Tequila Blue by Rolo Diez Read Free Book Online

control when I wasn’t around to keep an eye on him.”
    I sat looking at him.
    â€œHis name is Osvaldo Cruz.” The voice is the mirror of the soul as well, and the Cuban’s sounded weak. “Ever since I came to Mexico, I’ve cooperated with the authorities. I have good friends in government.”
    â€œWhere does he live?”
    â€œApartment 2, 20 Cinco de Febrero Street, in Colonia Portales. I wouldn’t like this to get out. We’re all here to add our grain of sand, to help justice and democracy.”
    â€œYou’re done for, asshole!” Silver Bullet was quaking with indignation: there’s an actor hidden in every cop. “We’re going to take you in for interrogation, and you’re going to tell us everything, including how many hairs there are in Fidel Castro’s beard! You’ll rot in solitary while we haul in that damned accomplice of yours!”
    â€œYou can’t do that to me, Officer! I’m on your side! At the very least I have the right to a lawyer!”
    As was only proper, this plea was aimed at me.
    â€œWe’ll do what the Commander here decides is right,” I explained, nodding at Silver Bullet.
    â€œBy the time we’ve finished with you, there won’t be much left to drag to a lawyer.” Silver Bullet was tougher than Bogart and Dirty Harry put together. “You’ve been stealing and dragging the name of a government department through themud! I bet you don’t even pay your taxes! In case you didn’t know it, asshole, in this country you have to pay taxes whenever you do business!”
    You could say a lot of things about the Cuban. But no one could ever accuse him of being slow on the uptake.
    â€œPerhaps there’s some way of coming to a reasonable arrangement?” he said wearily.
    The stage was set. I spoke the prologue.
    â€œI’ve got a murder case to solve,” I said. “I’ve got more things to attend to, and my family is waiting for me for dinner. I’ll walk to the corner, and when I get back we’ll go wherever the Commander has decided.”
    I lit a cigarette and stretched my legs. I would willingly have changed places for half an hour with one of those guys I saw being made love to without embarrassment but with intense pleasure. As though they deserved it, the bastards!
    When I got back to the car I switched on the engine. The faces reflected in the rear-view mirror told me everything was fine.
    â€œWe’re going to Colonia Cuauhtemoc,” Silver Bullet said. “It’s near where you’re going, Officer. Go down Florencia, cross Reforma and take the first street parallel on the left.”
    Five minutes later and I left them outside Valadez’s apartment. I don’t like leaving Silver Bullet to work on his own for the same reason I don’t like my daughter going out with boyfriends. Both of them are growing up, I know, and have to face the realities of life, but whenever I see themstruggling with temptation I get the gut feeling that at any moment there could be a catastrophe. Of course, if Araceli succumbed, it would be far worse. With Silver Bullet there’s always the option of crushing his balls and sending him to hospital for the rest of his life. It’s a possibility he understands, because I’ve warned him of it several times. But what can you do with a lost childhood? What can you do with that first time, when you know it’s bound to be followed by a second time, and after that by all the numbers in the world? It’s hard. I’m not ready yet to become the father of a woman.
    As far as the Cuban was concerned, I had no option. If I got directly involved in this “Let’s Share the Loot” operation, I would lose my moral authority for the murder investigation. Experience has taught me not to mix work and business. Even in the case of someone who has been so underhand, who you’re doing a favour by