Chapter 11
Posted: July 03, 2007 - 09:29:04 pm
Updated: July 03, 2007 - 09:59:59 pm


I stayed at the Lopez's until four in the afternoon, before heading back to my room. After dinner I had walked Drina, Maria and Anna down to the river, while Juanita helped her mother. On this Sunday, Anna did not wander away from where I sat talking to Maria and Drina, so there wasn't any fooling around.

Sunday supper at the boardinghouse was an hour later than during the week, so I didn't see Molly until seven that evening. After supper, I helped with the dishes as usual, then wandered into Molly's formal parlor. I loved that room with its heavy overstuffed furniture and gleaming wood tables. However, the rooms biggest attraction to me was the bookcase built into one wall and the hundred or so books that lined the shelves.

Mister Gordon, the government man, was sitting in one of the two large comfortable chairs that were placed on either side of the fireplace. He was reading a two day old Austin paper that one of the railroad men must have brought in. He folded up the newspaper when he noticed me and leaned forward in his chair.

"I saw your new sign outside the El Toro Cantina, Mister McGuinn; I didn't know you were an officer of the court."

"Yep, since Thursday," I replied.

He nodded as if I were confirming something he already knew.

"Your sign is also in Spanish; does that mean you speak the language?"

I was getting a little perturbed by Gordon's circular way of coming to the point.

"Like a native. Why all the questions Mister Gordon? You don't think I'm a counterfeiter, do you?"

That question finally got a rise out of the implacable agent. He started to say something, but I held up my hand to stop him.

"Listen, you are a federal agent wandering around the border with Mexico, right after the release of the new United States Currency. What else could you be but Secret Service looking for counterfeiters? I don't know anything about counterfeiting, other than it's against the law, but if you have questions for me, fire away."

Gordon surprised me then by walking to the bookcase and taking down Molly's family Bible. Before I knew it, he had deputized me as an adjunct federal agent (without pay of course). He put the Bible back and handed me a brand new ten dollar bank note. The note was a gold certificate, which was redeemable for ten dollars in gold coinage, when presented to a bank. The note was impressive, green on the front and orange on the back. The person portrayed on the front of the note was Michael Hillegas, our nation's first treasurer. He was such an obscure person in history, his title was actually printed below his name on the bill.

"These started showing up in Austin about three months ago. We traced them back to El Paso, they are being printed somewhere near here, Mister McGuinn, probably somewhere on the other side of the river. As you can tell, they are a fairly good forgery."

I could tell no such thing, so I just nodded my head.

"How can I help you, Mister Gordon? I am just getting use to using currency instead of coins myself."

Turns out that Gordon did have a way I could help, and for a guy who wasn't even on the payroll, it might even involve some danger on my part. The first order of business was Gordon giving me a short class on how to tell a real gold certificate from the fake. After sitting down with me and telling me what he knew so far of the counterfeit ring, Gordon went to bed. His first job for me was simple enough, as all I had to do was be on the lookout for anyone passing the fakes. Later, if I thought it at all possible, I was to try to become part of the counterfeiting ring myself.

I was still sitting there sort of dumbfounded by the steamrolling Gordon had administered to me, when Molly walked into the parlor. After a quick glance at the doorway to make sure we were alone, she plopped down in my lap. She snuggled up into my arms and put her little cupid bow lips next to my ear.

"Care for some company tonight, Attorney McGuinn?" she purred.

Oh, hell yeah I did! I was up in a flash with her still in my arms. She was so small and light, I was able to almost sprint through the dining room, and out the kitchen door with her. She was giggling as badly as little Anna when I threw her into my bed and started ripping off my clothes.

Molly and I had lots of fun on my bed that night; our only break for three solid hours was when she threw her dress over her naked body and fetched her Seth Thomas alarm clock from her room. She carefully wound both the main spring and the alarm spring with a big brass key, before slipping off her dress and pouncing back on the bed. She was an energetic little elf when making love, and a cuddly little doll while we slept.

The alarm went off with a loud jangle at five in the morning. I gallantly volunteered to get up with her, but she shushed me with a kiss and slipped out of bed.

I rolled out of the rack three hours later, feeling so good it was probably illegal. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and dressed in my usual black pants and white shirt. I was in the kitchen by eight-fifteen, drinking coffee as Molly whipped me up some grub. By ten till nine, I was at Clem's Barbershop, lowering myself into a tub of tepid water. Bathed, shaved and looking good, I went to my office and waited for Feleena.

She was fashionably late of course, waltzing in at ten-twenty. I didn't whine about that though, once I saw how good she looked. I sat her down in front of my desk and we exchanged pleasantries, until I finally asked her the nature of her legal problem.

"I checked up on you Tyler McGuinn," she said. "I asked some of the dancers here about you. They all said you were always a gentleman and seemed trustworthy. So I will have to take a chance and trust you. A man owes me money, Mister McGuinn. It is a substantial amount, and I wish your help in collecting it."

I looked at her for a moment, trying to find a delicate way to phrase the question of what he owed her money for. She saw my discomfort and her chin came up a little higher.

"He used me under false pretenses, Señor, promising to marry me to get for free that for which other men pay dearly. He gave me jewelry and baubles which all turned out to be worthless fakes. I eventually found out he has a wife back in Santa Fe, and had no intention of ever marrying me. In short, he made a fool of me."

It was hard to keep a grin off my face at someone being good enough a conman to flimflam Feleena, but I did just that, by concentrating on her case. The man turned out to be the railroad agent that I'd played cards with on my first night in El Paso. I agreed to approach the man on Feleena's behalf, and seek restitution for her. I took the case on a contingency basis; I would take a percentage of anything I recovered. Feleena agreed with the deal and paid me my standard one dollar retainer.

I think Feleena was disappointed when I told her I'd see her after I met with the railroad man. No doubt after being exposed to her twice in the last two days, she thought that I'd run right over to Rosa's tonight to see her again.

As soon as I walked Feleena to the door, I hustled to the stable and saddled up Melosa for another trip across the river. Once in Mexican El Paso, I found a haberdashery with some nice suits in the window. I walked in and had the tailor measure me for a traditional Mexican charro suit. A charro is another word for cowboy in Mexican Spanish.

A charro suit has a short tight jacket and peg legged pants, both trimmed in fancy rickrack on the sleeves, lapels and down the trouser legs. I knew the suit would have to be custom made because of my height, but I also knew that it would look way good on my lanky frame. I also picked out a fancy white shirt and black silk tie to polish off the ensemble. The tailor said he'd have it for me Wednesday morning without fail.

As part of my deal with Agent Gordon, I attempted to pay the tailor's deposit with one of the counterfeit ten dollar bills. The tailor gave it the fish eye and said he only took gold or silver coins. I pressed him on it, citing the pledge that it was redeemable in gold, but he wouldn't budge. I finally paid him in silver dollars. His refusal to take the currency wasn't conclusive proof that he'd seen one of the forgeries before, but his demeanor made it seem likely. If that were the case, it was interesting that he didn't tell me the money was counterfeit.

I chewed on that as Melosa and I meandered down the dusty main street of El Paso del Norte, headed toward the river crossing.

That night I slipped away from work for a few minutes to visit the Gold Nugget. I went into the Nugget's dance hall, bought a ticket and waited a turn with Liz. When I took her in my arms to dance, she gave me a shy smile and asked how I was. I teased her that I was heartbroken since she'd run off with my best friend, but other than that, I was just fine. She looked startled for a second, until she caught on that I was joshing her. When she did figure it out, she laughed and said, yes, she'd heard I was pining away in the arms of at least two other women.

When we finished laughing, I came to the point of my visit, by describing the railroad agent and asking if she knew anything about him.

"Everyone here knows Burton Toliver, Ty; he is practically engaged to Lucetta, over there."

She indicated Lucetta with an incline of her head towards a pretty Mexican woman that looked somewhat like Feleena. I'll give Toliver this much, he had some balls running the same scam less than a block from where Feleena worked.

Liz said that Toliver was out of town for a few days on business, but was scheduled to return later in the week. She asked me why I was asking. I told her it was confidential and to please not mention me asking about him to anyone, least of all Lucetta. We finished the dance and I left after kissing her on the cheek.

Tuesday morning at breakfast, I told Molly that I might have a guest over for the afternoon. Regardless of what Molly said about me sowing wild oats, I was going to insure I paid her the courtesy of being up front with her.

"I have shopping to do this afternoon, anyway, Ty, and the pictures are safely off the wall," she teased.

I dropped by the restaurant at the El Paso Grand Hotel next, and had a few words with Juanita. I asked her if she could come over and visit me when she was off work. She was more than agreeable to doing that. I really did want to spend some time with Juanita, but I also needed to enlist her help for my plans for tomorrow.

Nita showed up a little after one and was naked in my bed a few minutes later. Instead of the frenetic coupling we experience the first time, this time I slowed her down and stretched out her pleasure. When we were finished, she snuggled up in my arms and told me how much she enjoyed making love that way. I told her that there was a place for both ways we had been together, depending on the mood. After I said that, Juanita slipped down and took my wilted member into her mouth and breathed new life into him. When I was standing up rock hard, she raised her head and gave me the eye.

"I think now I am in the mood for the other," she said in that sexy, husky Lopez voice.

I lasted longer the second time, so Juanita got her wish as we athletically screwed like bunnies.

After our second bout, I filled her in on my plans for her grandmother the next day. Juanita thought it was about the sweetest thing she'd ever heard, and enthusiastically signed on. She said she'd fill Maria in on my plan later that night, since Maria would be home in the morning.

I picked up my new suit Wednesday morning. I tried it on at the haberdashery and the tailor made the last few adjustments. I am here to tell you that I looked damned good in that thing! I packed the suit neatly into my saddle bags and rode back to the hotel to pick up the picnic lunch Ramona was preparing me.

From the hotel, I rode out to the Lopez house. I carefully kept out of sight from the house, and snuck up behind the barn. I entered the tack room through the door leading to the attached coral, and snagged the black and silver saddle, along with its blanket and tack. I swapped saddles on Melosa before stripping and putting on my new suit. I left the picnic basket behind the barn, mounted up and rode out so I could approach the house by coming down the road in front of it. The black saddle fit Melosa's back and my butt as if it had been custom made for us.

We walked up into the yard; Melosa and I both looking our best. I hailed the house and Anna came to the door. She walked out on the porch, her eyes huge and her hand covering her mouth. For the first time since I'd met her, Anna wasn't in a black dress. Instead, she was wearing a full loose red skirt and a white off the shoulder top. Her hair was down and bushed to a glossy shine. She looked about Ramona's age dressed that way.

I flipped my left leg over Melosa's head and slid out of the saddle to the ground. I took off my hat and bowed and Melosa curtseyed; then I bounded up onto the porch in two strides and stood in front of Anna. She had tears in her eyes and still hadn't said anything.

"What, no kiss for your favorite Vaquero?" I asked softly.

When I said that, the veil dropped off her eyes and she turned on that witchy look full strength. I held open my arms and she nearly knocked me down jumping into them. Her lips found mine and she planted a kiss on me that left me panting. Still without saying a word, she moved out of my encircling arms and walked down the steps to look at the saddle on Melosa. The little filly seemed to know what was going on and stood proudly erect as Anna walked around her. Finally, she said something.

"You did this all for me?" she asked incredulously.

"Just for you, Señora Anna, it is my thanks for your generosity and friendship."

I was off the steps and kissing her before she could say anything else. I broke the kiss, took her hand in mine, and grabbed Melosa's reins.

"Come on my two beauties, let's go have our picnic," I said.

We swung by the back of the barn to pick up my basket of goodies, and then walked down the path behind the barn that led to the river.

Anna spread out the blanket and sat on it while I pulled the food out of the basket. She was still being very quiet, her eyes always on me. I sat the food out on the blanket and started to break off a piece of bread. Anna stayed my hand and gave me a heart melting smile.

"No, Charro, that is not for you to do," she said sweetly.

At my confused look, Anna patted the blanket next to her. I moved around until I was sitting beside her.

"Lie down and put your head in my lap," she ordered.

I complied and she was soon breaking off bits of bread and cheese then feeding them to me. While I nibbled, she told me how happy I had made her.

"It was if I were a young woman again with a handsome vaquero wooing me. You took my breath away sitting up there on that saddle wearing your beautiful suit. You made an old woman happy, Señor."

We spent a very nice couple of hours in our shady little spot on the bank of the Rio Grande. After we ate, Anna insisted I stay put as she packed away the remains of the picnic. When she finished, she pulled my head back in her lap and played with my hair as we talked. She seemed content spoiling me like that, and I was selfish enough to let her.

She told me that the evening before, a man had visited Hector and had a few drinks with him. The man's family owned a restaurant south of the border. He was in his early thirties and widowed the year before with two small children. He was a hardworking young man and very presentable in looks and manners. Hector thought he might be a good prospect for Juanita.

"He is not you, Charro, but he might do," she said.

I told Anna that I hoped it worked for Juanita, and I would try not to be an obstacle in her finding happiness.

Anna laughed and ruffled my hair.

"As much as we love you Tyler, and as great as it feels bedding you, none of us consider you a husband prospect for either of my granddaughters. Your destiny is woven with ours somehow though, that is obvious because of the effect you have on us and us on you. Even Ramona has lustful thoughts about you."

I blushed when I remembered Ramona looking at me during dinner on Sunday. I rushed to reassure Anna that I wouldn't bother Ramona or Maria that way. Anna laughed gaily at my protestation.

"You make it sound as if you have a say in the matter, Charro," she said.

I rode back to town in my new outfit, perched on my new saddle. As luck would have it, I ran into Feleena coming out of Pritchett's with an arm full of packages. She did a double take when she saw me all decked out. I dismounted Melosa and took the packages from her.

She took my arm and Melosa fell in behind us. As we walked towards Rosa's, I filled her in about Burt Toliver. None of it seemed to be news to her.

"I know he is seeing that trollop Lucetta. They are welcome to each other, all I want is my money."

I thought it more than a little strange that Feleena would call another woman in the same line of work a trollop. Feleena seemed to pluck that thought from my mind.

"I am not a trollop, Señor Abogado (Mr. Lawyer). I do not sleep with every man that offers me money," she said in that haughty tone she sometimes used.

I shrugged and answered her.

"I make no judgments Señorita; I am, as you pointed out, only your abogado representing you in a legal matter."

Feleena looked as if she had more to say, but we were at the door of Rosa's by then. I handed her the packages, wished her a good day, and rode off without as much as a backwards glance.
Joe J & Wet Dream-Girl
El Paso 12