Death and Honor

[TWO]

The Chateau Marmont 8221 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood, California 0905 5 August 1943

When the managing director of South American Airways—wearing a tweed jacket, khaki slacks, a white polo shirt, and well-worn Western boots—walked off the elevator into the lobby of the hotel, he found eleven SAA captains and one U.S. Border Patrol captain already there.

The Immigration Service captain was in uniform. So were the SAA pilots, each nattily attired in a woolen powder-blue tunic with the four gold stripes of a captain on the sleeves, darker blue trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a leather brimmed cap with a huge crown. On their breasts were what Clete thought of as outsized golden wings, in the center of which, superimposed on the Argentine sunburst, were the letters SAA.

Chief Pilot Delgano, as was probably to be expected, had five golden stripes on his tunic sleeves and the band around his brimmed cap was of gold cloth.

To a man, they looked at him askance.

I think I just failed inspection, Frade thought.

What did they expect, that I would be wearing a SAA uniform?

And what the hell are they doing in those ridiculous uniforms, anyway?

I don’t think it’s coincidental. Somebody told them to wear them.

Let’s find out who and why. . . .

He said, “I see that everyone is properly—I should say ‘splendidly’—turned out. Your idea, Captain Delgano?”

“I thought it would be appropriate, Señor Frade,” Delgano replied seriously.

“And so it is,” Frade said.

“I’m so glad you could find time for us in your busy schedule, Mr. Frade,” the Immigration Service captain said somewhat sarcastically.

“Well, I always try to be properly turned out myself, and that takes time.” He smiled triumphantly, then said, “So, what happens now?”

“That will be explained to you later. Shall we get in the Carryalls?”

“We are completely in your hands, Captain,” Frade said.