General Ramirez was waiting, looking a little impatient, outside the room.
"Mi General," Clete said, "Suboficial Mayor Rodriguez wishes to visit my father where he lies and to accompany the body to the grave. Is there a problem with that?"
Ramirez hesitated. "There are, of course, problems of security, Se¤or Frade."
"Whoever killed my father has no reason to cause harm to Suboficial Mayor Rodriguez."
"Of course," Ramirez said. "I will see to it."
You know as well as I do, don't you, mi General, that "banditos " didn't kill my father?
"I am inappropriately dressed to go to the Edificio Libertador, mi General. May I impose further on your time by asking..."
"By now your luggage will be at the house," Ramirez said. "It will be no imposition at all on our time, Se¤or Frade."
"Thank you," Clete said. "And with your permission, mi General, I would like a private word with el Coronel-Medico Orrico."
"Whatever you wish," Ramirez said, his tone making it clear he was dis-pleased.
Clete took Orrico's arm and led him twenty yards down the corridor.
"Was my father brought here?" he asked.
Orrico nodded.
"Was there an autopsy?"
Orrico nodded again, looking uncomfortable.
"I wish to speak to the physician who performed the autopsy."
"I had that sad duty."
"What was the cause of death?"
Orrico hesitated, then met Clete's eyes.
"Multiple wounds from shotshell pellets to the chest and cranium. We re-moved twenty-five double zero pellets from the body, which-together with what I believe are two entrance wounds-makes me believe he was shot twice with a twelve-bore shotgun. Either wound, in my opinion, would have caused instantaneous death. Your father did not suffer, Mr. Frade, if that is any com-fort."
"Not very much, mi Coronel," Clete said. "But thank you very much."
He touched Orrico's arm, turned, and walked quickly back to General Ramirez.
[THREE]
Alvear Palace Hotel
Avenida Alvear
Buenos Aires
1730 9 April 1943
Oberst Karl-Heinz Gr?ner, the Military Attach‚ of the Embassy of the German Reich to the Republic of Argentina, was a tall, ascetic-looking man who looked older than his forty years.
He was not surprised when notified that Standartenf?hrer Josef Goltz would be making a "liaison visit in connection with security matters" to Buenos Aires, only that the "liaison visit" was so long in coming. The Reine de la Mer had been blown up on December 31,1942, three and a half months before.
There was no question whatever in his mind that no matter how long the list of matters about which Goltz wished to liaise, the first item on it would be the destruction of the Reine de la Mer. It would therefore seem to follow that Goltz would have come as soon as possible after that disaster.