Black Ops (Presidential Agent 5)

"Move them where?" Castillo asked. "Here?"

"No," Munz said. "I think the thing to do is for Alek and his family to stay here. So far as I know, the rezident doesn't know anything more than that Alek has a place in Bariloche, but they don't know which one."

"There's more than one?" Castillo asked.

Pevsner nodded. "Plus two more that might be suitable in San Martin de los Andres, which is several hours by car and forty minutes in the helicopter," he said. "One of them, come to think of it, is a fly-fishing estancia. When the fish are not in season, we have paying guests, who find it a beautiful, romantic, out-of-the-way place just to get away."

Munz nodded his agreement.

There's that word "romantic" again. Is there an implication that the Reverend Pevsner approves of our sinful relationship? Munz's nod, I think, means simply it would be a good place to hide.

"And there is the second place in the Buena Vista Country Club in Pilar, and then of course the place at the Polo & Golf," Munz said. "I'm sure the Cubans will have an eye on the big house."

"I miss that house," Pevsner said, then turned to Castillo. "Well, Charley, you can see why I need Alfredo's advice and why his speaking with my authority is more than useful, absolutely necessary. Are you willing to take the chance that there are exceptions to what Saint Matthew said, and this is one of them?"

"Why is there any question at all?" Svetlana began. "We're all--"

"He was asking me," Castillo interrupted.

She flashed him a look that was more anger than hurt.

"Far be it from me to challenge Saint Matthew," Castillo said. "Would this be satisfactory? Alfredo will advise you, and speak with your voice, with the clear understanding that he has only one master, me?"

"I thought that was understood," Svetlana said.

Castillo gave her a look he hoped she would interpret as saying, You are pissing me off.

"Well?" Castillo said. "Alek?"

"Understood and agreed to," Pevsner said.

"Okay, Alfredo, let's hear your advice."

"As soon as we can, move Colonel Berezovsky to the small house in Buena Vista. Preferably in something that won't attract much attention. Alek, where is the Coto supermarket delivery truck?"

"In the garage," Pevsner said. "Janos?"

"It's there. But the battery may be dead."

"When you get on the phone, make sure it is not dead."

Janos nodded.

"If that doesn't work," Munz went on, "Darby can arrange a black embassy car."

"Delchamps and Darby will go with him?" Castillo asked.

"Of course."

"And what about the radio?"

"Leave the radio with Davidson," Munz said. "If they're watching Nuestra Pequena Casa, a sudden mass exit of people and lack of activity--"

"What radio?" Svetlana asked.

"If I wanted you to know, I would have told you," Castillo said.

Pevsner chuckled.