The Honor of Spies

He saw the looks on Welner's and Dorotea's faces.

"No, I haven't lost my mind. Since the Germans know who I am, and Colonel Martin knows what I do for a living, who are we trying to keep it a secret from?"

"There was another attempt on your life yesterday?" Father Welner said.

"Three guys in front of the house on Avenida Coronel Diaz," Clete confirmed. "Rodriguez put two of them down, and I got the third one." He looked at Mother Superior. "The story in La Nacion said the police killed them during a robbery attempt."

"You didn't say anything," Welner said.

"Rodriguez?" Mother Superior asked. "Enrico Rodriguez? Is that who you're talking about? Your father's--what's that term?--batman?"

"I don't know if he was my father's batman or not," Frade said. "But he was one of my father's two true friends."

"Father Welner being the other?" she asked.

Frade nodded.

"Are you aware, Cletus," Mother Superior said, "that Enrico's sister Marianna took care of you from the day you were born until your mother went to the United States?"

Frade nodded. "Yes, I am. La Senora Rodriguez de Pellano was my housekeeper in the house across from the Hipodromo on Libertador. She had her throat cut in my kitchen the night the assassins came after me the first time."

"I hadn't heard that," Mother Superior said as she crossed herself. Then she added, "Where is Enrico now?"

"At the estancia with the German woman," Clete replied.

"And what precisely is the nature of the German woman's illness?"

"She's crazy," Frade said.

"Damn it, Cletus!" Dorotea said in exasperation.

Clete, unbowed, explained: "Yesterday, she told her sole surviving son that he's a traitor who will burn in hell for all eternity. Doesn't that sound a little crazy to you?"

"Her son is with her?" Mother Superior asked.

"And her husband," Welner said.

"And six of my men, in case the Germans learn where they are and come to kill all three."

A moment later, the door to the office opened and a nun--this time a huge one, reminding Clete of The Other Dorotea--stepped inside.

She had to be waiting outside, and somehow Mother Superior summoned her.

"Yes, Reverend Mother?"

"Please ask Sister Monica to select three very reliable sisters to deal with a woman suffering from mental illness. Ask them to pack enough clothing for three or four days. Bring a van around. Put my medical bag in it. I will drive."

"Yes, Reverend Mother."

The huge nun left, carefully closing the door behind her.

"That will take a few minutes," Mother Superior said. "There's no reason for everyone to wait for me. I know my way out there. And if you would be so good, Father, to hear my confession while we wait?"

[THREE]

Casa Montagna

Estancia Don Guillermo

Km 40.4, Provincial Route 60

Mendoza Province, Argentina

1915 14 August 1943

Darkness had fallen, but there was enough light from the headlights for Clete to be able to see the white stone kilometer markers along the road as the resident manager of Estancia Don Guillermo--whose name, if he had ever known it, Clete had forgotten--drove the Lincoln down the macadam road.

They were now at Km 39.8.

That means we're point-six kilometer from where we'll turn onto Estancia Don Guillermo, and thirty-nine-point-eight kilometers from where they started counting, probably at a marker in the Mendoza town square.

That's not saying we're thirty-nine-point-eight kilometers from the center of town, but that we're thirty-nine-point-eight kilometers down the road from the marker.

The way this road weaves, we're a lot closer as the bird flies than that.

Why the hell do people say that?

"As the bird flies" means in a straight line? I've never seen a bird fly more than twenty-five yards in a straight line.

Jesus Christ, it's odd thoughts time! And that means C. Frade's tail is really dragging.