“Sí, Señor.”
“And if the señorita calls again while I am in the shower, tell her that you expect me in thirty minutes.”
“Sí, Señor.”
He started for his bedroom, then changed his mind and headed for the laundry room, off the kitchen.
As far as she could remember, Señora Dora had never seen the Señor Mayor go into the laundry, so she followed him there.
“Is there something I can do for you, Señor?”
There it is. I knew it would be here. Every laundry room in the world has a stiff brush and a bar of mostly acid yellow soap for really dirty jobs.
When she saw what he had in his hands, Señora Dora asked, “Is there something I can wash for you, Señor?”
“No, this is something I have to wash myself, but thank you anyway, Señora Dora.”
He went to his bedroom and then into the bath. There he turned on the hot water, stripped off his clothing, and, taking the yellow soap and the scrub brush with him, stepped into the shower.
When he came out five minutes later, his skin was bright red and actually felt sunburned.
But he still felt dirty.
Please, God, he prayed, don’t ever let Alicia find out.
[THREE]
Bureau of Internal Security
Ministry of Defense
Edificio Libertador
Avenida Paseo Colón
Buenos Aires
1240 4 May 1943
There were three telephones on the desk of Coronel Bernardo Martín. There was also a fourth in the credenza against the wall behind his desk. The fourth phone’s number was known to no more than two dozen people, and it was tested at least once a day to make sure it had not been tapped.
It rang, and he quickly turned around, pulled open the credenza door, and reached for it. “Hola?”
“Bernardo, this is Milton,” his caller announced.
“And how are you, Milton?”
“Very well, thank you. Bernardo, I have just been informed about some really fascinating buys at very good prices at Sant Elmo. Are you at all interested?”
Sant Elmo was a neighborhood not far from El Bocha where a number of dealers in antiques, silver, old books, and things of that nature were located. It was usually crowded with bargain hunters, and was a good place to meet.
“It sounds very interesting, but I’m not sure I can get away from the office.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. You could probably make a very good bargain, and I really think you’d be interested.”
“Well, I’ll see what I can do. In any event, thank you for thinking of me.”
“Don’t be silly. What are friends for?”