The Rescue

39

Strickland listens in disbelief as Bettina tells him that El Gordo is willing to “trade” a great profit center like Joe for a Coastal Eddy article and video. And has waived her attempted regifting of his $10,000. Strickland asks Bettina to repeat Godoy’s terms as his mind whirls, plotting his next move.

Which he manages to cobble together — loosely — by the time Godoy calls, five minutes later.

And orders Strickland to send Joe back to Sinaloa so Godoy can present the dog to his “lovely journalist friend” in return for fame in America.

“But he’s not your dog to sell,” says Strickland. “He’s mine. And he’s your business partner.”

“She loves the dog very much,” says Godoy. “Joe is what she is charging me for my place in history. Mr. Knowles, I’m asking you to do this to protect Bettina. So that she survives the Sierra Madre, after finishing my important story and video. We can’t let anything evil happen to her.”

“You promised to protect her!” says Strickland, his heart seething and his voice taut. “You accepted my money and my labor in return for protecting her.”

“I keep that money.”

“You rob me for your own vanity?”

Laughter. “But I continue to spare your lover’s life. Páez is dead and Valeria is detained and my money has been confiscated by the American government. So we are even. Bring Joe to the Factoria Calderon. My people will find you. I trust you to get another good dog to work with. There are many. Joe is not the only dog, Mr. Knowles. And who knows? Maybe your creative Bettina will let him work for us again someday.”

Godoy chuckles.

“I’ll be with her in Los Mochis,” says Strickland.

“It will be good to see you, my friend.”