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“Please do so, Inspector General.”

“ ‘When word reached Buenos Aires that the 10th Mountain Regiment troops—who were now calling themselves the National Socialist 10th Mountain Regiment—had executed

Don Cletus Frade, prominent estanciero and son of the former commander of the Húsares de Pueyrredón, for treason, troops of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment rushed from Campo de Mayo to the Casa Rosada to protect el Presidente Rawson, who was known to be a close friend of Don Cletus. They were met by the 2nd Regiment of Grenadiers—now the National Socialist Grenadiers—who wanted to execute Rawson. A battle ensued in the vicinity of the Retiro Railway Station.’ ”

He paused, met Rawson’s eyes, and went on: “It won’t matter who wins that battle, Señor Presidente. The civil war will have begun.”

There was silence for a full sixty seconds.

Finally, Rawson said, “If you have any suggestions as to how your scenario might be averted, Inspector General, I’d like to hear them.”

Nervo nodded. “You prepare three orders, Señor Presidente. The first one orders Schmidt to immediately return to San Martín de los Andes. El Coronel Wattersly and I personally hand this order to el Coronel Schmidt—”

“How are you going to do that? You’re here, and he’s . . . where exactly?”

“El Coronel Martín has ordered SAA to hold an SAA Lodestar for us, Señor Presidente. We would fly to Mendoza, find out where Schmidt is, and drive there.”

Rawson nodded. “And if Colonel Schmidt chooses to ignore the order?”

“Then we hand him the second order, which relieves him of command of the 10th Mountain and orders him to consider himself under arrest pending court-martial for disobedience of a lawful order. The same order appoints Edmundo to assume command of the 10th Mountain, which he then orders to return to San Martín de los Andes.”

“And if Schmidt refuses to acknowledge the second order?” Rawson asked.

“Then I will kill him,” Nervo said.

“Whereupon el Coronel Schmidt’s loyal—loyal to him—officers will kill you. Kill you and Wattersly. Have you considered that?”

“That possibility has run through my mind,” Nervo said.

“You said three orders,” Rawson said.

“The third order is to el Coronel Perón. It is for him to report to you immediately in person here in Buenos Aires.”

“Two questions there, Inspector General,” the president replied. “First, how would you get this order to Coronel Perón? And what makes you think he would obey it?”

“My deputy, Subinspector General Nolasco, will be on the Lodestar, Señor Presidente. After it drops Edmundo and me off in Mendoza, it will take him to San Martín de los Andes, where Perón will already be under surveillance. He will give the order to Perón and then offer to fly him to Buenos Aires in the Lodestar, which will leave for Buenos Aires just as soon as Nolasco concludes the business—unspecified—he has in San Martín. If Perón gives him any trouble, or makes any effort to contact Schmidt, he will be arrested.”

“And then what?”

“That’s as far as I got, Señor Presidente,” Nervo said.

“Anyone else have anything to say?” Rawson asked.

“Señor Presidente . . . ,” Wattersly began.

“Hold it a second, Edmundo. Let’s follow the practice of asking the junior officers first. Bobby? What have you got to say?”

“Mi general, I’m your aide-de-camp, a capitán . . .”

“Who is in this mess up to his nostrils. Tell me what you think of the inspector general’s proposal.”

“The only thing I was thinking, sir, was two things. The first was that if we had the Piper Cubs you say the Húsares de Pueyrredón has sent to Mendoza, they would be useful to find el Coronel Schmidt.”

“Good idea!” Rawson said. “And?”

“If the president would give me permission to accompany Inspector General Nervo and el Coronel Wattersly when they go to meet el Coronel Schmidt, I think it would lend weight to their position. If I was there, your aide-de-camp, el Coronel Schmidt . . .”

“If I sent you with these two, Bobby, what would happen would be that all three of you would be shot to death,” Rawson said. He turned to Martín. “Okay, Martín, what have you got to say?”