Dance of the Bones

First he’d set up a meeting with Carlos, assuring him that Jane had agreed to come through with the extra cash. Henry had suggested Rattlesnake Skull charco as the site for their meetup because most -people on the reservation avoided the spot whenever possible. The two men had been sitting side by side in the cab of Carlos’s Jeep Cherokee having a little chat when Henry had plunged the loaded syringe into the man’s bare upper arm. Henry had been both amazed and gratified to see how quickly and thoroughly the drug had worked.

By the time it wore off, Henry had Carlos cuffed and secured to a cottonwood sapling growing on the edge of the charco. After that it was just a matter of collecting the other two brothers and bringing them along for the ride. Henry had come to the meeting with one of his stash of unregistered weapons, knowing and dreading the whole time that he might be forced to use it.

Yes, Jane may have ordered him to do it, but Henry had reasons of his own for being willing to. Henry had needed the José brothers gone on his own account, and Gabe Ortiz as well. They all knew who he was and could identify him. Henry couldn’t afford to be sent to prison any more than Jane Dobson could.

Henry’s real problem with carrying out Jane’s order was that, despite all his years in law enforcement, this was the first time he had ever killed someone. He had assured Carlos and Paul that if they’d just tell him where the shipment was, he’d let them go. That had been a lie, of course, but they’d believed him—-or at least Paul had. Once Paul spilled the beans and admitted that Timmy had put the shipment somewhere safe, that was it. Henry had covered their faces with grocery bags before stepping back and pulling the trigger. Then, after barfing his guts out, he’d fired again. Carlos and Paul were dead after that first round of bullets hit them. The second volley was just to be sure. After that Henry had gone looking for the kid, who, in all the hubbub, had managed to get loose and make good his escape.

He’d called Jane while he was looking, thinking she’d appreciate having an update. That had backfired. He could tell she was pissed, but so was he. It was easy for her to sit on her lazy ass in Tucson and issue the orders as long as she had Henry working his own butt off to carry them out.

From Henry’s point of view, that was what was wrong with this whole arrangement. He was tired of being bossed around, not just by Jane, but by Lucy, too. He was done. He’d give the woman her damned diamonds, pick up his money, and that would be it. He’d take care of Tim and Gabe, of course. That was a must, but after that, Henry was out of there.

Most of the illegal commerce crossing the border was headed north rather than south, but Henry knew -people who could and would help transport him and his wad of cash in the other direction. Why work for a living? Why bust his balls herding a Border Patrol SUV all over hell and gone, when he could shuck the whole thing and live like a king in Mexico?

Yes, Henry thought. It was definitely time for him to ride off into the sunset.

Out of the shower, Henry dressed. He was almost out the door when one last thought occurred to him. Jane had promised him a bonus for cleaning up her mess, but what if she considered him just another part of that same mess? What if Jane was planning on cleaning him up, too? That was definitely a possibility. After all, wasn’t Henry as much, if not more, of a threat to Jane than the José brothers had been?

In that case, Henry had best be on guard. He was determined that Jane Dobson wouldn’t take him down without a fight. He already had one weapon on him, but when he went to the garage to pick up the diamonds, he’d grab another one as well. If one gun was good, two were better.