Chapter 37 – Turning the tables
"Lancers! Arrest him! Shoot him! Kill him!" the alcalde cried while reaching for his pistol, glad his elbow had healed now and he could use the right hand, always more accurate for shooting than the left.
As much as Zorro would have liked to explain the situation, he doubted the alcalde would take the necessary time to hear his explanations, so he moved quickly to get out of the small cottage through the back door. From there, he turned to address Mendoza, using the blood-stained tip of his sword to point at the dagger still on the floor.
"Don't touch that blade. She poisoned Don Luis with it. Please, get him to the doctor," Zorro said right before the alcalde's bullet hit the door frame, close to his head.
"GET HIM!" the alcalde roared. A couple of lancers lifted their loaded muskets, ready to shoot as well, so Zorro gave up and left without a further word. While a group of lancers gave chase, Mendoza kneeled at Don Luis's side.
"Don Luis, are you injured? What happened here?" Mendoza said.
"No, not injured. Only this scratch, but I don't feel well," he said slowly, dragging his words like a drunken man.
"Did Zorro kill señorita Lucía?" the alcalde asked while shaking Don Luis's shoulder roughly, because he looked as if about to fall asleep.
"Yes," Don Luis said, blinking while looking up to answer the alcalde.
"Really?" Mendoza said, with his heart sinking. "Why would he?"
"He didn't mean to. She… she did… she did…"
"She did what?" Mendoza said, also shaking his shoulders. "What? Tell us!"
"She…" Don Luis tried again, but he couldn't finish, dropping to the ground unconscious.
"We have to get this man to the doctor! Zorro said that blade poisoned him," Mendoza said, looking at the small cut in the unconscious man's arm. It was already blackened, looking very abnormal. "Sepúlveda! Give me a hand here, rápido!"
While Sepúlveda helped the sergeant, the alcalde picked the dagger up with his gloved hand, careful to touch only the handle. With a smirk, he placed it back on the discarded leather sheath and put it in his pocket.
The soldiers carried Don Luis to one of the horses and rode to the pueblo as fast as they could. He was still alive when they reached the doctor's house, but despite his efforts to save him he died within an hour, never regaining consciousness to explain what happened.
ZZZ
Chased by the lancers, Zorro cursed on his way back to the hacienda. The alcalde had arrived at the cottage way too soon so he had to assume that, on the way to the pueblo, Don Luis's servant had met the soldiers already out searching for Lucía, as the alcalde had promised he would do first thing in the morning. Zorro wasn't expecting them so soon, and he was caught off-guard when they arrived at the cottage at the worse possible moment, because now it looked like he had killed Lucía in cold blood. At least Don Luis was still alive, and Zorro could only hope he would explain correctly what had happened there, but that man already looked seriously affected by the poison, whatever it was, and he didn't know how long he would survive.
When he arrived at the cave he changed quickly into Diego's clothes and headed upstairs, very upset, unable to shake off the intense sense of guilt he felt for taking a life, even if it was a seriously damaged one and he didn't mean to do it. Acting on a whim, instead of going to his room to rest, he took some more of his magic powder and headed for the stables to get on Esperanza. The soldiers should have taken Don Luis to the doctor by then, and he wanted to know what was happening.
ZZZ
"Son, I think we owe you an apology," Don Emilio said, taking Esteban's floppy hand.
"Yes, we do," Don Alejandro said, uncomfortable with the embarrassment he felt. "I can't believe you were right when you said Lucía had framed you. I'm really sorry I hit you and insulted you as I did. Please, forgive me."
"Yes. Who would have thought with your reputation? I hope you can forgive us for forcing you into marrying that crazy woman," Don Emilio said.
Busy as he was just breathing to keep on living, Esteban lifted his eyes to look at them from his bed, too exhausted to reply and gloat about it with a mighty "I told you so". He hated missing that wonderful chance of embarrassing his elders further, as they looked so contrite and upset already, but he had to let go. He had survived the experience, and that was enough for now.
"It's… all right," was all he managed to reply, closing his eyes. He wanted to fall asleep, but he was worried he could stop breathing again and his father and uncle would not notice it to use the bellows until it was too late. If Diego was still around, he could relax in his capable hands, but he didn't trust his father. Then, as if he knew what he was thinking, Don Emilio tapped his son's hand.
"That's it, Son, rest now. Don't worry about anything, because we are here watching you. Diego told me what to do, and the doctor will be here soon. We can talk about this later."
"Great," Esteban mumbled, relaxing his head on the soft pillows then, giving in to sleep.
ZZZ
At the pueblo, the alcalde wasted no time spreading the news that Zorro had killed a woman, goring her with his sword, and everybody was disgusted with that piece of information. In their minds, it didn't matter she was a deranged serial killer; the only thing that seemed to matter was the tragic way she had died. And Zorro was the one to blame.
When Mendoza realized what was happening, hearing all the vile comments about Zorro, he went to the office to confront the alcalde.
"Mi alcalde, everybody is saying Zorro should be punished for killing señorita Lucía, but you heard Don Luis saying Zorro didn't mean to kill her. It was an accident."
"I heard no such thing! And neither did you, so stop this nonsense right now!" the alcalde shouted, stumping his fist on the desk. "Mendoza, Zorro killed that woman in cold blood and you know it. He is a murderer, and he has to pay for his crime!"
"But…" Mendoza insisted weakly, stopping when the alcalde stood up. Ramón advanced his menacing index finger close to Mendoza's face, who gulped when he saw the vile spark in those demented green eyes. "Sí, mi alcalde," he said in a whisper before he left the office quickly, afraid to ever cross that dangerous, vindictive man.
Amused by the way the coward sergeant had left the office, Ramón sat down again on his chair. He took a moment to have a look at the Z on his chest and, like every time he did that, he brewed with hatred, loathing the man who branded him for life. He opened the top drawer on his desk then, where he had kept Lucia's dagger, and he wondered one more time if it would still contain enough poison on its blade to use it again.
What a shame that crazy woman didn't succeed in killing Zorro. Or that impertinent De la Vega, the alcalde thought, sulking. But hopefully, I will finish her job soon and get rid of both.
ZZZ
Doctor Hernández didn't have a clue which powerful poison Lucía had used on the blade that had scratched Don Luis so superficially, but whatever it was, it had worked really fast. When Diego arrived at the doctor's house the man was already dead.
"Diego, are you all right?"
He nodded, visibly upset, and pointed at the inert body lying on the bed.
"Is he…?"
"Yes, he is dead. I'm sorry, but I couldn't do anything. What happened? Do you know what he was poisoned with?"
"No. Lucía used a dagger against me, but I managed to avoid the blade. She threw it at me, but when I deflected it with the sword, it scratched Don Luis's arm. She knew the small wound would be fatal, because she got very upset and then thrusted forward to meet my sword, actually killing herself. I didn't mean to kill her, I swear! I didn't see that coming. I was only using the sword to keep her at bay, away from me," Diego said, shaking. Doctor Hernández took him to a chair, where he slumped like a dead weight with his hands on his face.
"Calm down, please. It wasn't your fault. I'm sure of that, despite what everybody may already be saying."
"Did he say anything? Did he explain what happened?"
"No, I'm afraid not. Don Luis was unconscious when the soldiers brought him in, and he didn't last long. He never said a word."
"Maldita sea. It will be the alcalde's word against mine then."
The doctor placed his hand on Diego's shoulder, showing him his support, but he didn't say anything else about it. They both knew the alcalde's ways, and he would hang onto that like a dog with a bone, adding the murder to the official list of Zorro's alleged crimes no matter what.
"How is Esteban? Is he alright?" the doctor asked, changing the subject. "I couldn't visit him this morning, obviously, while treating Don Luis."
"He is better. He is breathing on his own now, and he can move a little bit, no longer paralyzed."
"Good. That's very good. You did an excellent job there, Diego. You saved your cousin. So, stop worrying about the alcalde now and go home to rest. You must be exhausted."
"Yes. But I took some of the coca extract this morning. I'm alright."
"Diego, how much of the stuff are you using? I'm beginning to worry about you."
"Sometimes I just have to take it. It works so well to give me a boost."
"Yes, but you shouldn't abuse it, all right? Go home now, please. I'll check on your cousin later, as soon as I can."
"Thanks, Doctor. I'll see you later."
Diego left the doctor's house, but instead of heading home he went to the tavern first to see Victoria. When she spotted him, she approached him quickly to question him about the news.
"Diego, is that true what people are saying, that Lucía framed Esteban to marry her and then poisoned him?"
"Yes."
"Are you telling me Esteban was right, that all this was a hoax and he never made love to that woman?"
"Yes."
"And he would still marry her?"
"Everybody was against him, even me. We all told him he had to. It looks like he is a true gentleman, after all."
Victoria kept silent, processing the information. Then she remembered Esteban's words: "She is ruining my life, Victoria, and everybody is against me. But I know I haven't done anything wrong. I can only hope the truth will come to light one day." That memory made her feel like a complete fool. Oh, my God! He was right, and I am such an idiot!
"Funny, ah?"
"No, it's not funny, Diego."
"You are right. No, it's not."
"I've been so unfair with your cousin. I feel so ashamed now."
"We all have. I have the feeling when he recovers from this, he is going to gloat about it."
"And rightly so. How is he?"
"He made it through the night. I think he is out of danger now."
"I have to see him. I have to apologize. I'll go the hacienda as soon as I can."
"He is not going anywhere, so there is no need to rush," Diego said, annoyed by her obvious concern.
"And what about Zorro? How could he kill that woman? I just can't believe he did that!"
"I'm sure that was an accident. Zorro would never do that on purpose."
"Yes, that's what I think too. But I can't stand hearing people talking as if Zorro was a criminal now. It's too upsetting."
"Don't worry. I'm sure the truth will come to light soon."
"Ah?" she said, puzzled. Was that a saying in the De la Vega family or what?
"I'm going to check on Apollo now and then I'll return to the hacienda. But, can I have a glass of lemonade first, please? I'm so thirsty."
"Certainly. I'll prepare a fresh one for you right now."
"Thank you."
He looked at her walking into the kitchen through the curtains, thinking on how lucky Esteban was. She was feeling so guilty for the way she had treated him she would probably go out of her way to please him from now on. And, unfortunately for him, at the same time she was very upset about Zorro. Another complication to their relationship he didn't need. He would have to pay her a visit as soon as possible to tell her what had happened exactly at that cottage.
ZZZ
In the history of Los Angeles and the whole of Nueva España, nobody had ever gone from villain to hero as fast as Esteban did that day. The news ran fast, and the story grew bigger and bigger with every new account. By the end of the afternoon, everybody knew Lucía had framed him to marry him and then she had tried to poison him, the same as she had poisoned her stepmother, her lover, and his wife.
On the other hand, nobody had gone from hero to villain as fast as Zorro. Turning the tables, he had fallen from grace when he was accused of killing a woman in cold blood unnecessarily, and everybody demanded an explanation for his actions.
In the afternoon, lots of people came by the hacienda De la Vega to find out about Esteban's condition, especially the swarm of young, single women, because they once again considered him worthy of marriage: a man of principles and integrity, a true gentleman after all, and not a scumbag.
Don Alejandro grew tired of telling them all to go away because Esteban was still too sick to receive visitors, but he made an exception when Victoria showed up.
ZZZZZ