The Serpent and the Crow

Book 4: Chapter Fourteen

Douglas awoke. They had secured his wrists and his feet too. Jador sat on an armchair next to him. Tied as well. Blood was dripping into his eyes from the gift Bolivar gave him. He saw armed Dead Men standing guard in their usual Che Guevara costumes.

"I was not expecting to see you, Dougie," Bolivar said, "I had no choice."

"I can pay for the car..."

"What?"

"The car I took when you were making Proctor sing."

Bolivar laughed. He responded, "Oh, I got a lot of cars, Dougie. Forget about it. Fuck, if you had just asked, I would have given you an armed escort. Para Los Muertos do not fuck with kids or women. I put out a contract on whoever took your kid, did you know that?"

"What am I doing here?"

"I was hoping you tell me."

"I mean, why am I tied up."

"It's for your own protection. I know you don't have the stomach for what we have to do to your friend next to you."

Douglas shimmied and tried to stand but could not.

Bolivar walked closer to Jador and slapped her. Her eyes widened in shock.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jador said while spitting out blood.

"Your name, badge number, and date of birth." Bolivar asked.

"Fuck you. Doug, what's going on?"

"Just answer them."

"You know me Bolivar now let me go."

She said something in Spanish. But Bolivar was not buying it.

"I know Cortez and look at how she ended up."

Douglas asked, "What does that mean?"

"Detective. Jaspreet Jador. Armadillo Police Department. Homicide Unit. Badge number 6991."

Bolivar looked at a Dead Man holding a clipboard. The man nodded in approval.

Bolivar shouted, "Satisfied? Do you want me to ask what colour her undies are?"

Douglas glared around the dark room and saw a figure appear from the shadows.

Wade said, "Dig deeper."

"Douglas said, "Wade, what the fuck is happening?"

"I don't know what you're doing here, Doug, but I wish you were somewhere else."

"My partner and I tracked Flavell. We connected him to the Serpent Stalker case."

"I'm gone a year and you've already got another partner, huh?"

"He's dead... Flavell killed him."

"Who killed Flavell?"

"How do you know that?"

"He's sitting like a stoic participant in your trunk, Doug."

"That was me," Jador said, "He knew I was on to him?"

"Perhaps..."

Douglas loosened his restraints. He could see the PLA next to him was busy with staring at Jador to notice. Douglas' next move was to go for that Stoner '63 he held.

Bolivar asked, "Are you one hundred percent on this, Gringo?"

Wade nodded. Bolivar shrugged and clicked his fingers and one of his men gave him a blow torch that was connected, by hose, to a gas bottle. The flame burnt red and then turned blue with a few adjustments.