Investigating on Her Own

Chapter 7

People were shouting about a murder had been committed, so Ramos and Amanda quickly left the cantina and rushed back to the cobbled alleyway. Amanda was almost running at top speed so she managed to gain on Ramos and now his footsteps were closely behind hers.

From a distance, Amanda could see a growing swarm of villages had converged in front of Miguel's shop.

Nooooooo! she panicked, fearful for the shopkeeper's life.

Frantically pushing her way through the crowd, she got to the front and her heart dropped when she caught a glimpse of Miguel, whose body had fallen across the counter, a knife thrust to the hilt into the flesh of his back.

Oh my gosh! Poor, dear, friendly Miguel! Amanda anguished, tears forming in her eyes. Then she felt hands gripping her arm, and she had no strength to shake out of its grasp.

"Mrs. Ki-...Amanda!" Ramos' voice sounded urgent, "We must go!" he insisted as he pulled her away.

But Amanda could barely hear him. She seemed in a state of shock.

"So tragic," she mumbled, "I can't believe that an hour ago, Miguel had been vibrant...and laughing..."

Ramos was tugging at her again, but it seemed as if he was pulling dead weight.

"Never mind that!" Ramos stated in a low tone, "There is nothing you can do! He is DEAD! Did you hear me? DEAD!"

He was right, Amanda realized, as she drew a deep breath. Determinedly she turned and slowly departed from the scene as the villagers continued to crowd around the victim.

"Dead..." Amanda repeated in a murmur as a sudden chill ran down her spine.

Then another thought entered her mind: Was this a random murder or was Miguel killed for being an informant?

WeewooWeewooWeewoo...

Amanda snapped back to reality as they both watched a police car driving past them. She was now glad Agent Ramos had pulled her away. They shouldn't be anywhere near Miguel when the police arrived.

Agent Ramos.

She haltingly turned towards him as she speculated, Supposedly he had spent his time at the cantina BUT what if he hadn't been there the whole time? Could Agent Ramos have been involved in Miguel Esteban's murder?

#

Walking down the main cobbled street to get back to their motel, Amanda's heart was filled with sorrow as she randomly wiped a tear away from her cheek.

The gesture wasn't lost on Ramos and with an angry tone, he accusingly asked, "Why are you being so emotional? You do not even know this man!"

Amanda glared back at him, "I know enough about him to know he was a good man with a happy heart! And...and..he had family and wanted to make the world a better place!" she choked out.

"You know nothing of the sort!" Ramos snapped, "And let me tell you something else...you can never know what is in a person's heart!"

"You could be right about that," she knowing mumbled, wondering if he was capable of murder.

They walked in silence the rest of the way back. She hated that she suspected a fellow agent; a part of her wished she never accepted this assignment where she had to accompany a heartless man while another man with a good heart was dead.

And if there were ever a time she missed Lee, it was now.

At least she trusted him.

#

It was late afternoon and they were sitting at a small cafe next to their motel. She didn't know if she should consider that a late lunch or an early dinner and she didn't care. Her heart still felt so heavy. Each bite of the shrimp tostada seemed to get lodged in her throat.

As they ate in silence, Amanda felt the need to talk about something, anything.

She looked over and noticed that Agent Ramos' left hand seemed to be scarred or burnt or something. Of course, he must have been on some dangerous missions. Needing to connect with another human being, she spoke out, "You must have gone on some exciting missions before."

He shrugged, "Perhaps."

"Did you hurt yourself while on your last assignment?"

Ramos looked confused, "What?!"

"Your hand," Amanda explained by eye-gesturing.

He scowled and slid the cuff of his shirt down to try and cover his wound, "This is not the time or place to talk about such things!"

"But we need to talk about something to each other in order to blend in," Amanda reasoned, "after what had happened to Miguel and all-"

"-Enough talk of that!" Ramos interrupted as he looked covertly around, "Do not mention him again! We must stay above suspicion!"

Amanda shot him a look of disdain, "Why shouldn't we talk about him? The entire village is talking about..." she swallowed hard,"... about the tragedy that just occurred! If we don't, THEN we will look suspicious!"

"You are taking this too personally!" Ramos told her as he leaned in and kept his voice down, "Look at it this way...Many dangerous things happen in villages such as this one! When people are poor, crime is commonplace! Don't be so obtuse when it comes to a crime in a remote town!"

Amanda knew that Ramos was making sense, but intuitively, something was off, "I realize crime is everywhere, but don't you find it coincidental that what happened to Miguel..." she blinked back the last of her tears, "...happened pretty much after I left him?"

Ramos narrowed his eyes, "Have you not heard a word I have spoken? This is a village crime, nothing more! Do not mention his name again! In my opinion, you are too fragile for this mission!"

"Or maybe it means I'm human and I care!," Amanda defended herself.

He looked up into the heavens, "Dios mios! Why do I get the crazy ones!"

"You may think I'm crazy," Amanda countered, "but I'm the only one who has knowledge of our next destination!"

Ramos looked very unhappy with that remark, "Not if you give me the ID packet!" he reminded her again.

Amanda snapped back "And have you desert me once you get possession of it? The answer is still a resounding NO!"

Ramos looked as if he wanted to kick something. Then he took a deep breath in and out, "Alright then, at least tell me where we are headed tomorrow so that I can consult the map."

There would be no harm in that. She quietly told him so no one could overhear, "It is in the village of Tamasina at a restaurant named "El Pujol."

"What is this person's name we need to identify?" he demanded to know.

Amanda stared at him, purposing keeping her mouth shut.

"Oh, I see, " he stated bitterly, "You do not trust me yet."

"Do you blame me?" she countered, "You've been hostile to me since we met!"

"That is because I can do the mission on my own! You are slowing me down with your tears, talks, and sightseeing ways!"

"I think it's important we get a feel of the land and it's people, is that so wrong?" Amanda countered, "besides it will look suspicious if, we, as tourists, DON'T immerse ourselves with the local scenery!"

"I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!" Ramos stated, as he got up from the table, "Tomorrow, be sure to be down at the lobby by 8 am so that we may leave this God-forsaken place!"

"I will, don't worry!"

"And no more talk of Esteban!" he warned her.

"I won't!" then she remembered her manners, "Have a nice night!"

Before he left, he turned back to her one more time, "By the way, when you pick up the check for this meal, do not forget to leave a good size tip!"

Ooooo, the man is insufferable! Amanda complained as she pulled out her purse.

Suddenly she had a new appreciation for Lee. Even at his worse, he knew manners; opening doors for her, politely seating her or guiding her with his hand by respectively touching her back as they walked.

Lee was a walk in the park compared to this caveman!

#

Once Ramos was gone, Amanda paid the bill and stood up.

She had her own investigation to do.

After leaving the cafe, she walked back towards the Tiendas of Clothing Street, where the murder of Miguel had taken place.

Or almost headed there.

Instead, she went to the cantina where Agent Ramos had spent his time.

She hoped she was just being paranoid, but she needed to make sure that Ramos was not actually involved in the murder of Miguel.

Amanda walked up to the bartender, who was busy wiping a shot glass.

"Hola, Señor," she greeted him as she sat on the tall stool. She was glad she had earlier read her translation book and had memorized a few Spanish phrases, "¿Habla usted Inglés?" she asked.

"Un poco," he admitted, and then asked in very broken English, "You like... drink, Señorita?"

"Um, sure. A coke, please," she decided and then added, "and some informaccion."

She then placed a new American ten-dollar bill on the counter.

However, before the bartender could grab the money, Amanda took it back and then purposely tore it in half, giving him only one-half of it.

He looked up at her with a puzzled look.

"You answer question first, entender? You understand?" she astutely told him. She knew she didn't have to translate any of the words; he knew what she meant. After all, money talks. And she planned to find out whether Ramos was at the cantina the entire time or that he had left and then double-backed to Miguel's shop.

The bartender cooperated, "Sí Señorita. I understand."

"Good! So earlier ..." she flipped through her book for the translation, "Más temprano, an Americano sit here." She consulted her book again for 'blue eyes', He had ojos azules."

The bartender nodded.

"Si, él estaba aqui. He here; he ordered beer," he acknowledged, then hesitantly added, "Not nice man. Poor...uh, tip."

"Yes, that is him," Amanda smiled, "my cousin."

"Cousin. Ahhh, your primo."

"Yes. My primo," She agreed and then made up a story, "He likes to drink," she explained, gesturing taking a drink over and over again, "Too much."

The bartender acknowledged his understanding, "Too much drink. Not good."

"Yes, and too many for him make him very angry," Amanda explained, making a mean expression after the drinking gesture, "You entender?" When he nodded, she continued, "So tell me, did he sit..." she made a gesture of sitting and pointing to the barstool ..."here, the entire time?"

"Que?" The bartender scowled not understanding, "entire?"

"Yes, entire...let's see..." Amanda went back to the translation book, "...todo el tiempo. The todo el tiempo he sit here...or did he get up, come back?"

"Ah...si. I understand." The bartender considered, "Your primo here 'entire' time"…

Amanda didn't know why, but she felt disappointed, "Are you sure? Estas seguro?"

"Si. He sit here. Not leave."

Amanda carefully scrutinized the bartender's face. Her instincts were telling her he was speaking the truth. She had her answer as she thanked him and handed the other half of the torn bill. She also paid for her drink in addition to leaving a tip.

#

As she walked back to the motel, her mind drifted to what she needed to do next. She was thinking that perhaps she should send a message to Mr. Melrose to tell him about the murder of one of the informants. Yes, she will do that when she gets back to the inn, for she knew they had a phone. Who knows when would be the next time she will be near a phone?

She was exhausted and wanted to push the idea of Miguel's death out of her mind. She couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and rest.

The only comfort she could take from today was that although Ramos may be selfish and rude, at least he wasn't a murderer.

And she couldn't wait for this mission to be over so that she could see her mother, her two boys and...and maybe, just maybe Lee might be happy to see her as well.

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