Biggles in Mexico Page 15

  ‘Nothing more. He’s too far gone to be walked up and down to keep his blood moving.’

  José continued to work on the leg, but it was no use, and a little later, after a few gasps, the man died.

  ‘Well that seems to be the lot,’ observed Biggles, philosophically. ‘A classic example of what can happen when rogues fall out.’ He turned to Ginger, who was still sitting on the road. ‘We’d better see about getting you to Eltora where we can have a look at that ankle. I shall be interested to hear what you’ve been doing since you went off in Ritzy’s car. Did I understand you to say Schultz hadn’t found the diamonds?’

  ‘That’s right. The money to pay for them is still in that portfolio. I’ve seen it.’

  ‘How did Ritzy get shot?’

  ‘He couldn’t find the diamonds so he tried to bolt.’

  ‘Weren’t they in the car?’

  ‘He thought they were, but they weren’t.’

  ‘You mean, somebody had moved ‘em?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Who was it — do you know?’

  ‘It was me, but I didn’t know it at the time.’

  Biggles stared. ‘Are you telling me you know where they are?’

  ‘I think so. It seems that Ritzy had stuck them on the inside of one of the tyres with adhesive tape. What happened was this. Last night, just before that confounded storm broke, I had a puncture. Naturally, I put on the spare wheel, but in my hurry I left the one I’d taken off, which was the one with the diamonds in, lying by the track. That’s why Ritzy couldn’t find ‘em. Not knowing about the puncture he was completely foxed.’

  ‘Can you remember where you left the wheel?’

  ‘Yes. We were supposed to be looking for it when you turned up. As a matter of fact I’d already seen it, but I didn’t say so.’

  ‘What were you doing in the chaparral?'

  ‘Leading Schultz up the garden path and at the same time looking for a chance to bolt. I tried it. That’s what caused the shooting. I might have got away with it if I hadn’t tripped over something and wrenched my ankle.’

  ‘Where’s the wheel?’

  ‘A little way along the road, in a bush on the far side.’

  ‘So that was it,’ murmured Biggles. ‘I think I can see what happened here,’ he went on. ‘When I called out, this fellow with the portfolio must have thought the game was up and decided to get away with the dollars. He disposed of Schultz by shooting him and then made for the Cadillac. Unfortunately for him he ran into José, who was standing on the road. This other man was probably following him when he stepped on a rattlesnake. But we’d better see about finding that wheel.’

  ‘I’ll fetch my brake and he can show us the place,’ offered José. ‘Then we’d better get back to Eltora. The police will have to be told about this shooting so we’d better leave the bodies where they lie for them to see.’

  Biggles agreed. ‘I hope you won’t find it necessary to say anything about the diamonds.’

  ‘I understand,’ said Jose.

  He went off and presently came back with the brake. While he was away Biggles collected the portfolio, saying: ‘We might as well take this.’

  They helped Ginger into the brake, and in a few minutes he was pointing to the spot where he had seen the disc.

  Biggles got out and almost at once came back with the missing wheel. ‘We won’t fiddle with this here,’ he said, putting it in the back of the brake.

  As they headed for Eltora Ginger said: ‘What beats me is how you managed to find me.’

  ‘That aircraft spotted you,’ replied Biggles. ‘You must have seen it.’

  ‘I did, but I didn’t realize it had anything to do with me.’

  ‘Algy and Bertie were in it,’ explained Biggles. ‘I’ll tell you about that later.’

  CHAPTER 17

  ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

  THAT, for all practical purposes, was the end of Biggles’ assignment in Mexico.

  On arrival in Eltora after recovering the wheel José dropped his passengers at the posada and went home. Biggles put a cold water bandage on Ginger’s ankle, which was badly swollen, and then, tired out, they both went to bed for a night’s rest. It was obvious that Ginger would have to lie up for a few days.

  In the morning, not without difficulty, Biggles removed the four small wash-leather bags that contained the diamonds from the inside of the tyre and, with the money found in the portfolio, put them in a safe place. After that they could only wait for Ginger’s ankle to heal. It was a bad sprain, but it was not broken, so it was just a matter of time.

  José looked in to see how they were getting on. In fact, he became a regular visitor, and on one occasion introduced Biggles to Margarita, the unwitting cause of Cornelli’s death, the event that had played such an important part in the affair. The police came too, of course, and Biggles made a statement that satisfied them.

  A few days later Algy and Bertie arrived by car from California, anxious to learn the details of what had happened.

  Biggles’ only remaining problem was what to do with the diamonds. He was unwilling to declare them at Customs, for this would inevitably mean delay and involve awkward explanations. He did not, of course, contemplate trying to smuggle them across the frontier.

  Algy’s car solved the difficulty.

  As soon as Ginger was fit to travel they said good-bye to José and went by road to Mexico City, the capital of the country. There, glad to be rid of them, Biggles handed over the precious stones, and the dollar bills, to the British authorities, and left it to them to get them home. This relieved him of any further responsibility, so all they had to do was make their way back to London, which they did by the regular air services.

  What happened to Nifty Brimshawe was a minor mystery. He was never seen again in Eltora, and when Biggles’ party left the police were still looking for him. With the two hundred dollars Biggles had given to him he may have reached the United States or taken ship to one of the South American ports. In England the police are still waiting for him, and they can be very patient.

  THE END