Blood and Honor (Honor Bound 2)

"After he initially gets the new boat to the Oceano Pacifico, he could," Gr?ner said. "Pursuing that line of thought: We acquire a boat here. In El Tigre. Using a minimum crew-G?nther comes immediately to mind-von Wacht-stein takes it out to the Pacifico. A crew from the Oceano Pacifico then takes von Wachtstein and G?nther ashore, and returns the boat to the Oceano Paci-fico, where it will be taken aboard."

"Fine," Goltz said, his patience worn thin. "Buy the boat."

Gr?ner was not through.

"Then, when you decide the time has come to bring the cargo ashore, the boat in Magdalena will take you out to the Oceano Pacifico, and then return-"

"Why do I have to do that?"

"I had the impression only you could authorize her captain to release our cargo," Gr?ner said.

"Correct," Goltz said, just a little embarrassed. "And then I would come ashore with the cargo to the discharge point, correct?"

"'Right. I will be there, of course," Gr?ner said. "And once the cargo is dis-charged, the boat will return to the Oceano Pacifico and be taken aboard for later use in connection with the Graf Spee officers."

"Well, that should solve everything, shouldn't it?"

"We don't know if von Wachtstein knows anything about boats," Gr?ner said. "And then, of course, there is the problem of funds to purchase a boat. And someone to purchase it. I don't think it wise for someone connected with the Embassy to buy a boat. There would be questions."

"I'm having dinner with G?nther's father tonight. I will suggest that he pur-chase the boat. Do you know where you can find one?"

"I'm sure I can find one in El Tigre," Gr?ner said.

"How much money will be required? In American dollars or Swiss francs?"

"In dollars or francs?" Gr?ner as

ked dubiously.

"In dollars or francs," Goltz said.

Gr?ner did the necessary arithmetic on a sheet of paper.

"Fifteen thousand dollars," he said. "In francs..."

"I will give you fifteen thousand dollars this afternoon," Goltz said. "From my special funds."

"Fine."

The fifteen thousand dollars was not in fact from any official special fund. It was part of the just over fifty thousand dollars-(in U.S., English, and Swiss currency)-he had brought back from Montevideo. It represented his 60-40 share of the commission Sturmbannf?hrer Werner von Tresmarck had waiting for him. Before depositing the balance to the Special Fund Reichsprotektor Himmler and Partieleiter Bormann knew about, Von Tresmarck had deducted a 10 percent commission from the money he received from those who wished their relatives to be permitted to immigrate to Uruguay.

Goltz thought it was possible he could be reimbursed from the Special Fund. But even if he couldn't, it wasn't a major problem. There would be more money as his share of the commission von Tresmarck was charging.

"I'm relying on you, Oberst Gr?ner, to take care of all this."

"I understand, Herr Standartenf?hrer," Gr?ner replied. "When you have the time, I would like your opinion of the preliminary plans I have drawn up con-cerning the Graf Spee officers."

"For the moment, the priority is to transport our special cargo safely ashore. We can deal with the Graf Spee officers afterward."

"Of course."

[FOUR]

Second Cavalry Regiment Reservation

Santo Tome

Corrientes Province, Argentina