"Why?" Castillo asked. "That has to be a couple of hundred miles from the estancia."
Munz smiled.
"Maybe he thinks you'd have some trouble landing the Gulfstream at Tacuarembo International," he said.
"Stupid question," Castillo said, chagrined.
"And it's the busy season in Punta," Munz said. "One more private jet won't attract much attention--certainly less than at Carrasco in Montevideo."
"After deep and profound consideration, I have decided that we'll go to Punta del Este," Castillo said.
He took his cellular telephone from his pocket and slid it across the table to Miller.
"Autodial five will get you the weather at Ezeiza, Dick. Get us the weather to Bariloche and Punta del Este."
Miller opened his laptop, waited until it awoke from its sleep mode, then picked up the cell phone.
"Alek also suggests we take Lee-Watson with us," Munz said.
"If I ask why, would my stupidity show again?"
"He has a connection with the Conrad," Munz said. "Alek thinks you should stay there. Keep the apartments in case we need them."
"What apartments?"
"He owns half a dozen, maybe more, luxury apartments in those high-rises along the beach. Lee-Watson manages them for him; people rent them for a week, two weeks. They're not safe houses but could be used for that purpose. No questions would be asked if strangers show up, rent cars, etcetera."
Castillo nodded his understanding, then asked, "So, stay at the Conrad and then drive to Shangri-La in the morning?"
Munz nodded.
"Where is Lee-Watson?"
"Having a cup of tea in the breakfast room. I didn't think you'd want him here for this."
"Ask him to join us, please."
[TWO]
Aeropuerto Internacional Capitan de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo
Maldonado Province
Republica Oriental del Uruguay
1705 3 January 2006
The wheels hardly chirped when the Lorimer Charitable & Benevolent Fund Gulfstream III touched down on the runway.
"You must have been practicing, Charley," First Officer Miller said to Captain Castillo over the intercom. "That wasn't your usual let's-bounce-three-times-down-the-runway-and-see-if-we-can-blow-a-tire landing."
"With all the time you've spent flying right seat with me, First Officer, I would've thought by now you'd have learned that landings come to me naturally, as a by-product of my superb reflexes and, of course, genius."
A grunt came through Castillo's headset.
"You ain't no genius when you're thinking with your dick, Captain. In fact, you ain't never been too smart in that department."
Castillo turned to look at Miller. "If you have something to say, Gimpy, say it," he said unpleasantly.