Tango (26 page)

William was at the club at six. There were a few more people on the streets but for many the big feast was still not finished. It was a clear evening and the city had an air of
repletion and calm. An aeroplane climbed in a widening curve from the airport inland – probably the twice-weekly flight to Rio, he thought. From all that he had heard, he was happy not to be
in Rio. It sounded too big and noisy and violent; too much happened there.

Theresa and Ines and about half a dozen other girls were in the dance room. The piano was open but no one sat at it. They all sat in a group on and by the stage, drinking from cups.

Ines called out as soon as she saw him. ‘What do you do here? Do you come with the president and the generals? I hope so.’ She stood and held up her big face to be kissed. He did so
three times on the cheeks, as seemed to be the custom. ‘I would rather massage you than a horrible old general,’ she said.

The girls laughed. Theresa had smiled at his approach but was not looking at him now. He smiled back at them: they were all attractive. Indeed, the effect of the group was to enhance the
attractiveness of each. He felt like a clumsy interloper amidst flowers, afraid to move a foot.

‘Would you like some tea?’ asked Ines.

‘That’s really tea?’ His surprise was so genuine that they all laughed again. ‘I’d love some, thank you.’

One of the girls hurried into the kitchen.

‘Have you had your feast?’ asked Ines.

‘No – well, not a big feast. Only a snack.’ He had had sandwiches with Sally after Max and Arthur had gone.

There was a chorus of concern. ‘But you should have a big feast today. It is traditional,’ Ines said.

‘Unless like us he is working,’ said one of the other girls.

‘I was.’

‘No, it is holiday for you.’

William explained how he had turned up to work. They were curious about the shop and the business. Did he own it, was it a big business, could you travel if you worked for his business, did he
have a telephone of his own? The girl returned with his tea and he sat on the edge of the stage. The tea was almost undrinkably strong and the milk was off. Theresa remained quiet and withdrawn.
She had tied up her hair and her cheeks had a sculptured look, their bones more prominent. Her eyes were languorous and veiled and as always he had to keep himself from staring.

El Lizard appeared, grinning, nodding and rubbing his hands. ‘
Señor
Wooding, you are very welcome.’ The girls made way and he seated himself next to William.
‘Are the generals nearly ready?’ he asked confidentially.

‘Nearly, when I left,’ said William. ‘One or two wanted to come then, the others wanted to wait a while.’

‘You come to see that everything is okay?’

‘Yes.’

‘I think you will find everything is okay.’

‘I think so.’

‘The girls are very beautiful.’

‘They are.’

El Lizard’s lips parted. ‘Expert at massage. You will sample for yourself, I hope?’

‘If I have time.’

The girls were whispering. Ines nodded and looked at William.

‘Please,’ said Ines to El Lizard, ‘we have tea, we have you, we have piano – can we have tea dance before we start work?’

‘Tea dance?’

They all looked hopeful. El Lizard glanced at William. ‘I think so,’ said William. ‘It will warm them up.’

El Lizard’s head dropped and rose solemnly. ‘Yes, yes, they are better warm.’

They all got up, laughing and talking. El Lizard approached the piano. He gazed at the keyboard as at a friend dressed for burial, then sat and began abruptly with a cheerful waltz. Ines and
another girl started dancing together. The others joined them and soon only Theresa was left. William raised his eyebrows at her. She smiled and nodded.

He fumbled the first few steps. As he put his arm around her and took her hand he could again feel his knees trembling against his trouser legs. It was ridiculous. He knew her well enough by
now. The effect should have worn off with time instead of getting worse. The other girls danced around them, their dresses swishing. Perhaps loose dresses made it easier to massage, he thought.
Theresa wore a dark pleated skirt and cream blouse that emphasised her breasts. With her hair up, she looked like somebody’s dauntingly efficient and glamorous PA. He felt the pressure of her
hand on his shoulder and of her stomach against his as she pressed and manoeuvred him through his hesitant steps.

‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I
can
waltz but today I can’t.’

‘You are nervous. You’re crushing my hand.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Arthur is here.’

‘What?’

‘He’s hiding upstairs in one of the massage rooms, the last on the left. He’s been to the palace and it’s all going ahead. He wants to speak to you.’

‘Do you know what time they’re coming?’

‘They’ll come when they get rid of their wives and children, which should be soon. They’ll be full of food and drink and talk and cigars. Pleased with themselves. The soldiers
from Carlos’s regiment will arrive afterwards; Arthur has organised it. We will have to give a signal when they are all being massaged so that they can be arrested naked and at the same
time.’

‘It sounds unreal.’

‘Arthur is very determined about it.’

‘I’m sure he is.’

‘We must be serious. None of the girls knows, it will be a big surprise.’

The other girls continued to swish around, laughing whenever they made mistakes. Ines called out that Theresa should not have all the men all the time. The decrepit waiter stood in the door with
a tray under his arm. The last of the afternoon sun shone through a window in an adjoining room, reflecting off the polished floorboards on to the girls’ twinkling legs.

Ricardo appeared behind the waiter in the doorway. He grinned and waved at William. El Lizard motioned to him to go away but when he saw him wave to William he made a brief apologetic
gesture.

‘I wonder what he wants here today,’ said William.

‘He wants a woman.’

‘You think so?’

‘He’s very arrogant. He thinks that because his father is in the army, his family is very good. They are not really so good and they owe much money.’

‘You know them?’

‘My banker knew his grandfather.’

‘Well, he’ll be disappointed today. The girls will be busy.’

‘Not too disappointed. There’ll be something left over for him. There will be more girls than customers.’

William smiled. ‘You don’t like him, do you?’

‘He made Ines pregnant and it cost her much money. But still she goes with him.’

William didn’t want to know more. He pulled her closer and she pressed herself willingly against him. ‘Pelvis to pelvis,’ she said with a smile. ‘This is correct dancing
– also easier. You can feel where the other person is gone.’

When El Lizard had stopped playing Ricardo walked over, smiling from girl to girl.

‘Hi, William.’

‘Hello, Ricardo.’

‘You have no feast today?’

‘No, I went to work. I didn’t know about the holiday.’

Ricardo laughed. ‘You should have asked me. I would have told you. My family is still eating but I wanted different food. Can I talk to you?’

The girls had clustered around El Lizard at the piano and Theresa began to go towards them but Ricardo motioned her to stay. ‘Is it true that the president and the generals are
coming?’ he whispered.

William hesitated. ‘Yes.’

‘I will stay and help you.’

‘But Manuel Herrera will be here. You don’t want him to see, do you?’

‘I will tell him I have come to see what you do on your holiday. He will like that.’

El Lizard began playing a quickstep. Ricardo made off towards the girls.

‘Does he really report to Manuel?’ asked Theresa.

‘Yes, but he tells me about it. He wants to help us.’

‘You trust him?’

‘I think so. Do you?’

‘I don’t like him.’

‘He doesn’t know what we’re doing, anyway.’

‘You ought to go to Arthur. They will be here soon.’

The intimacy of the dance had gone. ‘I’ll see you later,’ he said.

‘Yes.’

He put his hand on her arm. A minute before he had been happy but now he felt sick with apprehension. ‘Don’t worry,’ he told her, as if it were she that felt sick.

‘I am not worried. I am tired. It’s the thought of pretending again. It’s very tiring having to pretend you like something.’

‘It’ll soon be over. You won’t have to do it any more.’

‘Perhaps.’ For a moment her features became heavier and she seemed to sag. Then she squeezed his hand and smiled.

‘It doesn’t matter. We will make it happen. It will happen.’

The door of the last massage room on the left was locked. William knocked and said who he was and Box, spruce and dapper, let him in. The room was identical with the one Theresa had shown him
except that on the round bed was Box’s open briefcase and a number of papers.

‘You got away then?’ William asked.

‘Got away?’

‘From the flat. Max Hueffer didn’t see you?’

‘No, thank God. They’d be in like a shot if they knew what we were up to.’

‘Are you sure he’s CIA?’

‘Positive.’ Box nodded. His moustache looked freshly clipped. His clothes, his bearing, his briefcase and papers all suggested a visiting accountant. ‘People like Hueffer
don’t run language schools in places like this. What else would he be doing here?’

‘I don’t know. But you’ve never set eyes on him, have you?’

‘Yes, I have. Outside your flat, more than once. He’s interested in your wife.’

‘Sally?’

‘That is what you call her, isn’t it? Yes, well, she works for him, we know that much. But I reckon he reckons you’re up to something, and he’s trying to find out through
her what it is. He’ll know you know the president and he’ll know you work for British Intelligence.’

‘How?’

‘Because of your company. It’s what everyone else thinks, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, but they’re wrong.’

‘Are they?’

‘Well, not now, no, but they were. They’ve got no good reason for being right. It’s unfair.’

Box patted William’s arm. ‘There’s a lot that’s unfair in this man’s world. Have a seat.’

‘I’d rather walk.’

He paced the room while Box sat on the bed sorting through his papers.

‘With you in a moment,’ Box said. ‘Just putting my affairs in order.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Will, expenses, that sort of thing.’

‘Is that necessary?’

‘It may be.’

‘Shouldn’t you have done that in England?’

‘The will, yes, but I was sent out in a rush. Don’t want Mrs B. to be inconvenienced if I’m killed, so I’ll do it now. I’ll ask you to be a witness if you’ll
be so good. Have you done one?’

‘No.’

‘It’s not too late, you know. Expenses, too. You must let me know of any more you’ve incurred. Estimated cost of replacing your car, for instance. Any hiring you may have to do
meanwhile. If anything happens to me I’d like you to see that these get back to the embassy. They’ll send them on. You’ll get what’s owing to you in due course. Also a bonus
for Theresa.’

‘Is this the first time you’ve tried to bring down a government?’

‘Outside Africa, yes.’

‘What other preparations are you making? I mean, guns—’

‘Never carry them. More a liability than an asset. Got my shoes, though.’ He tapped them. ‘Special shoes, remember?’

‘Ah, yes.’ William resumed his pacing. ‘What’s going to happen?’

Box spoke without looking up. ‘Fairly straightforward. The girls will bring them all up here to be massaged. You stay in this room until you get the signal from Theresa that they’re
all in an appropriate state of undress and helplessness. You then come downstairs to me and I give the signal to the officer from Carlos’s regiment who will be waiting with his men in nearby
streets. They will come in and make the arrests. The officer is the chap we met the other night with the hearse. The prisoners will then be taken to the palace and Carlos will make an announcement
on state radio and television. He will say that there was an attempted coup involving a foreign power, that the conspirators are all under arrest and that he is assuming full powers until a new
government is appointed. Meanwhile, the army will have been instructed to disarm the security police, and the Russians, Cubans and anyone else we think of are to be given notice to quit. Carlos
will then make a personal appeal to the Western democracies for aid and will summon the British ambassador to ensure our message gets through to the appropriate quarters in London.’

Box had spoken while totting up a list of figures. He continued counting when he had finished.

‘Have you always been able to do that?’ asked William.

‘What?’

‘Count and speak simultaneously.’

‘Yes, can’t everybody?’

‘No.’

‘I’m sure they can if they try.’

‘The plan sounds very – well – simple.’

‘Coups always are. There’s no subtle way of mounting one. They’re either simple and successful or simple and catastrophic. Just hope the embassy and London do what they should.
Sad to say, I don’t trust either.’

‘What did Carlos say?’

‘Agreed with everything. Very easy chap to work with. I even wrote his broadcast for him. Mind you, I think his mind was more on getting his way with Theresa again. All he had to do was
sort out his old regiment.’

‘Can they be trusted?’

‘I think so. We have no choice. Mind you, they haven’t been told exactly what’s going on. They’ll find out at the last minute. But they should be loyal. They hate Herrera
and the security police even more than the rest of the army and they’re very protective of Carlos.’

‘What remains to be done?’

‘Nothing except for me to get myself downstairs and into hiding. Theresa will tell you where to find me. She’s down there now, isn’t she?’

‘Yes.’

There were sounds of voices and laughter. A man shouted a verse of song, another something dismissive. There was more laughter.

‘Too late,’ said Box. ‘Damn.’

William opened the door a crack. From the far end by the stairs a group of people advanced towards the massage rooms. He glimpsed uniforms, cigar smoke, bottles and girls. He locked the
door.