Gorner took his cellular telephone from his pocket and punched an autodial button.
Thirty seconds later, he said, "As soon as someone wakes up long enough to answer the goddamned telephone at the Budapester Tages Zeitung, there will be people from the security service here within fifteen minutes."
"Can they be trusted?"
"Eric trusts them," Gorner said and then turned his attention to his cellular telephone: "Hier ist Generaldirektor Gorner…" [THREE] Room 24 Telki Private Hospital 2089 Telki Korhaz Fasor 1 Budapest, Hungary 1750 6 August 2005 Doctor Fredric Czerny put his head into the corridor and, shaking his head in what was obviously resignation, signaled for Castillo and Gorner to come into Eric Kocian's room.
"Ur Kocian and I are negotiating his release from the hospital," he said. "He wishes you to participate."
Max trotted after them, sat on his haunches by the bed, and offered Kocian his paw.
"Traitor!" Kocian said but took the paw and then caressed Max's massive head.
"What are the points in dispute?" Castillo asked.
"I told him I would release him probably tomorrow afternoon, as I think he needs another day of bed rest," Czerny explained.
"And I said if I have to spend another day in bed, I would prefer to do so in my own bed instead of on this Indian bed of nails," Kocian said. "Starting right now."
"My counteroffer was to release him after breakfast tomorrow, with the caveat he will actually go to his bed and stay there for twenty-four hours. he said that whether he stays in bed depends on when you plan to leave for Argentina."
"Very early in the morning, the day after tomorrow," Castillo said.
"Why then?" Kocian asked.
"Because that's when the plane leaves," Castillo said.
"You understand Max is going?"
"I understand Max is going," Castillo said. "I couldn't leave him; we're pals."
Kocian snorted, then said: "You see, Fredric? We have reached agreement. I will leave your charnel house in the morning. Before breakfast, as the food you serve in here would poison an oxen."
"You will leave after breakfast and after I have another look at you in the morning, and then only if Ur Gossinger will guarantee that you will go directly from here to your apartment and get in bed and stay there."
"Will I be paroled, Karlchen, to have a bath and attend to necessary bodily functions?"
"As long as you're quick about it and the bath is in your bathroom," Castillo said. "Doctor, I'll see that he stays in bed if I have to chain him to it."
"You may well find yourself doing just that," Dr. Czerny said, quickly shook Castillo's and Gorner's hands, and walked out of the room.
"There will be security people from the Tages Zeitung here in a couple of minutes," Otto Gorner announced. "And I will arrange with them to take you from here to your apartment in the morning."
"Do you ever think before you act, Otto?" Kocian asked.
"Something's wrong?" Gorner said.
"Max dislikes security people," Kocian explained. "They apparently have a special smell. Max tends to bite people he dislikes and the security people know it. They may go on strike."
Castillo said, "I want you alive, so you can talk to me. These people will keep you alive until I can get you on the airplane." He paused. "What about the cop at the door? Max has no problem with him."
"There is an exception to every rule," Kocian said. "And I suspect the cop-his name is Kadar-has been feeding Max leberwurst. Max likes leberwurst."
"So we will get the security people a supply of leberwurst," Castillo said.
Kocian considered this a moment.
"No. Hanging around my bed of pain is no fun for Max," he said, finally. "And the cop at the door has already been there too long. So when my security people arrive, I will send him away. And you will take Max to my apartment. You may stay with him, providing you take him for a late-night walk."
"Two questions," Castillo said. "Where is your apartment? And will they let me into it?"
"On the top floor of the Hotel Gellert," Kocian replied, the expression on his face making it obvious he thought Castillo should have known where he lived. "And if you're with Max, of course they will. You will find dog food in the kitchen, and there will be some beef bones in the refrigerator. He gets one large, or two small, only after he eats his dog food."
"Yes, sir. And what does he like for dessert?"
"There is a dish of chocolates beside my chair. He gets two only."
"Okay."
"For reasons I can't imagine, chocolate is supposed to be bad for dogs. In Max's case, too much chocolate causes flatulence-and he can clear a room with it-so be wise and strong when he begs for more. He's a very appealing beggar."
"I'll remember."
"There's a leash hanging from the door handle," Kocian said. "You'd better put him on it. Unless I am there, Max tends to go pretty much where he wants to." Two minutes later, there was a knock at the door and two burly men-obviously armed under their suits-came into the room, saw Max, and stayed close to the door. Max growled softly but deeply and showed a thin but impressive row of teeth.
"What did I tell you?" Kocian asked.
"How many of you are there?" Castillo asked.
They looked at him but didn't answer, looking instead at Gorner.
"You can tell him," Kocian said. "That's Herr Karl von und zu Gossinger."
"There are three of us, Herr Gossinger," one of the men said, in German.
"You heard what happened to Mr. Kocian?" Castillo asked, in Hungarian.
Both nodded. The same man said, "Mr. Kocian was assaulted on the Szabadsag hid."
"It was not a robbery. It was far more serious and it may well happen again," Castillo said.
They both nodded again.
"I want two men outside this door at all times," Castillo ordered. "And I want at least two more close by."
"I can have another man-as many men as you would like, sir-here in fifteen minutes."
"Get two," Castillo ordered. "Do you know how to use your pistols?"
"They're all retired policemen, Ur Gossinger," Kocian answered for them.
"Everyone has cellular telephones?" Castillo asked.
They nodded.
"If anything at all suspicious happens, you notify first the police and then me. That means you will have to give me one of your telephones. I will be in Ur Kocian's apartment."
The man who had spoken gestured for the other to give Castillo his cellular telephone.
"Thank you," Castillo said, examining it. "And how do I call you with this?"
The man showed him.
"In the morning, we are going to move Ur Kocian from here to his apartment. We don't want anyone to know we're doing that, which means we don't want anyone to see him leaving the hospital or entering the hotel. He will be in a wheelchair. Suggestions, please?"
"I will not be in a wheelchair," Kocian announced.
"Ur Kocian will be in a wheelchair," Castillo repeated.
"We could get a van from the Tages Zeitung, sir. Back it up to the loading dock in the basement of the hospital and then do the same thing at the Gellert."
"I want one of you to drive the van," Castillo ordered. "And when you are prepared to leave, I want you to call me. You will say, 'Ur Kocian is having his breakfast and waiting for the doctor.'"
The man nodded and smiled.
"Did I say something amusing?" Castillo asked. "You're smiling."
"Excuse me, sir. I was just thinking you sound more like a policeman than a newspaper publisher."
"Think what you like about me, but don't repeat what you're thinking."
"No offense intended, sir."
"None taken," Castillo said.
"Sir," the man said. "We will take good care of Ur Kocian and get him safely and discreetly to the Gellert in the morning."
"Good," Castillo said.
He meant that. Obviously, he really likes Eric. Why should that surprise me?
"There is one thing, sir…"
"Which is?"
"The dog, sir. Sometimes he can be difficult…"
"What it is," Kocian said, "is that you smell like leberwurst."