The Dog Fighter (29 page)

I heard that he spit at the feet of Cantanas mistress. That he licked her ear and called her a whore.

Ramón looked up from the records smiling.

I come here thinking I will get to share with you all the good secrets only to find out you know them all already. My friend the maricones you live with here have sharp ears. Ears to the walls and streets? Did they tell you who saved you from the police?

What do you want Ramón?

Again with this what do I want. Ramón joked. He straightened some when he realized that I was serious. Cantana is anxious to thank you my friend. To shake your hand and say job well done.

And you are his messenger?

We are friends.

Cantana has no friends.

He said he would give me some money if I did.

Ramón smiled. Held up a record to the light and checked the cover for dust. I wanted him to leave. I knew that he made Jorge nervous and I did not know if I had the strength for another fight. I knew only one thing I could do to make him leave.

Do you still dream of the teeth Ramón?

He leaned toward me then.

I am the better fighter. He hissed. I may die by the teeth but I will have fought all my fights against them. This is more than your strength can ever do. And besides. He brought his shoulders back. Raised his chin. The women prefer me.

As Ramón walked through the courtyard to leave he paused by the blind mother and bent to whisper in her ear. As he spoke he looked me in the eyes and smiled again. The blind womans hands went to her mouth. She stood as he left and walked in circles shrieking. The dentist and cleaning woman ran to her side. She yelled words we did not understand. Finally they coaxed her to her room where for the rest of the day she mumbled prayers until exhausted she slept.

The next morning I went to the poet at his stall in the market. I was anxious to see this to some end. When the children saw me they wrapped themselves around my legs playfully. I did my best not to grimace in pain. Not to let them see how weak I had become.

We cannot talk here. The poet said to me. Let us go for a walk.

We walked slowly to the malecón and then north toward the hotel.

I thought you left our city for good my friend. The poet said. His gray hair wild. His face tired but eyes restless.

I would have said good bye.

I figured you had more important things.

Like what?

Hiding from the police. Ghosts of dead husbands and fugitives haunting you.

He patted my shoulder and smiled.

It is good to see you. I said sitting down on one of the benches.

And you? He smiled. How are you?

I have some broken ribs. But otherwise I am healing fine.

What an incredible fight it must have been. Do you know what people would have paid to see such a fight?

Not as much as I would have paid not to be a part of it.

Have you seen Cantana since?

I would not visit Cantana without visiting you first.

We were not sure.

No. I have not seen him. Javier. And Ramón. But that is all.

When did you see Ramón?

Yesterday. He came to tell me that Cantana wants to meet.

When?

This afternoon. Do you think this is a bad idea?

No. If he wanted you dead he would have let the police have you. This is good for us. The poet lit a cigarette. Wiping ash from the front of his shirt. I heard you chauffeured the limousine.

I was driving us. Not just him.

The small pickpocket told me.

Was he able to take the businessmans money?

Of course. The poet boasted.

And?

Not as much as he hoped for.

The smell of the water in the bay made me want to swim. The wind warm. The bay calm and inviting. The boys in their canoes called to me for a race. I waved back without thinking and it hurt my side.

We have missed your company at the salon. The poet said. The boys there want to hear of your fight. There had been some talk of slitting the fugitives throat in his sleep. None of them liked him very much.

How is Guillermo? I asked.

Old. Angry. Drunk.

And Guillermo? I smiled.

I am fine too. Like I said. We miss you.

At the end of the malecón the skinny cats sunbathed on rocks. Glass bottle mouths showed like tiny dark eyes when the waves receded. Across the way at the hotel the men were working. The scaffolding was tremendous. The crane placed at the center of the hotel now lifted materials from the outside to compose the building from within. Some of the lower walls had been built in. Openings for windows yet to be filled. I pointed to a corner where a new tractor slowly plodded. The poet squinted.

A ship came in with them several days ago. He said. Cantana must have contacted the Americans the night of the fires.

He wasted no time.

He cannot afford to.

And the young men? Have they been busy?

Only rumors. The poet smiled.

We stood quietly. Some cats had wandered up before us on the rocks and lay licking their paws before bringing them down over the ends of their scarred noses. The voice of the construction on the hotel was wordless but it came to us over the field as a voice the same. Even and defined. Its own. I missed the voice. It was one that I had been used to. I spent my days walking and thinking to myself so much since I had begun fighting dogs. I thought that maybe I should have just stayed with the work. That I was doing well enough without fighting dogs. But it had been worth it to encounter her.

When I worked there. I said to the poet. At night after all the men had gone I slept on the top floor. I woke in the morning with the sun on the sea and the rooftops and it was the most beautiful and difficult thing.

I have no desire to go to the top of that thing. The poet said simply.

I was not inviting you.

Yes you were.

I looked away from him.

Let us go. The poet reached up and rested his hand on my shoulder. We have much to do before you meet Cantana.

That afternoon Cantana sat alone at a table in the plaza where I had met him before. He held a cigarillo in his gloved right hand. Several children sat at a table next to him sipping Mexican hot chocolate from cups larger than their hands. They ate cut melon with wet fingers. Their smiles very large in the reflection of the businessmans sunglasses.

My friend. Cantana stood and opened his arms as I came near to his table. How are you feeling?

Better. I said. I am sorry I have not been to see you sooner but I felt well only recently. He stopped my explanation by waving his hand and offering me a seat. Ramón told me all that you have done for me. I want to thank you.

It was nothing. Have you eaten?

No. But I am fine.

Nonsense. Look how skinny you have gotten. Will you be able to fight?

Of course. I smiled but I do not think he was convinced. I had not thought about the fighting yet. The moon was only days from being full.

I do not believe you. Cantana said.

He then ordered one of each item on the menu. When the waiter brought the plates of food the children continued using their hands to eat. When their small bellies were full and bloated they played with the food on the plates as the waiter watched in disgust. Cantana laughed. He did not have to pick up after the children. And once he was gone it was the waiter that would have to deal with the children all day bothering his customers and stealing from their plates.

During the meal Cantana ate little but smoked throughout. Talking of the hotel and progress made there. I was relieved that he spoke nothing of the fugitive. That Vargas spit at her feet and called her a whore was unsaid between us. When I mentioned Ramón Cantana only lit a cigarillo and waved the subject away with his hand. This gesture of his never ceased to bother me.

I sent for you because I want to take a drive.

Of course. I said. To where?

Mendozas. He has something I think you might like to see. We will go the day after the fight. I trust you to drive me.

Knowing that this was the opportunity the old men were waiting for I told him I would be happy to drive. I worried that in my agreeing I was giving my secret away. But Cantanas face displayed nothing.

Ramón will join us. He only said.

You think Ramón will want to visit Mendoza? I asked.

Why not?

The teeth.

He has beaten them every time. Besides he and Mendoza are friends.

I knew this was not true. I wondered why Cantana wanted Ramón to be with us. I was not comfortable with this especially feeling so weak.

After I sat with Cantana for a while more Elías came to the table from a place I did not see him or expect him but realized then that he had not been far the entire time. We shook hands and then he whispered in Cantanas ear.

I must be going dog fighter. He explained. Business. Always business. I will see you at the fighting?

Yes.

I will have plenty of money on you as usual.

I will not let you down.

Bueno. Guillermo said when I told him of the drive to Mendozas. Several young men stood by the entrance to the salon. They looked to us wondering what was said. You will kill him and then you will kill Mendoza. The veteran continued.

And Ramón? I asked.

If he gets in the way. The poet said.

I do not think he will stand by while I kill Cantana. I said. Mendoza will not either.

Do not worry about Ramón then. Guillermo said to me. We will think of something. But that is when you are to do it. When you are at Mendozas.

What about the Americans? I asked.

We have plans for them of our own. Guillermo winked.

Find out what you can. The poet said. If Cantana mentions them and it makes sense not to kill him then do not. But only if he mentions them.

Make sure this works for us. Guillermo interrupted.

 

O
n the night of my sixth fight it was only to be myself and Ramón who fought. None of the men brought in on the ferry from Topolobampo for work on the hotel were willing to fight. With word of the attacks on the hotel fewer men were willing to come and work. Guillermo and the poet were winning their war from the shadows. Now they only had to wait for me to end it all with Cantanas murder.

They are anxious to see you out there dog fighter. Ramón said when we sat together in the small room on the rooftop. They expect to see scars on you from your fight with Vargas. To see how he left you.

I said nothing to Ramón. The mother of the dentist had refused to repeat what he had said to her and for this I could not forgive him.

There was much excitement through the crack around the door. Shadows of men passing through the light. There were only two sticks to draw at the bottom of the stairs. I had a good chance of drawing Mendoza. But Ramón and I both knew this would not happen. I felt weak though. Even a month later the fight with the fugitive had taken much from me. My ribs had not yet healed. But when I came into the ring she was beautiful and worth the chance. While they wrapped the heavy rug around my arm I was not afraid to look her in the eyes even if Cantana was to notice. But he was speaking with another businessman. They were both smiling very much. Their teeth white and clean in the last of the light of the day.

After my fight I did not return to the small room but instead stood with the yelling men. Cantana nodded to me across the ring while the ragmen took the heavy rug from my arm wet with the saliva of the dog. The blood thin on the metal claws taken from my hand. They wiped down my chest. I will be the one to murder you tomorrow I nodded to Cantana in return. Her eyes jewels.

Ramón came into the ring to a great commotion of whistles and yells. Men placing cigarettes into their mouths to squint from the smoke and clap. Even the young men taking bets turned to watch him enter. Ramón was always the favorite. When Mendoza brought the dog into the ring Ramón stepped from the ragmen to taunt it. To pretend as if he was going to pull back the dogs lips with his fingertips to check the filed ends of its teeth. The yelling men fell onto one another laughing. Ramón stood swiping his claws through the smoky air and then using the sharp metal ends to pretend to pick at something caught in his own teeth. He even turned to a ragman to have him look to see if they were clean. The yelling men laughed more. Mendoza watched this calmly from behind the fence of the ring holding the leash while Ramón laughed. Behind this laughing was much fear.

They come to me in my sleep. Ramón had confided in me. He confided this in me and I had used it against him to make him leave the compound. And then to have his revenge against me he had whispered into the ear of the dentists mother. But for the moment that it took for him to walk to her I had sat on a couch in the cool of the back room and felt a great satisfaction for using my words. For speaking my words to intimidate and beat another man without my fists.