The Reinvention Of Rudd Carter. A Western Action Adventure Novel (17 page)

Rudd felt high-spirited being with his Texans. “Boys, let’s get a table and have a couple beers, on me, of course. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

They moved to a table in the middle of the room. Len Mosier followed them over and Rudd introduced him. Len took their orders and left.

“What’ve you boys been up to since Juarez?” Rudd asked.

Each man told him pretty much the same story. They had settled down with a woman or two for a year or so, worked at menial jobs until the wanderlust got the best of them, and then they took off in the middle of the night.

“The four of us got together south of the border to fight with the rebels,” Matt said. “You know, fightin’ pays a whole lot more than ranchin’.”

“And it sure is a helluva lot more fun,” added Walt.

A chuckle broke out among the five of them.

“If this desert battle comes off as planned, there will be positions available to us as constables at very good money,” Rudd said. “We would act as a militia to back up the police in keeping the peace.”

All four Texans showed interest.

“So Mexicali could become a sorta “Valhalla” for semi-retired soldiers of fortune,” Bill said with a grin.

They were enjoying their reunion when Günter came strolling down the stairs from the hotel rooms above. Approaching their table with a leer on his face he said, “I see you boys are having a good time. May I join you?”

“Of course, pull up a chair,” Rudd said.

The Texans jumped up to greet him. In spite of his German air of superiority and sarcasm, they all had great respect for his ability and talent as a military man.

Rudd eyed the German. “You look like you just got up, Günter.”

“I did. Just a few minutes ago. It’s difficult being in a town with so many available women of all shapes and sizes. I have to get my fill while I can.” He bellowed a big, guttural laugh, and the men joined him. “You know me… I like the girls. What can I say?”

“Which do you like the most, Günter,” Matt kidded, “the Asian or the Mexican girls?”

“Well, right now,” Günter answered with a cruel smile, a smile that Rudd remembered from years ago, “I’ve developed an appetite for young Mexican girls. I think they’re very cute.”

“And very cheap, and that’s good, ain’t it?” Walt asked.

“Very cheap, and that doesn’t hurt at all,” Günter answered with another big laugh.

“Boys, what do you think of the new arsenal out at the ranch?” Rudd asked, attempting to change the subject.

“The fire power we’ll have with those sub-machine guns and B.A.R.s,” Matt answered, “is going to overwhelm the Federales. They won’t know what hit ‘em. You add in the mortars and machine guns and it’s going to be a slaughter out there in the desert.”

“If only we would have had this stuff back in the nineties in China,” Günter added.

The boys drank and talked for a while longer until Günter looked at his pocket watch and said, “It’s getting late. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned and walked out onto the street.

Noting that it was nine o’clock, Rudd watched the German exit the barroom.
I wonder where he goes every night.

In the middle of the night, Rudd awoke thinking about Juarez. No matter how much he tossed and turned, he couldn’t get out of his mind the possibility that a little girl could have been murdered there too. He got up, shaved, bathed, got dressed and went downstairs for an early morning coffee. A few minutes before eight, he walked out onto the already warm Mexicali street. His destination was the police station. When he entered, Fuentes looked up from his morning newspaper. “Buenos dias, compadre. What brings you out so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Rudd said with a frown. “I can’t stop thinking about that young murdered girl. Have you gotten any word on whether she had rouge and lipstick smeared on her face or not?”

“I left a message for the officer I talked to the other day,” answered Fuentes. “I haven’t heard back from him yet. I’ll call over there right now.” He picked up the phone and talked on the line for five minutes. Hanging up, he said to Rudd, “That was Officer Ortega. He said that the little girl’s face was smeared with rouge and lipstick. He got very excited and wanted to know how I knew, since they had purposely omitted that detail from the news release. I told him I would get back to him.”

Rudd thought for a moment. “Ernie, before I say anything, I’m going to ask you to do me a favor based on a hunch I have.”

“Anything at all. What do you need?”

“I think it would be interesting to ask the Juarez police if there is a record of any murders of this type occurring after Diaz’s troops evacuated Juarez on May tenth, nineteen eleven.”

“I can do that immediately. Anything else?”

“Yes. Then ask the police in El Paso if any murders with the same M.O. occurred at any time in nineteen eleven.”

“You’re so specific about the dates.” Fuentes brows arched. “Do you know something that you’re not telling me?”

“I know absolutely nothing for sure, but I have a gut feeling. I just hope I’m wrong. I’d appreciate it if you would get word to me the minute you get an answer back from Juarez and El Paso. If it comes back that a murder or murders similar to the one that took place here were commited either of those two places during those dates, then I’ll have something to tell you. If not then there’s no need to cast the shadow of guilt over an innocent person.”

The following Sunday morning Rudd and Kathryn ordered breakfast to be sent up to their room with the idea of spending most of the day in. They sat eating breakfast in thoughtful silence until Kathryn poured them each a cup of coffee. “Were you serious the other day when you told me that you want this to be your last military campaign? That you’d give up soldiering and settle down in the States?”

“Yes,” he answered. “Now that I have you in my life, I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I know that when I go out in the desert for this battle, you’re going to worry about me. I don’t want you to have to live that way year after year.”

She smiled affectionately. “You’re right. I am going to worry about you. I don’t ever want to lose you. But, understand if this is what you want to do the rest of your life, I still want to be with you. I only bring the subject up because of what you expressed to me the other day. You’re happiness means everything to me.” She put her arms around him and held him close. “You’ve been so thoughtful about not questioning me about my past relationships with men that I want you to know that before you there was only one man, and I was married to him.”

Rudd nodded and stood back, his eyes glued to her face.

“His name was Rex. I ran away from home when I was fifteen to join a vaudeville act, playing the violin. Rex was the leader of the act and thought I was eighteen. I was very well-developed at fifteen.”

He glanced at her breasts protruding from under her negligee. “From what I see now, I bet you were.” He squeezed her hand and grinned.

She blushed, folded her hand into a fist, and hit him softly on the shoulder. “You interrupted me,” she said, giggling. “Rex took me under his wing, showed me the ropes and protected me. After a year of traveling all over the country together, we were married. We traveled with our act for several years until he began to show signs of an illness. When it became apparent that he was really sick, we settled in Los Angeles. Rex was a very good businessman, and before he died five years ago, he was successful at selling me as a solo act in theatres around town. I got to know a lot of agents through his connections. On a couple of occasions, I was asked to screen test, but acting wasn’t for me. What I’m getting at is that with the contacts I have and all the things you are expert at, you could do well in Hollywood. Western movies are a big rage now. You could make a lot of money as a technical adviser.”

Rudd gazed at her and then raised her hand to his lips. “I had no idea that you came from that kind of background. It makes you even more fascinating.”

She stroked his hand. “I want you to understand that before you, there was just Rex, and I was married to him. I loved him very much but not like you. He protected me and taught me how to love through his kindness. With you, from the moment I saw you, there was a fire lit inside me. I realize now that I never experienced real passion until you.” She paused and kissed him lightly. “The point is, would you like me to make some calls to some old friends and explore the possibilities of a future in Hollywood for the two of us?”

“Why not? What have we got to lose as long as we’re together?”

Returning from a training session at the ranch the following week, Rudd received a message from Fuentes, to contact him as soon as possible. An hour later, he stood in front of the Chief’s desk. “Did you get any news from Juarez or El Paso?” he asked.

Fuentes’ eyes lit up. “I’ll say. Listen to this. On the morning of May 17, 1911, the nude body of a nine-year-old girl was found in Juarez. She had been raped, murdered and mutilated just like the little girl that was found here the other morning.”

“It’s the same killer! I left the area three or four days before that happened. That’s why I haven’t heard about it until now.”

Fuentes picked a sheet of paper off his desk. “But wait, that’s not all. Here’s the report from El Paso. On April twenty-eighth, nineteen-eleven, the body of a ten-year-old Mexican girl was found nude, and she had been raped and murdered; the same M. O. as here.”

“But I was in El Paso with my men waiting to go into Juarez,” Rudd said, confused. “I was in contact with the local police on a daily basis. I never heard a word about that murder.” He paused for a moment. “All I can do is speculate as to why the El Paso police decided against releasing information about such a sordid murder. The local population was already pretty worried about having a revolution start right across the border in Juarez. News of that kind of homicide might have caused riots. The local politicians were making as much of the Mexican political problems as they could at the time, to their own advantage, of course.”

“Well, there you have it, two more identical murders,” Fuentes said. “All nine- or ten-year-old Mexican girls killed in exactly the same way. Do you want to tell me about your hunch now?”

“Before I do, I want to ask if you have a young officer who is good at tailing people undercover? You know, someone who can follow in the shadows without being seen.”

Fuentes thought for a moment. “Yes, I do. I have an officer who has experience in undercover surveillance. He’s very good.”

“Can you set up a meeting for tomorrow?”

“How about tomorrow afternoon?”

“You’re a good man, Ernie.” Rudd smiled. “Try to make it for two o’clock, if you can.”

“Hey, wait a minute, what about your hunch?”

“I’ll tell you about it soon, be patient.”

The next morning Rudd was in the cantina at El Coyote talking with Len Mosier when the phone rang. Len answered and handed the phone to Rudd. “It’s Fuentes.”

Rudd took the phone. “What can I do for you Ernie?”

“Rudd, there’s been another murder. Can you get to the station right away? I need to talk to you.”

“I’ll be there right away.” He handed the phone back to Len. “I have to go. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

Five minutes later, he walked into the police station where an agitated Fuentes waited.

“There’s been another killing with the same M.O. as the others. The victim is another nine-year-old girl. She was found a couple of blocks from where the last girl was. Rudd, if you’ve got some kind of hunch, tell me about it now,” Fuentes demanded.

“I will, Ernie,” he said calmly. “But you have to promise me that whatever I tell you will remain confidential until we have enough proof to make an accusation.” He told Ernie about his years in China with Günter, the murders in Peking in 1900, and Günter’s strange attitude whenever the topic of girls came up. “Günter was in Juarez and El Paso with me when the murders took place there,” he said with frustration. “I’d like to have him tailed every night to see what he’s up to. When I talk to him, he makes it seem as if he’s going to the local sporting houses at night to fill his insatiable appetite. But I think he’s really prowling the neighborhoods for his next victim.” He paused for a moment. “Did you arrange that meeting with your officer at two today?”

“It’s all set,” answered Fuentes.

“Good, I’ll be here at two on the dot.”

Rudd returned to the police station on time and was introduced to Juan, a good-looking Mexican man of medium height and build in his forties with dark intelligent eyes and a quick, friendly smile. He spoke excellent English and appeared to be well educated. Juan and Fuentes seemed to be good friends, a friendship that went well beyond the normal employee/employer relationship. A few minutes into the conversation, that became clear when Ernie announced that Juan was his favorite cousin and that the two of them had been raised in Los Angeles. After twenty minutes of getting-to-know-you conversation, which included everything just short of going down to El Coyote for a beer, Rudd got down to business. “I suppose Ernie has explained to you what it is that we want you to do.”

“Yes. You want me to follow someone for a few nights to see where he goes and what he does,” Juan answered.

“Ernie, did you tell Juan why we’re having him do this?”

“No, I didn’t, Rudd. I thought I’d let you fill him in on the details. I’m not really sure how much you want him to know.”

“Juan, first of all, the fellow we want you to follow, his name is Günter Schmidt. He is German and looks a lot like me, with basically the same build and color of hair. He can be a very mean hombre. He loves knives and knows how to use them. You’ll possibly be risking your life if you accept this job.” Rudd paused and studied Juan’s face. “After hearing how dangerous Günter is, are you still interested?”

“Yes, of course,” Juan answered confidently.

“I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous this could be for you,” Rudd warned. “Every night before Günter goes out for the evening, we have a couple of beers with the boys at El Coyote, and then he leaves at about nine. If you could be there at seven tonight, you can start following him when he leaves. He’s aware of everything in his immediate environment. You’re going to have to stay out of sight and at the same time not lose him. If he thinks for a moment that he’s being tailed, he will lose you and might try to kill you. Be very careful. I’m counting on him not suspecting that we’re on to him.”