“You’re right,” Delgano said. “That story is so incredible that I don’t think you could have made it up. Really?”
Frade nodded. “That’s it. Believe it or not. Okay. Getting back to the Froggers.”
“Okay.”
“You want the short version or the long one?” Clete asked.
“Try the short one first.”
“The Froggers had three sons. Two of them were killed. Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm Frogger was captured with General von Arnim when the Afrikakorps surrendered, and was taken to America. When I was gone—ostensibly getting my ATR check ride in a Lodestar—I actually flew a Constellation to the POW cage in Mississippi. I showed Frogger pictures of his parents with me and Len Fischer. I told him why his parents—at least his father—had fled the German embassy—”
“ ‘At least his father’?”
“La Señora Frogger is a dedicated Nazi. And, as such, too much of a zealot to believe that the Nazis would kill her and her husband without blinking an eye.”
Delgano’s face showed surprise, but he said nothing.
“Anyway, I told Frogger about Operation Phoenix—”
“And he believed you?”
Frade nodded. “And he’s willing to talk to his father about helping me keep track of the Operation Phoenix and ransoming money.”
“Two questions about that. First, why would he do that? Second, how could he do that from a prisoner camp in . . . where did you say? Mississippi?”
“He’s not in Mississippi,” Frade said.
Delgano considered that a moment, then an eyebrow went up. “Canoas?”
Frade nodded again.
“How did he get there?”
“In a Constellation.”
“The same one you flew to Mississippi to see him?”
“Yeah.”
“It doesn’t add up, Cletus. I don’t think you’re lying to me, but I’m sure you’re not telling me everything.”
Clete smiled. “I’m not and I’m not.”
“You’re going to have to tell me everything.”
“Tell me what doesn’t add up, and I’ll try.”
“Let’s go back to SAA’s insurance being canceled,” Delgano said. “Martín doesn’t believe that. He thinks it was arranged to give you a credible excuse to come to the United States. To see this Colonel Frogger?”
"It was.”
Delgano squinted his eyes. He looked a little mad . . . or maybe hurt.
“Your anger was very convincing,” he said. “I told Martín I believed you.”
“I didn’t know until we got to the Chateau Marmont. Graham was there.”
Delgano considered that, then asked, “Who arranged the scenario?”