“That’s really not so,” Clete interrupted, with a smile. “I’m one of three grandchildren.”
“…and the son of Jorge Guillermo Frade.”
“Mr. Nestor, do you know that I’ve never met my father?”
“Why don’t you call me ‘Jasper’?”
“Thank you.”
“People won’t believe, Clete, that you don’t know your father.” He smiled. “Everybody knows their father. They may not get along with him, but they know him.”
“I thought I’d better mention it,” Clete said.
“Yes. Of course,” Nestor said. “As I was saying, Clete, the word will get around that you’re a bachelor of means. That suits our purposes neatly. And, in one of the world’s most sophisticated cities, with—in case you haven’t already noticed—some of the world’s most beautiful women.”
Oh, I’ve noticed. The trouble is she just graduated from high school.
“It would attract notice if such a man did not take advantage of the repast fate has laid before him.”
“I understand. Another question?”
“Certainly.”
“When will I be able to get together with the other team leader?”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Nestor said.
“Sir,” Clete protested politely. “If we are to be the backup team, shouldn’t I know as much as possible about what they’ve got lined up?”
“Obviously, that would be the thing for you to do,” Nestor said. “But, unfortunately, the team has disappeared.”
With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Clete turned to look at Nestor.
“What do you mean, ‘disappeared’?”
“Disappeared,” Nestor repeated.
“You don’t know what happened to them?”
“It’s possible, but unlikely, that they are being held by the Argentines for interrogation, and that in a day, or a week, our ambassador will be summoned to the Foreign Ministry and handed a message condemning, in the strongest possible terms, this outrageous intrusion into Argentine internal affairs. But I don’t think that will happen. Everybody knows the rules of the game.”
“What are you saying? That they were caught and executed?”
“That seems the most likely scenario.”
“Jesus Christ!”
“These things happen. They have to be expected. That’s why your team was sent down here. To be available in case something went wrong.”
“I suppose,” Clete said.
I’m not terrified, Clete thought. I’ve been terrified often enough to know that’s not my reaction now. How about “scared shitless”? That fits in between “terrified” and “deeply concerned.”
“The United States has two important concerns here, Clete,” Nestor said. “First, as a tactical objective with diplomatic overtones, the replenishment vessel has to be rendered hors de combat. And we have to accomplish that before the Brazilians decide to deal with it themselves. It is not in the interests of the United States that they go to war against Argentina at this time.”
“The mentors from the Country Club discussed that in New Orleans,” Clete said.