Blood and Honor (Honor Bound 2)

"What promise?"

"You've forgotten already?" she asked.

He finally took her meaning, and his face reddened.

"Where's el Teniente?" Clete asked.

"In the library, Patron."

"I'll just say hello to him," Dorotea said, and followed Clete to the library. He held the door open for her and she walked in ahead of him.

"Ah, Se¤orita Mallin," a familiar male voice. "What an unexpected plea-sure! How nice to see you again."

Jesus, who the hell is that? Whoever it is, he sounds just like Colonel Graham.

"And Major Frade himself!" Colonel A. F. Graham, USMCR, said. "What a coincidence! We were just talking about you."

"I told the Colonel you'd probably show up here sooner or later, Tex," Mr. Milton Leibermann said. "And tell us all about the revolution."

"What's going on?" Clete said.

"You'll have to excuse my bad manners, Se¤orita Mallin," Graham said, ig-noring the question. "You've met Lieutenant Pelosi, I know. But not these other gentlemen, I believe. May I present Commander Delojo, our Naval Attach‚ here, and Mr. Milton Leibermann, who is the Legal Attach‚ of the American Embassy in Buenos Aires?"

What the hell is all this about?

Commander Delojo and Milton Leibermann shook Dorotea's hand. Leiber-mann told her that she was even more beautiful than Pelosi had told him she was.

"... and Mr. Ralph Stevenson, who is the Cultural Attach‚ of our Embassy in Montevideo, and Captain Maxwell Ashton III. Gentlemen, Se¤orita Dorotea Mallin, Major Frade's fianc‚e." He paused and looked at Clete. "When Tony told us that wonderful news, Clete, frankly I was a little hurt that you hadn't let me know. I would have sent a present, or something."

Clete didn't reply.

Enrico came into the room, looked around, and then at Clete.

"And this gentleman," Graham said, "is Suboficial Mayor Enrico Ro-driguez, Argentine Army, Retired, sometimes introduced as Colonel Ro-driguez."

Graham has obviously heard from that Air Corps Colonel at Porto Alegre, Clete thought.

Or maybe he's been there ?

And obviously, behind that little mask of perfect manners he's wearing, he's pissed at me.

Why?

What the hell have I done wrong, except getting one of my men killed?

Well, if that's what's pissing him off, he's entitled.

"I realize this is an imposition, Se¤orita Mallin," Graham said, "but I'm afraid that we have to speak to Cletus now, and alone."

She looked at Clete, then at Graham, then turned and left the library with-out a word.

Clete looked at Graham.

"I accept full responsibility for the death of Sergeant Ettinger," Clete said. "I should have made sure that he would not leave the estancia."

"I'm not surprised that you would say that, Clete," Graham said, "but I am surprised that you know. Who gave you that information?"

"It's not important."