Colonel DeBois looked at Castillo gratefully, then went on: "According to Lorimer, Timmons said they had sort of a system, a sophisticated system, of dealing with the Paraguayan authorities. A system of rewards and punishment."
"I'd like to hear about that," Walsh said. "This is all news to me."
"For one example, people approach the children of Paraguayan police on their way home from school. They give them envelopes to give to their mothers. The envelopes contain money."
"I don't understand," Mrs. Dumbrowsky said.
"Well, to Special Agent Timmons, it was pretty clear it was a message. If you don't give us trouble, we will give you money. And if you do, we know where to find your family."
"Mr. Walsh, how experienced an agent was Timmons?" Weiss asked.
"He hadn't been down there long, if that's what you're asking," Walsh said.
"And how long had he been with the DEA?"
"He hasn't been in DEA very long, but if you're suggesting he was-that he is-sort of a rookie, I don't think that's right. He was a cop in Chicago. He comes from a family of cops. And he's a lawyer. He was recruited for the DEA by one of our guys in Chicago who met him and liked what he saw. He's fluent in Spanish."
"Go on, please, Colonel," Weiss said, "and tell us whatever else this very bright, very new DEA agent has theorized."
Colonel DeBois nodded and said, "Timmons also saw sophistication in how these people dealt with DEA agents. There were significant differences. For one thing, there were no envelopes with money, which Timmons felt was significant because it meant that the drug people knew the DEA agents could neither be bought nor coerced by threats against their families. Or because the drug people knew that injuring-or killing-the family of an American would bring a good deal of attention."
"But they are willing to kidnap DEA agents?" Inspector Saffery of the FBI asked.
That's the first time he's opened his mouth.
"Oh, yes."
"One would think that DEA agents would protect themselves from being kidnapped," Weiss said. "Wouldn't you, Inspector?"
"Very few FBI agents are kidnapped," Saffery said, chuckling.
"That's what Timmons found interesting," DeBois said.
"Doesn't kidnapping imply a ransom?" Norman Seacroft, of the Treasury Department, asked. "That's interesting! How much did they ask?"
"Kidnapping is taking someone against his or her will," Saffery said, somewhat intolerantly. "There doesn't have to be a ransom element."
"These people don't ask for a ransom?"
"Not so far," Walsh said.
"Then why do they kidnap them? And how do we get them back?" Seacroft asked.
"According to what Timmons told Lorimer, they kidnap them to suggest that working too hard to interdict the flow of drugs is not smart."
"But they turn them loose, right?" Seacroft said.
"As I understand it, all the DEA agents who have been kidnapped have been returned unharmed," Weiss said.
"Mr. Weiss, are you suggesting that becoming addicted to heroin is not being harmed?" Colonel DeBois asked, coldly courteous.
"Addicted to heroin?" Seacroft parroted.
DeBois explained, "I don't know the exact figure-Timmons didn't know-but at least two kidnapped DEA agents who were turned free by their captors had become addicted to heroin."
"Four," Walsh said.
"Let me make sure I understand this," Inspector Saffery said. "While these people held the DEA agents, they forced heroin on them? Turned them into addicts?"
"Correct," Walsh said.
"That's hard to believe!" Mrs. Dumbrowsky said.
"The ones who were addicted were released after there had been a successful delivery of a large drug shipment," Walsh said.
"This is the first I've heard of this!" Saffery said, indignantly.
"Inspector," Walsh said, "think about it. If you were a field agent who had become involuntarily addicted, would you like that information to become widely known? Even-perhaps especially-within the FBI?"
"As Mr. Ellsworth has pointed out, this is nothing more than hearsay," Mrs. Dumbrowsky said. "The State Department has heard nothing like this."
"And unless the colonel has some more fascinating hearsay to relate," Weiss said, "I really do have other things to do."
He stood up.
"As a matter of fact, Mr. Weiss, I wasn't quite through," DeBois said, coldly.
Weiss reluctantly sat down.
"Putting everything together, Timmons had been wondering if perhaps the Paraguayan drug-shipment operation was being run by someone other than the Paraguayan/Colombian/Bolivian drug people."
Castillo glanced at Weiss.
You didn't expect to hear that, did you, Milton?
But who is he talking about?
I can't believe that Timmons got into the Stasi/DGI involvement.
"That's absurd!" Weiss said.
"Why is it absurd, Mr. Weiss?" DeBois asked, courteously.
"On its face," Weiss said.
"Wait a minute," Saffery said. "Why not? The drug trade didn't start last week. A lot of these people have lived in the States for years-some of them even legally with Green Cards, even citizenship-"
"Your point, Inspector?" Weiss interrupted.
"What I'm saying is that they've been in the States long enough to figure out what Cousin Jose back in Colombia has been doing wrong and to tell him how to do it right."
"Define 'right' for me, please, Inspector," Weiss said.
"Don't kill our DEA people," Saffery said. "That draws attention to you. Knock off that macho bullshit-excuse me, Mrs. Dumbrowsky-that doesn't make us any money. Getting the stuff through is what makes us money."
"With all respect, Inspector, I still think that's absurd," Weiss said, and stood up again. "Mr. Ellsworth, if I have to say this, if the agency comes by some solid intelligence, it will be immediately brought to your attention, and that of Ambassador Montvale."
"Thank you," Ellsworth said.
The rest of the CIA delegation was now on its feet.
They followed Weiss to the door.
"Not that one, Weiss," Castillo blurted. "That's the door to my office."
By then Weiss had cracked the door open.
He turned to look at Castillo.
Max, towing Sergeant Phillips behind him, shouldered the door open.
The edge caught Weiss on the side of the face.
"Sonofabitch!" he exclaimed, and backed away, running into the rest of the CIA delegation and causing further consternation. No one actually fell down, but almost, and two briefcases hit the floor.
Max went to Castillo, sat down, and offered him his paw.
"Colonel, I'm sorry," Phillips said. "I didn't realize how strong he is!"
"Presumably, Castillo, that animal is yours?" Ellsworth said.
"Actually, I'm just minding him for a friend," Castillo said. "You all right, Mr. Weiss?"
Weiss glared at him, then marched to the other door, and the CIA delegation departed.
The others in the room were reacting as if an auto accident had just happened before their eyes. No one moved, or showed any inclination to do so.
"Well, it would appear this meeting is over," Castillo said.
Ellsworth looked at him with a stone face, then turned to those at the table and said, "Yes, it would appear that way. Thank you, all, for coming."
"Colonel," Castillo said to Colonel DeBois. "May I have a moment of your time, sir?"
He gestured toward the open door to his office.
DeBois nodded, stood up, and walked to the door, then through it. Castillo, with Max and Phillips behind him, followed, and then Miller.
"Dick," Castillo said, "close and lock that behind you, will you, please?"
"I thought I heard you say 'my office,'" DeBois said. "Are you going to tell me what's going on here, Colonel?"
Castillo did not immediately respond.
He said, "Take the leash off Max, Phillips, and then see if you can raise the safe house."
"Yes, sir."
Max-as if he had understood what Castillo had ordered-sat down and allowed Phillips to remove the wire leash from his neck. Phillips went into the commo room. Max walked to Castillo and lay down at his feet.