Chapter 12 - Searching
The next days were the most difficult in their lives. While they were quietly mourning for their loss they had to keep up the pretense that everything was alright and that Diego would soon be returning from the north whenever someone asked for him.
Nonetheless first rumors started about the absence of Don Diego at the same time when Zorro had gone missing. Somehow the alcalde had found out that Don Diego was not at the northern estates as Don Alejandro had told everyone and it was up to Victoria and Alejandro to keep smiling when they tried to convince the alcalde that he was very wrong believing Diego could be Zorro.
Alejandro called in some favors with some friends to help him with his investigation on the Indian tribe. He pretended that he was only interested because of Zorro and the effect his disappearance had on Victoria and never hinted that his son was involved.
He tried to find Greywings, the Indian tracker, whose life Zorro had once saved in an abandoned mine, but he didn't to know how to find him. If only Diego had been there, he spoke some Indian languages and would have known what to do. Then he became aware of the irony of the situation; he was wishing for Diego to find Zorro. Why had he underestimated his son so much and now that he knew it was too late.
One of the men he contacted was Joshua Barnes who had intrinsic knowledge of the Indian culture due to his many contacts with several Indian tribes and if there was someone able to help him with his search, it was him.
The adobe hut Barnes had erected on his land was simply made and sparely equipped with handmade wooden furniture.
"Don Alejandro, have you come to repair some more fences?" Barnes asked jokingly inviting him in. "You and your son have done so much for me, I hope I can ever repay you for your help."
"I think you can. That's why I came today." Alejandro said severely.
Alarmed by the sincerity in Alejandro's voice Barnes looked up.
"Then what can I do for you, Don Alejandro?" The smile had vanished from his face since it seemed to be a serious matter.
"You have heard that Zorro is supposed to be dead?"
"The talk about Zorro is hardly to be missed whenever I come to the pueblo. But why do you come to me with this? I don't know anything about Zorro. If there is someone who knows about him it would be you or Senorita Escalante. It is sad that Zorro is dead, he has done so much for this pueblo and I think there is no one including myself who does not owe him in one way or the other."
"As you may have heard, Senor Barnes, it is assumed that Zorro was killed in the fight between the Indians and the bandits who attacked them. I want you to find the Indian tribe and ask them what has happened."
"That is a big task, you are asking me, Don Alejandro. Why are you so interested what has happened to Zorro?"
"You have mentioned it before, Zorro has always protected my family and Senorita Escalante and we need to know what has happened to him especially Senorita Escalante to whom Zorro is very dear. Victoria is like a daughter to me and I promised her I would help her to find it out."
"I can understand that. Of course I know about the Senorita and Zorro. What about your son Don Diego, isn't he able to help you in your search?"
As much as Alejandro tried to hide his pain, he could help Barnes noticing it when it appeared for a moment on his face.
"My son is busy at the moment inspecting our northern territories that's why he is not available for help."
Barnes had the impression that there was more to the story than Alejandro told him especially after some rumors he heard that Diego was mysteriously missing, but out of politeness he didn't ask any more questions.
"I wouldn't ask you if I didn't believe you were the best chance I have. Because of your intense relations to several Indian tribes in your past, you are a kind of expert about the Indians."
"I wouldn't go that far, Don Alejandro. And some of my relations as you call them weren't of a friendly nature."
Alejandro didn't comment on that but only looked at him with a questioning face.
"Of course, I will help, Don Alejandro." Barnes assured him. "But that will take some time. What about my farm while I'm gone? Now is the time to take care of the winter crop and I cannot afford to lose that."
"I have thought about that," Alejandro replied. "I will send over some of my men who will take care of your farm during your absence. How long do you think you will need and when can you start?"
"You're really very sincere about it, Don Alejandro," Barnes said surprised about so much commitment. "I need at least today and tomorrow to get ready for the trip and to instruct your men about the work that needs to be done. Since I don't need much to pack I can depart the day after tomorrow."
"I always knew you were a practical man and I have never appreciated it more," Don Alejandro was pleased that this was going more smoothly than he had anticipated.
"Then I will send my men tomorrow and you will leave the day after that. How long do you think you will be gone?"
"This is hard to say, Don Alejandro. I will ride to the camp site and have a look at the remains, they can give me a clue what tribe it was and then I have to visit several Indian villages where the inhabitants may give me some information about the tribe we are searching. Only if I have found out something more, I can tell you how much time it will take, but I have to warn you, Don Alejandro, you will have to be patient. First of all I have to persuade the Indians they can trust me with their information and that of course will take time in addition to the trip itself."
"How long?" Alejandro inquired again.
"A month or longer, I can't say, but I'll keep you informed."
"One more thing, Senor Barnes, I think the alcalde does not need to know about this. I'd like you to keep our arrangement to yourself."
"After my experiences with the alcalde, I couldn't agree more with you. You can trust in my silence."
The men shook hands in agreement and Alejandro returned home.
The next day he went to the tavern and told Victoria about his agreement with Barnes.
"Do you think Barnes will be able to find out something, Don Alejandro?" Victoria sounded doubtful.
"I don't know, Victoria, but he has better chances than anyone else I know except for Diego with his knowledge of the Indian idioms."
The grief in his face was clearly visible now when there was only Victoria present.
"Isn't it ironic I never appreciated the knowledge Diego was gathering and only now.." His voice was breaking.
"I know, Don Alejandro, I know. There isn't a night when the memory of the times I wronged him does not haunt me." Victoria had tears in her eyes.
"If there is something to find out I will. I promise you that even if it takes the rest of my life and all the Joshua Barnes I can find. We have to be patient now, Victoria."
"Thank you, Don Alejandro, but waiting and not being able to do anything is the hardest thing."
He put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her and for a moment a rare smile could be seen on her face. Victoria had become very withdrawn since they had found out that Diego was Zorro. She never smiled anymore and looked always tired as if she hadn't slept what was probably the case.
Alejandro couldn't say that he was feeling better and only his lifelong discipline he learned as a soldier and his duty to those who needed him kept him going on although it felt harder every day Diego was gone.
All they could do now was waiting for news and every time Alejandro entered the tavern he got a questioning look from Victoria that he always met with a hardly visible denial.
"No," it said, "there are no news." And slowly the disappointment turned to dwindling hope that there would ever be any news.
Joshua Barnes had estimated he would need a month to get some results and his visit at the hacienda about two weeks later was a surprise to Alejandro.
"Senor Barnes, I haven't expected you to be back so soon. Have you already accomplished your mission?"
"Don Alejandro, I'm sorry I have to disappoint you, but I couldn't finish what you asked me."
"Please explain, Senor."
"Let me tell you what I have found out so far."
Barnes narrated him how he had contacted several Indians he knew and what they had told him.
"The Indian Tribe we seek are called Guapo. They are nomadic during the warm season, hunting all kinds of animals in the plains for food and hides. At the end of summer they trade their hides for the goods they need with other tribes or settlements.
In the winter they retreat to some refuge in the mountains where they have some kind of village."
"Why would any tribe go to the mountains in winter?" Don Alejandro wondered.
"There is supposed to be a hot spring near the caves they are living in and they are closer to the higher mountain ranges where they hunt animals for their winter furs which are more valuable than the one they have during summer."
"And where is this mountain settlement? Can you get there?" Alejandro asked eagerly.
"In this case I must disappoint you, Don Alejandro. The Indians I talked to couldn't tell me the location. It is kept secret by the tribe because they fear for the safety of their place if it became common knowledge. The Indians could gave me some directions, but they were pointing to separate places depending on who you were asking, making it impossible to find it."
"Can't you go searching for it?"
"I could try in the general direction they gave me, but not at the moment. I was told that due to the heavy storms three weeks ago, there have been some landslides that make many of the mountain trails impassable. Without a guide who has a thorough knowledge of the terrain it is impossible to get there. The Indian advised me to wait until the trails have dried up and are passable again."
"And when will that be?"
"I can't say that. The stormy season has just started and the conditions will rather worsen than improve in the next weeks. To be on the safe side it is better to wait for spring or until the tribe returns from the mountains."
"Spring? But that is more than three months!" Alejandro exclaimed. "I can't wait that long."
"I'm sorry, Don Alejandro, that I can't give you better news. The Indians here are much more in tune with nature and they know what they are talking about. You should wait until spring for an expedition into the mountains. And I just can't see what it helps you if you know some months earlier or later how Zorro has died. It is not worth risking your life for it. The man is probably dead or otherwise he would have reappeared by now. I can't help it, but for the moment I have done all I could."
The news were a blow for Alejandro and to hear another man voice his assumption of his son's death only devastated him more.
"I can't expect you to risk your life for this, Senor Barnes, but I would appreciate it if you tried again in spring."
Only half listening to his apologies, he guided Barnes to the door. He wanted to be alone and mourn in solitude for the loss of his son whose return became more and more improbable.
The prospect that Diego might be dead weighted heavily on him and his friends could see how he visibly aged a little every day that he was without news from his son.
For Victoria life wasn't easier either. Not only did she mourn for Zorro's love but her best friend was gone as well. There wasn't a night when she wasn't crying herself to sleep and praying to have him back.