The waiter nodded, then looked at Colonel Wallace.
"Just coffee, please," he said.
The waiter nodded and left.
"You said you 'had,' past tense, some of my people in here?" Graham asked.
"Yes, we did. A Marine Major Frade and an Army Captain Ashton, plus four men he identified to me as commissioned officers."
"Did Major Frade pick up the airplane?" Graham asked, and then inter-rupted himself. "Colonel, there was some confusion about the type airplane. What's the difference between a C-45 and a C-56?"
"A C-45 is what we call a 'light twin,'" Wallace explained. "The C-56 is the Lockheed Lodestar transport."
"The Lockheed Lodestar? The airliner?"
Wallace nodded.
"Major Frade... could fly the Lodestar?"
"He flew it out of here," Wallace said, "under somewhat unusual circum-stances."
"Which were?"
"He asked permission to make some practice landings," Wallace said. "Which I of course granted. I also volunteered to accompany him-I have a good many hours in large, multiengine aircraft and believed I could impart some of my experience. He declined my offer."
"He did?"
"He then proceeded to the end of the runway," Wallace said, warming to his subject, "where he loaded aboard what I presume were the other OSS person-nel, and took off. Against specific orders from the tower to abort his takeoff and return to Base Operations. He did not return. I'm afraid I have no idea where he is now, or the airplane."
"What makes you think he took aboard the other people?"
"They have not been seen since," Wallace said. "This places me in a very difficult position, Colonel, with the Brazilian authorities."
"How's that?"
"I had arranged with the appropriate authorities for them to clear the air-plane through Customs, and to commence an international flight."
"Nobody told you to do that. All you were supposed to do was paint it red and paint some numbers on it. You did do that?"
"Yes, of course."
"When did Major Frade leave here?"
Colonel Wallace took his notebook from his pocket, flipped through it, and found what he was looking for.
"At 2126 hours 17 April," he said. He read further: "After ignoring four or-ders from the tower specifically ordering him to abort his takeoff and return to Base Operations."
"Just as soon as I see Major Frade, Colonel, I'll ask him why he did what you said he did."
"How would you suggest I deal with the Brazilian authorities, Colonel? They are still waiting to clear the aircraft."
"I'll tell you what happened to that aircraft, Colonel," Graham said. "The right engine was about to fall off."
"Excuse me?"
"You tell the Brazilian authorities you discovered the right engine of that air-plane was about to fall off. Faulty bolts, or something. You have ordered replace-ment parts from the United States. Until they arrive, obviously, the airplane isn't going anywhere. When it's ready to go, you will get in touch with them again."
"That would be the uttering of a statement I know to be false."