Chapter 10:
The following morning, Los Angeles pueblo, magistrado's office.
"Buenos días, Señor Magistrado."
"Buenos días, Don Diego. What brings you in the early morning, in my office?"
"Well, Señor Magistrado, no later than this morning, while passing close to the De Castillos' hacienda, it seems to me that I saw two of your recent recruits very interested by the property and which quickly ran away upon seeing me.
"I want to make sure you took note of Licenciado Fernando's words. In which case, I'm sure that the Viceroy might call these new lancers to order, and send them back to Spain; as he could also intervene on our disagreement."
"You say having seen..." The magistrado stammered, ill at ease and thinking that finally Diego could be dangerous to him too.
"Yes, and Bernardo, my manservant here present, could confirm my words."
"No, no, Don Diego, it won't be necessary. I'll take your word for it. I'll call these lancers to order. Believe that I didn't know they were there." The magistrado admits with sincerity. "I remember well Licenciado Fernando's words, don't torment yourself."
"Oh! By the way, I dare to hope, for these lancers, that nothing will be missing in the hacienda according to the inventory which was made before the De Castillos' disappearance."
"The inventory, you say? I was not aware that there was an inventory."
"Indeed, Señor Magistrado. There is well and truly an inventory. Good day to you, Señor."
"Good day, Señor De la Vega."
These fools, what did they do over there? He asks to himself, thoughtful.
"Ricardo!" He calls then...
Once outside the office, Diego and Bernardo round the plaza each on his side, strolling between the market's stalls, and they passed in front of the cuartel which the gates were wide opened. There was no one visible in the cells. Then, Diego takes Bernardo away from the plaza and they stopped, imprudently and unwillingly, under the window of the commandante's bedroom.
"So, Bernardo, did you find something? ... No, me neither. I don't know where our prisoner is. He isn't in the cell, or near the magistrado's office. This time I'm afraid that our friend Zo..." Diego was interrupted by a pain behind his head while a stone fell at his side.
He turned back, looking for his aggressor while Bernardo bent over toward the stone which he found weird. He took it then, and while he was rising, he caught Diego's attention by pulling his sleeve.
Diego, one hand behind his head, turned back to him.
"What is it, Bernardo?"
This one showed him the stone around which a message is tied up, for the attention of... Zorro...
Diego and Bernardo exchanged a puzzled look. Is this a coincidence or is this fate?
Diego raises his head and notices that the window of the bedroom of the commandante, under which they are, was barricaded and only one gap stayed open, just wide enough to put a hand through.
While Diego gets ready to call inside, Bernardo gets once again his attention and indicates him some lancers which come this way. Diego then makes signs to Bernardo and they return near the carriage where the young don opens the message intended for Zorro.
"I know, Bernardo, it's not careful. But after all, this stone fell on my head."
Diego reads the note aloud.
"Señor Zorro, if by the most extraordinary coincidence one of your friends hands you over this message, above all don't search for me. Don't try riding to my help. I know the persons to blame for the De Castillos' disappearance. I'm an awkward witness, and although one of my abductors wants to keep me alive, I doubt to remain so for long. This man wants to catch you through me, and I refuse to do it. I'm not that important to risk your life. Don't search for me anymore. SDC."
Diego raised his head.
"Well, I don't know what to think, my friend. Is this the truth? Or is this a new trap to capture Zorro? I admit that it's a little light, although the stone wasn't. I'll go interrogate our good sergeant. You, return to the hacienda with the carriage and come back to me with horses. I will be undoubtedly in the tavern... Be careful, my friend, and put away this message."
Bernardo indicates him at his turn.
"Yes, my friend, I will be careful too. Go, hurry up."
Then, he salutes him with his hand before heading to the tavern; and as soon as he arrived on the doorstep, that he was hailed.
"Don Diego, how are you?" The sergeant asks with a huge smile.
"Thank you, I'm fine. What about you, Sergeant?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
"I believe I understand that the... fugitive caused you some troubles yesterday."
"Certainly, Don Diego. A real mountain lion."
"You would like to have a drink with me while we talking about it, don't you?" Diego asks while inviting him to enter the tavern.
"Of course, Don Diego." The sergeant smiles, more than delighted to quench his thirst a little, by licking his lips.
"Maria, one of your best bottles of wine and two glasses, por favor." Diego asks once they sat inside the tavern, and indicating the sergeant with him.
"Right away, Don Diego." Maria answers with a huge smile.
"So? Tell me, Sergeant."
"We just arrived on your lands, gracias, Maria." Interrupted the sergeant when the waitress put down the bottle and the two glasses.
"Gracias." Diego says in the mean time before pouring a first glass to the sergeant. "Well, Sergeant?" He interrogates then.
"So, we just arrived on your lands, near a clearing it seems to me, when we saw him. The poor chap was painful to see." The sergeant says before swallowing a first sip of wine. "The magistrado insisted on us to arrest him. I have to admit, Don Diego, that I'm not proud of me. This good fellow did nothing bad..."
"What happened next?" Diego interrogates by pouring a second drink, already empty, for the sergeant.
"Well, I dismounted to go and arrest him, but I..."
"Yes, Sergeant?"
"I found myself on the ground without having understood anything... Then, there was this shot which... woke me up, and the magistrado ordered us to chase after him and to catch him."
"Where is the señorita now?"
"The señorita? No, Don Diego. It's a man we chased after."
"Yet, there is some time now, I'm certain to have seen a señorita in this same clearing... It's true that with her short hair, her trousers and her shirt, it was easy to see her as a man, above all from afar... I wanted to go and find her, see if she didn't need anything, but I had some troubles with my health which forced me to rest until yesterday."
"Oh... You say it's a señorita... That's a real wild woman. According to Corporal Reyes, who stayed on his horse, she knocked down no less than five lancers... The magistrado has her locked in the commandante's quarters, and ordered to barricade the window from inside and outside. These are the news recruits who watch in turn after her. Incidentally, speaking of them, here is Ruy and Ricardo which arrive."
"The one on the left was there yesterday, wasn't he?"
"Yes, he is Ricardo. It's him who came to inform the magistrado as for the... vagabond."
"Buenos días, Señor De la Vega." Salutes the one called Ricardo.
"Buenos días." Diego retorts politely.
Nevertheless, Diego feels an unhealthy feeling towards this man who inspires in him no confidence at all.
"So, this is you, the prodigal son?" Ricardo throws out by stopping next to him.
"I beg your pardon?" Diego asks.
"It's common to hear that you are a poltroon in facing action."
"Ricardo, have respect for Don Diego." Says the sergeant, wrathful.
"Let him talk, Sergeant... You seem to be a stranger to Los Angeles, Señor. No doubt you don't know that you must never believe the lesser rumor." Diego says calmly and keeping his smile.
The lancer was visibly looking to provoke him to the great displeasure of the innkeeper which was afraid for his business. It's true that the last time that Diego was forced to fight, against Capitán Monastario, there had had some material damages. Nevertheless, even if this latter had paid for the replacement of the furniture, the memory was still too recent for the innkeeper.