"Couple of questions," Frau Schroder said, now all business. "You want to put the Liechtensteinische Landesbank money in a special account or just deposit it?"
"Just deposit it," Castillo said. "Fernando's going to report it as ordinary business receipts."
"Is that what they call 'money laundering'?" Gorner asked, drily.
"This is in a good cause," Castillo replied.
Gorner shook his head. Frau Schroder picked up the telephone.
Three minutes later, she announced, "Ten million dollars will be available in the Lopez account within twenty minutes."
"Thank you, and now see if you can get Dick Miller on there, will you, please? And put it on the speakerphone, please."
"I think I should point out, Karl," Gorner said, "that it's now about half past six in the morning in Washington."
"Until they take the bandages off his leg, Dick's sleeping in the office," Castillo replied. "He'll be there."
Frau Schroder punched in numbers on one of Gorner's telephones and then pushed the button that activated the speaker.
The phone rang twice and then Major H. Richard Miller, Jr., answered it.
"Miller."
"Good news, sweetheart, we won't have to sell the dogs and move in with your mother. The money's in the bank."
"That was quick."
"They don't call me Speedy Gonzales for nothing," Castillo said. "Any word from Jake about the new toy?"
"He and Fernando and the salesman brought it in here, to BWI, last night. Jake said it would have made waves taking it into Reagan. Jake says the bird's okay and where do you want to keep it?"
"Let me think about that. Ask Jake what he recommends. Transfer nine really big ones from Salamander to my account in Riggs and then pay for it."
"That check's not going to bounce, is it?"
"Nope. I have Frau Schroder's personal guarantee. Say, 'Danke schon, Frau Schroder.'"
"Danke shon, Frau Schroder," Miller said.
"How are you, Dick?" she replied.
"Aside from having more gauze bandage on my leg than a mummy, I'm just fine. Say hello to Otto for me when you see him."
"How are you, Dick?" Gorner said.
"You weren't listening in, were you, Otto? If so, did the colonel make you stand at attention?"
"And click my heels," Gorner said.
"God, he's going to be hard to live with."
"He's always been hard to live with."
"Jesus," Miller suddenly said, "before I forget, Charley, remember that you were here all day yesterday."
"Why?" Castillo said.
"Because yesterday, Colonel, Colonel Torine gave you a check ride in the C-20, which you passed, and which will be recorded on your FAA records this morning."
"Oh, that's great," Castillo said.
"Anything else, Charley?"
"Have you any idea why the ambassador would send me a message? To Berlin?"
"No. But he was fascinated to hear that we have people looking into briefcases in suburban Philadelphia. He can't imagine why you didn't share that with him."
"Because, as far as we know, that's fantasy. Did you tell him that?"
"I did. He didn't seem very impressed. What did the message say?"
"I don't know. I'm not going to Berlin to read it."
"You want to tell me where you are going?"
"Paris was a waste of time. Lorimer's apartment had been searched by the Deuxieme Bureau and the UN before my friend there could get in. I had a look. Nothing useful. And I'm just about finished here. All I have left to do is go see Billy Kocian in Budapest. I don't think that will take long…"
He stopped when he saw Gorner holding up his hand.
"Hold it a second, Dick," Castillo said and gestured for Gorner to speak.
"I don't think going to see Billy Kocian right now is going to be profitable," Gorner said.
"Why not?" Castillo asked.
"He's in the Telki Hospital with a broken ankle."
"What happened?"
"He fell down the stairs in his apartment."
"How do you know he broke his ankle?"
"He called and told me."
"He called and told you," Castillo repeated, softly, and then, raising his voice slightly for the speakerphone, asked, "Dick, where's Torine?"
"In your place. He and Fernando."
"Get on another line and ask him if there's any reason he can't bring the G-III to Budapest right away."
"I can think of one," Miller replied. "You don't own it yet."
"Call Jake, and ask him if the airplane is ready to cross the Atlantic. I'll hold."
Castillo felt Gorner's eyes on him.
"You think something happened to Billy," Gorner said.
"What I'm thinking is that it's unlikely that Billy would call to tell you he fell down. More than likely, he called you to tell you that because He didn't want you to know what really happened to him in case you heard he was in the hospital."
Gorner's eyebrows went up but he didn't say anything.
Miller's voice came over the speaker.
"I have Colonel Torine on the line for you, Colonel Castillo," Miller's more than a little sarcastic voice announced.
"What's up, Charley?" Torine's voice came over the speaker.
"If Dick gave the guy who came with the Gulfstream a cashier's check for the airplane as soon as the Riggs Bank opens, how soon could you get it to Budapest?"
"You mean handle the paperwork later?"
"Right."
"If he goes along with the cashier's check, it would take me maybe an hour and a half to go wheels-up at Baltimore. I can't make it nonstop. I'd have to refuel someplace, maybe Rhine-Main-"
"That's now Frankfurt International. Hadn't you heard? No more Rhine-Main."
"And didn't that make you feel old?" Torine replied. "Figure nine hours total flight time, an hour to refuel. Figure twelve hours from the time Dick gives the owner's guy the check, presuming he's willing to go along. If he's not?"
"Give him the check anyway and don't tell him where you're going on your final test flight."
"One more problem. I'll have to bring Fernando along to fly the right seat. He's not going to like that."
"Do you really need someone in the right seat?"
Torine hesitated before replying, "You know, I've never landed an airplane anywhere where someone counted the pilots. You have a reason you don't want Fernando to come?"
"I want Fernando to go home to Texas and keep the home fires burning."
"Okay, Charley. Not a problem."
Fernando's voice came over the loudspeaker: "I'll fly the goddamned airplane to Budapest, Gringo, and then go home."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Thanks," Castillo said. "Both of you. I'll get us rooms at the Gellert."
"See you in the wee hours tomorrow," Torine said and hung up.
"Anything else before I have my breakfast, Charley?" Miller asked.
"You ever get the avionics for the Ranger?"
"They're on their way to Buenos Aires."
"Okay. Great. I'll be in touch, Dick."
"Do I tell the ambassador where you're going?"
"You might as well. He'll know anyway."
"Run that past me again?"
"I'm going to use his aerial taxi to get me there," Castillo said. "He'll know."
"I don't quite understand that, but, what the hell. I probably don't have the Need to Know. Watch your back, buddy."
Castillo switched off the telephone and went back into his computer case, retrieved a business card, and held it in his hand as he punched in numbers on the telephone.
"Now what?" Otto Gorner asked.
"I'm calling an aerial taxi to take me to Budapest."
"You sure you can get one? And is the Tages Zeitung going to have to pay for it?"
"I'm sure I can get one. The CIA owns the taxi service and Ambassador Montvale told them I go to the head of the line. And, no, the Lorimer Charitable and Benevolent Fund will pay for it."
"Get two seats," Otto said.
Castillo looked at him curiously.
"You're right. Eric's story was a little too detailed," Gorner said. "He said he fell over his dog going down the stairs. If he had fallen over that goddamned dog, he wouldn't have told me. In fact, if he'd fallen down, period, he wouldn't have told me. Now I really want to know what's going on."