West Texas Kill by Johnny D. Boggs Read Free Book Online

well,” Lo Grande said. “The Rurales of San Pedro are now my men. I control northern Chihuahua.”
    Savage took another sip of coffee. “What about the Rurales in Ojinaga?”
    He crossed himself. “They were killed last week, mi capitán. Without your help.”
    â€œThat’s interesting.”
    â€œ Es verdad . So, again, northern Chihuahua is my kingdom, if you will.”
    â€œTill Porfirio Díaz finds out about it.”
    Lo Grande shook his head. “He won’t.
    Savage made no reply and switched from coffee to water. He drained the glass.
    â€œCan you control Presidio?” Lo Grande asked.
    â€œNorthern Chihuahua’s your kingdom. West Texas is mine. Has been for better than ten years.”
    â€œIndeed. From the Pecos River to say . . . the Davis Mountains?”
    â€œI’d put it farther west than that.”
    â€œBut not El Paso, eh, amigo?”
    â€œI don’t get to El Paso much.”
    Lo Grande killed his tequila. “Murphyville and Marathon are the keys to our success.”
    Towns on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Savage understood that. For an answer, he nodded.
    â€œAnd what of your soldados ? The bluecoats, as you call them.” Lo Grande grinned again. “Your presidios . Fort Davis, Fort Stockton, Fort Bliss.”
    â€œI’ll take care of them.”
    â€œWith sixteen men?”
    Suddenly, Savage’s shoulders sagged. He took another sip of coffee, and sadly shook his head. “When I first come out here, I had seventy-five men. Two lieutenants. Lost a lot of good men”—his cold eyes locked on Lo Grande—“to a lot of murdering vermin like you.”
    Lo Grande smiled again, lifted his glass in a mocking salute.
    â€œAustin got tight. Cut back. Hell, they even disbanded some Ranger companies. They think Texas is tame. It’s not. Won’t ever be.”
    â€œYour story is very interesting, amigo, but you digress. You have sixteen men, no?”
    â€œI got twenty. Left four of them behind. Got to keep the peace.”
    â€œIndeed. Then sixteen men you can trust?”
    â€œWe’ll see. Haven’t told these boys everything. There’s a couple I’m not sure of. Yet.” He looked at Doc Shaw and the two Rangers sipping coffee.
    â€œPerhaps you should.”
    â€œI’ll do it. But there’s another thing we got to work out before I agree to anything with the likes of you. You want this little deal to work, I can’t have you or your men raiding north of the river, killing miners in Terlingua, making off with a woman.”
    Lo Grande laughed.”Amigo, she was a puta .”
    â€œShe’s still a woman.”
    The outlaw leader shook his head. “You want her back?”
    â€œThat’s why we crossed the border.”
    Lo Grande pushed his sombrero back, and scratched his head, then shrugged. “You are a man of principle, mi capitán. I thought you came to Mexico to help us eliminate some Rurales.” He slammed the bottle of tequila on the table, and called out, “Leoncio!”
    A black-bearded man wearing the dead lieutenant’s uniform rose from a table, crossed the cantina’s floor, and stood in front of Lo Grande as the bandido barked out something in Spanish too rapid for Savage to catch. The man’s eyebrows arched, and Lo Grande yelled something else.
    â€œSí,” Leoncio mumbled, and hurried outside.
    â€œIt is done.” Lo Grande smiled again.
    The man in the nightshirt returned with a platter, and served Lo Grande a plate of scrambled eggs, ham, and an old grapefruit, as well as a cup of tea. He also had a fresh cup of coffee for Savage. After depositing the breakfast on the table, he hurried back to the kitchen.
    â€œBefore I partake of this magnifico breakfast, amigo, I must insist that we reach our truce, and proceed.” Lo Grande gathered knife and fork. “ ¿Estamos de acuerdo, no?