“I can only hope that it will alter the opinion you hold of my friends,” Perón said.
“Sure,” Clete said.
“I thought perhaps Dorotéa might wish to tell Alicia. I have not called Estancia Santo Catalina.”
“I’m sure she would. You’re very thoughtful. Tío Juan. And I’m grateful.”
“We’re family, Cletus. I could do no less.”
“Well, I’m truly grateful.”
“As soon as I have further details, I’ll pass them on.”
“Thank you.”
“Good night, Cletus,” Perón said sonorously, and the line went dead.
“You’re truly grateful about what?” Dorotéa demanded.
“He came through,” Clete said. “‘As we speak,’ Peter’s on his way to Argentina.”
“Thank God!”
“You better get on the phone to Alicia. Or maybe drive over there in the morning.”
“We’ll drive over there tonight. I want to be there when Claudia finds out.”
“I’d rather go in the Buick, if you don’t mind.”
“It’s about out of gas,” Clete said, and held open the door of the Horch for her to get in. He was just about to drive out of the garage when Enrico appeared, carrying the Browning shotgun.
Dorotéa didn’t seem at all surprised to see him, didn’t protest, and then waited until they were on the macadam road through the pampas before picking up their original conversation precisely where it had been cut off: “You were telling me Colonel Almond was sent down here to identify Peter…Galahad. By whom?”
Clete exhaled, and decided this was as good a time as any to get it over with. “I originally suspected the OSS, but he says it was the G-2. That’s Army intelligence, and I think he was telling the truth.”
“He told you this?”
“At the time, I had a pistol in my hand and had just let off a round two feet away from him.”
“You threatened to kill him?” Dorotéa asked matter-of-factly.
He nodded.
“Did he believe you?”
“I hope so. Otherwise I will have to kill him.”
“You should have told me before,” she said. “Then I wouldn’t have worried myself sick all afternoon and evening.”
“I’m sorry about that, baby.”
“Enrico, do you think that man, Colonel Almond, believes Señor Clete will do what he said?”
“Sí, Doña Dorotéa.”
“Well, then, it’s been a good day all around, hasn’t it?” Dorotéa said.
“We still have Claudia to face,” Clete said.