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“What kind of trouble did you get into this time?.”
The Merchant couldn’t help but laugh when he looked up to see Luis Sera rounding the corner, checking over his shoulder as usual. The younger man flashed a cheerful grin
“Oh nothing I couldn’t handle. Just a routine run in with the Big Cheese; had me tied up for a bit longer than I was expecting. But….”
With a small flourish, he produced a heavy-looking burlap sack from behind his back.
“I didn’t forget about you!”
The Merchant’s eyes lit up, sparkling like rubies over the top of his mask. He reached across the counter to grab the bag, but Luis snatched it back. He held the bag close to his chest and wagged his finger.
“Uh uh uh, where are your manners, Mercader? We say ‘Thank you for doing me this great favor, Luis. You’re so handsome and brave and –“
The Merchant rolled his eyes and snatched the bag from his arms. Luis gave a loud laugh as he relinquished the sack, holding his hands up defensively
“Alright, alright! It’s all yours. Not sure what you wanted that thing for anyways. It’s not like it’s gonna do you any good all the way out here. I’m pretty sure you’re the only fool crazy enough to have stuck around after…..”
He trailed off as he cast another wary glance over his shoulder. He rubbed his wrist absently, and the Merchant noticed what looked like ligature marks on his skin.
His gravelly voice breaking the silence, he asked
“Any other wild adventures lately? Didja take a trip out to the lake, have a tussle with that right massive catfish? Hear any new gossip about the doctor? I’ve heard he’s taken to doing his surgeries with power tools…”
The Merchant gave a sinister little chuckle
“I’d be curious to see what shape the poor buggers that make it out of there end up in.”
Luis gave a wheezy laugh and shook his head
“Mierda, I don’t think I’ve seen you on the other side of this table in years and you know more about what’s going on than I do!”
He pulled a battered pack of cigarettes from the inner pocket of his leather jacket and extracted a single, very wrinkled looking cigarette. He closed his eyes and held it under his nose; he breathed it in deeply before releasing a loud exhale. Then he opened his eyes, as if he had suddenly remembered something.
“I did have a run in with a very interesting man. A Yanqui, actually.”
The Merchant quirked an eyebrow
“Oh? Do tell.”
Luis fished in his pants pocket, looking for a lighter, but came up empty. He looked to the Merchant who sighed dramatically before producing a heavy antique lighter from his coat. Luis leaned in, cupping his hand around the Merchant’s to guard the flame from a slight breeze and puffed hard until he saw the burning cherry. He leaned back and took a deep drag, blowing the smoke up to the sky before beginning his story.
“Well, I mentioned I was tied up…this Yanqui was on the other end of the chain. No doubt he was American, and a cop.”
Luis ran his fingers through his dark hair , the ash of his cigarette dropping to the floor
“At least, I’m pretty sure he was a cop. Sounded like one, at least.”
The Merchant tilted his head, curiously
“What makes you say that?”
Luis made a constipated face, imitating the man he had seen
“Very intense, very angry. Like all American cops. Besides, it seems like he’s here to find some missing señorita. At least, he got very excited when I mentioned I heard some of the religious pendejos talk about a girl. “
The Merchant was leaning on his table, chin in his hands
“What happened next?”
“Nothing. I got myself loose, tossed him a key, then I ran. And I came straight here to deliver your package. What was I supposed to do?”
The Merchant shrugged
“You might’ve have helped him.”
Luis scoffed, took another drag off the cigarette and responded while holding the smoke
“And why would I do that?”
The Merchant shrugged again
“Why wouldn’t you? It’s not like there’ll be any love lost between you and that weird old bugger in the robe. Besides, you grew up here. I’m sure you know a thing or two about how to get around without being seen, especially when you’re hiding from trouble.”
Luis splayed a hand over his chest in mock surprise
“Dios mio! I’ll have you know I was a very well-behaved child.”
The Merchant’s ruby-sparkle eyes rolled dramatically
“I seem to recall a tale your grandad told me of the time you nearly set the windmill on the Abrego farm on fire. Playing Don Quixote, if I’m not mistaken.”
Luis laughed; a sad, soft little laugh as if the bittersweet memory had caught him off guard. He took another drag off his cigarette and toed the soft dirt in front of him but said nothing.
The Merchant spoke, like a gravel voiced Jiminy Cricket
“I’m sure our Yankee Sancho would appreciate some help rescuing Dulcinea.”
Luis looked up from the dirt to meet his eye, a smile tugging on the corner of his lips.
“Alright, viejito, I get your point. I’ll see what I can do.”
He stretched up towards the sky, a small pop sounding from his spine. He gave a loud groan as he sank back down onto his flat feet.
“You’re lucky I have such a soft heart.”
It was the Merchant’s turn to laugh
“Right, a soft heart. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the opportunity to show off in front of a certain señorita?”
“Wow…what kind of knight do you take me for anyways?”
Luis tutted with offended displeasure, but as soon as his gaze met the Merchant’s, they both dissolved into wheezy laughter. He took a final drag off his cigarette and snubbed it out between spit-dampened fingers. He tucked the remaining half behind his ear and nodded resolutely.
“Adios, my friend. I suppose I have a few gringos to rescue.”
The Merchant nodded in return
“Have fun out there.”
With a small wave, Luis was gone, the only evidence of his visit was the lingering smell of acrid smoke.
After a few moments, the Merchant remembered the burlap sack Luis had delivered. He untwisted the rope that held the mouth of the bag shut. Inside the unassuming sack was a solid gold cat statue. He carefully removed the statue from the bag and examined it, appraising its weight and shimmer. He chuckled
“Oh, you’re gonna be a beauty on my mantle!”