The Mistery of Belicena Villca
– What are you getting at ? Or rather , where do you think your arguments will get me to ? --Uncle Kurt asked , suspecting that my intention was to make him fall into a dialectical trap .
– Very simple : my conclusion is , and I believe I have demonstrated it , that to perform Ritual murders like the ones they executed yesterday , the Immortals must be present in a human priestly form . In a word , I think Commissioner Maidana is correct : my parents ' murderers were human beings , Priests of Crime who must use dagger and physical force to reduce its victims .
–... Although it seems crazy , I must admit that it is not without meaning . Well neffe ; suppose it is like this : and what would we gain from it ? What would be the difference in the situation ?
– Ahhh ... --I sighed triumphantly-- . Your question is due to the fact that you don ' t even remotely consider attacking , right ? – Attack ? I think you have gone crazy --he prejudged . – Yes ! Attack , attack the Demons ! What ' s wrong with you , uncle ? Thirty five years of forced vacation have softened you up ? --I mocked-- . You just agreed with me that the Demons , by acting as Priests , are transformed into human beings , then what prevents us from executing them , claiming with their disgusting lives all the damage they have caused us ?
– But how , Arturo , how would we do that ? Where would we find them – I had left Uncle Kurt , virtually baffled , not knowing what argument to oppose against my absurd idea-- . And , even assuming we could do it , what would it serve us , what would it serve the Strategy of the Siddhas ? Didn ' t we agree , already , the best thing would be to follow the track of Noyo Villca , fulfill Belicena Villca ' s request ?
– Shhhh --I blew , putting my index finger over my mouth as a sign of silence-- . Still ! All those answers you will get yourself , when you know the plan . --W ... hat plan ? --Uncle Kurt asked fearfully . – My plan ! The plan I have to attack the Demons ! But I will not speak for now on it until the funeral is over . Then I will explain it to you and we will discuss it .
Not at all convinced , Uncle Kurt shook his head in comical concern . If we weren ' t in such tragic circumstances , I would have laughed heartily at his gestures , with which he intended to express that he was a serious person that had fallen into the hands of a madman .
Chapter VII
At 5.30 a . m ., two hearses arrived carrying Katalina and her children . The three coffins were immediately arranged next to those of my parents , a fact that inspired the weeping women to renew with singular pathos their litany . Fifteen minutes later , Commissioner Maidana appeared , the author of that incredible bureaucratic feat . – How did you do it , Commissioner ? I inquired . – Well , it was not that difficult , considering that the forensic reports were ready , though unsigned : no one likes to sign a report devoid of diagnosis . Because that ' s what they had : nothing . Namely , they did not know what your sister and nephews died of . My only merit was to convince the doctors , who only arrived at 5:00 , that I had confidential information that the case would be buried by superior order . Still , I had to wake up a respectable Judge to get verbal approval to allow the Commissioner to deliver the bodies ; however , the forensic reports being ready , there was no impediment to complete the process and the Judge agreed to receive them in the morning and sign the authorization . And here are your unfortunate relatives , Dr .; and do you know with what diagnosis ? heart attack . It ' s silly , for we all agree that this is a multiple homicide , but these doctors could not determine the cause of death : I instead would have requested an in-depth study at the University of Salta , but since you are in such a rush to finish the funeral , things are going to remain that way .
– Indeed , Commissioner Maidana . So they will remain ; for the benefit of all --I assured . Either way , the murderers will pay for what they have done to my parents .
– That ' s what I wanted to talk to you about , Siegnagel ! – Maidana said euphorically , totally changing attitude .
Excuse me if I ' m being a bit optimistic --he apologized-- but I love winning arguments or betting , especially when the opponent is a respectable person like you : that fills me with pride --he confessed naively . – And what have you won ? --I asked perplexed . – Maybe for you it is not important , but before I left I made you an offering --he recalled-- . And I still have in mind your unusual words , absurdly suggesting that " the killers would not be human ". " If they were human , you said , you would accept my help ". You said it !
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