55 - WHAT HAPPENS AT THE BAR...

 55 - WHAT HAPPENS AT THE BAR...

- Zé Ferreira, don't move!

It was Graça, talking to Zé Ferreira, who was standing at the counter, drinking a cachaça. The man didn't quite believe what he heard... a woman's voice ordering him to stay still? What the hell was going on? When he tried to turn around, to see who was giving him that order, the girl's voice sounded colder than the steel of a razor...

- If you move even a little bit, you'll fall right there...

He realized that the order was serious and stopped at the same moment... and he didn't know what to do in that situation... both hands on the counter, stopped, unable to move. He decided to say something, anything, to understand what was really going on...

- You know my name... what's going on?

- I'm arresting you... that's what's going on.

- You are cop?! I didn't know there were already women in the police...

- No, I'm not a policeman... but still, I'm arresting you...

- Girl, can I turn around? To see who I'm talking to?

- You can, but very slowly... and with your hands well away from the weapons.... because, if you try something funny...

- I know, I know... you're going to give me a wooden jacket earlier than agreed, aren't you?

- That... therefore... be very careful with what you are going to do...

Graça and Maria were on stage, singing, accompanied by two violists in the village square. It had been a good couple of hours since the two had enchanted the audience with their performance. And in fact, they were already tired and their repertoire was coming to an end... It was then that Maria saw, in one of the corners of the square, the well-known and desired figure of what she wanted. When they finished the song they were presenting, Maria thanked the audience, inducing Graça to imitate her and the two left the stage. When they were already in the middle of the crowd, Graça asked her friend what was going on. It was then that she knew that her wait was coming to an end. The three girls began to follow the target, alternating so as not to be too visible, and followed him from afar throughout the night, until he decided to stop at the bar to have some with his friends. The girls spent some time just observing the place and, when they thought they were ready to pounce, they agreed that Graça would approach and the other two would cover for her. Not that they thought they would need it, but maybe...

Graça entered the joint resolutely and, about twenty paces from her opponent, gave the order to him. The man froze... what could have happened? Did any of his victims... he used to apply some scams, to earn a little more than he really earned with his service... discovered his tricks and decided to look for him? He didn't even remember the episode at the ball anymore, where an innocent ended up losing her life due to a thoughtless act on her part. Yes, despite all regrets, it was an accident. And, because he didn't feel guilty about what happened, he didn't think too much about it... remorse? A little, but not enough to keep him up at night... he fled the place the same day, but because the girl's father was powerful... he had a lot of money... and could make life difficult for him. What he didn't expect was that the old man would put a price on his head... he counted on the police to look for him... and then he was safe, because the number of police officers was negligible, and they would never go after him for the first time. committed crime...

- You want to know why I'm holding you?

- If it were possible, I'd like to...

- I'm arresting you for the death of Rosinha, from Fazenda do Lagedo....

Zé Ferreira's world collapsed... but what do you mean? How could they have pursued him for so long, and so far from where it all happened? No, that didn't make any sense...

- Girl, you're kidding, right?

- Do I look like I'm joking?

- Look, the people here are my friends... do you think they'll let you take me to who knows where?

- Want to bet?

One of Zé Ferreira's friends pulled his gun and pointed it at Graça, but before he could pull the trigger, there was a report and the revolver flew out of his hand... for free...

- The next one who tries something funny won't be so lucky...

It was Grace telling the bar staff. Maria remained silent, gun still smoking in her hand. Everyone looked surprised at that withered but determined girl... her icy gaze intimidated everyone, and no one wanted to risk testing the girl's speed...

Rosa started to walk towards the counter where Ferreira was, to immobilize him... but, inadvertently, she got between Maria, Graça and Ferreira. This one took advantage of the opportunity and immediately drew the gun and pointed it at the girl, who was paralyzed. Placing the barrel of the revolver on the girl's forehead, he ordered the two girls to get rid of their weapons... and they had no choice but to obey... Ferreira's friends immediately surrounded the two girls and soon Rosa was with the group, immobile...

- What do we do with them?

It was one of the men asking Ferreira how they should proceed...

- We'd better leave them tied up somewhere... and let's get out of here...

-Wouldn't it be better to finish them off, once? The shorty shoots too well for my taste...

- No... better not... if we do that, they'll hunt us down to hell... and I don't want anyone on my heels...

- But they're hunting you...

- Hunting is one thing... catching is another... let's go, guys...

And the group, escorting the girls, discreetly left the place... oh, before you ask if no one went to investigate the noise of the shot, don't forget that it was a party day and at all times someone was setting off a firework... So, one more noise, one less...

After walking for half an hour, out of sight of the people, they tied the three to a tree trunk, not forgetting to gag them... as it was about two o'clock in the morning, and if they were lucky, before six no one would find them and consequently release them... that meant they would have a good distance between them when day broke...

And so, the three would spend the night... tied, standing, in a tree... and unable to scream for help, as they were gagged... the only thing they could ask heaven for was that no animal attacked them. , because they would have no way of defending themselves... Rosa tried, in vain, to free herself from the ropes that bound her... but when she started to hurt herself, she gave up the endeavor. She was cursing herself for being so childish and allowing herself to be captured by the enemy... and her friends' work, totally lost... and, worse... the weapons were also gone... and how would they find them? again the subject? Grace was angry with herself…how could she let Rosa commit such a stupid thing as she did? In a way, it was her fault... if she hadn't ordered the girl to tie up the bandit, he wouldn't have captured her... although she was wrong not to have disarmed the guy before... well, there were so many mistakes that she didn't even know where to start...

Maria was calm... despite being immobilized, she didn't feel trapped... and that was due to a small knife she had hidden in the sleeve of her blouse. It wouldn't be very easy to access the weapon, much less use it to release the ropes... but if you had patience... they certainly wouldn't be stuck there all night, as Zé Ferreira's gang thought... peacefully, without despairing, she tried to access the blade. Slowly, she managed to make it slip into her palm. And, even more slowly, she began rubbing it against the ropes that bound her. After some time... a half hour... a little more, a little less, she managed to let go of his hands. So, she cut the ropes that tied her back and legs, and soon after, she tried to release her partners. When they saw what Maria was doing, the two couldn't believe it... how did she have the idea... and ability... to and to use that blade, like that? Well, what really mattered is that after an hour or so, the three of them were released, and they tried to run to the boarding house, because they still had their rifles kept in the room... and they would immediately go out in search of Zé Ferreira...