‘We’re buying,’ said David with quiet emphasis. ‘You’re selling…. Stolen
property.’
Stoltz was about to speak but Rhinemann held up his hand.
‘What you are implying is not possible. Our arrangements were made in
complete secrecy; they have been totally successful. And Herr Stoltz is a
confidant of the High Command. More so than the ambassador.’
‘I don’t like repeating myself.’ David spoke angrily. ‘Especially when I’m
paying.’
‘Leave us, Heinrich,’ said Rhinemann, his eyes on Spaulding.
Stoltz bowed stiffly and walked rapidly, furiously, through the arch into
the great hall.
‘Thank you.’ David shifted his position in the chair and looked up at
several small balconies on the second and third stories of the house. He
wondered how many men were near the windows; watching, prepared to jump if
he made a false move.
‘We’re alone as requested,’ said the German expatriot, hardly concealing
his irritation. ‘What is iff
‘Stoltz is marked,’ said Spaulding. He paused to see what kind of reaction
the financier would register at such news. As he might have expected, there
was none. David continued, thinking perhaps that Rhinemann did not entirely
understand. ‘He’s not being given straight information at the embassy. He
may do better at ours.’
‘Preposterous.’ Rhinemann remained immobile, his narrow eyelids half
squinting, staring at David. ‘On what do you base such an opinion?’
6The Gestapo. Stoltz claims there’s no active Gestapo in Buenos Aires. He’s
wrong. It’s here. it’s active. It’s determined to stop you. Stop Us.’.
Erich Rhinemann’s composure cracked – if only infinitesimally. There was
the slightest, tiny vibration within the rolls of flesh beneath his eyes,
and his stare – if possible, thought David -was harder than before.
‘Please clarify.’
‘I want questions answered first.’
‘You want questions … 7’ Rhinemann’s voice rose, his hand
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gripped the table; the veins were pronounced at his greying temples. He
paused and continued as before. ‘Forgive me. I’m not used to conditions.’
‘I’m sure you’re not. On the other hand, I’m not used to dealing with a
contact like Stoltz who’s blind to his own vulnerability. That kind of
person annoys me … and worries me.’
‘These questions. What are theyT
‘I assume the designs have been gotten outT
‘They have.’
‘En routeT
‘They arrive tonight.’
‘You’re early. Our man won’t be here until the day after tomorrow.’
Now it is you who have been given effoneous information, Heff Colonel. The
American scientist, Lyons, will be here tomorrow!
David was silent for several moments. He’d used such a ploy on too many
others in the past to show surprise.
‘He’s expected in San Telmo the day after tomorrow,’ David said. ‘The
change is insignificant but that’s what Kendall told me.’
‘Before he boarded the Phn American Clipper. We spoke subsequently!
‘Apparently he spoke to a lot of people. Is there a point to the changeT
‘Schedules may be slowed or accelerated as the necessities dictate …. I
‘Or altered to throw someone off balance,’ interrupted David.
‘Such is not the case here. There would be no reason. As you phrased it –
most succinctly – we’re selling, you’re buying!
‘And, of course, there’s no reason why the Gestapo’s in Buenos Aires. . .
.’
‘May we return to that subject, pleaseT interjected -Rhinemann.
‘In a mornent,’ answered Spaulding, aware that the German’s temper was
again stretched. ‘I need eighteen hours to get my codes to Washington. They
have to go by courier, under chemical seal.’
‘Stoltz told me. You were foolish. The codes should have been sent. ‘
‘Eine Vorsichtsmassnahme, mein Herr,’said David. ‘Put plainly, I don’t know
who’s been bought at our embassy but I’m damned sure someone has. Codes
have ways of getting sold. The authen-
295
tic ones will be radioed only when Lyons verifies the designs.i
‘Then you must move quickly. You fly out your codes in the morning; I will
bring the first set of prints to San Telmo tomorrow night…. Eine
Vorsichismassnahme. You get the remaining set when you have assured us
Washington is prepared to make payment in Switzerland … as a result of
receiving your established code. You won’t leave Argentina until I have
word from Berne. There is a small airfield called Mendarro. Near here. My
men control it. Your plane will bd there.’
‘Agreed.’ David crushed out his cigarette. ‘Tomorrow evening, the first set
of prints. The remaining within twenty-foiir hours…. Now we have a
schedule. That’s all I was interested in.’
‘Gut! And now we will return to this Gestapo business.’ Rhinemann leaned
forward in his chair, the veins in his temples once more causing blue
rivulets in his sun-drenched skin. ‘You said you would clarify!’
Spaulding did.
When he was finished, Erich Rhinemann was breathing deeply, steadily.
Within the rolls of flesh, his narrow eyes were furious but controlled.
‘Thank you. I’m sure there is an explanation. We’ll proceed on schedule. .
. . Now, it has been a long and complicated evening. You will be driven
back to C6rdoba. Good night.’
‘Altmillierl’Rhinemann roared. ‘An idiotl A fooll’
‘I don’t understand,’ Stoltz said.
‘Altmilller. . . .’ Rhinemann’s voice subsided but the violence remained.
He turned to the balcony, addressing the vast darkness and the river below.
‘In his insane attempts to, disassociate the High Command from Buenos Aires
… to absolve his precious ministry, he’s caught by his own Gestapo!’
‘There is no Gestapo in Buenos Aires, Herr Rhinemann,’ said Stoltz firmly.
‘The man from Lisbon lies.’
Rhinemann turned and looked at the diplomat. His speech was ice. ‘I know
when a man is lying, Herr Stoltz. This Lisbon told the truth; he’d have no
reason to do otherwise…. So if AltmOller was not caught, he’s betrayed
me. He’s sent in the Gestapo, he has no intention of going through with the
exchange. He’ll take the diamonds and destroy the designs. The Jew-haters
have led me into a trap.’
‘I, myself, am the sole coordinator with Franz Altinaller.’
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Stoltz spoke in his most persuasive tones, nurtured for decades in the
Foreign Corps. ‘You, Herr Rhinemann, arranged for that. You have no cause to
question me. The men at the warehouse in Ocho Calle have nearly finished.
The Koening diamonds will be authenticated within a day or two; the courier
will deliver the designs before the night is over. Everything is as we
planned. The exchange will be made.’
Rhinemann turned away again. He put his thick yet delicate hands on the
rafling and looked into the distance. ‘There is one way to be sure,’ he
said quietly. ‘Radio Berlin. I want Altmdller in Buenos Aires. There will
be no exchange otherwise!
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31
The German in the white Palm Beach suit had changed into the paramilitary
dress worn by the Rhinemann guards. The driver was not the same one as
before. He was Argentine.
The automobile was different, too. It was a Bentley six-seater complete
with mahogany dashboard, grey felt upholstery, and window curtains. It was
a vehicle suited to the upper-level British diplomatic service, but not so
high as to be ambassadorial; just eminently respectable. Another Rhinemann
touch, David assumed.
The driver swung the car out onto the dark river highway from the darker
confines of the hidden dirt road. He pressed the accelerator to the floor
and the Bentley surged. The German beside Spaulding offered him a
cigarette; David declined with a shake of his head.
‘You say you wish to be driven to the American embassy, sefior?’ said the
driver, turning his head slightly, not taking his eyes off the onrushing
road. ‘I’m afraid I cannot do so. Sehor Rhinemann’s orders were to bring
you to the apartment house on C6rdoba. Forgive me.’
‘We may not deviate from instructions,’ added the German.
‘Hope you never do. We win the wars that way.’
‘The insult is misdirected. I’m completely indifferent.’
‘I forgot. Habichtsnest is neutral.’ David ended the conversation by
shifting in the seat, crossing his legs and staring in silence
298
out the window. His only thought was to get to the embassy and to Jean. She
had used the word ‘Tortugas.’
Again the elusive ‘Tortugas’!
How could she know? Was it conceivable she was part of it?
‘Tortugas’ isn’t worth it. Jean had said those words. She had pleaded.
Leslie Hawkwood had pleaded, too. Leslie had traveled four thousand miles
to plead in defiance. Fanatically so.
Get out of Buenos Aires, David!
Was there a connection?
Oh, Christ I he thought. Was there really a connection?
‘Sefiorsl’
The driver spoke harshly,jolting David’s thoughts. TheGerman instantly –
instinctively – whipped around in his seat and looked out the rear window.
His question was two words.
‘How long?’
‘Too long for doubt. Have you watched?’
‘No.’
‘I passed three automobiles. Without pattern. Then I slowed down, into the
far right lane. He’s with us. Moving up.’
‘We’re in the Hill Two district, yes?’ asked the German.
‘Sl… He’s coming up rapidly. It’s a powerful car; he’ll take us on the
highway.’
‘Head up into the Colinas Rojas! Take the next road on the right! Any one!’