Blood and Honor (Honor Bound 2)

"In addition to that, there is something like twenty million U.S. dollars now in Uruguay," Goltz said, "which will have to be incorporated in our arrange-ments here."

What the hell is he talking about?

"Twenty million in Uruguay?" von Lutzenberger asked.

"I'll come to that in due time, Graf von Lutzenberger," Goltz said. "Our im-mediate problem is the reception of the one hundred million, and providing safe and very secret storage for it once it enters the country. Until it can be disbursed and invested."

My God, he's talking about money stolen from the Jews! There is no other place that much money could have come from!

"The money will be brought in by diplomatic pouch?" he asked. "I have to tell you, Herr Standartenf?hrer, that I consider that a great risk."

"The funds are aboard the Comerciante del Oceano Pacifico, a Spanish-registered vessel already on the high seas," Goltz replied.

"Forgive me, Herr Standartenf?hrer," Gr?ner said. "But there's a trail. There will be manifests...."

"The Pacifico's ostensible mission-obviously a well-guarded secret it-self-is to replace the Reine de la Mer," Goltz said. "The last-minute addition of half a dozen more crates of engine and radio parts to her cargo, taken aboard under the personal supervision of her captain, caused no raised eyebrows at all."

"I wondered what they would do about replacing the Reine de la Mer," von Lutzenberger said.

"When the Pacifico is on station in the Bay of Samboromb¢n," Goltz went on, "I will board her. Her captain has been told that someone will present spe-cial orders to him when he arrives. When the crates are placed in my custody, that will be the end of the trail."

"Six crates, you said?" Gr?ner asked. "Full of money?"

"Six crates, Herr Oberst, containing engine and radio parts, and the special funds. They are not all in the form of currency. There is gold, and gemstones, and even some negotiable securities. All of which, of course, will have to be converted into cash here."

"I see," Gr?ner said.

If there is gold, von Lutzenberger thought, it came from the dental work and wedding rings of murdered Jews; and the gemstones from the fingers and necks of murdered Jewish women.

Does this slime really believe this Thousand Year Reich rising phoenixlike from the ashes of Berlin nonsense, or is he simply a criminal?

"At the time I remove the crates from the Oceano Pacifico, I will confide in her captain that they contain weapons and other materiel necessary for the ac-complishment of my mission here," Goltz said.

"Excuse me?" von Lutzenberger said.

Goltz smiled at him smugly.

"Which mission-personally authorized by the F?hrer-is to free and re-turn to Germany the interned officers from the Graf Spee. As you know, this is also of personal interest to Admiral Canaris. And when we do in fact deliver, say, twenty Graf Spee officers to the Oceano Pacifico, for subsequent transfer to a submarine, that should remove any lingering curiosity the captain might have about the six crates."

"Very clever," Gr?ner said.

" 'Brilliant' is the word, my dear Gr?ner," Gradny-Sawz said.

"I presume the implications of taking the Graf Spee officers from their place of internment has been considered," von Lutzenberger said. "The Argen-tines will be offended."

"We presume, of course, Graf von Lutzenberger, that the Argentines will make a pro forma fuss about it. That will be fine. First, it will further obfuscate my-our-primary mission. Second, their protests should create nothing extra-ordinary for you to deal with, Herr Ambassador. And after a week or two, I think they will rather admire our audacity."

"I'm not so sure about that," von Lutzenberger said. "About it being easy to deal with. When the word spreads that the Graf Spee officers have broken their parole-and there is no way we can keep that out of the newspapers-no mat-ter what his personal feelings on the subject, President Castillo will feel com-pelled to do more than register a pro forma complaint. And if the coup d'‚tat planned by the Grupo de Oficiales Unidos succeeds-and in my judgment, it will-the escape of the Graf Spee officers could very well be the excuse the new President needs to radically alter the status quo. Perhaps to go so far as to recall their ambassador to Berlin. And conceivably, even to seek a declaration of war."

"The ramifications of Argentine indignation, Graf von Lutzenberger, have been considered at the highest level, and it was decided it was the price that had to be paid," Goltz said. "Frankly, I think you are overly concerned. For instance, when I spoke with Oberst Gr?ner about the Frade assassination, he told me he felt the Argentine officer corps would deeply resent that."

"I shared that opinion," von Lutzenberger said.

"Yesterday, I sensed no resentment at all," Goltz said. "Either at the Edificio Libertador, or even at the Duarte house. My God, Frade's sister even invited von Wachtstein to that private funeral service!"

Beatrice Frade de Duarte, von Lutzenberger thought, is quite mad. Even more insane than Herr Hitler.

Neither he nor Gr?ner replied.