Story: Colonel Williams, Ch. 3, Pt. II

[Sorry for the delay. I was out of town at the Association of Classical and Christian Schools conference in Memphis. I had a great time, by the way. Anyway, here is the rest of Chapter 3. Enjoy!]
Early the next morning, Williams and Alejandro climbed aboard the horse-drawn cart for the twenty minute ride into town. Alejandro was excited, confident that he would soon see his family, while Williams’ stoic face betrayed no emotion.
As they rode into town, Williams told Alejandro some of the history of his family and the estate. His great-grandfather had bought the farm, he explained in Spanish, a hundred years ago, before the Great Collapse and the ensuing chaos. Throughout the hard times, he had held onto the land, but it had not been easy. More than once, war had threatened to engulf the land and destroy it. Even when the post-Collapse government attempted to confiscate all land in the interests of “national security”, his grandfather had refused to allow them to proceed, taking the government to court to stop the annexation of his land. Only part of the land had ever been farmed, the rest remaining open woodlands, per the wishes of his grandfather.
“Why is it called Providence?” Alejandro asked.
“I’m not sure,” Williams replied. “My great-grandfather called it that when he bought it. I don’t know if he had the town in the Northeast in mind or if he was honoring God for providing him the funds to buy it. Maybe he just liked the name.”
The conversation fell silent for several minutes before Williams finally remembered how to ask, “What was your employment in Cuba?”
Alejandro replied, “I was a farmer, and I grew sugar and fruit, especially bananas and oranges. Perhaps you remember hearing about the war that broke out in my country about a year ago between democratic rebels and the communist government. My farm was in the middle of the fighting. I lost most of my crops. Thankfully, enough was left that I could sell it at the market in La Havana and buy passage for my family and myself to the port of Savannah.”
“And when you got to Savannah, the man who brought you here tripled his fare?”
“Yes. He said that because there were three of us, we cost him three times as much to transport. He obviously thought that I had more money than I did. When I told him that I could not pay, he took all three of us to the market in Savannah. There, he arranged for all three of us to be sold in order to pay what we owed him. I asked the market owner not to permit my family and me to be separated. He agreed, and sold the three of us to a fat man with no hair. He brought us here and sold us. I asked him, too, not to separate us, and he said he would not. Of course, he lied. I was sold first, then my wife, and then my daughter.
“I was angry, but what could I do? I could not understand what was going on, and I could not understand the name of the man who bought them. I hope that this man at the market has a record.”
“I’m sure he does, Alejandro,” Williams replied, “but it may take a little effort to get him to tell us who it is. He is not a very honest man.”
“You’re telling me!” Alejandro exclaimed in Spanish.

They arrived at the market in town. The main doors leading into the market area sat wide open. Mr. Johnson, the market owner, left the main doors open in case any debtors came in to sell themselves. Williams and Alejandro entered through the gate and went straight for the main office. Williams knocked on the door.
“Come in!” bellowed a deep male voice. As they entered, Mr. Johnson greeted them, shaking Williams’ hand with a tight grip. He was a short, fat man with no hair and tobacco-stained teeth. “Colonel Williams, I’m surprised to see you here. What can I do for you on this fine day?”
“I’m looking for information on the location of a couple of slaves you sold two days ago,” Williams replied.
“Slaves?” Johnson said with a hint of anger. “Slaves, Colonel? You know that I don’t sell slaves. I provide interested parties with indentured servants, who are to be released as soon as their debts are paid in full. I don’t sell slaves.”
Williams fought the urge to roll his eyes at the doublespeak. “I’m not interested in semantics, Mr. Johnson. I want information on a woman and her daughter who would have been sold here two days ago.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’ release that sort of information to you, Colonel. Such information is kept in the strictest confidence. That’s our policy, and it’s because of that policy that more people come to me for their labor needs than anywhere else in the region. No, I’m afraid I can’t help you.” He looked back down at his paperwork as if to indicate that he had finished discussing the matter.
“Could you give that information to a family member?” Williams asked.
“A family member?” Johnson asked. “Are you telling me that you’re looking for a family member?”
“No, I’m looking for this man’s family.” Williams said, motioning to Alejandro. “They would’ve been sold here on Tuesday to two different men.”
Johnson lit a cigar and stared at Alejandro for a minute. “Didn’t this man offer his services here two days ago?”
Williams nodded. “He did, and I bought those services from Mr. Andrews. I’m trying to help him find his family.”
Johnson suddenly had a shocked look on his face. “Why do you care, Colonel, he’s obviously no relation of yours.”
“He’s a man in need, Mr. Johnson, an alien in a strange land, and I believe it’s a divine law that we’re supposed to help people like this.”
Johnson shook his head. “I’m sorry, Colonel, but I can’t help him. I told you already that all information on sales is held in the strictest confidence. I can’t release that information. Not to you. Not to him. Not to anyone unless he had a court order.” He sat back in his chair and puffed on his cigar. After a pause, he added slimily, “Of course, I might be willing to make an exception to my policy, but it’s going to cost you.” He fully expected Williams to start offering him money just as everyone else in Williams’ situation had.
Williams said nothing in response but thought for a minute, trying to come up with some line of argument that he could use to convince Johnson to help them. He was not going to give in to Johnson’s requests for bribery; he was not going to stoop down to Johnson’s level. No matter how hard he thought, though, he could not come up with an argument that would convince the man who cared only for himself to help someone else. “Well, then, Mr. Johnson, I guess that I will just have to get that court order,” he finally said.
Johnson laughed to hide his shock. He couldn’t believe that Williams had not tried to bribe him. Who did he think he was, anyway, to break the traditions of modern society? He said, “You honestly think that the courts are going to help you, Colonel? There’s no protection in the law for families who become voluntary servants. You know that. No judge in his right mind is going to give you an order to see those documents.”
“I’m still going to try, Mr. Johnson.”
“Go right ahead, Colonel, but don’t strain yourself too hard. The courts are on my side on this one, and you’re only wasting your time and money on this foolish pursuit. I just can’t understand why you’re taking such an interest in this man’s situation. If that is all, I have important work that I need to return to. Good day!” He returned to his paperwork with such diligence that it was clear he was through with the matter.
Williams motioned to Alejandro that they were leaving. On the way back to the cart, he explained the situation to Alejandro.
“So, he is not going to help us?” Alejandro asked, tears collecting around the edges of his eyes.
“No, Alejandro, he’s not. He doesn’t like slaves, and he doesn’t have any desire to help them. The only way we could get what we want is to have a judge order him to.”
“How would we do that?”
“Well, I know the judge. Our only hope is to go ask him,” Williams said. He left unsaid how slim a hope that it was. He knew that Johnson was right about the law not having any protections. He only hoped that his friend knew of some obscure legal trick that might grant Alejandro access to those records.
He and Alejandro climbed aboard the cart, and set off for the municipal court.