Blood and Honor (Honor Bound 2)

When he went into his luggage for his toilet kit, he found a complete riding outfit.

"No wonder he needed two suitcases," he mused aloud. "I wonder where he expects me to wear the riding costume?"

"Se¤or Clete," Enrico said. "I told Antonio to pack that. We are going to the Second Cavalry." ,

"We're going riding at the Second Cavalry?" Clete asked.

My God. If he heard me wonder out loud where I'm going to wear this cos-tume, I must have been speaking in Spanish!

"I feel sure the Coronel Commanding will ask you to ride with him as he shows you the regiment. Excuse me, Se¤or Clete, but I must say this: It would not be fitting for you to accompany him in your Texas Aggie boots."

"I stand corrected, Suboficial Mayor," Clete said. "I will even shave in the morning, and close my fly, so I will not embarrass you."

"In the morning, Se¤or Clete, it would be best if you put on the appropriate clothing."

"You mean this?"

"S¡, Se¤or Clete."

Chapter Eighteen

[ONE]

Bureau of Internal Security

Ministry of Defense

Edificio Libertador

Avenida Paseo Colon

Buenos Aires

0930 15 April 1943

El Teniente Coronel Alejandro Bernardo Mart¡n answered the red security tele-phone on his desk before it had a chance to ring a second time.

"Martin," he said.

"Bernardo," the familiar voice of el Almirante Francisco de Montoya said, conversationally, "just as soon as you have a free minute, would you step in, please?"

"Immediately, mi Almirante."

"Thank you," Montoya said, and the line went dead.

Mart¡n was familiar enough with Admiral Montoya to know when the Ad-miral was deeply upset-despite an outward aura of calm. "That tone" was in Montoya's voice just now.

He pulled open the center drawer of his desk and slid into it everything he had been working on, making no attempt to organize it. Then he locked the drawer carefully and left his office.

"El Almirante expects you, mi Coronel," Montoya's secretary said when he entered the outer office. "Go right in."

Montoya was peering through his Royal Navy binoculars when Mart¡n en-tered the office. He continued to peer through them for another thirty seconds after Mart¡n politely wished him a good morning.

Mart¡n understood this action, too. It signaled three messages. First, it re-minded the caller that he was a subordinate-seniors kept subordinates waiting. Second, it gave the caller the impression el Almirante was not upset-otherwise he would not be looking out the window. And finally, it gave el Almirante time to consider how he would begin the interchange to follow.

Mart¡n waited patiently, his hands folded in the small of his back, until el Almirante turned around.

Montoya looked at Mart¡n for ten seconds and then nodded, as if in ap-proval.