Cuba Libre (2008) Read Online Free Page B

band."
    They heard him, the three hussars giving Tyler a dead-eyed look now. Lionel Tavalera, the Guardia Civil officer, seemed to appreciate it, he was grinning. And so was Fuentes, his back to the officers, Fuentes with kind of a surprised expression in his eyes, like he was seeing the real Ben Tyler for the first time. Charlie Burke turned his head to say, "What's wrong with you?" And then, to the officers: "Fellas, don't mind my partner, we're all friends here. Pick out a mount and we'll make you a deal."
    Fuentes, turning to them, said, "Yes, please, while you have the opportunity." He said, "Lieutenant Barban," and began speaking to him in Spanish as he walked back to the stock pens, now and again nodding at the horses. Now Teo was speaking to Fuentes in Spanish, Tyler getting some of it. It sounded like Teo wanted to ride one of the horses.
    Lionel Tavalera, standing apart, said to Tyler, "You don't think I play in a circus band, do you?"
    He had kind of a sissified way of holding his cigarette, Tyler thought, up in front of him and between the tips of two fingers. Tyler said, "I know who you are, you're Guardia Civil, you're a policeman."
    "You pronounce it pretty good," Tavalera said, "but the Guardia are not police during time of war. We're like those people, the caballerla, except we don't stay in Havana and go sightseeing, we hunt insurrectos. We the first to go to war, the front line always." He said, "You saw the ship that was destroyed?" nodding toward the harbor. "They say a fire began in the coal and spread to the munitions. It's too bad, uh, all those men dying. Tell me, you bring the horses from where, Texas?"
    "Arizona," Tyler said.
    "That's a long way. Your family live there?"
    "I don't have a family, not anymore."
    Tavalera looked at the stock pens and then at Tyler again. "May I ask how much you sell the horses for?"
    Charlie Burke stepped in. "Hundred and fifty pesos, any horse you want."
    Tavalera was nodding. "But with the duty tax, how do you make money? Or you don't pay so much of the duty. Listen, I ton't care, it's your business."
    "We're delivering this string," Charlie Burke said, "to Mr. Roland Boudreaux in Matanzas, along with some beef cows. Giving him a special deal."
    "I know Mr. Roland Boudreaux," Tavalera said, and looked at Tyler again. "I visit in Mexico when I was young. At that time I want to be a cowboy like you. But I return home and they accept me to attend the Colegio Real Militar. You know what that is? Like your West Point. I was honored to be assigned to the Guardia Civil when I was in Spanish Africa, then they send me here at the beginning of the second Cuban insurrection, February 1895, again assigned to the Guardia Civil." Tavalera was saying, "In these three years..." as Fuentes called to them:
    "Lieutenant Barban ask how much for all five horses."
    Charlie Burke answered him. "You know what we're asking."
    Tyler watched the Guardia officer's expression turn hard, not caring for this interruption.
    He waited another moment before saying, "In these three years I've come to love this country," telling it in a flat voice with an accent, cold, stating a fact. "After the war I intend to stay here to live in Matanzas, the most beautiful city in Cuba." He glanced at Charlie Burke. "Where he say you going to deliver these horses."
    And now Fuentes was calling to them again.
    "Lieutenant Barban will give you four hundred pesos for the five horses. Right now, cash money."
    Tavalera said to Tyler, "They're not worth it, the horses are too small," as Charlie Burke called back to Fuentes:
    "Tell him a hundred and a half each, seven fifty. Pesos, escudos or double eagles, we don't care."
    "Teo's worried," Tavalera said, "they won't be able to procure horses."
    Tyler turned to him. "Why's that?"
    Tavalera said, "The war," sounding surprised that he had to explain this. "Not the War of Insurrection, but the one that's coming soon. You blame us for blowing up your battleship and your