The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“It’ll probably be a little longer than that, sir. I’m going first to Texas and then to Pennsylvania…”

“That’s one of the things I’m quite anxious to chat with you about, Charley: briefcases in Pennsylvania. The man you said was going to report to me has never shown up. No matter the hour, call me when you get to Washington. And bring him with you.”

“If that’s possible, sir, I will. But I will see him before I come to Washington.”

“May I inquire why you’re going to Texas?”

“What I consider to be a bona fide threat has been made against the family of one of my primary sources. I’m bringing them to the States for their protection.”

“Why do you consider it to be a bona fide threat? Source and family? Or just family? And where are you taking them?”

“Among other reasons, an attempt was made—there is good reason to believe by the same parties who were at the estancia—to kidnap Special Agent Yung. He was wounded in the process.”

“What’s the good reason?”

“Absolutely no identification on the body we have, and he had a hypodermic full of a tranquilizer with him. Same modus operandi as the attempted kidnapping—both attempts—of my source in Budapest. And, of course, the kidnapping of Mr. Masterson.”

Montvale grunted.

“You still have no idea who these people are, Charley?”

“I’ve got a couple of theories. I’ll tell you about them when I see you.”

“How’s Yung? He’s going to be all right?”

At long last, he asks about Yung.

“He has a gouge from a double-aught buckshot pellet in his hand. He was lucky.”

“Now they’re using shotguns?”

“Yung took a hit when the Uruguayan police took down the bad guy.”

“And what do the Uruguayan police think about all this?”

“That’s something else I want to talk to you about,” Castillo replied, and thought: Although right now I have no idea what I’ll say.

“We do have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

“Sir, I apologize, but I’ve forgotten your other questions?”

Montvale took a moment to remember what they were.

“Oh, yes. Are you bringing your source and family? Or just the family?”

“Just the family, sir. His wife and two daughters.”

“And where are you taking them in Texas?”

“To the Double-Bar-C. It’s a ranch my family has in Midland. It’s isolated.”

“And floating over a sea of sweet crude oil in the Midland Basin, right?”

Jesus Christ, he knows about that, too?

“That proved very useful only yesterday,” Montvale said. “I’ll tell you all about it when I see you.”

Castillo didn’t respond. What the hell is he talking about?