CHAP 4

Having said this, he swung and broke the right stop.

--Don't you say anything? The fine is $100. Payable immediately,---" he said mockingly.

He made no move. The sheriff was going too far and had already more or less planned how he would kill him.

--Put your hands on the roof of the car and spread your legs. So he did and the cop gave him a vicious, fierce, cane in the back, knocking him down, leaving him breathless and curled up on the ground.

From there he saw the Chevrolet Apache stop

--We have a saying around here. I mind my own business,"--- said the sheriff, giving him five swats, as he saw Sanchez trying to get up.

The last thing he heard was.

--This old asshole was throwing parties for the whore of Water Diamonds," ---said the sheriff, giving him a fierce kick in the face that ended up disconnecting him.i

I

He felt himself being dragged. Then that immense pain that made him shudder. Hours went by like that. He felt that they smeared something on him. They also gave him something to drink. It was a severe beating that lasted for hours. He could not see anything. Nor could he move. A few days later, in the darkness, he saw patches of shadows.

--I didn't think I would make it. I'm so ashamed. This was my fault," --she said, as she healed him.

--What is the name of the farm?-- he asked laboriously.

She told him

--Tell me again. I almost didn't get it," --he muttered, coughing.

She pulled him up as best she could and gave him some herbal tea.

What is the name of the "hacienda"?-- he asked again with effort.

--Water Diamonds. My maternal grandparents came from Cordoba. Argentina. My grandmother was born in Denmark, she was a Christian. My paternal grandfather from Morocco, Sephardic Jew, they came at the beginning of the century, when there was nothing here. They thought it was a good place. Very quickly they understood that water was more valuable than diamonds. Diamonds were plentiful, water was scarce. It is because of water that I am living this tragedy.

--I should call it Auschwitz, it's more appropriate. Everyone who comes here is condemned to death.

--As soon as he gets better. I'll get him out of here. They can come and get him at any time and kill him.

--They would have done it already. It's a mockery. They'll let me be cured. They want to disappear me on the road when I try to escape. I need to get my car back and my gun that I left in the glove compartment,"--- he answered, coughing and spitting blood.

--His car was set on fire. There's the abandoned wreckage on the road," --she said carefully; in old men a car is more valuable than a wife.

He nodded. It was true. Then they could come looking for him at any time.

--I must make a phone call. To be honest I'll say it was a warning. If they had wanted to kill me they would have done it.

--There are phones on the highway. But I don't think I can get through.

--Do you know how to drive in the dark?

--Sure. That's the way I can get around.

--Take me to the highway when it's midnight.

--Hey. You can't walk.

--I need to go. I have to talk to someone urgently. Do you have rubies?.

--I do.

A small box to send by post?

--There must be one for parcels.

--We'll need it.

IV

At one o'clock in the morning, quietly in the rusty Holden with the lights off they passed through town. Edali put it in first gear without touching the accelerator.

They passed right in front of the GLF bar. There was the gleaming Chevrolet Apache diesel and two other cars.

--That pickup was mine. It was part of our fleet.

--I understand.

Before dawn they arrived at the service station. She took him to the phone booth.

She dialed a number and almost immediately they answered.

--Parmesan. It's me. I need "Strength"...A lot of "Strength". I ran into some "Calves" who hit the "can" hard. They destroyed the "crazy one" -- he said laboriously.

--Or was it something else?" --they replied.

--I've had better days.

--What do you need?

--Long, unlimited credit. Via "bird. Not via "mouse."

--That costs more.

--I'm into "something" interesting. I can pay. Indeed. Discount yourself," ----he replied, understanding that he was riding on a mountain of payments.

On the other side of the line they understood. They would not be satisfied with a small cut.

--Cowboy hasn't been doing so well these days. Do you want the others to go? Lisbon", "Smokey" are available, "Tequila" is getting out of jail in a month and "Catholic" is hiding out in who knows where.

--You'll have to fly blind. I'll give you the coordinates. Having said that, he named the town ---. As for the boys, better not. I've got it under control.

--The "bird" is even more expensive. It's 6 hours to get there and back.

He laboriously pulled out a map. Edali held it up and as best she could read it giving the coordinates. She did some calculations and corrected.

--What time do you want the eggs?

--4 a.m. tomorrow," --he said with a groan.

--I don't know. We're not sure.

--I'll be there. One other thing. I mailed two "stones. Pick them up at the post office box.

He hung up the phone. The girl looked at him in astonishment.

--What were those words? What a strange language!

--We'll spend the day here. We can't go back in your van for now. Park it inside the field. Leave it there.

--How will we get back?

--That's on me.