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“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I wasn’t at all sure you would tell me. The truth, that is. So why bother?”
“Write this down, Alfredo. I’m one of the good guys.”
“You very well may be,” Munz said. “But I don’t know that, do I?”
“Tell me about your shoulder.”
“Two days ago—my wife insisted—I went to Dr. Rommine’s apartment. You remember him?”
“From the German Hospital?”
Munz nodded. “He’s a friend. He owes me a couple of favors. He didn’t believe me when I told him I’d had an accident cleaning my pistol.”
“Why not?”
“He said, ‘Well, whatever physician removed the bullet did a first-class job. He must be a foreigner or you weren’t in Argentina when you shot yourself. Those degradable sutures aren’t available here.’”
“You didn’t tell him what happened?”
Munz shook his head.
“He knows better than to ask. He really doesn’t want to know.”
“I’m sorry you took that bullet, Alfredo.”
“I was hoping by now you would have learned who those bastards were,” Munz said, “and would be willing to tell me.”
“I’ve got some suspicions, but I just don’t know.”
“If I have to say this, I can take care of myself. It’s my family I’m worried about.”
And that’s a bona fide worry, after what these bastards did with Mr. Masterson.
“How much can you tell me about the money?” Munz asked.
“What money?”
“Howard Kennedy said there was a lot of money in Lorimer’s safe,” Munz said.
“He asked you about the money?” Castillo asked, incredulously.
Munz nodded.
“I realize, Karl, that there are things you can’t tell me,” Munz said.
“Did Kennedy say how much money?”
“No. But I had the feeling there was a lot. What did you do, find it after I was hit?”
When Castillo didn’t immediately reply, Munz said, “I just finished saying I understand there are things you can’t tell me. But I’m desperate, Karl. This now involves my family.”
“I’ll tell you what I can do, Alfredo. I can take you and your family to the States, where you’ll all be safe, until I find out who these bastards are and deal with them.”
“That’s a nice thought, but I don’t have the money for airplane tickets, much less to support my family in the States.”
“The Lorimer Charitable and Benevolent Fund will take care of that,” Castillo said.
