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Sam agreed with him. “Did you ever find out anything else on the downed plane?”
“There seems to be conflicting evidence that some sort of cover-up took place after the plane went down.”
“What sort of cover-up?”
“About who was on board. One of the reports I read said that there were only five civilian passengers and three crew, but another said six civilian passengers. Apparently, someone on the ground crew recalled seeing a man boarding when the plane was about to take off and yet there is no official record of a sixth passenger.”
“Odd,” Remi said. “Do you think that tied in with the murder at the shipping office?”
“Possibly,” Dietrich replied. “Of course, there was also the physical evidence. A propeller.” When all three of them looked at the one mounted on the wall behind the bar, he laughed. “Not that one. That was found in the jungle nearby. A much smaller plane, and much more recent. I’m talking about one found high up in the Andes near Mount Tupungato. It was from an Avro Lancastrian, the same type of plane Klaus and Ludwig were in.”
Sam and Remi exchanged glances. “Pretty conclusive evidence, I’d think,” Sam said.
He shrugged. “No one’s ever found anything else, including me. I’ve led dozens of expeditions to help fund my searches. When my money runs out, I return here, tend my bar, then head back up, listening to the stories from other climbers, hoping I might hear about more debris. So far, nothing . . .”
“Any chance you can show us where it was found?”
“The actual location? Not easy to get to. The conditions are extreme, between the high altitude, glacier, and unstable weather, even if we rented a helicopter to get from the base camp to th
e location, we could spend days up there searching. But the cost—between the helicopter, equipment, and the time, it’s expensive.”
“If you’re willing to lead it, we’re willing to fund it.”
“Beside Klaus, what exactly is so important about this plane that complete strangers are interested in it?”
“Something called the Romanov Ransom.”
“Which is what?”
After Sam told him, Dietrich leaned back in his chair, whistled, and looked at the three of them. “Looks like we have some plans to make.”
76
The next afternoon, Sam stood outside Dietrich’s bar, talking to Selma on his satellite phone. “You’ve got our list?” Sam asked.
“Already sent it to your flight crew,” Selma said. “They did an inventory check right before they took off from Buenos Aires. I found a store in Mendoza that has the rest of what you need.”
“And the helicopter?”
“I called the company that Dietrich recommended and spoke to the pilot this morning. He’ll pick up the four of you downriver, then fly you into Mendoza from there.”
“And he’s agreed to be on standby?”
“Since he’s based out of Mendoza, he said it wouldn’t be an issue. The only thing that might come up is that his wife’s expecting in the next few weeks. He’ll make arrangements with his brother to take over should she go into labor early.”
“Check that off the list. What else?”
“I heard from Rube,” Selma said. “Tatiana and Viktor have followed Leopold and Rolfe to Buenos Aires. They were seen at the property manager’s office. Leopold knows that you’re looking for Dietrich. He’s on your trail.”
“Not surprising. When we rescued Nando, one of the drug runners got away. Good news travels fast.”
“I’ll give Rube your location. Good luck, Mr. Fargo.”
Sam disconnected, then returned inside the bar, joining Remi and Nando at a table. “Everything’s set,” he told Remi.
“And Nando?” she asked, looking up from the map she’d been studying. “How’s he getting home?”
“We can arrange for a car service once we get to Mendoza.”