Chapter 28 - Epilogue
Two months after their return to Los Angeles, Diego and Victoria were having breakfast together at the hacienda as it had become their habit. Since Diego had stopped riding as Zorro, he was no longer so tired in the morning and got up at the same time as the rest of the family, often to ride out with the vaqueros, putting his riding and tracking skills to good use.
Victoria and Diego had taken over part of the management of the hacienda to relieve his father which left them less time for the tavern and newspaper. Victoria had hired new helpers, so she could reduce her work to the managing the tavern while Felipe had offered to work more at the newspaper when his help as Zorro's aid was no longer needed.
To Diego's surprise, Felipe was quite successful as people from all classes trusted him with their information because the peasants as well as the caballeros considered him as one of their own. His quiet ways with only saying a few words, encouraged people to talk to him when they were convinced that he was listening to what they had to say.
"Did you hear the news about de Soto?" Alejandro entered the dining room. "His body has been found."
" De Soto is dead? What happened to him?" Diego put down his tea cup and looked at his father.
"There was much speculation about what happened when he didn't return from his trip from Mexico," Alejandro said.
"Yes, I thought de Soto had heard about the investigation the viceroy had initiated about him and the late alcalde Ramone and that he decided to stay away from Los Angeles instead of facing a trial," Victoria said.
"We were all wrong about that," Alejandro said. "There was a messenger today from San Diego. A body was found by travelers a little off the road between Mexico and San Diego and when they searched him, he was identified as de Soto. He must have been dead for more than two months but we'll never know how he died – if it was an accident or if he was killed by bandits. They buried him near San Luis Rey."
"Then he will never be brought to justice?" Victoria exclaimed.
"He will face justice at a higher place," Diego said.
"It's not right that he should escape his trial after all he made us suffer," Victoria objected.
"I believe the way he died is justice enough for a man like him," Diego declared.
"I don't understand that," Victoria said confused. "Why is that justice? Because he is dead?"
"No, not that. To understand it you must think of what he wanted. De Soto's main goal was to earn glory and to achieve something in his life. He didn't catch Zorro nor did he earn glory as a soldier by dying for his country. The two years as alcalde here in Los Angeles were too short to have a lasting impression and will be forgotten soon. All he got was an early, futile death on a lonely road and a grave in a small village. For me that's utter defeat."
"You're right, Diego," his father agreed. "He was defeated and the rest is no longer in our hands. There isn't any need for a trial which would only have made him famous or rather infamous."
"Can we continue with breakfast now?" Diego asked. "Father, please sit down and join us. We have good news to share.." The way Diego beamed happily at Victoria made it easy for Alejandro to guess what he wanted to say. There was hope for the future of the de la Vegas.
The End
