by Dan Sears
Mesa conducts a search and finds a twenty-five automatic, a handgun, a hand grenade, and a knife. He looks at her, shakes his head, and tosses them aside. As Mesa walks away, Mandy gets up and dives for the pistol. Major Huerta palms his pistol and shoots from the hip, hitting her in the face. She crumbles to the floor. Mesa turns to look at her and then walks away visibly shaken. He thanks God that he didn’t kill her.
Major Huerta calls for a helicopter. The helicopter arrives, and the body is taken away.
Sergeant Ryan walks toward Mesa.
“Dan, have you noticed that perfume smell? It smells the same as what I smelled at that store. What’s going on here?
“Thomas, I don’t understand it, but that perfume smell is what saved my life when Mandy fired at me. As soon as I topped out on this mesa, I smelled that perfume, and I hit the ground, and that is what saved me. I know that fragrance too; it is the same one that Sonia wore.”
Major Huerta is also perplexed by what just happened. The medical examiner and the assistant district attorney remain to ask questions about the shooting.
Major Huerta says, “Sergeant Mesa, you and Sergeant Ryan scout the area and see what you can find. I have a feeling we aren’t alone here. I want everyone to travel in pairs. I don’t want anyone out there alone.”
Mesa and Ryan disappear into the trees. Watching eyes smile and move away from them. The smell of perfume is heavy in the trees, but no one says anything. Ryan and Mesa hit the ground, and shots ring out in all directions. Using combat tactics, they turn in opposite directions to give them 360 degrees of fire coverage. They begin returning fire. The bullets come fast and furious at first. Mesa an Ryan begin moving closer for the kill. They pick their targets and fire to kill.
Carlos and his crowd are being counterattacked. They saw Mandy take the lead and die. Already Antonio has a bad burn across his forehead, and two or three are dead.
“Antonio, tell the others it is time to pull out. We will wait for another time,” Carlos says.
Slowly, they withdraw, and Mesa and Ryan move forward to find weapons, ammunition, two night vision scopes, and a global positioning system (GPS) and the bodies of the dead. Tucked away inside a log is a sheet of paper. Mesa examines the area looking for booby traps. He doesn’t find any, so he removes the paper. It is a letter addressed to him. It reads:
Dan, I am sorry I left you in the way I did. I never wanted to leave, but I guess it was my time. God has a plan for all of us. I guess his plan for me is to watch over you for now. I never got the chance to say how much I loved you. I guess too many things got involved. I loved you then, and I love you now. Don’t give up on love; it is waiting for you. You will know her when she comes by, just don’t rush into anything.
Carlos and Antonio are planning another ambush, but this time, they plan to ambush you while you are sleeping. Keep your eyes open and your head down, ranger. Remember, I am watching over you.
The letter ends without a signature.
“Thomas,” Dan says, “read this and tell me what you think.”
He hands the letter over. Ryan reads the letter and turns to face Mesa.
“Dan, this is like The Twilight Zone. Let’s get out of here and let the major look at it.”
Mesa smiles and says, “We are not in danger. We have a guardian angel.”
They secure the area, and the major and the rangers arrive. Mesa hands the major the letter. Huerta reads the letter and hands it back to Mesa. Major Huerta feels a chill move through him as if someone is watching. He turns to Mesa.
“Dan, do you get the feeling that someone or something is watching us?” he asks.
“Yes, sir, I have that same feeling, but whatever it is, it isn’t going to harm us. Those eyes you feel watching you are those of the person who wrote that letter. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know as I always do.”
They gather all the weapons and equipment. The major decides to move down the trail about a mile before they set up camp. Then they secure the camp. Sentries are posted, and bedrolls are laid out, but no one gets in them. The men are posted in the trees, waiting. An hour passes by and then two hours, and all’s quiet. Around four a.m., it suddenly becomes extremely quiet—not even a cricket is heard. The guys wait. They hear horses approaching, and they wait.
A rider moves forward and opens fire, it is Carlos. Others open fire. Suddenly, the night is alive with gunfire. Carlos takes a bullet in his shoulder and runs away. Major Huerta continues firing as the assassins withdraw.
“Hold your fire, they have departed. Now let’s see how much damage we inflicted on them. Sergeant Mesa, I know I put a bullet in Carlo’s shoulder. Antonio pulled him out of the way or I would have put a deadly bullet in his chest.”
Sergeant Schmidt finds one individual hiding under a log.
“Come out from under that log with your hands raise. If you try anything, I will blow your guts out through your back. I won’t tell you again, so move,” he says.
From under a log, a small hand sticks out. “Okay, I’m coming out. Just give me a minute; it was a lot easier crawling under here than it is to crawl out.”
Sergeant Ryan is watching as a beautiful lady slowly crawls out. Sergeant Schmidt is standing in awe, not sure what to do. He turns to Major Huerta with a surprised look on his face. Everyone is surprised with the exception of Dan Mesa. He looks at the lady and asks, “Who are you, and what are you doing here?”
“Oh yes, you must be Ranger Dan Mesa. I left you a note telling you about their plans. I do hope you found it. You did find it, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did find it, and I thank you, but the question remains. Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“Dan, you never change; you are always business. When do you relax and enjoy life? Don’t you know life is too short to be so caught up? Okay, I was just camping out here when I stumbled upon those guys, and I heard their plans, so I decided to lend a hand.”
In a quiet voice, Mesa asks, “Lady, I asked you a question, and you haven’t answered it yet.”
“You know, you need to control your anger,” she says. “I wonder how she ever managed to get along with you.”
Major Huerta has been watching and listening. He notices Mesa’s hands reach for his gun. He rushes forward and smashes his gun’s butt against Mesa’s head, knocking him cold.
“Lady, you are lucky I got to him in time. He would have killed you. I don’t know who you are, but you surely do know how to push the wrong button.”
“Major Huerta, I know exactly what I am doing. I had to find out just how much he loved her. He wouldn’t have killed me. He would have come to his senses before he did it. He is a driven man, and somehow or someway, you must get him to relax and let go. One day, he is going to crack under the pressure. He faults himself for her death. It wasn’t his fault.”
“I know that but he has to realize it himself.”
She looks around for a minute and says, “They have left, and they are heading back to San Antonio and Tucson. When he awakens, tell him that Carlos is heading back to Tucson. Major, please have someone to drive my truck back to your headquarters. I’d like to ride one of your horses.”
Mesa is still out, so he is loaded into the jeep with Ryan driving, and the group heads back to the Davis Ranch. Mesa suddenly sits up with his gun in hand.
He sees Ryan and asks, “Who hit me and why?”
“Take it easy, Dan. The major hit you, because he thought you were about to kill that lady. You know, it is weird, but that is the same lady I saw in El Paso. She seems to know everything about you. Who the hell is she?”
“Thomas, that was what I was trying to find out. She is everywhere. I don’t believe she is associated with Carlos in any way. She has a way of making me angry though. It seems as if she is testing me. Where is she now?”
; “She’s riding one of the horses, and we are riding in her jeep.”
Mesa searches the vehicle, but there aren’t any papers or notes or anything. He has searching eyes, and he goes over the Jeep section by section but nothing. They arrive at the Davis Ranch and Rancis and the kids are standing outside as they approach. The horses are stripped, rubbed down, and fed. Finally, they all head in for a late breakfast.
Mesa turns to Major Huerta and asks, “Sir, where is the lady who was with us?”
“She was right behind me,” he says. “What the hell is going on here? Sergeant Schmidt, did you see her leave?”
“Major, she was right in front of me, and I swear I don’t remember seeing her leave. How can this be?”
Ranger Mesa smiles and says, “Don’t worry, I know what happened. You won’t see her again; she did her job, which was to protect us.”
They all rush outside to see if the Jeep is there. It is still there with a note attached to the window. The note reads:
Dan, the Jeep is yours. The papers are in the glove compartment. I am sorry about pushing you so far, but I had to see if you loved me as I thought you did. Now I know. You have a lot to give, so relax and smile sometime. We will meet again in a different world. I will always watch over you, but you won’t see me again. I love you dearly and good-bye.
Sonia.
Mesa turns and hands the letter to Major Huerta and walks away slowly. He climbs into the Jeep and drives away.
Major Huerta reads the letter, and the shock of it all appears on his face. He turns to the group.
“I have seen and done a lot in my lifetime,” he says, “but this is the strangest case I have ever seen. I don’t know if we are dealing with a ghost or what. Sonia Perdenales, the same woman who burned to death in that house in Arizona, signed this letter.”
Chapter Ten
Back in Tucson, Captain Johnson is busy with the Glamour Girl robberies. His phone rings.
“Sam, this is Boca Huerta in San Antonio, and buddy, we have strange occurrences going on here. We found a lady hiding in the woods when we were chasing Carlos, and you won’t believe this. She said in a letter to Dan Mesa that she was Sonia Perdenales. One minute she was there talking to us, and the next minute, she was gone. No one saw her go, but we were all watching her. I can’t begin to explain any of this. This lady has been seen on a plane from DC to Tucson, at a service station in El Paso, and here in the Davis Mountains. Sam, tell me I am not crazy.”
“Now, now, old buddy,” Johnson says. “I know how you feel. How is Mesa handling all this?”
“Sam, that is the problem, we can’t read him at all. He keeps everything bottled up inside. In the letter to him, she said he needed to relax. She also said she would see him again in a different world and signed it Sonia. He handed me the letter and rode away in the Jeep she left him. That was two days ago, and no one has seen him since. He left his truck here and some of his clothes. He took his weapons and gear. Let me know if you hear from him,” Huerta says. “Oh, yes, she said Carlos was headed back to Tucson, so be on the watch for him and Antonio. Carlos was shot when he tried to ambush us. Mandy, Jose’s cousin, was also shot and killed—not by Mesa but by me. I shot Carlos in the shoulder. I was aiming for his heart.”
“Boca, thanks for all your help. I owe you one. You should come on down and we can go hunting for deer. The season just opened the first of November. There is a slight chill in the air, but it’s just right for hunting.”
“Sam, you have a date. I will be down for Thanksgiving, if that is okay?”
“Sounds good to me. See ya.”
Johnson hangs up the phone and calls for Sergeant Bonefacio Hernandez.
“Yes, captain? What can I do for you?”
“Bonnie, Carlos and Antonio are headed back this way. Notify the state police and the FBI. Also, Mesa is missing, Contact the rangers in Yuma to see if they have seen him. Also call Sonia’s parents to see if they have heard from him. He is running around loose, and that isn’t good. Find him, even if you have to put out an arrest warrant for him. No, don’t do that. Just try to find him. There is one other person to call. Call Janie, that friend of his in Sierra Vista. She owns a restaurant and club there named Chardon Blieu.”
The Rangers call Mesa’s friends, but no one has seen or heard from him. They call El Paso to Napal and Ophelia Cortez, Sonia’s parents.
“Mrs. Cortez, this is Captain Johnson of the Arizona rangers. Have you heard from Sergeant Mesa within the last thirty-six hours? He is missing, and no one seems to know what has happened to him.”
“No, Captain Johnson, we haven’t heard from him in over two weeks. Something must have happened to cause him to disappear without a trace. Can you tell me about it?”
“Mrs. Cortez, what I am about to tell you will sound unbelievable, but it is true,” Captain Johnson begins. He tells her of the entire story involving the lady on the plane down to the most recent incident. “Mrs. Cortez, I swear to you everything I have said is true, and there are people who can attest to the truth of it.”
“Captain Johnson, I don’t doubt anything that you’ve said, because we have had some similar things happen here at the ranch. I thought I was losing my mind. I can’t explain any of it. I understand why Daniel has reacted the way he has. I almost lost my mind when the apparition first appeared. It was as if she was still alive. A day or so later, when I was making breakfast, I turned around, and she was just standing there. She said, ‘Mom, don’t panic. I won’t hurt you. I am here for you, Dad, and Dan.’ She just smiled and disappeared. She has been back several times to talk to me. She says she has to protect Dan Mesa and make sure he doesn’t do something he will regret.”
“Mrs. Cortez, this whole situation is strange and different. It will be something to tell your children about. If Dan shows up there, please call me, and no one but me. He is my friend, and I am worried about him.”
As Captain Johnson puts down the phone, it rings again.
“Captain Johnson here,” he answers.
Captain Johnson, Lieutenant Osborne here on this end. Sir, have you heard from Sergeant Mesa in the past few days? The reason I’m asking is that I am worried about him. I got a letter from someone, and I don’t know who. It simply said, ‘Please watch over him for me, because I will be leaving in a few days, and I can’t say good-bye.’ There wasn’t a signature or address, and I don’t know where it came from. There was a fragrance present—something pleasant and different. Captain, you may think I am crazy, but I believe I saw the ghost of Sonia. I must be losing my mind.”
“Alana, you are not crazy. Quite a number of people have seen her lately. She has visited people all the way to San Antonio. Major Huerta of the Texas rangers saw her and talked with her, and so did several of the men who were there. I can’t explain it. Even her mother has seen her. It is apparent she is worried about Mesa and what he will do once he catches up with Carlos and his crowd. Lieutenant, I am worried about him too. We all are. I know him quite well, though, and he will call in eventually. This whole thing has been an ordeal for him. He had to hunt down his best friend and kill him and then his lady’s death . . . it is a lot for any person to take, even Dan Mesa. He is a hard man, or so you’d think. But I have a feeling there is a heart there somewhere. If I hear anything from him, I will call you. Take care.” He hangs the phone up.
Bonnie rushes into the captain’s office.
“Sir, Colonel Grant is on the line for you, and he wants to know how we are doing on the robbery case.”
“Okay, Bonnie, I will take it. The Major picks up the phone and says, “Hello Colonel, how are you?”
“Sam, where are you on that robbery case? Have we heard anything since their last robbery?”
“No, sir. No one has seen hide or hair of them. It is as if they just disappeared, but they haven’t. They will show up again
. They are too sure of themselves. They will strike again, and then we will be on them. We’ve contacted all local police and the state police. The problem is that we don’t have a description of them. All we have is women dressed to look like Jane Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Lauren, and Susan Pleshette. How do we publicize that?”
“Yes, I know Sam. Does it ever end? It seems like every time we solve one problem another pops up. But if it weren’t for the bad guys, we wouldn’t have a job. But you know, I would give up my job if it would bring about peace. Keep me posted if anything changes,” he says. “Sam, I got your report on the Meana situation and this ghost lady. This is all we need—female bank robbers and a female ghost. Sam, has Sergeant Mesa checked in?”
“No, sir, he hasn’t, and I am worried about him. I’ve asked all the local police to be on the watch for him and let him know to check in. He is under a lot of strain, but sir, he is a ranger. He will bounce back. He is the last of that breed of men who made this country. I will call you as soon as we hear anything.”
In Lordsburg, New Mexico, at a small cantina, a small man sits eating a meal. He is dressed in Levis, a gray western shirt, brown boots, and a white Stetson. His face is drawn, and his eyes seem to burn through the soul. There is a star on his chest and a gun that seems to be as much a part of him as the hat. He has spoken only once, and that was to order a meal.
A waitress approaches the man, “Señor, would you like more iced tea or something stronger?”
“No, thank you. I will be moving on. It seems like you have some trouble brewing over there.”
“Señor, you are a ranger, and from your looks, I say you know how to handle yourself. Please stay a while until they leave. I have called the police, but they are slow getting here. They frighten me.”
“Ma’am, I will stay for a while. They won’t bother you.”
“Hey, lady, we want service too,” one of the men says. “Tell your little boyfriend to wait. Hey, I am talking to you.” The big man rises to his feet and makes a move toward the waitress.
