Deciding it was best not to try and sugar coat the truth Cassandra told it like it was. "Señor Suarez has been killed, as well as his whole family. We just rushed up from his place," Cassandra told him, and she watched him pale, and his eyes widen with intense anguish. As strong as he was he seemed to wobble on his feet and then sat heavily down in his ornate chair.
“This … this … this is terrible. What are we to do?” he asked, shaking with grief over his lost friends.
"We found this note, Señor. The killer left it. Send one of your men to bring all the others here immediately," Cassandra ordered him knowing it would help him to get focused and he nodded, pushing himself to his feet and shouting for his footman. He offered them both a drink and sent his stable boy to take care of their horses.
It was not long before the other Valley leaders arrived. They were nervous yet eager to learn what they could do. Once they were told of the death of Señor Suarez and his family, they truly understood the danger they were all in.
“You must take every precaution with your lives, gentlemen. Stay in your homes and keep only the most trusted servants near you. El Segador is out to slay you all before we sniff out his hidden hacienda.
“We will do just as you say, Señorita. We pray your search will be successful,” Canizarra said.
“Catalina and I will start the search at dawn. There is no sense riding around in the dark,” she said with a slight smile for the man. He returned her smile and turned to his friends, leading them towards the door.
“Meanwhile, the Señoritas will be my guests. Good night, amigos,” he said. Hernandez-Kelly moved towards Catalina instead of the door. He took her hand gently and kissed it with a flourish.
“I am not quite ready to say adios to you, Señorita Catalina. Back at your home, I promised to tell you more of your youthful mother Mercedes Corderro. If my friend Juan would be so generous as to make available, his wonderful back terrace I would love to make good on my promise to you, my dear.” Hernandez-Kelly said to Catalina. Cassandra watched her eyes widen slightly.
“Please, my friend, you are more than welcome,” Canizarra said. “But what of your hacienda?”
“Empty as it has been … since Señora Hernandez-Kelly moved back with her family in Santa Cruz.” A look of embarrassment crossed over Canizarra’s face making it clear that he had forgotten this matter.
“Thank you, Juan. Catalina, would you care to join me there?” He glanced over to Cassandra. “You are welcome to join us also, Señorita Cassandra,” he invited her.
“Sure as sugar I do. I thought you would never ask. Cassie?” Catalina said looking towards her sister.
Cassandra had other ideas since they had the night off. “I appreciate the invite, but I still have to take Señor Canizarra up on his offer of a tour of his hacienda. It is such a magnificent structure, after all,” she said with a smile. The man smiled at her and turned to the others.
“It appears we shall be going our separate ways. When you are ready to retire, Señorita Catalina, simply pull the velvet cord you will see hanging to the right of the patio. That will summon Señora Sucre who runs my hacienda,” he said.
“Gracias,” Catalina replied.
“Shall we adjourn then?” Hernandez-Kelly asked.
“Lead the way!”
As the last of the purple shadows that had spread across the landscape faded away in the darkness, Honor stood pointing her gun at the two sisters, watching as Katie, bathed in the glow of a small campfire they had started, untied them. They were both frowning and rubbing their wrists as their hands were released.
“Okay, ladies, if you do not mind, well, even if you do, please kindly strip,” she told them, enjoying the look of shock on everyone’s faces.
“What?” Marquita gasped out.
"Your clothes, lose them!" Honor snapped at her happily. She loved the confused look on the captive's face. The two sisters looked at each other and began to peel off their clothes until they were in their underwear. Honor thought for a moment to have them strip entirely naked to further their embarrassment. It wasn't necessary, though, and she knew they didn't have time for such pettiness.
“That is far enough,” she told them and then moved over to Katie and took her gun, holding both guns on the sisters. “You too, Katie,” she said.
“What, I don’t understand?” Katie said, confused.
"You will, trust me," she said, and Katie began undressing nervously. As she got down to her underwear in the light of the fire, Honor saw Katie's back and stifled a gasp. Her heart caught in her throat at the sight of the large scars across her back. Honor remembered lying with Quillan in the afterglow of their lovemaking and him telling her of their lives as slaves on a Georgia plantation.
Quillan, like his father, had been one of the drivers for their master, and having excelled at it, had managed to go his whole life without feeling the lash. His younger sister, however, worked the fields, and once received a severe whipping when she failed to meet the quota of cotton for the day. Without a doubt, the Dodges' happiest day was the day in eighteen-sixty when their father had saved enough money from side work not only to buy his freedom, but that of his two children as well.
Free and clear they had left the South behind forever. They had headed west where their father had opened a successful coaching business. Until seeing Katie’s scars, it had been hard to imagine Katie ever having been a slave. Except now she saw the evidence right there on her body. She couldn’t have been more than nine or ten when the whipping had occurred. Savages, she snarled in her mind. Honor could only imagine the faces of her long-lost brother and sister, faces she could only conjure up in her imagination having never seen them. Had they been brutalized as children as well? For a moment she felt unsteady as the old agony resurfaced mixed in with the pain she felt for Katie. She fought to shake it off and was suddenly returned to the present by Katie.
“Honor?”
"Take these," she said handing her the guns and undressing.
“Yes, ma’am. Marquita’s right. With that body, you are going to fetch our family a high price when we sell you to be a whore. That frilly underwear ain’t gonna last two minutes, though, when my brother gets a hold of you. He’ll probably tear it off with his teeth,” Valencia said with a whistle.
“Nice, is it not? It is mail order from Paris. After I got mine, I told all my sisters they simply had to get some for themselves. Valencia, you put my clothes on. Marquita, squeeze into Katie’s. Katie, dear, after I am done changing, you take Marquita’s,” Honor instructed. She then threw her clothes to Valencia and took the woman’s clothes in return. “I will say one thing for you wenches. Your confidence reminds me of mine and my sisters. You really believe you are not only getting out of this but that you are still going to sell us.” Honor finished as she dressed.
“I ain’t never gonna be anyone’s slave again! You hear me!” Katie screamed hoarsely.
“You’ll wish you were back on a plantation when you are suffering all the indignities a man can visit on a woman when he is paying good money to do so,” Marquita said viciously.
“Keep talking because you will not be able to in another few minutes,” Honor told her. Once everyone was changed, Honor approached Valencia and cut the sleeves off her shirt. She cut those into two strips and had Katie gag the pair.
“You think this will work?” Katie asked nervously.
"All their talk before about trading places gave me the idea that under cover of darkness we might be able to fool them. Our dark complexions are a good match for theirs in this dim light, and by luck, our heights pretty much correspond to theirs as well," Honor explained. She glanced back over the edge and saw the men gathered in a bunch. Killing Alvarez and the other man had slowed them down, and that was good, too.
“Well, it is a good thing they can’t get a close look at you. You be the one of the four of us that’s got a chest the size of yours. It’s a wonder you could even button that blouse,” Katie said
with a touch of amusement. Honor looked down and laughed.
"It is a tight fit to be sure. I might pop a couple of buttons climbing down." She turned serious then, as she took her gun back from Katie. "You have got to remember to shoot exactly when I shout to them. The Spanish I learned from Cattie is fairly woeful, but if you are shooting, they may not recognize a different voice with the little I will be shouting. It is dark enough I think. Let us do this, Katie Dodge!" Honor said glancing at the dark sky.
“I’m with you, Honor Wilde!” Katie said with a firm nod. Honor waved her gun at the sisters.
“If you two do not wish for me to ventilate your heads, you will now do as I ask,” she told them. “I suggest you drop to your knees and start digging at the base of that boulder,” she told them, pointing with the gun at the big rock on the edge of the bluff. The pair reluctantly got on their knees and began digging with their hands.
“What’s this about?” Katie asked.
"Staring at this big old boulder all this time up here reminded me of an illustration I saw in one of my lesson books when I was at that colored school in New York. It was talking about leverage, and I aim to use it to throw a whole lot of confusion down on our friends below when we start to head down. Hopefully, it will reduce their numbers even more," she explained as Katie smiled.
“Well, they is down to eight, thanks to your knife,” Katie remarked.
"That reminds me, let us try and find it when we get down. I am always losing those things when I throw them. I declare I have bought enough of those things to put the son of the knife salesman in Phoenix through college." They both smiled and after a minute Honor went over to inspect the sister's work.
“That is good enough, ladies, thank you very much. Now pick up that little boulder over there and place it here.” She motioned to the rock and the spot she wanted it to be, next to the hole they had dug. They did as she ordered.
“Now grab that sturdy-looking limb over there and stick it in the hole, but over the rock you just placed,” she added to their chores. With blazing eyes, they again complied. Honor smiled with satisfaction at the little construction.
“The perfect lever. Now you wenches, bear down on that with all your might. Katie get ready to go,” Honor finished, watching the ladies progress. Ever so slowly the boulder started to come loose from where it had sat for years on the edge of the bluff.
“Push harder!” she snapped at the sisters. As they bore down on it, the boulder suddenly came loose and started its runaway journey down the hill.
“Thanks, ladies. For your sake, you best hope our paths never cross again. For the crimes you committed against those poor homesteaders, mercy would not be on the table that day. Come on Katie, let us be gone!” she said.
Marquita suddenly shouldered Valencia aside and raised the limb, swinging it at Katie's head. Honor raised her pistol to fire, and as she did, Valencia knocked Marquita aside, taking the bullet in her chest. Marquita shrieked through the gag and dropped down to cradle her sister. Honor glanced over the edge and listened as the boulder picked up steam, ricocheting from side to side as it bounced its way down to pulverize three of the men below. She heard the men's screams of panic and confusion as Katie came over to her.
“What about Marquita?” Katie asked. Honor didn’t even look back at her.
“If she follows us I will see to it she will be weighed down with lead too,” she told her, and they launched into their do or die attempt to flee the top of the mesa down the steep trail.
Catalina sat with Señor Victor Hernandez-Kelly on the patio. The railing was wrought iron and the twinkle of lights from the nearby servant’s quarters and the stars made a beautiful backdrop to the stories he was telling her. She felt relaxed and happy to be learning more about her mother. Catalina knew the next day was going to be dangerous and possibly scary, so she had learned from Cassandra to take her leisure when she could. When on the outlaw trail you never knew when a moment of peace might come again.
Her enjoyment was further highlighted by the fact she always welcomed a chance to converse in Spanish as she and Victor were now doing. During her summers in Mexico, she had learned and fallen in love with her mother's language. There were always times when she found herself slipping in and out of English without even realizing it. Tonight, however, it was all Spanish.
Victor, she could tell, delighted in hearing about her life back at Cedar Ledge. Respect had glistened in his eyes when she spoke of how she oversaw anything relating to their cattle operation. She had told him how it came so natural to her she couldn't imagine doing anything else with her life. Of course, she had told him it was not all work as she relayed her activities she liked doing just for fun, such as becoming a strong swimmer from her daily swims in the Rock River that flowed past their cattle pastures. Still, when all was said and done, the most joy she derived out of life was the cattle business.
Victor had nodded saying it ran in her blood, as he remembered Mercedes was forever dreaming of opening a cattle ranch and getting away from the shadow of the winery. In marrying Whip, she had gone to live that dream. Now that they were speaking about her mother, he had launched into many tales of what the vivacious young woman had been like. She smiled and looked across at Victor who was completing the story of how he had first met her mother.
“And so, the Quinceañera was in full swing, but I was only a lad of fifteen myself, and Suarez kept pushing me to go meet the girl. She had been invited from the vineyards north to my sister’s party. My father was eager for a union between our families. My family made its fortune from shipping in ports along the coast, and my father envisioned a partnership with the Corderros. We could ship the wine all up and down the coastline and beyond. That is why your mother and uncle were in attendance,” he said.
“I’m a-guessin’ you finally worked up the nerve to mosey on over and speak to my mother,” Catalina said with a perky grin.
"I did indeed. She was the most enchanting woman I have ever seen; you favor her so. We all became great friends following that. Mercedes, Suarez, Hector and I. Right up until Mercedes left Mexico. I have a surprise for you," he announced suddenly.
“I love surprises!” Catalina said with a laugh. Victor crossed over to a cabinet on the edge of the patio and pulled out a bottle and two wine glasses. He quickly returned to the table with them.
"I knew Juan keeps these here for special occasions. May I present to you …" He held out the bottle for her. Catalina's eyes went wide with genuine surprise.
“It’s a Corderro Crest vintage. Oh, my god … The Mercedes blend! My grandfather only made one case of this. I am told it was in honor of my mother after she was killed. I’ve never had any. Papa won’t open the bottle he has. It is on the mantelpiece at home,” she said in awe of the beverage.
"Then it is my delight to be present when you enjoy it for the first time," he said and uncorked the bottle and poured the two glasses. They raised them for a toast.
"We drink tonight in honor of the life and memory of Mercedes Corderro, may she always rest in peace," he said, and they each sipped the wine. It tasted fantastic to Catalina, and she was thrilled to be at long last tasting this blend.
"And we should also drink to the memory of Señor Suarez, yes?" Catalina offered.
"Of course, absolutely," Victor said. He raised his glass, and she did as well. "To my friend, Rafael, we shall not rest until El Segador is caught and you are avenged," he said. They drank in silence for a moment before he continued speaking. "Once more I must thank you and your sister for your journey here. I can only pray that you will uncover the hidden hacienda to end the menace of El Segador forever," he finished.
“We sure as heck are gonna try. I just wish we had not been too late to save your friend. I’m not sure how I am gonna to tell my uncle of his passing,” she told him.
“Your dear, sweet mother had a gift for words. You are enough like her that I am sure you will find the right ones,” he told her confidently. He poured m
ore wine into her glass since she had finished hers. A warm silence passed between them as she brought her glass once more to her lips.
***
Cassandra took a deep breath enjoying the view from the hacienda's bell tower. The nighttime view of the valley, especially the river, snaking through its heart aglow with starlight was spectacular.
“It’s so beautiful up here, Señor Canizarra,” she said to the man standing next to her.
“Juan, please, and indeed it is. This promontory once housed a long-abandoned mission. When my father decided we needed a grander house, he tore down the mission save for this bell tower. He used to like to come up here with my mother and enjoy the view as we are now,” Juan told her.
“Clearly a wise man. Looking at this beauty, I can almost forget the whole reason for being here is to catch this madman terrorizing your valley,” she said appreciatively.
“Si. I wish I could be entertaining a woman such as you under better circumstances,” he admitted. A warm feeling settled over Cassandra at the compliment he had slipped in.
“Sometimes you have to make do with what you have,” she said, and they locked eyes for a moment. Something passed between them, and then she turned to look back out over the valley.
“Lord, that river is beautiful. I never thought there could be one that could outshine the Rock River that runs through the center of Cedar Ledge, yet there it is before my eyes. The Rio Sangre, such a macabre name for such a beautiful wonder,” she said honestly.
“Have you heard the story of how it got its name?” Juan asked.
“Not really. Cattie told me it had something to do with a fearsome battle fought long ago that made the river run red with blood,” she said. Juan stepped closer to her.
“A tale from over three hundred years ago, how much is true or just a legend that sprang up over time is hard to tell,” he said thoughtfully.
The Reaper 0f The Rio Sangre: Special Edition HBH Version (Half Breed Haven Book 10) Page 13
