It was such a quaint little place, so many innocents and simpletons to exploit.
Smiling broadly at his own inner dialogue, Vincente Ramone put his feet on his brother's desk and indulged in an excellent cigar pilfered from Luis's favorite hiding place.
His smile widening, Vincente now shook his head at the small wonder that was a brotherly connection. Despite the years he and his brother had spent apart, he still knew Luis habits so intimately that he could navigate the man's office and rooms as well as if they had been his own.
Within a few scant moments he had found himself in possession of his twin's letters and his journal as well as his favorite vice. Now, after another pleasant interlude with his cigar, Vincente could take even further pleasure in extracting what few small secrets the brotherly connection withheld.
Chuckling as he scanned the documents, Vincente found his brother's rages against the bandit Zorro almost as entertaining as the abuse his twin heaped on that buffoon of a Sergeant. The memory of Luis's grousing on the discovery of his broken door was still enough to make him howl with laughter, even hours later.
Still more hilarious were the tales of Luis's lofty ambitions and his many hapless schemes. It was very fortunate that his twin had discovered the safe haven of criminality that was the world of politics, Luis would never have made a genuine scoundrel.
Then, at last, Vincente came to what was always his favorite part of his brother's miserable excuse for a life; Laughing to the point of tears at Luis's wretched romantic adventures. In affairs of the heart-and lower matters-his brother had always been remarkably dense and over the years, Vincente had taken great advantage of that fact. Watching his brother flee from the many women Vincente had bought or charmed-using Luis's name and often, his money-was a never ending source of joy.
Still greater was the bliss from those rare occasions when Vincente's imitations managed to snare a woman his brother actually fancied. Seeing his brother's distress was always a guilty pleasure and one he looked forward eagerly to inflicting during the long walk in the desert that he was planning for the end of his twin's life. However, there was no reason that Luis's few, remaining hours could not be put to their absolute best of use, which was of course, Vincente's personal enjoyment.
Beaming with delight at the thought of the havoc he might wreak, Vincente scoured his brother's papers, until at last, they yielded the perfect method for intentional disaster. Laughing again at his discovery, Vincente wondered if his brother had even the faintest clue that he was smitten with the girl.
Her feelings had been obvious. Despite her alleged affinity for the bandit, she had seemed all too eager to accept Luis's sudden change of heart. And, even in this ridiculously conservative suit that did nothing to express their assets, her confusion-and her attraction-had been utterly delicious.
Sadly, however, after overhearing the conversation between his brother's minions as he had gleely watched Luis rant about his door, it was likely the girl's own heart had undergone a few changes.
Apparently, she had been rather upset about Luis' abrupt return to his former ways and Vincente strongly suspected that her distress was the result of far more than the loss of a few pesos.
However, the situation was not entirely unsalvageable. If the girl had been so quick to accept his brother's earlier changes, than convincing her of another adjustment in character might be just as easy, especially if he applied his own persuasions.
Putting out his cigar on his brother's desk and setting aside his papers, Vincente rose from his chair and considered reflection in the mirror. Then, reaching for his cravat, and with a few tosses of his head, he shook out his hair to loosen it. Nothing was more romantic than a visit from a distressed, regretful and sensuously disheveled man in the moonlight, and given Luis's habitual prudity, it was likely to be an entirely new image for the girl to appreciate.
After a few, small adjustments, and with a glowing smile, Vincente sat out for the tavern, joyously intent on despoiling this facet of his brother's life. Now, if he could just remember the girl's name.