Silver Bullets by Élmer Mendoza, Mark Fried Read Free Book Online

T-shirt with a picture of Robbie Williams. Engineer Canizales chose not to speak, in his place his son thanked the mourners for their solidarity and their presence. Clear as a cloud. The kid with the bike listened attentively. He watched people from the summits of politics and agriculture gathered around the parents at the pink marble family crypt. A man in a sombrero offered him tequila, and he drank a long guzzle straight from the bottle. The girls said they did not drink. The members of the USB wore white, and their svelte appearance contrasted with that of the people from the countryside. The place was filled with flowers to help the soul of the deceased find its way. Figueroa andDr. Ripalda, near the open casket, mumbled a prayer. Figueroa kept his eyes on the heavens, avoiding the cadaver, which the relatives were viewing for the last time.
    The interloper saw that the hated Bruno Canizales was indeed truly dead. You moved on, asshole, and for sure these stupid girls are crying because you dumped them too, dude. As far as I’m concerned she killed him, said Laura Frías, who undoubtedly needed to let that out, I keep turning things over and over and I just don’t see anyone else, Paola made good on her threat. The police will investigate and justice will be done, Dania reassured her, in any case he is already judged in the eyes of God. The kid with the bike knew what they were talking about, he gave them a disparaging glance and walked away: My queen offed the jerk? Stupid old women, they talk just because they have mouths, they’ll get what they deserve for making false accusations; what I still can’t figure is why you sacrificed yourself for a guy who put you down every chance he got, he didn’t deserve you, I mean, did you never see the way he carried on with these chicks? So why?
    As my grandfather used to say, women were not born to be understood by dummies like me.
    He left the cemetery, the parking lot swollen with official cars and powerful people. Paola’s funeral in Culiacán was three hours off. He’d have plenty of time for a ceviche in Altata and still make the Mass at the funeral home. I’m your most stricken widower, my queen, the most afflicted, the one who doesn’t know what to do. I’d like to take you up on what you said you saw in that French movie, when the guy’s sweetheart dies and he tells another babe: What do you say, kid, shall we? Here’s my proposal: As a homage to the guy that’s gone, we do it like those nutty missionaries. But I’ve got the world upside down, my queen, of course I’m no good even for that.

Eleven
    Mendieta parked in the street and walked across to headquarters. Commander Moisés Pineda was exiting the parking lot in a red Lamborghini, the latest model. The detective spotted him, what is that idiot doing here? And he gave a perfunctory wave. The other rolled down his window: How are you, Lefty, what a sight, give me your sister and I’ll set you right. He did not like that stupid saying one bit. I’m fine, Captain, what’s up? Just taking this new baby for a test drive, guess who gave it to me? Pineda loved to try his patience. Nobody, you bought it with your savings. The commander caught the irony, he smiled and winked: We should have a few beers, Lefty, you and I have a lot in common, things we could both profit from, are you ready for some breakfast? He thought: You are a dumbass if you think I’d let myself be seen with you, they had entered the police academy at the same time, then each had chosen his own turf. Good idea, Pineda, but it’ll have to be some other day, we’re busy as can be with the Canizales case. I’ll take that as a promise, Briseño isn’t in yet, he must be cooking with his old lady, tell him to expect my call; by the way, thanks for yesterday’s gangsta-wrap,it turned out to be a lot more lucrative than expected. You know we are here to serve you, Captain. They said good-bye.
    Mendieta walked toward the building. Robles,