The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“Because yesterday, Colonel, Colonel Torine gave you a check ride in the C-20, which you passed, and which will be recorded on your FAA records this morning.”

“Oh, that’s great,” Castillo said.

“Anything else, Charley?”

“Have you any idea why the ambassador would send me a message? To Berlin?”

“No. But he was fascinated to hear that we have people looking into briefcases in suburban Philadelphia. He can’t imagine why you didn’t share that with him.”

“Because, as far as we know, that’s fantasy. Did you tell him that?”

“I did. He didn’t seem very impressed. What did the message say?”

“I don’t know. I’m not going to Berlin to read it.”

“You want to tell me where you are going?”

“Paris was a waste of time. Lorimer’s apartment had been searched by the Deuxième Bureau and the UN before my friend there could get in. I had a look. Nothing useful. And I’m just about finished here. All I have left to do is go see Billy Kocian in Budapest. I don’t think that will take long…”

He stopped when he saw Görner holding up his hand.

“Hold it a second, Dick,” Castillo said and gestured for Görner to speak.

“I don’t think going to see Billy Kocian right now is going to be profitable,” Görner said.

“Why not?” Castillo asked.

“He’s in the Telki Hospital with a broken ankle.”

“What happened?”

“He fell down the stairs in his apartment.”

“How do you know he broke his ankle?”

“He called and told me.”

“He called and told you,” Castillo repeated, softly, and then, raising his voice slightly for the speakerphone, asked, “Dick, where’s Torine?”

“In your place. He and Fernando.”

“Get on another line and ask him if there’s any reason he can’t bring the G-III to Budapest right away.”

“I can think of one,” Miller replied. “You don’t own it yet.”

“Call Jake, and ask him if the airplane is ready to cross the Atlantic. I’ll hold.”

Castillo felt Görner’s eyes on him.

“You think something happened to Billy,” Görner said.

“What I’m thinking is that it’s unlikely that Billy would call to tell you he fell down. More than likely, he called you to tell you that because He didn’t want you to know what really happened to him in case you heard he was in the hospital.”

Görner’s eyebrows went up but he didn’t say anything.

Miller’s voice came over the speaker.

“I have Colonel Torine on the line for you, Colonel Castillo,” Miller’s more than a little sarcastic voice announced.