"I suppose, Anton, they will most likely name you to replace Standartenf?hrer Goltz in carrying out this project. They'll probably send in another mili-tary Attach‚-"
"Do you really think so?" Gradny-Sawz interrupted. "Place me in charge of this operation?"
"Yes, I do," von Lutzenberger said.
"They'd almost certainly ask for your recommendation about that."
"And I would certainly give it."
Praying, meanwhile, that they would be so stupid as to actually do it.
What they will do, probably, is send in someone to take Gr?ner's place as Attach‚, and someone else to be the security officer, and keep an eye on Gradny-Sawz. And, of course, on me and von Wachtstein.
[FIVE]
Estancia San Pedro y San Pablo
Near Pila, Buenos Aires Province
1730 19 April 1943
Colonel A. F. Graham replaced the telephone handset in the cradle and turned to Major Cletus Frade and the Legal Attach‚ of the United States Embassy, Mr. Milton Leibermann.
"The Ambassador-that was his Excellency himself-has been given an appointment to see the Foreign Minister at nine-thirty tomorrow morning," he said. "He was unofficially given to understand that the Foreign Minister has seen some photographs in the possession of Colonel Mart¡n of the BIS, and was led to believe that the Foreign Minister wishes to personally inform him that the new government of Argentina intends to scrupulously observe the provisions of neutrality."
"Which means, of course," Leibermann said, "that the Oceano Pacifico will sail off into the sunset with all that money on board."
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"Which they will find another way to bring into the country," Clete said.
"Having a lot of money on board does not give us the right to sink her, un-fortunately," Graham said. "And I think-I know-they will bring it in some other way. I think when I go back to Washington I can get Milton some more money, some more people, to keep track of it. We're that much ahead.
"And if the Oceano Pacifico is ordered out of Argentine waters, she won't be able to supply any submarines. It'll take the Germans another six weeks, maybe longer, to get another replacement here. So we won, maybe."
"Dave Ettinger is dead," Clete said. "How's that winning?"
"So are Standartenf?hrer Goltz and Colonel Gr?ner," Leibermann said.
"And my father and Enrico's sister. That makes it three to two. Does that mean I can send Enrico out to even up the score?"
"Don't do that, please," Graham said. "I wouldn't want him to shoot von Wachtstein-excuse me, Galahad-by mistake."
Clete looked at him coldly.
"Relax," Graham said. "That goes no further than this room. I have decided that since Milt and I know who Galahad is, and can guess at his motives, Dono-van doesn't have to know. I won't tell him."
"Thank you," Clete said sincerely.
"There's a hook in that," Graham said.
"I should have known," Clete said, his relief instantly replaced with bitter anger.
"If something happens to you, Clete, the deal is off. So don't do anything dangerous-like falling out of your wedding bed-or anything else risky down here. Go on the canap‚-and-small-talk circuit. Keep your ears open. Say a kind word for our side when you get the chance."
"Get rid of Delojo," Clete said.
"We have enough on an Argentine in Washington to persona non grata him," Graham said. "We will. They will tit for tat, and Commander Delojo gets sent home from here. I think Ashton's the man to replace him, but I'm going to have to sell that to Donovan."