The sun was down again as Captain Gringo waited for Gaston in the patio of the house Greystoke had let them use. Gaston was late, and Captain Gringo couldn’t help remembering the time his more practique comrade in arms had buggered out of that fight in Mexico to leave him holding the bag.
He lit a smoke and dismissed the worry, for now. Gaston was a smart survivor and Greystoke would probably invite him to the funeral if Gaston made any foolish moves. Meanwhile, it was a balmy night and the fountain across the patio tinkled pleasantly. He’d sweated Gaston out in worse places.
He heard what sounded like a woodpecker. But since woodpeckers seldom pounded on a patio gate, he got up and walked over to open it. A tall man stood there in a white linen suit. He looked like someone had shoved a ramrod up his behind and his face was almost pretty enough to be a girl’s, if it hadn’t been scarred by a saber slash at some time in the past. The stranger clicked his heels and held out a card to Captain Gringo as he said, “Allow myself to be presented. I am Hauptman Kruger, from the German Consulate.”
Captain Gringo glanced down at the card, which said the same thing, and answered, “So you are. Come in, Hauptman. I admire a man with a direct approach.”
The German officer followed the American over to the chairs by the patio table and sat down across from him before he smiled, rather boyishly, and said, “We heard about the British recruiting you with a club. You will find our methods less crude.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have any relatives in Düsseldorf, Herr Kruger.”
The German agent laughed. Aside from the dueling scar and the stiff neck, he seemed a rather pleasant sort, considering. He reached in his jacket for a silver cigarette case and held it open to Captain Gringo with an inquiring look. The American held up the butt he was smoking and said, “No thanks. I don’t suppose it’s occurred to you that Greystoke probably has someone watching this place?”
Kruger shrugged and said, “I have nothing to hide. I am accredited as a military attaché to the Costa Rican government.”
“Meaning you’re a German spy.”
“Yes and no. As you see, I make no secret of my identity. I assure you I report matters of military interest to my government via diplomatic channels. The Costa Rican government knows and understands this. As a matter of fact, I had lunch today with Colonel Delgado of Costa Rican Army Intelligence.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Get to the bottom line, Kruger.”
“I wish to be of service to you.”
Captain Gringo raised an eyebrow. The German nodded and insisted, “We know you have been hired by British Intelligence. They seem to think we are building a submarine base down along the Atlantic coast.”
“I’ll bet you’re not, huh?”
“Of course not. I give you my word as an officer and a German gentleman that you and your men will find no such thing down there.”
Captain Gringo took a drag on his smoke and asked, “Then what’s the problem? If there isn’t any German base for us to find, I see no reason for you to want to stop us.”
“Stop you?” Kruger smiled. “You were not listening, my American friend. I said I wanted to help you!”
The tall American grinned crookedly and said, “Gee, that’s sure swell of you, Kruger. Now, suppose we cut the bullshit and get down to the fine print. What the hell are you after? It’s obviously not information. You seem to know as much about Greystoke’s business as Greystoke does!”
The German nodded smugly, and said, “We have our own sources of information. Would you believe we knew what Greystoke planned before you did?”
“Sure. Why not? Get to the nice part where you help us.”
Kruger nodded and reached in his jacket to take out a manila envelope. He placed it on the table and said, “The light is not very good out here, but you can go over these inside at your leisure. You will find our German charts of the Costa Rican coastlands more accurate than those the British gave you. Also, I have taken the liberty of including some letters of recommendation to people of German descent you may encounter in your travels.”
“You’re kidding! You want to introduce me to the German Navy?”
“Of course not. I am trying to convince you there are no German naval forces to be found down there. The letters are to planters along the coast, asking them to furnish guides and anything else you may need. If you wish, I can lend you a steam launch we have at our disposal in the port of Limon. You and your friends may find the going rough, by land. The coast is mostly mangrove swamp and tidal lagoons. I would offer the services of a German navigator, but I fear Herr Greystoke would not approve.”
Captain Gringo stared thoughtfully at the thick envelope as Kruger added, “Do you need any money?”
The American laughed incredulously and said, “Now I know you’re kidding! What are you trying to buy, Kruger? Professional ethics aside, I can’t think of a thing I can tell you that you don’t already seem to know!”
The German shrugged and said, “That is true. I will the cards on the table place. My government finds it most vital that you and your men not only carry out your mission, but, more important, return alive to reassure British Intelligence that they have been up the wrong tree barking. You have my word that no German agents intend to interfere with your fool’s errand. But the jungle swamps are very treacherous and there are bandits and roving Indians, despite what Colonel Delgado likes to believe. Should you or your comrades fail to return from the jungle, Herr Greystoke will naturally accuse us of being behind your disappearance! Even worse, he will tell your U.S. Government that German agents have murdered an American citizen, nicht wahr?”
Captain Gringo didn’t answer. If Kruger didn’t know he was wanted in the States, he wasn’t so smart, after all. On the other hand, he could be bullshitting about that, too.
Kruger continued, “It is no secret that the British have the U.S. been buttering up. Der Kaiser wishes nothing but the most friendly relations with America. If I may remind you, your country has two wars with the British had. Have you ever had a war with Germany?”
“Not yet. I’ll give you a more educated opinion if and when we get back from the coastal jungles alive. You’ve got to admit a German submarine base within a short run of the Panama Canal makes a certain strategic sense.”
Kruger snorted in disgust and said, “Lieber Gott! The canal won’t be built for at least a dozen of years! As for this submarine nonsense, nobody has a practical submarine, yet.”
“No shit? How come you guys keep building them, then?”
Kruger looked pained and said, “Germany is of course with submarines experimenting, as are the Americans, the British, and everyone else. If you have been following developments in the newspapers, you know that while it is very easy to make a submarine submerge, getting one to come back up is more difficult. Your new American Holland boats run under water only a little faster than a man can walk. How would anyone cross the ocean in such a craft?”
Captain Gringo said, “They couldn’t. They’d have to store it aboard a surface vessel and leave it close to where they wanted to use it.”
“Listen to me, my friend. Even if Germany was making such crazy plans for the future, why would she do it even before the Panama Canal was built?”
“People might be expecting it, after—”
“Ach, Gott! Go and flounder through the coastal swamps all they want. I can see the stupid British have you half convinced. Go and look and, for God’s sake, make it back alive!”
He got to his feet, clicked his heels again, and said, “I will not try to stop you. If you need any further help from me or my government, we are at your service. It has a most interesting conversation been. But, if you will forgive me, I have more important matters to attend to. So, good hunting and good night.”
Kruger marched himself grandly out as Captain Gringo closed the gate behind him with a bemused expression. He went back to the table and took the envelope inside for safekeeping. Then he moved back to the patio, wondering where the hell Gaston was.
It was almost dark, now. But the night was young, so what the hell. Gaston could have had trouble making contacts, or, knowing Gaston, he might have met a woman. He hoped it wasn’t the latter. The Frenchman could vanish for a week with anything that wasn’t obviously deformed.
He wondered how long it would take Greystoke to learn about the Germans approaching him, and what he’d say if Greystoke asked about it. He lit another smoke and decided to try the truth. The truth seemed to throw everyone into shock, lately. The German officer had been bullshitting, at least about not wanting the U.S. Government in the act. If Kruger knew who he was, and he did, he’d know Uncle Sam couldn’t care less about him and Gaston. Were the new maps designed to lead them on a false trail? Were they supposed to march up to some outfit loyal to Germany and get their heads blown off when they asked for directions? That offer of a steam launch was pretty obvious, if you wanted all your targets in one little boat that could sink without a trace. He blew a smoke ring and said, “That’s pretty crude. But they play for keeps down here!”
He heard another noise at the gate. This time it sounded like a cat scratching to be let in. He went over and had a look. A female outline stood there in the gloom and when he opened the gate she slid in with a shudder and said, in Spanish, “I have been waiting for that man to leave. Gaston sent me to get you, Captain Gringo.”
“He did, huh? Turn around and put both hands against the garden wall.”
The girl did as she was told, but asked, “For why, señor?”
He said, “Just hold still while I pat you down.”
She winced as one of his hands slid over a nicely formed breast without feeling any weapons. As he ran a hand between her thighs she protested, “Señor! I did not come here to be molested!”
He said, “You’re clean. You can turn around and fib some more, now.”
The girl did so, keeping her eyes downcast as she murmured, “Gaston told me you were a ruffian.”
“Sure he did. Let’s move over to the light so I can have a look at you. Where is Gaston supposed to be, right now?”
She followed him toward the door, saying, “He is at my place. I am called Helena Mahonney.”
“A fine old Spanish name if ever I heard one, bejesus. Why is Gaston at your place? He’s supposed to be here, damn it!”
She said, “I know. He told me. Some men have been following him and he said something about being hit on the head again. He asked me to slip out the back way and get you. He said something about you bringing some people named Grey Rocks.”
Captain Gringo opened the door and led the girl inside before he turned to study her by lamplight. Helena Mahonney was a perky little blonde with big blue eyes. He already knew she was built right. He nodded and said, “Mahonney it must be. You’re Irish or I’m a Greek. Don’t you speak English?”
“No, señor. My father, it is true, was an Irish soldier of fortune. My mother was Costa Rican. Since you and Gaston follow my father’s trade, you will understand I saw very little of him, growing
“Your father’s dead?”
“Si, he was killed in Mexico a year ago by the Rurales. Gaston did not know this when he came to my place, looking for him. He said I was to mention Delores and Angelita to you. I do not know who they are or what this might mean.”
Captain Gringo nodded and said, “That sounds like Gaston, all right. How many hombres have him pinned down at your place, and have you any idea who they might be?”
“No to both questions, señor. I did not see them. Gaston burst in on me without knocking. Fortunately, I was dressed. He asked for my father and when I told him he was dead, Gaston cursed as if it was my fault. Then he said he had been trying to shake some strange men off his trail, but that he suspected they might have followed him to my place and—”
“Right,” Captain Gringo cut in, adding, “Do you know how to use a gun, Helena?”
“I used to shoot my father’s pistol. Why?”
Captain Gringo said, “Guns we have. People on our side are harder to come by. We’d better load up and get going. Is this place of yours very far. Helena?”
“A ten-minute walk, perhaps. Don’t you intend to ask this Grey Rock person to help us rescue Gaston?”
“No. Not until I find out if the guys after Gaston are working for him.”