The Law and Dan Mesa

by Dan Sears

  Annette arrives at the guard station and sees two men. One is dressed in a sports jacket and tie, but the other one stands out. He is dressed in jeans, a green western shirt with a brown western tie, brown boots, and a gray western hat. There is a star on his chest. He is a small man as far as size goes but a big man in his demeanor.

  “Ranger Mesa, I presume,” she says.

  “Yes, I am Dan Mesa, and this is my father-in-law, Jonathan Williamson.”

  “Agent Ortiz sent me down to escort you to his office, so please follow me.”

  When they arrive on the fifth floor, all eyes are on the cowboy. Annette escorts them to Scotty’s office. Annette sits down and is delighted to watch two old friend greet each other.

  “Daniel Mesa, how the hell are you, old buddy? It has been a few years since we have seen each other.”

  “Scotty, it is good to see you,” Dan says. “I try to keep up with you, but man, you are constantly moving and changing residences. Once you were in San Antonio, then Kansas City, and the next thing I know, you are in DC with the big boys. Oh, let me introduce you to my father-in-law, Jonathan Horatio Williamson.”

  Scotty beams and says, “Sir, I have heard about you all my life. My father was in the Korean War and always talked about ‘Jonathan Horatio Williamson’ and your exploits at Kunsan and Pusan. He says you saved the day.”

  “Please express my thanks to your father,” Jonathan says, smiling. “All of us were heroes that day.”

  Scotty turns to Dan.

  “Now, what brings you from Arizona to DC?” he asks. “I kept up with you too. Man, that was some performance in Albuquerque a few weeks ago. You know something? I’d hate to piss you off. You could be a force to reckon with.”

  “Scotty, I need your help. I was sent to escort a prisoner who is a witness in a murder trial back to Tucson. The bad guys found out about it and have already tried to kill him and me. There is a traitor somewhere in the rangers in Tucson, and they know my every move. If I fly in, they will be waiting for me, so I have decided to drive back. Dad has agreed to drive us back in his RV, and I need you to ride shotgun with me. I know what you can do with those hands and feet of yours. I have seen you in action, and you were the European champion. I don’t want to put Dad and Nadia at risk, so will you help?”

  “Dan, I need a break from this crazy town,” Scotty says, “so you have yourself a shotgun rider. Now, tell me what I am getting myself into.”

  Mesa explains the details to Scotty while Jonathan listens.

  Finally, Jonathan says, “Dan, what have you gotten yourself into? This sounds like mafia-type stuff. The rangers are definitely keeping you busy these days. You just finished that situation with Jackson down in New Mexico. When do you get a break?”

  “Well, Dad, according to the captain I have had my break with this trip. He told me this was just a simple trip without any problems. He will owe me big-time for this. Scotty, those would be assassins came from the Cherry Hill area of Baltimore City. I’d like to go to that area and find out exactly who those guys really are. Can we do that?”

  Scotty ponders for a moment before saying, “Dan, Cherry Hill is a dangerous area; you never know what will happen there. We could wind up fighting our way out. Are you sure you want to do that?”

  “Scotty, I have been fighting since I was a kid. When do we start?”

  Jonathan looks at Dan and Scotty and comments, “You two are crazy. Take me home before you two start on your adventure. I am too old to be taking part in that type of activity. I hope you fellows will be extremely careful.”

  Mesa and Ortiz take Jonathan back to Baltimore and proceed to Cherry Hill. They arrive at 17452 Emory Lane, the home of Maria Sandoval, the mother of Raymondo Sandoval. They sit and observe for thirty minutes, and no one arrives or departs.

  Ortiz slowly gets out of the car, and Mesa follows.

  “Dan, let me do the talking. Sometimes federal cops can get more done.”

  Ortiz knocks on the door and waits as a very beautiful, middle-aged lady answers the door.

  “Good day, señora. I am Agent Scott Ortiz of the FBI, and I am looking for the mother of Raymondo Sandoval.”

  “That will be my sister Maria,” she says. “I am Jodia Sandoval. I will get Maria. If you are the FBI, then who are you?” she asks, pointing at Mesa.

  Mesa realizes she is talking to him.

  “I am Sergeant Daniel Mesa of the Arizona rangers,” he says.

  The lady departs and returns with Maria Sandoval. Ortiz smiles and introduces himself.

  “Señora, I am Scott Ortiz of the FBI, and I am looking for Raymondo Sandoval, your son. He was involved in a shooting in which a prisoner was killed and a policeman injured. He was traveling with Jefferson Mitchell. Mitchell is dead, and Raymondo could wind up dead as well unless he gives himself up.”

  Maria looks at Scott and says, “Señor, I haven’t seen my son since two days ago, and he was talking about all the money he would have. I suspect Raymondo is in big trouble and I told him so, but he only smiles and says he is doing it to get money for the family. I don’t need that kind of money, and I told him that if he did bad things he shouldn’t come home ever again. He’s not home.”

  “Mrs. Sandoval, Raymondo and Jefferson are working for the mafia, and that is very bad business, so please be careful. If you have any problems please call me at any time. Here is my phone number at work and my cell number. If Raymondo calls, tell him I came by and that he is in serious trouble. Thanks for talking with us and good-bye.”

  “Jodi turns to Maria and says, “That Scott is a handsome fellow but that ranger guy has the look of the Lobo, the hunter. He is a very dangerous man but a good man I believe. He would be good for you but not so good for Raymondo. We must keep them apart.”

  “Jodi, I don’t need a man in my life. I had one and he was totally useless and I have been alone for a long time and I am probably not so good company for such a man as the ranger. He is very handsome but he is not the “playboy” type. He is a man who has seen much trouble and heartbreak I think.”

  Mesa and Ortiz return to Jonathan’s house.

  Meanwhile, Raymondo has contacted Pellegrinni and is telling him what has happened.

  In Vermenti’s office, Raymondo says, “Mr. Pellegrinni, we shot Ranson, but in doing it Mitchell was killed, and we accidentally shot and injured a policeman. That ranger fellow is hell on wheels. He killed Mitchell and came close to killing me. He shot the heel off my boots. I don’t want to tangle with him again.”

  Pellegrinni laughs and says, “You completed the assignment, and now I want you to disappear for a while. I don’t want the police to find you, so here is the money I promised you and Mitchell. He isn’t here to claim his part, so it goes to you. I suggest you send some of it to his mother as a gesture of caring. He was your friend.”

  “I believe I will visit Puerto Rico for a while. Mom has family there. Thanks, Mr. Pellegrinni. If you need me again, just ask.”

  Raymondo is a member of the mafia and one of the bad boys who will wind up with a bullet in his brain or blown to bits. So goes the life of a hit man. He takes his money and goes straight to the airport to take a fight to San Juan Puerto Rico.

  The phone rings in Tucson and Carlos answers.

  “This is Carlos.”

  “Carlos, your problem with Ranson has been taken care of; however, you are aware that one hand washes the other, so we may one day ask a favor of your organization.”

  “Yes, I am aware, and that will not be a problem. Please express my appreciation to your company for helping us out in our time of need.”

  Antonio is listening in and asks Carlos after he hangs up, “Boss, does that mean we are on the hook for them?”

  “No, it only means that, one day, we may have to return the favor. The main thing is th
at Ranson is dead and can’t testify against me.”

  Chapter Three

  Lieutenant Alana Osborne of the rangers has been discharged from the hospital and is at home. She is a friend of Dan Mesa who was injured in a gunfight. Her sight has returned but only in one eye, the right eye. Doctor Vansant, the optometrist, is briefing her and her mother.

  “Alana, although your sight has returned in the right eye, it may not be permanent. I am giving you a prescription for a solution to put into your eyes twice each day. It will cause temporarily blindness for about five minutes, and then your sight will return. You will be able to function as normal. One day, you will lose sight in the right eye. Do you have any questions?”

  “At least I have sight for now,” Alana says, smiling. “How long before I lose sight in my right eye?”

  “That is something I don’t know. I do believe you will get some sight back in your left eye as well.”

  “Doctor, I can see some light right now.”

  Dr. Vansant beams and says, “Lieutenant, you continue to amaze me. You have a desire to recover greater than anyone does. What is the motivation?”

  “There is this certain ranger, named Dan Mesa, who is the source of this great desire,” her mother, Matilda, says.

  “Oh, don’t pay her any attention, doctor,” Alana says.

  Dr. Vansant looks puzzled and asks, “Who is this Dan Mesa?”

  “He is a very close friend of ours and someone Alana has very strong feelings for,” her mother says. “He is the one who came in with her the night she was injured. She had a temporary loss of her memory and couldn’t remember him when she came out of the coma. She regained her memory but lost her sight, so she hasn’t told him about any of this and he doesn’t know she has regained her memory.”

  Vansant shakes his head and says, “I understand why you did what you did, but he deserves the right to know.” He pauses and snaps his finger saying, “Oh my goodness! He is that fellow they had on the news that was involved in that shoot-out in Albuquerque with Jose Jackson. That is the Dan Mesa you are speaking of?”

  “Yes, doctor. He is the one and only Sergeant Daniel Mesa. He is someone who deserves some happiness after what he has been through. I’d rather lose him than to be a burden to him.”

  “Alana, don’t you believe he has the right to make that decision? He sounds like the kind of fellow who’d never give you up if he knew the circumstances. Give him a chance to decide,” Dr. Vansant says. “I must make my rounds, but I will check in later today.”

  After the door closes, Matilda says, “Honey, you have to decide what is best for you. No one can tell you what the best thing is. Whatever you decide, I will be here for you.”

  “Mom, I love him dearly, and one day, I will call him and tell him. I just don’t know how to face him now.”

  In Amado, Sonia is preparing for work when she suddenly sees Dan’s picture. It all comes back and settles on her shoulder like a weight. She looks at her reflection in the mirror and sees a beautiful, sad face, one that should be happy but isn’t. She remembers the day he left and how sad his face was and tears begin to fall. She says to herself, I love him so very much, and I am afraid to let him know. In her mind, she knows there has to be a middle ground where they can meet and be happy. It is just a matter of finding it.

  At Jonathan’s house in Baltimore, Dan is making preparations for the trip to Arizona. Nadia has packed all the food requirements, and Jonathan adds a large bottle of Brandy. As an afterthought he packs his old assault rifle with extra ammunition.

  “Jonathan, why are you taking that old thing?” Nadia asks.

  Jonathan smiles and says, “Honey, I don’t know what we will face, but I plan to be prepared. Whatever happens, I want you to be safe. I haven’t spent nearly enough time with you. I want to be a very old man and still madly in love with you.”

  At that moment, Garnett walks in. She turns and walks right into Dan Mesa. She stammers, and he just smiles.

  “I understand,” he says and turns and walks away.

  Garnett suddenly remembers the good times they had together. She remembers days and nights in the Bahamas, a boat cruise in Turkey, a dinner in Belgium, and other pleasant times. Then she recalls the nights and days she spent alone while he was away in Greece, Turkey, Greenland, Saudi, or some other forgotten place. Maybe things could have been different, but she knows Daniel Mesa better than anyone does, and she knows how eccentric he can be and how he doesn’t fit into any neat category. Dan Mesa is an enigma. Somewhere deep down in the recesses of her soul, she loves him dearly, but she will never take him back. He will always be a part of her life, though, because every time she looks at Devlin, she sees Dan.

  Nadia watches Dan as he walks away and sees him wipe his eyes. His usual erect pose has sagged a little, and she knows he is slowly falling apart. She follows him outside, and as he turns toward her, he smiles that Mesa crooked smile and says, “I guess I must have gotten some trash into my eye.”

  “Dan, you don’t have to pretend with me. I know how much she means to you and how it haunts you. You need to find someone to belong to. It is hard for you to let go of her, I know. Son, some things can’t be fixed. I love you as if you were my blood, and I feel your pain. Jonathan knows this isn’t your doing. He just loves her more than anyone except me.”

  Dan’s face shows all the hurt and pain he has faced these past few years. Suddenly, he feels very cold and alone.

  “Mom, I just don’t know how to face life without her and Devlin,” he says slowly. “I met two women I like in Arizona. One saw me kill a man in self-defense and couldn’t handle it. Her husband was a policeman who was killed in the line of duty. The other one is a ranger who was accidentally shot when we were having dinner by two assassins sent to kill me by Jose Guittierrez-Jackson’s family. She lost her memory and doesn’t remember me and now thinks I am a trigger-happy cop. I am running out of places to go and people to go to. I only want to be happy with someone who wants me.”

  “Dan, you have paid a heavy price in your life—Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and twenty years of military life—and it has left you with very little in the way of tangible items. You do have a lot in that you are making a difference as a ranger and you love it. Don’t give up on life and love. It is out there somewhere waiting for you. You just have to keep your eyes open. Devlin thinks you are the greatest; you are his idol. He tells everyone about his dad, the ranger.”

  Dan slowly smiles and says, “Thanks, Mom, for being there and caring about me. You don’t know how much it has meant to me.”

  “Dan, how do you see your life in the future? Have you looked that far ahead?”

  “Mom, I have been living from day to day these last few years. I believe my life is too difficult to look at it in the light. My private life is so difficult until I try not to look at it too closely. I don’t have any plans for marriage right now. I want to see Devlin grow up and turn into a handsome, good young man.”

  Scotty walks out then and says, “Mr. Williamson is ready to load up the RV.”

  Jonathan asks Dan when and where they will pick up Ranson.

  “Dad, we will have to go back to Richmond and pick him up at the police station in Richmond. They are holding him there under an alias.”

  Garnett comes out with Devlin to say good-bye.

  Devlin looks at his dad and says, “Dad, be careful and take care of Grandmother and Granddad.”

  “I will, son. You take care of your mother for me and be a good boy. I love you dearly. Give me hug. Now, you hug Mom for me and tell her I love her. Good-bye, Garnett.”

  She looks at Dan and just waves good-bye.

  When the RV has been loaded, they proceed on their way. The trip to Richmond is uneventful. Upon arriving at the police station, Dan checks in with Captain Emmett.

  “Captain, these
are the plans for transporting Ranson back to Tucson,” he says. “We will travel by RV, and the license number is ML371 Maryland. It is registered to Jonathan Horatio Williamson of 3234 Sequoia Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland.

  “We will travel on I-85 south until it meets with I-64, continue west on I-64 until it meets with I-40, and continue on I-40 to Flagstaff. In Flagstaff, we will take I-15 to Tucson, and that is the end of the line. I have a feeling that reaching the end of the line is going to be difficult. I don’t believe we have fooled them at all. The leak is still there, and we don’t know who it is.”

  Captain Emmett scratches his head and says, “Ranger, I agree. You and Agent Ortiz had better be damned careful. You will most certainly be on your own. I wish I could help you, but there isn’t anything I can do except wish you well. Do you have all the equipment you need? Do you have body armor and plenty of ammo?”

  “Yes sir, we are heavily armed, and we have enough ammo to start our own war. I just hope we don’t have to use it. I don’t trust Ranson. He does know that we are the only things saving him from death, so hopefully he will play along with us. Jonathan is an old soldier, and he knows how to take care of himself. The only flaw is Nadia, and she will not leave Jonathan. They have been married for fifty-two years; they are inseparable. She is also a doctor, so she just might come in handy if someone is injured. Before this is over, I have a feeling we are going to need her skills. Captain, if you ever get down to Nogales, look me up. Please say good-bye to Sergeant Hennessey for me.”

  Sergeant Mesa climbs into the RV and begins what will be a hair-raising trip to Tucson, Arizona.

  In Yuma, Alana is adjusting to being partially blind. Her sight is slowly returning, and she goes in to work each day. Matilda drives her to work and picks her up each evening. Major McMasters has purchased a special keyboard with large letters just for her.

  He sticks his head into the room and says, “How is my favorite lieutenant?”