"You all right?" Tony asked when Enrico finally released him.
"I am fine," Enrico said.
"He is not," Clete said. "He took what was probably a.45 slug-it gouged a three-inch hole in his head-and he took 00-buckshot in his chest and arm."
"Jesus!"
"I am fine," Enrico repeated firmly.
Tony turned to Clete.
"I couldn't get into Our Lady of Pilar this morning, Clete. No invitation."
"Sorry, I didn't think about that."
"But after the mass was over, I went in and lit a candle for him, and after that I went to the tomb and said a little prayer."
"Thank you, Tony."
"And after that I came here. And had trouble getting in, no invitation. But I threw a fit, and waved my diplomatic carnet around, and finally the cop outside caved in."
"I just didn't think about getting you invitations, Tony. I'm sorry."
"Christ, you had enough on your mind, Clete. Don't apologize."
Clete decided to lighten the conversation.
"You look like a recruiting poster," he said. " 'Join the Airborne and see the World.'"
Tony did not react well to what Clete hoped would be a joke.
"I thought wearing my uniform was the right thing to do," he said. "And when I saw those fucking Krauts downstairs in theirs, I was glad I did. Sorry, if you think that was wrong."
"It was the right thing to do, Tony. My father would have appreciated you wearing your uniform, and I do."
"OK," Tony said, accepting what he recognized as an apology, then moving to what was on his mind: "The Ambassador got a SECRET cable last night say-ing that Lieutenant Commander Frederico J. Delojo, the new Naval Attach‚, would be on the Pan American flight today. You want to tell what that's all about?"
"How did you get access to a SECRET addressed to the Ambassador?"
"I seduced one of the crypto guys," Tony said. "A real feather merchant from Iowa or someplace like that. Buck sergeant."
"'Seduced'? Or 'corrupted'?" Clete interrupted, smiling.
"Whatever. I showed him my OSS ID. He practically pissed in his pants. Anything you want to know about cable or radio traffic to the Embassy, just ask me."
"And you're not worried he'll tell anybody you... seduced him?"
"I told him we shoot people who identify OSS agents," Tony said. "And he believes me."
"Maybe we can make a spy out of you yet, Tony," Clete said.
Tony flushed with Clete's approval.
"You going to tell me about Commander Delojo? You were supposed to be the Naval Attach‚. What's going on?"
"Not here, Tony," Clete said. "You remember where my father's house is?"
Tony nodded.