“Sí…”
They passed the Francisco de Miranda Airport and Luis took the next exit into the neighborhood near their hotel.
Brodie processed this new information. There was nothing inherently suspicious about Worley failing to mention that he’d worked in Afghanistan when he was complaining to them about his other armpit assignments. If Worley was a DCS spook, his work in Afghanistan would have been classified. On the other hand, Worley undoubtedly had looked at the files of his two visiting CID agents and learned that Maggie Taylor had served in Afghanistan—yet he didn’t say, as soldiers always say, “I was there too.” Brodie was already suspicious of Colonel Brendan Worley. He added this to the list of reasons why.
Taylor asked Luis, “When was this?”
“Perhaps… three weeks ago.”
She asked, “Do you recall this visitor’s name?”
“Señor Worley does not make introductions.”
“Did you drive this man back to the airport?”
“No.”
Clearly Luis was not comfortable discussing embassy business with his new clients, charming though they might be. Brodie was sure that Luis heard and saw all sorts of things while driving embassy people and important visitors. No one ever thinks about the driver while they’re talking in the rear seat of his car—except maybe Intel people, who are trained to be paranoid. Also, Brodie was certain that Luis had been told never to repeat a word of anything he heard. But Luis could be coaxed, or hoaxed, so Brodie asked, “How did Señor Worley address this man?”
“I… I am not—”
“Jim? Bill? Bob?”
“I… I think Ted.”
Brodie said to Taylor, “That must be Ted Mallory. Our old friend from Washington.”
Taylor agreed. “Must be.” She asked Luis, “What did he look like?”
“He was… Anglo, gray hair. Perhaps sixty years of age. A tall man.” He added, “Very thin.”
“I think that’s our Ted,” said Brodie. “Glasses and a mustache?”
“No.”
“Definitely our Ted.”
Brodie and Taylor exchanged glances and a smile. Bullshit was their stock in trade. And if Luis realized he’d been bullshitted, he also realized he’d been bullshitted by pros.
Brodie had no idea who Ted was, and he was fairly sure Ted had no relevance to the case, but it was the Afghan connection that interested him. Brendan Worley had been in Afghanistan, as had Kyle Mercer, and yet Worley had never mentioned that. Odd? Or just tight-lipped tradecraft?
Brodie asked Luis, “Did they mention anyone else we may know?”
“Señor?”
“Anynames, Luis?”
“Señor… I do not listen to conversations… and when they speak in English I do not always comprehend… I must concentrate on my driving.”
“Right.”
Brodie was ready to let this go, but then Luis said, “One name jumped out to me. Tomás de Heres.” He asked, “You know this man?”
Brodie replied, “I think he was Ted’s frat brother. Sigma Chi.”
Luis seemed confused, then said, “Tomás de Heres was a military hero during the war for independence.” He added, “Very loyal to Bolívar.”
“Why were they talking about him?”
