Death in the Caribbean, page 15
‘What I have to say is private. This is a very open verandah.’
‘Very well. Come into the house.’ He picked up my revolver, and stood back for me to walk into the house in front of him. We went to his study where he sat down at a desk. He did not invite me to sit down.
‘Unless you are prepared, and able, to act at once, by this evening Nueva will no longer be independent, and you may expect the Nuevan Army to be disbanded,’ I said.
‘What on earth do you mean?’
I gave him a hurried account of the artificial earthquake process, and of the Prime Minister’s meeting in the cave. I went on, ‘As far as I can make out Mr Li Cook has arranged to do a deal with an emissary of the Chinese Government, who is due to meet him at Chacarima this afternoon. In return for giving the secret of the Chacarima caves to the Chinese, Mr Li Cook is asking for Chinese support to establish his personal dictatorship in Nueva. He seems to think that he can make himself the most powerful man in the world, but in this, of course, he must be mad, for obviously he will be no more than a Chinese puppet. The effects on Nueva you can work out for yourself.’
The brigadier said nothing for a long minute. Then he said, ‘Your arrest was ordered on the ground that you were meeting agents of the American CIA at Chacarima to promote a Government more favourable to the American tourist industry than the present Nuevan Government. I was told that while your status as an officer of the British Ministry of Defence was authentic, your real purpose in persuading us to buy your new rifle was that the rifles should be available to CIA agents in Nueva. What have you to say to that?’
‘If you believe that, you will believe anything. May I ask if this information about me came from your own intelligence sources?’
‘As a matter of fact, it didn’t. I was much surprised, and very much shocked, because to me you had seemed genuine enough. The Prime Minister has his own sources of information, and I have no reason to distrust them.’
I began to despair. ‘Very well, then. Let events take their course. I regret only that I had faith in the patriotism of the Nuevan Army.’
‘You put me in a very difficult position. Suppose that what you say is even partly true?’
‘It is not partly true. It is all true.’
‘But it can’t be. You see, the Prime Minister is not even in Nueva at present. He is on a private visit to Barbados.’
‘He told people that he was going to Barbados, but he didn’t go.’
The brigadier picked up his telephone and asked for a number. While it was being got for him, he said, ‘I am taking you sufficiently seriously to speak to the guard commander at the airport. If he confirms that the Prime Minister left for Barbados yesterday, then obviously you are lying.’
I had almost given up caring. I heard the brigadier talking into the telephone, but was too tired to take in the one-sided conversation. He was on the telephone for what seemed ages. When at last he put it down, he said, ‘We have an air force regiment. The commander is a close friend of mine, and I know all his officers. I have just had some curious information. The Prime Minister’s private aircraft did take off for Barbados yesterday. But it came back, and landed on an unused runway away from the main area of the airport. The officer on duty went at once to see if anything was wrong. He was told that the plane had returned because of a radio message which made the Prime Minister cancel his trip. He was told further that in no circumstances was his return to be reported – there were important reasons why it should not be disclosed. I have learned this only because the officer concerned is a personal friend. He has disobeyed orders in talking to me.’
‘But they were not orders given to him by his proper military superior.’
‘You have a point there . . . Oh God, Colonel, what ought I to do?’
‘Believe what I have said to you, and act on that belief. There is very little time.’
He put his head in his hands. Then he got up, all trace of indecision gone, and held out his hand. ‘I’m sorry for the reception I gave you, but you must admit that your arrival and your story were both extremely puzzling,’ he said. ‘Here is your pistol – you may need it before the day is out. Now for that lecture on infantry tactics that you promised me.’
We both laughed, I with a sense of infinite relief, he with a considerable edge of nervous tension.
‘Thank you for trusting me – I realise the weight of responsibility you carry,’ I said. ‘As for tactics, the military problem is relatively simple. The real problem is how to deal with the Prime Minister. There, your judgment is better than mine because you know Nuevan politics and I don’t. It seems obvious that you must be prepared to set up some form of provisional Government.’
‘The military problem first.’
‘Well, you can test my story easily enough by going into the Chacarima caves. But you must go in with a certain amount of strength. I saw no more than perhaps half a dozen men, but I should expect a guard on all that sensational equipment, and a battalion could hide up in those caves without the slightest difficulty. I doubt if there is anything like that, though – I should expect between ten and twenty armed men, determined gangsters rather than soldiers. But they are in a strong position, and it will need strength to flush them out. There is also the question of escape – you do not want anybody to escape. There is a great deal that we do not know, and you must try to hold everybody for questioning. There is only one road out of Chacarima, and you can block that on the high ground above the place. But remember my escape – you will want pickets widely extended on both sides of the road. Probably, though, there will be no attempt to get away by land. The small freighter there looked a powerful vessel, and I should expect them to try to get her out. So you will need a naval patrol in the Chacarima Inlet.’
‘Our navy consists of one old fishery protection boat given to us by the Royal Navy as a goodwill offering, and two or three motor launches.’
‘With good crews they should be enough. What armament does the fishery protection gunboat carry?’
‘I don’t know offhand. I doubt if she has anything bigger than one three-inch gun.’
‘The old naval three-inch is a powerful weapon – it would be enough to sink the freighter if necessary. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. There’s another need for a naval force. The Chinese emissary is coming by sea, in a chartered American yacht. He ought to be intercepted.’
‘There’ll be fearful international complications.’
‘There will, but as you have not been officially informed of the arrival of a Chinese envoy you can refuse to recognise him, and he can be deported without much fuss. The Chinese themselves are in no position to do anything. As long as you control the situation in Nueva, you can count on the blessing of the rest of the world. Can you count on your Army?’
‘I can count on my own rifle regiment, and on the air force regiment. We have two batteries of gunners, some good signallers and engineers. Yes, I am sure we can count on the Army. I must call a Staff meeting straight away. The Chief of Staff, whom you met, is my superior and he will make difficulties, but he is a bit of a dodderer, and he is not really important. He may have to be put under house arrest. The rest of my colleagues will act with me, I think, when they understand the situation. Will you come with me to the Staff meeting?’
‘I’m at your disposal for anything, Brigadier, but it would be much better for me not to. This is a Nuevan matter, I’m an outsider, and already under suspicion as a CIA agent. You can put that right, I hope, but you will do it more easily in my absence. How long will your meeting take?’
‘It will take at least an hour to collect people, and I don’t see how we can get through in less than an hour after that. After all, we are arranging a revolution.’
‘If you really want my advice, I think you must act now, before you have your meeting. Go ahead with the meeting by all means, but send two battalions to Chacarima now, and have the heights occupied this morning. And get the navy to sea. You need not give the naval commander detailed instructions yet, but say that he must have a force patrolling off the Chacarima Inlet by noon, to await orders. If you will introduce me to your battalion commanders I’ll go with them to Chacarima if you like, and meet you there after you have had your meeting.’
‘All right. I’ve never taken part in a revolution before, and I suppose you can’t do everything according to President’s Regulations – actually, they’re your own Queen’s Regulations which we inherited and reprinted, with scarcely the change of a comma.’ He went to the telephone again, and made three calls in quick succession. ‘My own aide, Captain Theophilus, will be here in a moment,’ he said. ‘I’m going to send him with you. Lieutenant-Colonel Garcia and Lieutenant-Colonel Strong are also on their way – they are my two battalion commanders. When did you last have anything to eat?’
‘I’m not particularly hungry, but I should love some coffee, and perhaps a couple of bananas.’
‘Right.’ He opened the study door and called his servant. While the coffee was being fetched, Ruth, accompanied by the young Captain Fernandes, came back. ‘I’ve a job for you, Fernandes,’ the brigadier said. ‘Collect a company of your men and transport for them, and go out on the Chacarima road to the place where it crosses the ridge above the Chacarima factory. You are to hold the road, and stop anybody travelling on it in either direction, whoever they are or say they are. Treat them with consideration, but detain them firmly until you get further orders.’
‘I understand, sir.’
‘Good. Then get out there just as soon as you possibly can. You can expect reinforcements some time later this morning.’
The captain saluted, and went off.
The coffee came, and I poured a cup for Ruth. ‘Can we have another cup?’ I asked.
‘Of course.’ Never had coffee tasted better.
‘The news about Mr Caval is not good,’ Ruth said. ‘It is the Caval hospital, incidentally – it seems that he provides most of the money for it. As soon as they realised that it really was Edward Caval everybody began running round to help him. He was X-rayed at once – he has a fractured hip, and I’m afraid there seem to be some complications. He has to have an operation, but they don’t want to do it until he has rested a bit and been given some sort of emergency treatment. Meanwhile they’ve put him in a lovely room, and he has sent for various people – his Fort James agent, his lawyer, and a few others. The hospital rather disapproves, but you know Edward Caval – when he wants something done he gives orders, and that’s that.’
‘I am sorry about his injury. He is a good man,’ the brigadier said. ‘You have not told me how he came to be injured.’
‘No, and it will have to wait. Your aide has come, I think, and another car’s just arrived, too.’
*
The brigadier sent for more cups, and we stood drinking coffee rather awkwardly until the second battalion commander turned up. I couldn’t help being impressed by the speed with which the Army acted on the brigadier’s orders. When we were assembled he gave the three officers a quick briefing. ‘You must consider yourselves on active service,’ he said. ‘I cannot explain now, but a situation has arisen in which the independence of Nueva is gravely threatened, and only swift action by the Army can preserve it. I am counting on your absolute loyalty to carry out orders even if you do not fully understand the reason for them. I am trusting you, and I hope you can trust me.’
‘That goes without saying, sir,’ the senior of the two battalion commanders said.
The brigadier then gave orders for the two battalions to proceed at once to Chacarima, to hold the road, and picket the roadside bush. He went on, ‘Colonel Blair is going with you. You are not in any way under his command, but he is a true friend of our Nuevan people and it is my wish that you should treat him with the utmost respect, and, if he thinks fit to offer advice, to act on it as far as you can. I hope to be able to join you soon after midday. Theophilus, I want you to accompany Colonel Blair, and consider yourself his personal aide. Now I must leave you to get on with things, for I have an urgent meeting of the Chiefs of Staff to attend.’
*
The brigadier went off. The battalion commanders had a brief discussion, and then the elder of the two – Lieutenant-Colonel Garcia – turned to me. ‘We shall be ready to move in about half an hour,’ he said. ‘I will pick you up here, and you and Captain Theophilus can travel in my car. Will that suit you?’
‘Admirably,’ I said. They saluted, and went out together.
‘What is supposed to happen to me?’ Ruth asked.
‘The lady will be well looked after here,’ Captain Theophilus said.
‘The lady is not going to be looked after here. I’m not going to be dumped. I haven’t even got anything to read.’
I didn’t like the idea of Ruth’s being mixed up in a military operation, but we’d been through so much together that I didn’t want to abandon her. And she knew more about the earthquake process than anyone else on our side. ‘I think Mrs Caval had better come with us. I’ll take full responsibility,’ I said. The young captain bowed politely.
I wanted to get rid of him. Ruth had no idea of what was happening, and I couldn’t explain things with my attentive aide-de-camp hanging around. ‘Has anybody paid Elias?’ I asked.
‘I don’t think he wants paying – he’s very much concerned about Mr Caval, and only too anxious to help,’ Ruth said.
‘He ought to be paid. I’m sure Caval would want it.’ I had a 100-dollar Nuevan note in my pocket book and I gave the note to Captain Theophilus. ‘Would you mind giving this to the driver who brought you back from the hospital?’ I said. ‘He’s a man called Elias – I don’t know if he has any other names – and he runs a garage at Partika. He has rendered the Nuevan State considerable service this morning, and it’s more than likely that your Government will want to acknowledge it in due course. So could you get personal particulars from him, and make a note of them? And he’s not had so much as a cup of coffee since leaving Partika – it would be a kindly act if you could arrange something for him, and then tell him to go back home.’
The captain gave an impeccable salute and went off to deal with Elias.
‘Thank you for not deserting me,’ Ruth said.
‘Don’t be silly. There’s a fearful lot to tell you, but that chap will be away only a few minutes, and I can’t talk while he’s here. Briefly, the Army’s going out in force to try to forestall that meeting in the caves. It means deposing the Prime Minister, and an Army takeover of the Government. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s the only chance left in the time available. Anyway, Brigadier Ezra, who seems the most powerful personality in the Army, is game to try. He’s gone off to a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff to set up a military junta. I hope he succeeds, but he himself is already committed – two battalions are on the move to Chacarima, and we’re going with one of the battalion commanders.’
‘Quick work, Peter! I don’t know how you did it, but it’s very exciting.’
‘Luck, mostly, and that remark the Prime Minister made in the cave about not trusting the Army to support his bid for dictatorship. And having two such mates as you and old Caval.’
‘Poor Mr Caval. I’m afraid he’s badly hurt, and I don’t think we did him any good in moving him.’
‘He’d have died if he’d stayed on the cliff, or put an end to himself with his Mannlicher. We’ve given him a chance, and perhaps the Nuevan people a chance. What was it he said “Three against the world!” Do you remember?’
She just squeezed my hand.
*
If Lieutenant-Colonel Garcia was surprised at having a woman added to his party, he accepted Ruth’s presence philosophically. There was plenty of room in the big American staff car. Captain Theophilus sat in front with the Army driver, Ruth and I sat in the back with the colonel.
The Nuevan Army might be small, but it was well equipped, and when we came to the turning for the Chacarima road we met an apparently endless column of troop-carrying trucks. I thought we’d have a long wait to turn into the road, but the column was well controlled by military police on motor cycles, and as soon as the battalion commander’s car was seen a motorcycle patrol halted the line of trucks to make a space for us to join it.
We didn’t talk much on the journey. The battalion commander politely refrained from questioning me, and I didn’t feel able to say anything about the object of the manoeuvres in the absence of the brigadier. I was glad when we came to the Chacarima ridge and could get on with doing things. The deployment of the troops seemed to me practical and efficient. They had been ordered to hold the Chacarima road and to command the ridge – they had not yet been ordered to descend to the Chacarima Inlet. A little below the summit of the ridge a dirt road from the bush met the metalled road. The dirt road was a timber trail, and a short way along it was a wide clearing, where forest trees had been felled. The vehicles were drawn up here, and an advance party had set up a command post. The other battalion commander was already there. ‘There are pickets on both sides of the road,’ he said, ‘and I’m holding the main body of men here in the bush. Do you think we ought to send scouts down to the coast?’
‘It would be a good idea,’ I said. ‘I doubt if they will find much to report, but you should command both banks of the Carima River, and it is possible that someone may come ashore from the caves. I can’t give you instructions, but if anyone does come ashore my view is that he should be detained and brought to you.’
‘Fine,’ said Garcia, ‘we’ll see to it at once. Now if you and the lady will go across to that covered truck you’ll find our field Mess being set up, and it’s more than time for breakfast.’
Captain Theophilus escorted us, and in a couple of minutes I had a drink in my hands. I had barely started drinking it when there was a noise of a helicopter, and an Army machine came down in the clearing. The brigadier and a small group of other men in uniform climbed out of it. I walked over to meet him, and the first thing I noticed was that he was no longer a brigadier – he was wearing the insignia of a major-general.
