Secret Honor (Honor Bound 3)

And you really don’t want Juan Domingo Perón out of there, either.”

“The hell I don’t.”

“And I was right on the verge of saying, ‘You’re learning, Cletus’ when I heard you talking so nicely to Tío Juan on the phone just now.”

“What did Juan Domingo want?” Claudia asked.

“He wants Clete to go to the German reception tonight,” Welner said. “Are you going?”

“I don’t think I’m up to that,” Claudia said.

“And he’s coming here for lunch,” Welner said.

“Are you going, Cletus?” Claudia asked.

He nodded.

Their eyes met for a moment, and she looked as if she was going to say something but decided against it.

“There is something of yours I would be willing to buy,” Claudia said. It was an obvious change of subject.

“Really?”

“Your radio station. Radio Belgrano.”

“Why would you want to buy that?”

“Because I think there is a lot of money to be made in broadcasting.”

“If that’s so, why should I sell it? I mean, I have all these advertising expenses, you know.”

“I’m serious about this, Cletus,” she said. “If you want to sell it, I’d like to buy it.”

“If you want it, it’s yours,” he said.

“I don’t want it that way,” she said. “Don’t toss me a bone, Cletus!”

“Excuse me?”

“Have it appraised. Find out what it’s worth, then make an offer,” she said. “Your father and I did a lot of business together, but that’s what it was, business. I don’t want you doing me any favors.”

“Claudia…” Welner came to his defense. “There’s no reason to take offense.”

“OK, Claudia,” Clete said. “To hell with you. It’s not for sale. I’ve never even seen it. Or, for that matter, heard it.”

“God,” she said. “He’s as hard to deal with as his father.”

“I accept that as a compliment,” Clete said.

“Poor Dorotéa’s going to have her hands full with you!”

Clete had an immediate mental recall of Dorotéa’s hand, full, which had nothing to do with what Claudia was saying. This caused him to smile.

“You think it’s funny, do you?” Claudia snapped. “You’re just going to have to get along with people.”

Antonio came into the sitting. “Señora,” he said. “Your things have been packaged and put in your car.”

“Thank you, Antonio,” she said.