Border Town Girl Read Online Free Page A

stranger. The size of him dwarfed the shack. He could not stand erect in it. He was wary.
    Lane found he was much stronger as he sat up and said, “Who are you?”
    The man sat on his heels and offered him a pack of cigarettes. Lane took two and handed one to Felicia. The stranger lit all three gravely. “You,” he said, “were the little man in the middle.”
    “If this busted head was supposed to be yours, where were you?”
    “I wasn’t in a cantina poisoning myself. This is a smart little girl you’ve got here.”
    “How long can we keep this up before somebody has to say something that means something?”
    “I had a little trouble yesterday. It cramps my style, Lane. Lane. That your last name?”
    “First name.”
    “Okay, play cute. It’s contagious. Yesterday they towed your car into the courtyard of the police station. Somebody did a good job of going through it. What they left, the kids stole. But I think it still runs.”
    “That’s nice.”
    “They’re about to report you missing. They got the name by a cross check on the motor vehicle entry permission. I think they’ll probably wait until noon.”
    “You get around, don’t you?”
    “Friends keep me informed, Lane. I’ve got some instructions for you. Go and get your car this morning. Get it out of that courtyard. Are your papers in order?”
    “They are, but if you think I’m going to—”
    “Please shut up, Lane. Get your car and drive it to a little garage at the end of Cinco de Mayo. There’s a big red and yellow sign in front which says: ‘Mechanico.’ Tell them you want it checked over. Leave it there while you have lunch. Then get it and drive it across into Baker, Texas. Put it in the parking lot behind the Sage House. Register in the Sage House. Is that clear?”
    “Damn you, I have no intention of—”
    “You run off at the mouth, Lane. Damn it, how you run off! You ought to take lessons from this little girl you got. She’s got a head on her. She could tell you what will happen if you don’t play.”
    Lane looked quickly at Felicia.
    “Don’t bother,” the stranger said. “We’ve been talking too fast for her to catch on. I’ll give it to you straight. If you don’t play ball some friends of mine are going to give the police the most careful description of you you ever heard. And they’re going to tell just how you shivved that citizen yesterday. You won’t get any help from the American consul on a deal like that. You’ll rot in the prison in Monterrey for twenty years. Beans and tortillas, friend.”
    The big man smiled broadly. He was close to forty. He had a big long face, small colorless eyes and hulking shoulders. He was well dressed.
    “That’s a bluff,” Lane Sanson said loudly.
    “Ssssh!” Felicia said.
    “Try me,” the big man said. His tone removed the last suspicion Lane had.
    “Why are you picking on me?”
    “Laddy, you’re still the man in the middle. Park your car behind the Sage House and leave it there. Take a look at it the next morning. That’ll be tomorrow morning. If everything has gone well, laddy, there’ll be a little present for you behind the sun visor on the driver’s side. Then you’re your own man. But if there’s no present there, you’ll go and see a girl named Diana Saybree—at least she’ll be registered that way in the Sage House. Now memorize what you’re going to say to her.”
    “Look, I—”
    “Friend, you’re in. If you don’t play on the other side of the river, we have friends over there, too. This is what you say to Diana. ‘Charlie says you might like to buy my car. He recommends it. You can send him a payment through the other channel. No payment, no more favors.”
    He repeated it until Lane was able to say it tonelessly after him.
    The big man took a fifty-dollar bill, folded it lengthwise and laid it on the floor beside Lane’s hand. “That’ll cover expenses. Now go over to the police barracks as soon as they open. It’s nearly six.