Perdenales.
“Chief, look at what I found. I found this gas can laying in the weeds on the side over there. Chief, I don’t think this was a total lightning strike. I believe this was arson and the lightning just happened to strike too. This is straight-out murder.”
“Bill, have the lab boys from Tucson checked this place with a fine-tooth comb. I want these sons of bitches to pay dearly for what they have done. I want the evidence handled with care and no contamination. This has to be done by the book. This one is for Dan Mesa. He deserves to know the truth, and I’d hate to be the one responsible for this. He is already angry, and this will push him over the edge. I’d better call Sam.”
The phone rings at the ranger station in Nogales. “Arizona rangers, Corporal Garcia speaking. Hello Pop, what can I do for you?” his son answers.
“Son, is Sam in his office? I have some more bad news for him.”
“I will get him for you.”
“Hello, Orlando,” Captain Johnson says when he picks up, “what do you have for me?”
“Sam, we were finishing up our investigation of the fire in Patagonia, and we found something that makes this more than a lightning strike. Sam, that house was drenched in gas and set on fire. The lightning struck the house just by coincidence. This is capital murder. Sam, what will you tell Sergeant Mesa?”
“Orlando, this is one time I wish I was a dogcatcher instead of a ranger. I will just have to tell him the truth. Orlando, let’s meet after work. I need a drink or maybe two.”
“Old friend, I’ll meet you at the bar at five thirty p.m. Take care. We’d better keep an eye on Dan. What is the latest on Carlos and Antonio?”
“Well, we know he bought a maroon Dodge pickup in Douglas. It has a camper on it, and they are supposed to be heading toward San Antonio. I have notified the Texas rangers to keep an eye out for them. Sergeant Savalas is shadowing Sergeant Mesa. Let me know if anything else turns up.”
Janie and Dan are watching an old Bogart movie when the phone rings.
“Hello?” Janie says. “Oh hello, Captain Johnson. Yes, Dan is here.”
“Dan, Captain Johnson wants to talk to you. He sounds strange. I wonder what is going on.”
Mesa takes the phone, wondering to himself what else can go wrong?
“Hello, sir, what can I do for you?”
“Dan, I just got off the phone with Chief Garcia, and he told me that the house fire that killed Sonia was not due to lightning. Someone drenched that house with gas. It is a clear case of murder.” The phone is silent for a few seconds.
“Dan, are you still there?”
Dan’s voice is hard and bitter as he answers, “Yes, sir, I am still here. I will return immediately. I want to get started looking for those two. I’ll see you in a few hours.” After Dan hangs up, he turns to Janie. She sees the change in his face and knows he will be leaving. She waits for him to speak.
“Janie, I have to return to Nogales. They found that it was not a lightning strike that started the fire. It was arson and a clear case of murder. The house was drenched with gas. The lightning was just coincidence.” He turns around quickly so she won’t see the anger in his eyes.
Janie walks around and looks into his eyes. What she sees frightens her and she backs away quickly.
“Dan, sometimes you frighten even me. I know you better
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