at ranger headquarters in Nogales.
“Arizona rangers, Sergeant Savalas speaking.”
“Sergeant Savalas, this is Captain Garcia from the fire department. I need to speak to your captain. It is an emergency.”
“I will get him right away, sir.” Savalas rushes into Captain Johnson’s office saying; “Sir, Captain Garcia from the Fire Department is on the line for you.”
“Thanks Sergeant.”
“Hello Orlando, what’s up?”
“Sam, I have bad news. It is as bad as it gets. We responded to a fire at a home in Patagonia. By the time we drove from Nogales, the house was a smoldering ruin. When going through the rubble, we found the body of a female.”
“Orlando, I believe I get the picture. You found Sonia’s body?”
“Sam, I’ve had to do some terrible things as a fireman, but this is the worst I’ve had to deal with. I knew her, and I know Dan Mesa. Sam, what will he do now? You and I have known him a long time, and I am afraid he will go crazy first and then there will be dead people all over southern Arizona.”
Captain Johnson clears his throat and slowly says, “Old friend, I don’t even want to think about what he will do. Whose house was it that burned? Please don’t tell me it belonged to Carlos Meana.”
“Yes, it was Meana’s house, but there were no signs of him having been there. Sam, when we found her, her hands were tied with some type of cord that survived the fire. She didn’t have a chance. It makes my blood boil. I will tell you this: If I could get my hands on Meana or Blackbear, I would kill them myself.”
“Thanks, Orlando, for calling. I need to call the colonel and let him know what has happened. The FBI will have to be told also. It is now a federal case, involving kidnapping and manslaughter or maybe even murder. The coroner will have to tell us the story. I will talk with you later.”
When Captain Johnson turns around, he see the rangers waiting at the door He knows he has to tell them what has happened, and he suddenly feels very nervous. \
“Guys, that was Captain Garcia of the fire department. They answered a fire alarm at a house in Patagonia. The house had burned, and they found Sonia’s body inside. Her hands were tied. The house belonged to Carlos Meana. I have to call Colonel Grant first, and then I have the task of telling Sergeant Mesa. That is one task I am not up to.”
Sergeant Savalas remembers how much in love with Sonia Dan was. He also knows that all hell is about to break open.
“Captain, this isn’t good at all. Dan Mesa has paid a heavy price these last few years. This one could break him. How do we handle this? How can we help Dan? I know him well, and someone is going to pay for what happened to Sonia. I hate Meana, but even he doesn’t deserve what is going to happen to him and Antonio.”
A private phone rings at Colonel Grant’s home. When the red phone rings, Grant knows something bad has happened. The number is that of Santa Cruz Company, Sam Johnson.
“Hello, Sam. I know that, whatever it is, it is bad. So, tell me the bad news.”
“Sir, you are right. The fire department here answered a fire, and they found the body of Sonia Perdenales in the ruins. Her hands were tied. We don’t know the cause of her death, but it appears to be asphyxiation due to the fire. The coroner will know the actual cause of death by tomorrow. We have kept it quiet from the reporters until I could talk with you. Sir, you know all hell is about to break open when I tell Sergeant Mesa about this. I can’t let him hear about it from the television or radio news.”
“Sam, do what you think is best. I will notify the FBI, and I’ll call you later on tonight.”
In the coroner’s office, Dr. Jaime Hernandez is working on the body and reaches his conclusion. He calls Captain Johnson.
“Sam, Jaime here. I just finished the autopsy on Sonia. The cause of death is smoke inhalation. She also had a small gash at the back of her head as
“Arizona rangers, Sergeant Savalas speaking.”
“Sergeant Savalas, this is Captain Garcia from the fire department. I need to speak to your captain. It is an emergency.”
“I will get him right away, sir.” Savalas rushes into Captain Johnson’s office saying; “Sir, Captain Garcia from the Fire Department is on the line for you.”
“Thanks Sergeant.”
“Hello Orlando, what’s up?”
“Sam, I have bad news. It is as bad as it gets. We responded to a fire at a home in Patagonia. By the time we drove from Nogales, the house was a smoldering ruin. When going through the rubble, we found the body of a female.”
“Orlando, I believe I get the picture. You found Sonia’s body?”
“Sam, I’ve had to do some terrible things as a fireman, but this is the worst I’ve had to deal with. I knew her, and I know Dan Mesa. Sam, what will he do now? You and I have known him a long time, and I am afraid he will go crazy first and then there will be dead people all over southern Arizona.”
Captain Johnson clears his throat and slowly says, “Old friend, I don’t even want to think about what he will do. Whose house was it that burned? Please don’t tell me it belonged to Carlos Meana.”
“Yes, it was Meana’s house, but there were no signs of him having been there. Sam, when we found her, her hands were tied with some type of cord that survived the fire. She didn’t have a chance. It makes my blood boil. I will tell you this: If I could get my hands on Meana or Blackbear, I would kill them myself.”
“Thanks, Orlando, for calling. I need to call the colonel and let him know what has happened. The FBI will have to be told also. It is now a federal case, involving kidnapping and manslaughter or maybe even murder. The coroner will have to tell us the story. I will talk with you later.”
When Captain Johnson turns around, he see the rangers waiting at the door He knows he has to tell them what has happened, and he suddenly feels very nervous. \
“Guys, that was Captain Garcia of the fire department. They answered a fire alarm at a house in Patagonia. The house had burned, and they found Sonia’s body inside. Her hands were tied. The house belonged to Carlos Meana. I have to call Colonel Grant first, and then I have the task of telling Sergeant Mesa. That is one task I am not up to.”
Sergeant Savalas remembers how much in love with Sonia Dan was. He also knows that all hell is about to break open.
“Captain, this isn’t good at all. Dan Mesa has paid a heavy price these last few years. This one could break him. How do we handle this? How can we help Dan? I know him well, and someone is going to pay for what happened to Sonia. I hate Meana, but even he doesn’t deserve what is going to happen to him and Antonio.”
A private phone rings at Colonel Grant’s home. When the red phone rings, Grant knows something bad has happened. The number is that of Santa Cruz Company, Sam Johnson.
“Hello, Sam. I know that, whatever it is, it is bad. So, tell me the bad news.”
“Sir, you are right. The fire department here answered a fire, and they found the body of Sonia Perdenales in the ruins. Her hands were tied. We don’t know the cause of her death, but it appears to be asphyxiation due to the fire. The coroner will know the actual cause of death by tomorrow. We have kept it quiet from the reporters until I could talk with you. Sir, you know all hell is about to break open when I tell Sergeant Mesa about this. I can’t let him hear about it from the television or radio news.”
“Sam, do what you think is best. I will notify the FBI, and I’ll call you later on tonight.”
In the coroner’s office, Dr. Jaime Hernandez is working on the body and reaches his conclusion. He calls Captain Johnson.
“Sam, Jaime here. I just finished the autopsy on Sonia. The cause of death is smoke inhalation. She also had a small gash at the back of her head as
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