Still, the right thing to do, Longarm knew, was to turn around and go back to Del Rio so that he could find out how Don Alfredo wanted to proceed. Added to that was the fact that Longarm’s job here in Texas was to protect the diplomats, not to go chasing after owlhoots, no matter who they might have kidnapped. Logically, he had to return to Del Rio, so he turned the bay around and prodded it into a ground-eating trot toward the town.
But it was still one of the hardest things he had ever done.
By the time he reached Del Rio, some of the citizens were on the street again, wandering around and looking dazed. Longarm had seen the same reaction during the war, in men who had been part of too many battles. These townspeople weren’t used to being raided by bloodthirsty bandits and having to dive for cover at a moment’s notice. They didn’t care about the discussions between the U.S. and Mexico or the representatives of either side. All they wanted was for their lives to get back to normal.
Don Alfredo Guiterrez rushed out of the hotel as Longarm brought the horse to a stop in front of it. “Senor Long!” he exclaimed before Longarm could even begin to swing down from the saddle. “Did you find my daughter?” The tremble in Don Alfredo’s voice made it clear that he was very afraid of the answer, whatever it might turn out to be.
“I didn’t see any sign of her,” Longarm replied honestly. He dismounted and looped the reins over the hitch rack, then turned once more to Don Alfredo. “It sure looked to me like El Aguila’s bunch took her over into Mexico with them.”
A string of Spanish curses exploded from Don Alfredo’s mouth. The man was normally so dignified that to see him this frazzled made things seem even worse, thought Longarm. Don Alfredo clutched at his arm and asked, “Why would they take her? Why?”
Normally, Longarm didn’t care for folks grabbing him like that, but he figured he could let it pass this time. Guiterrez was mighty shaken up, as well he should be. Longarm explained, “It looked to me like Sonia was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of those owlhoots saw her and decided on the spur of the moment to snatch her up. I think they came into town in the first place to try to kill Sheriff Sanderson.”
Don Alfredo passed a shaking hand over his face. “The sheriff, he is all right?”
“As far as I know, he probably will be. He’s got a busted arm and some cuts and bruises, but he’s in pretty good shape for a man whose office was blasted with dynamite.”
“Dios mio,” breathed Don Alfredo. “Are there any depths to which this El Aguila will not stoop?”
“There don’t seem to be.”
Don Alfredo clenched his right hand into a fist and pounded it into the palm of his left. “Sonia should not have been out of the hotel,” he declared, anger warring now with the fear in his tone. “Who is responsible for that?”
“Reckon I am,” Longarm said slowly, even though he had been away from the hotel at the time and Coffin had been supposed to keep an eye on things. “I’m responsible for the safety of your party, Don Alfredo, and I’m afraid I’ve let you down. That’s why I want to cross the Rio Grande and try to get your daughter back from El Aguila’s gang.”
“No!” The sharp retort came from the door of the hotel. Captain Hernandez, the little federate, stepped out onto the boardwalk and glared at Longarm in the light that came through the lobby windows. “You have no jurisdiction in Mexico, Senor Long.”
“I know that,” said Longarm, “but I still feel like it’s my responsibility.”
A new voice came from the doorway, but it was equally emphatic.
“Absolutely not,” said Franklin Barton as he moved out onto the boardwalk. “How can you even think of infringing on Mexico’s sovereignty, Long, while these delicate negotiations are going on?”
“I’m thinking about a young woman who’s probably mighty scared right now,” Longarm snapped. He was in no mood to put up with Barton’s pettiness.
“Please, Senor Long,” Don Alfredo said slowly, almost painfully. “Senor Barton and Capitan Hernandez are correct. It would not be fitting for you to cross the border in pursuit of those outlaws, no matter who they may have as their prisoner. I know this as a diplomat and a representative of El Presidente.” He cast a hard look at Barton and Hernandez, then gripped Longarm’s arm again. “But as a father, I implore you, Senor Long ... rescue my daughter. Bring her back safely to me.”
“Out of the question,” Barton said angrily, but the heavy clomp of booted footsteps made him fall silent.
Coffin strode up to the little group standing in front of the hotel.
“Find that gal, Long?” he asked.
“I’m afraid not,” Longarm told him.
“Well, I’m ready to ride with you when you go after them skunks. We’d best get a move on if we don’t want ‘em to have too big a lead.”
Through clenched teeth, Barton said, “I was just trying to explain why
you can’t-“
Longarm ignored him and said to Guiterrez, “Are you sure this is what you want, Don Alfredo? You’re liable to get in trouble with your own government if Coffin and I cross the border.”
The Mexican diplomat shook his head. “I do not care. All that matters to me is Sonia’s safety.” He hesitated a moment, then added, “Besides, El Presidente owes me more than one favor. I can guarantee there will be no trouble from Diaz about this.”
“That’s good enough for me,” said Longarm. He turned to Coffin.
“Somebody’s got to stay here-“
“Not me,” Coffin cut in. “The doc’s pachin’ up Sanderson right now, and he says the sheriff’s goin’ to be good as new, ‘cept for that busted wing. But it ain’t his gun arm, so I reckon he can watch out over things here in town until reinforcements get here.”
“Reinforcements?” repeated Longarm.
“I’ve done wired Austin already and got a reply back from Major Jones. He rousted out Cap’n McDowell, and ol’ Roarin’ Bill’s sendin’ Hatfield over here with a troop of Rangers. They’ll be here in less’n two days.” Coffin pushed back the sombrero on his rumpled thatch of dark hair. “But I reckon by that time, you and me’ll be a good ways south of the Rio Grande, Long.”
Longarm nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He knew that the other Rangers would be more than capable of keeping the peace in Del Rio and protecting the diplomats while he and Coffin were gone.
“I’ll get my hoss,” Coffin said. “That looks like a pretty good piece of horseflesh at the hitch rack, so you might want to hang on to it.”
Longarm thought the same thing. He was satisfied with the bay. He wanted to get his own saddle, his Winchester, and some supplies before he and Coffin set out into Mexico, though.
He got busy with those preparations while Franklin Barton and Capitan Hernandez followed him around, still complaining. The young American army officer, Jeffery Spooner, joined in and added his own voice to the chorus telling Longarm he couldn’t go across the border. Finally, Don Alfredo was forced to say coldly, “If you want these negotiations to continue, Senor Barton, you will allow Senor Long to go about his business without bothering him. And as for you, Capitan ...” Guiterrez launched into a spate of harsh, rapid Spanish, and the tongue-lashing caused Hernandez to jerk his head up and down in a curt, reluctant nod. Barton just shook his head and went off toward his suite, muttering under his breath.