"Credentials, yes," Castillo said. "Travel orders, no."
"You don't have travel orders?" Lowery asked.
"Blanket," Castillo said.
Lowery examined the credentials carefully.
"I don't think I've ever met a supervisory special agent before," he said, making it a question.
How the hell do I respond to that?
"I wasn't notified that you were coming," Lowery said.
Another question, not a statement.
"That's why they call it the Secret Service," Santini said. "What we do is secret; we don't tell anyone."
Lowery did not find that amusing.
"Except for having a couple of chats with Santini, I have no business with the embassy," Castillo said. "If there's a problem with this frequent visitor badge he thinks I should have, forget it." He paused and added: "There's a number you can call to verify my bona fides on the back side of the photo ID."
"Oh, no. No problem at all," Lowery said quickly. "Can I borrow these for a moment? I'll have my secretary make up the badge."
"Sure," Castillo said.
Lowery went through a side door and came back a moment later.
"Take just a couple of minutes. She'll type it out and then plasticize it. I told her to make it out for two weeks. That be long enough?"
"More than long enough," Castillo said. "Thank you."
"Can I offer you a cup of coffee while we're waiting?"
"Yes, thank you."
Lowery went through the door again, and returned shortly with three china mugs.
"I know Tony takes his black," Lowery said. "But there's…"
"He takes it black? Then what's that thirty-eight-dollar item for cream and sugar, Santini?"
Lowery looked at him, then laughed.
"Tony's been telling me about your problem," Castillo said.
"What problem is that?" Lowery asked warily.
"The missing wife," Castillo said.
Lowery flashed Santini a dirty look.
Santini rose to it.
"Come on, Ken, it's not as if Mr. Castillo works for the New York Times."
Lowery considered that for a moment.
"Actually, just before you came in, I was wondering how long it will be before the Times guy hears about it." He paused, then added: "What did Tony tell you?"