"I think it would be best, mi General," Mart¡n said.
Querro closed the door, then marched across the room and took up a posi-tion behind Ramirez's desk.
"May I?" Mart¡n said, holding the briefcase above Ramirez's desk.
Ramirez signaled that he could.
Mart¡n set the briefcase on the desk, opened it, and handed Outline Blue to Ramirez.
Ramirez opened Outline Blue to the first page to confirm it was what he thought it was, then looked up at Martin.
"Where did you get this, Coronel?"
"From Se¤or Frade, mi General."
"I thought he was supposed to have gone to his estancia?"
"He did, mi General. I went down there."
"And the money?" Ramirez asked.
"In the safe at Estancia San Pedro y San Pablo, mi General."
"He wouldn't give it to you?"
"I thought it best to leave it in the safe, mi General."
"Your reasons?"
"I thought the money would be secure there until arrangements can be made to transport it. I went down there in a Fieseler."
"Hence the uniform? We don't often see you in uniform, Coronel."
"S¡, Se¤or."
"Two questions: Are you sure we can have the money when we want it, and how would you recommend transporting it?"
"I am sure the money will be available when we ask for it, mi General, and I would recommend transporting it by auto, suitably protected."
"When?"
"I don't think there would be time to make the necessary arrangements to-day. So tomorrow, during the memorial service for el Coronel Frade."
"Mi General," Querro said. "I can take half a dozen men down there this af-ternoon. I could be back by perhaps ten."
"And you don't think questions would be asked if my aide showed up down there, accompanied by half a dozen soldiers?" Ramirez said patiently. "Thank you, but no, Pedro. Let's leave this in the hands of an expert. Please go on, Coronel Martin."
"My recommendation, Se¤or, would be to send two officers-"
"Your men, Coronel?"
"No, Sir. I had in mind officers, majors or teniente coronels, who are mem-bers of Grupo de Oficiales Unidos. Officers who knew el Coronel Frade and whose presence at the memorial service would not attract curiosity. They would travel in one auto, and be accompanied by two other automobiles, each con-taining an officer and three men, preferably senior sub-Oficiales who are reli-able, and who would of course be armed."
"You think Frade would turn the money over to an officer he's never met before, mi Coronel?" Querro asked.
Mart¡n gave him a mildly sarcastic look that suggested he did not like to be questioned by any officer junior to him. Ramirez picked up on this and ex-tended his left hand, palm outward, as a signal for Querro to shut up.
"I frankly didn't think that Frade would just turn Outline Blue over to me, mi General," Mart¡n said. "My hope was that I could convince him to give it, and the money, to either General Rawson or Coronel Per¢n."