"Cross and Sword members," the report concluded, "are in certain exclusive bars openly boasting that when Tabio pa.s.ses away, Gamburdo will declare the nation a neutral in this war. His family has been sending copper, hides, beef, coffee, and sugar only to Spanish firms since 1940. It is an open secret in the Lonja de Comercio that these shipments do not remain in Spain but are immediately trans-shipped to Germany. None of the Spanish firms with which the Gamburdo family does business were in existence before July 18, 1936, the day the Spanish War started. They are all known in shipping and export circles as German enterprises. Gamburdo"s brother has twice been heard to boast, while in his cups, that the n.a.z.is are protecting his vast holdings in France.
"The Cross and Sword members in San Hermano business circles speak highly of Gamburdo and to a man they a.s.sert that if Tabio dies, Gamburdo will impose a foreign policy which in the name of neutrality will bring prosperity to the landowners and exporters. It will also, of course, bring vitally needed war supplies from this country to the Axis powers; a fact they don"t even bother to deny."
Hall was puzzled by the report"s lack of information on Gamburdo"s link to the Falange during the Spanish War. He remembered that picture of Gamburdo at the Falange dinner held in San Hermano in 1936, the picture he had seen in the files of the secret police in Havana. "How much do you have on Gamburdo?" he asked.
"Gamburdo?" Fielding yawned twice, stretched his arms. "Not as much as I would like to have, Hall."
"Oh." Hall told him about the picture.
"I"m not surprised," Fielding said. "But it"s really news to me. What do you know that I should know?"
"Nothing much, I"m afraid. How about this doctor who arrived on my plane, Varela Ansaldo?"
"He"s never been in San Hermano before."
"Who sent for him?"
"I don"t know. _El Imparcial_ has been giving Gamburdo the credit."
"What do you think of that?"
"I don"t know, Hall. I think they might be trying to give Gamburdo credit for something he doesn"t deserve. _El Imparcial_ is very much pro-Gamburdo, you know."
"Don"t I know it! I used to see Fernandez in his Falange uniform in San Sebastian."
"He"s no good."
"Do you think his paper can be right about Ansaldo? I mean about his being brought to San Hermano by Gamburdo."
"Possibly I can find out."
"What do you think, Fielding? What"s your hunch?"
"I have none, old man. But I can see that you have, and I can see what it is. You think _El Imparcial_ might for once be telling the truth."
"Not the whole truth. I saw _El Imparcial_, too. It also said that Varela Ansaldo was brought to San Hermano to _cure_ Tabio."
Fielding c.o.c.ked his head, looked at Hall out of one eye. "And you think Ansaldo was brought in to kill Professor Tabio?"
"I don"t know. I just don"t know."
"But you mean to find out?"
"_Quien sabe?_"
"I"ll help you. I"ll give you all the help I can."
"But you think I"m nuts?"
The Englishman hesitated for a long while. "Ah ... Frankly, old man--well, d.a.m.n it all, you could be wrong. But I"d never say you were--_nuts_ I believe is the word you used."
"Thanks."
"Well, sir, it"s been a busy day." Fielding put the letters back in the folder, then shoved the folder into the portfolio and tied the strings.
"Unless I hear a motion to the contrary, I shall make a move to adjourn.
Ah, the delegate from North America bows. The Ayes have it. Session is adjourned."
He rose from the desk, put the portfolio back in the filing cabinet, closed the drawer and tested the lock. "Suppose we meet again after I have my dinner with Commander New at the Emba.s.sy tomorrow night. He"s our new Intelligence man. Understand he took quite a beating from the Hun at Dunkirk."
"Swell. Same place?"
"I don"t know yet, old man. Suppose I give you a ring." The Englishman suddenly lapsed into a lisping, Castillian Spanish. "Senor Hall? Eh, Senor Hall? This is Father Arupe. Bless you, my son. Would you care to come to confession tonight?"
"Then it will be Father Arupe on the phone?"
"Yes, Senor. If I ask you to confession, it means this office in an hour. If I suggest you attend ma.s.s in the morning, drive out to my house. I"ll write the address for you."
"Good."
"Oh, just another word about tonight"s reports. If you could help me bring the facts about the waterfront to your government, I think it would be most beneficial. Most beneficial, old man."
"I"ll do my best."
"I know I can count on you. Knew it before I ever laid eyes on you, Hall. One of my a.s.sociates can keep us both posted on the waterfront.
Name"s Harrington. Grand chap, Harrington. Straight as a die, and intelligent."
Hall poured a cup full of cold coffee and swallowed it in a gulp. "G.o.d, that"s good coffee," he said.
"How are you going back to the Bolivar?"
"I"ve got a car waiting downstairs. The driver insisted upon waiting."
"El Gran Pepe?"
"Yeah. I guess it is Big Joe." He described his driver. "And Souza says he is very reliable."
"Oh, he is, old man. He is. You know, since they turned the b.l.o.o.d.y lights down, it"s worth your life to cross the streets at night. Awful lot of traffic accidents and all that, you know. Nothing like a reliable driver."
"How about you, Fielding?"
"Oh, I"ll phone for my own reliable driver. Or better yet, tell Pepe to come back for me, will you, old man?"
Hall rubbed the right side of his face. "Why don"t you ride back with me, and then continue on out to your house?"
"No. It would be better if you left here alone."
"But how about you?"