The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps

But the bartender was mystified, too. There was no misinterpreting his gestures. He didn’t know how the fight started, and he didn’t remember any woman. All he knew was that after the lights went on again several natives were carried out, semi-conscious.

Rasaplo darted a swift look around, leaned over the bar a little farther, and something changed hands. Stuart and Frost both saw it at the same time. They went forward.

“Gimme that!” Stuart commanded.

Rasaplo grinned abashed, and handed over a letter. “They give it to the boy to mail,” he said. “I do not know anything.”

The letter was addressed to Captain Jerry Frost, Gentry, Texas, and there was a two-cent U.S. stamp in the corner. Frost ripped it open. A note on the back of a menu. It said:

“Thanks, Captain, for the woman.”

It was written in that peculiar, flamboyant foreign style. Frost fingered it blankly and held it up for Stuart to see. Stuart said to Rasaplo: “Where’s the waiter who got this?”

Rasaplo summoned a sleek servitor, who eyed Stuart and Frost with an expression that can only be called baleful.

“Who gave you this?” Frost held up the letter.

The waiter shrugged his shoulders to say he couldn’t remember all the patrons; but made no answer.

“Who gave you this?” Frost repeated.

“I no remember,” he said. “A man—” as if that would help.

Rasaplo inserted his broad bulk into the scene to give his employee whatever protection he could muster. “He know nothing,” he said. “He get the letter and boom! the place go dark. Mebbe we get miedo — and no mail letter. But—” His voice, colorless, trailed off.

Stuart gestured disgustedly to Frost. For the time being they knew they were against a blank wall. Trying to elicit criminal information from some Mexicans can be — in some instances, is — nothing short of impossible. Indeed, some of them are so clumsy in trying to remain innocent they incriminate themselves.

The Rangers knew they could do no more; and, too, they were chancing further trouble by remaining in La Estrellita.

“Come on, let’s go see the cops.” On the way out Stuart went on: “But don’t expect too much of the law here. It’s quite probably the rottenest force in the world. Maybe, though—”

They went around the corner to the police station, and Frost soon learned that Stuart had properly classified the Algadon police. They said they hadn’t the faintest idea what happened to the woman; moreover, they gave the impression, and it was true, that they weren’t in the least interested. They were without the slightest degree of enthusiasm, and raised their brows superciliously to convey the thought that if the Rangers couldn’t look out for their own women they shouldn’t expect anyone else to.