“Almost never, Sir.”
“Do you suppose, Cortina, that you could find some coffee for our new director?” Martín said.
“Immediately, Sir,” he said as he hastily buttoned his jacket.
Martín walked to the doors leading to the Director’s office, pushed it open, and waved Obregon inside.
The windows of the large, high-ceilinged office provided a splendid view of the River Plate.
With the exception of a leather desk pad, a double pen holder, and three telephones, the large, ornately carved desk was bare.
“Will you miss this splendid office, Coronel?” Obregon asked.
“Sir? Oh. General, I knew my interim appointment was just that. I never moved in here.”
“President Rawson told me he had offered you the position,” Obregon said.
“With all possible respect, sir, may I suggest that the offer was made in the excitement immediately following the success of Outline Blue? I respectfully suggest General Rawson was carried away momentarily in the euphoria of the moment.”
“Well, his—what did you say, ‘euphoria’?—wasn’t all bad. It got you that coronel’s badge, didn’t it, Martín?”
“Yes, Sir, it did.”
“Let me say, Coronel, that I feel your promotion was entirely deserved, both for your contributions to the success of Outline Blue, and also—perhaps primarily—because it was deserved. General Rawson is not the only one who has told me you’re a fine intelligence officer.”
“The General is very kind, even if he has been misinformed.”
Obregon laughed. “I’m going to have to depend on you for a good deal until I get my feet on the ground around here,” he said.
“I’m entirely at your service, mi General.”
“Is there anything—Let me rephrase: What, in your judgment, Coronel, is the immediate pressing problem BIS faces?”
I should have anticipated that question, and I didn’t.
“Señor, I can’t speak for the entire BIS.”
“The President said, as far as he’s concerned, you’re the only man here who really knows what he’s doing,” Obregon said.
“I’m sorry the President feels that way, mi General. There are a number of very competent officers here.”
“Answer the question, please, Coronel.”
“Yes, Sir. As far as Ethical Standards, which is my responsibility, is concerned, I would say our priority is to make sure that the officer corps poses no threat to President Rawson and the government. I know of no problem with the serving officer corps, and those officers who were retired when the new government took office will remain under surveillance.”
“Including el Almirante Montoya?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Do you think he poses a problem?”
“No, Sir.”
“What is the major problem facing BIS as a whole, in your judgment?”
“The violation of Argentine sovereignty by the belligerent powers, Sir.”
“Could you be more specific?”