Solez and Bradley, who had been posted to the embassy before they had been drafted by Castillo, had been assigned to make daily-sometimes twice-daily-errand runs from Nuestra Pequena Casa to the embassy specifically and to Buenos Aires generally. The theory was they were fami
liar faces and would attract the least attention.
Castillo looked at Solez, whose face now showed pain.
Castillo was tempted to let it go, but changed his mind. Getting followed was inexcusable.
"No rearview mirrors on the Trafic, right, Ricardo?" Castillo asked.
"Jesus Christ, Carlos, I'm sorry."
His embarrassment-shame-was clear in his voice.
"He's pretty good, Colonel," Lorimer said. "He led me up and down every back street between here and Palermo."
"But you're better, right?"
"Yes, sir. I guess I am."
"Okay. So you're here. Why?"
"A friend of mine, a DEA agent, got kidnapped about a week ago. I need some help to get him back. I figured you were the guy who could help, maybe the only one," Lorimer said.
"Why would you think that?"
"Because you got the bad guys who kidnapped Jack the Stack's wife and whacked him."
"What if I told you I have no idea what you're talking about?"
"Sir, I would expect you to say just that," Lorimer said. "But, sir, with respect, you better get used to the idea that the cat's out of the bag. I even heard of what went down and I'm pretty low down on the pay scale. And in Paraguay."
Castillo looked at Delchamps.
"Write this down, Ace," Delchamps said. "There's no such thing as a secret."
"Oh, shit!" Castillo said, and shook his head. Then he turned to Lorimer.
"Lieutenant Lorimer, I am Lieutenant Colonel C. G. Castillo, Special Forces, U.S. Army."
"Yes, sir."
"I inform you herewith that I am here operating on the authority of a Presidential Finding…"
"Yes, sir."
"Close your mouth until I'm finished, Lieutenant. You are advised herewith that each and every aspect of this operation is classified Top Secret Presidential. From this moment on, you will not discuss with anyone what you think you may have learned, or what you think you may have surmised, about anything connected with this operation. That includes the names of personnel, and the location of personnel or facilities, and what I or anyone connected with this operation may or may not have done. Any breach of these instructions will result in your trial by General Court-Martial-at which, trust me, you will be found guilty-and being placed in solitary confinement at probably Leavenworth until the details of this operation are no longer of interest to anyone. You run off at the mouth, and you'll wish the RPG had got all of you. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
He's got it. His face is white. And I feel like a shit.
"You heard what he said, Ace, about the cat being out of the bag?" Delchamps asked, but it sounded to Castillo like a statement.
"Edgar, butt out," Castillo said.
"I was thinking about collateral damage," Delchamps said. "Who's he been talking to? Which of them has been running at the mouth? What are you going to do about shutting them up?"
There I go again, underestimating Delchamps!