Chapter 12
Once the two men were out of hearing of Padre Benitez, Lord Hodge immediately began speaking in a conspiratorial tone. "Diego, I have, I am sure, some very troubling news. If you hadn't sought me out, I would have found you. The Alcalde has called in a second handwriting expert from Mexico City. He wants an iron-clad case against Zorro. I have heard of this gentleman before, though I have never met him. There are only a handful of researchers looking into this new scientific art. And he will have one less problem than I have had; Spanish is his native language. Nuances in sentence structure and so forth that might escape me will definitely be additional clues for him."
"Why do you rate this as troubling? Shouldn't this man's findings agree with yours and help your case?"
"Probably. No, almost certainly. But I am no longer sure I want to be a tool in the capture of Zorro. When I first came to this pueblo, I was excited about bringing a notorious criminal to justice. Such a quest as this has become the driving work of my life. My passion and study of penmanship and criminology had combined into a useful tool for law enforcement. This art is in its infancy and I truly believe in its value." He looked at Don Diego earnestly. "But the more people I talk to, the more I am convinced that this Zorro is far less dangerous a man than the Alcalde! I just wish I had known that before I had begun giving him my help. Why, do you know that there are even some royal lancers that don't want Zorro captured! That is astonishing! I had wondered why Zorro was never really challenged by an entire quartel of military men. Now, I do not doubt his excellent abilities, but I have come to suspect that some of the lancers' ineptness in capturing him may arise from their inadequate desire to do so! They all have family or friends that Zorro has helped in some way. Why some of them even owe their own lives to some intervention on his part. In fact, I have found that his exploits have saved a good many lives and helped right an enormous amount of wrongs."
"So, you no longer want to aid in capturing Zorro?"
"In a word? No."
"Do you know who he is?" Diego said it casually, but he braced for the answer.
"Oh, I've known since the day I arrived." He held Diego's gaze for a meaningful few seconds. "You see, there were many papers filed together with the ones the Alcalde gave me to examine concerning Zorro. Various receipts for taxes and fees, miscellaneous application forms for all sorts of legal transactions. Would you believe there was even a poem of yours," Lord Hodge paused as if to emphasize his next words, "in your handwriting, among the papers? They were all jumbled together." He shook his head and laughed. "Your Alcalde appears to be a very neat and tidy man on the surface, but he's one of those whose closets are in disarray. Much as are his thoughts, I would imagine! And I, eager to begin my work, looked at some of those other papers and began comparing the samples to Zorro's notes. It was hardly even a challenge." Again his voice seemed to add meaning to his words as he said, "And it will not be one for the next 'expert'!"
"So there lies a quandary." Diego put a finger to his chin and rubbed.
"Yes! But I had an idea." Grinning, he looked about them to assure himself they were not being watched, and then he pulled out a sheaf of papers from inside his jacket. "While you were having your beauty sleep this morning, I took it upon myself to practice my own penmanship. At first, I merely copied the census form, thinking I might give it to you…er…to give to Zorro." He grinned again. "If it were turned in as his other self, no connection could be made. But that would not help things in the future. So I took another course. This morning I asked to see Zorro's notes once more." He handed Diego the papers he held.
Diego thumbed through the sheets of paper. They were various sizes and many different kinds of paper. And every single one of them bore his own familiar signature of "Zorro". Diego looked up in surprise. "You stole them?"
"No, I will leave any thievery to Zorro. Look more closely. There are now some key differences. The writing is similar, but no more so than you would see from two people who had used the same textbooks to learn their letters as children." Diego scanned the papers and yes, there were indeed differences. The breaks between letters in some words were not where he would have broken. The shapes of some of the vowels were entirely strange to Diego. And there were probably many others his eye couldn't see. The older man handed another paper filled with examples of letters, words and phrases in the same hand as the ones he held. "For practice," he said. "Now if Zorro would, in the future, take more care with any future notes he might find the need to write and follow this example, he could well avoid being caught in such a situation again "
"I don't quite know what to say."
"Well, unless Zorro can replace the originals with these, it's all for naught. Do you think Zorro can do it?"
"I don't think that would be a problem." Diego smiled. "Zorro usually manages to come and go at will throughout the quartel whenever the need arises." He secreted the papers inside his jacket, extended a hand to Lord Hodge and said, "Thank you. I am in your debt."
Lord Hodge noticed the change in pronoun. Don Diego had said "I", not "he", and had thereby acknowledged his findings as correct. "No, not at all. It's for the cause of justice. I'm old enough to know that justice does not always remain in the hands of the law. Besides, I feel very guilty about something. I fear I almost got you killed last night. I don't think I gave a thought to what would happen if Zorro were suddenly needed. A foolish old man should know better."
"I think last night was more a case of a foolish young man!" Both mean laughed heartily.
"Now, I do believe you'd better go fill out those census forms for the Alcalde. He seemed most intrigued by the fact that you have waited so long."
Diego was so ravenously hungry by dinnertime that he scarcely noticed the sideways looks given to him by Maria and the other servants.
The latest bit of gossip about the young caballero was almost unbelievable. Don Diego had been becoming increasingly more confident, more bold even. There had been several incidences lately, mostly involving Señorita Escalante that had surprised them all and been the talk of the kitchen and the stables.
Gossip in the pueblo was rampant too, and the consensus of opinion was that if things kept progressing at this rate, there might be a new Doña de la Vega before the year's end!
Maria was very pleased with the way things were turning out, but she was truly amazed, and secretly proud, of her young master's audacity. There was no other young caballero in the whole of California that would have been brave enough to court the woman who had the eye of Zorro!
The girls darted in and out of the dining room a little more often than was normal serving up the two caballeros their dinner, and trying to catch any little, juicy tidbit to pass along to the rest of the staff.
But for the most part, the conversation tonight had been general. Don Alejandro knew his son didn't need any more ribbing. He'd gotten quite enough already just in the process of getting out of the pueblo and back home.
"Did you remember to fill out the census papers?
"Yes, Father. With plenty of time to spare."
"Good. And you reimbursed Victoria for the room and service?"
"Yes, Father. I think I have taken care of everything today." Diego was his old placid self as he answered his father's questions one by one. The whole of dinner had been much the same with no real mention of what was truly on the minds of either gentleman.
"Well, I think I will turn in early tonight. I have started a good book. Anxious to see how it ends. Goodnight, Diego."
"Goodnight, Father." Diego sat awhile at the table, lost in his thoughts. He had a busy night ahead of him. At least he no longer had that blasted headache! Tonight's mission should be no problem. He was startled out of his thoughts by someone banging on the front door.
"Sergeant! How nice to see you! And to what do we owe this pleasure?" Diego greeted his friend pleasantly while at the same time casting an anxious eye at the six lancers who had tramped through the door after him.
"Don Diego, I am sorry, but," he changed to a louder, more official sounding voice, "we have orders to search the premises for that fugitive from the law known as Zorro!"
"Zorro! Here? Surely you must be joking!"
"No, Don Diego, The Alcalde is certain that Zorro was wounded the other night when he fought him in the plaza. He's sure he has taken refuge somewhere and since you and Don Alejandro have been known to be sympathetic to Zorro, he wants us to search this hacienda. Please? You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course not, Sergeant. Here, why don't you start with the library?" He led them into the room and walked slowly over to the fireplace to stand casually in front of the part of the mantle hiding the secret lever. He watched, amused, as the group of men looked in every corner and cringed as they clumsily moved in and around the expensive furnishings.
"Men, he's not in here." He looked up at Don Diego as he prepared his men to go on to the next room.
"Happy searching, Sergeant. Feel free to look in every room, though you might want to knock first on my father's door. He has turned in early for the night."
"We'll try to be as quiet as mice. Men, Silencio! We mustn't wake Don Alejandro."
Diego waved the men on down the hallway, grabbed a novel from the shelf and settled down in a comfortable chair.
Sergeant Mendoza hurried his men on down the hall and looked back over his shoulder at the sight of Don Diego engrossed in a book. That man did love his books.
Sometime later, Diego looked up as he heard the commotion of the returning soldiers. They had searched everywhere and now had made their way back towards the door. Each had a slice of Maria's custard in his hand and all were nibbling away at the desert happily.
