“Colonel Lowell,” Colonel Harris said, “Colonel H. Robert McGrory, the defense attaché.”
“Do you know how to obey orders, Colonel?” McGrory inquired.
“Yes, sir, I think I do.”
“Then, it might be fairly said, you have willfully disobeyed my orders?”
“Sir, with respect, you are not in a position to issue orders to me or Major Lunsford.”
“Goddamn your impertinence!” McGrory flared. “I am the senior military officer attached to the U.S. Embassy and—” he stopped in midsentence, having seen Mr. J. F. Stephens, the administrative officer for housing and medical services of the United States Information Service standing in Harris’s open door.
“Mr. Stephens,” McGrory said. “If you’re here to see Colonel Harris, give me just a minute, and these officers and I will be out of here.”
“Actually, Colonel,” Stephens said softly. “I’m here to see Colonel Lowell. Could you give me a minute, please?”
“Yes, of course,” McGrory said. “Colonel Lowell, you understand that you are to report to me immediately after Mr. Stephens concludes his business with you?”
“Yes, sir,” Lowell said.
McGrory left. Stephens closed the door.
“I called the Círculo Militar, and they told me you were coming here,” Stephens said. He took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lowell.
SECRET
Central Intelligence Agency Langley, Virginia
FROM: Assistant Director For Administration
FROM: 3 January 1965 2115 GMT
SUBJECT : Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #17.)
TO: Mr. Sanford T. Felter
Counselor To The President
Room 637, The Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C.
By Courier
In compliance with Presidential Memorandum to The Director, Subject: “Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara,” dated 14 December 1964, the following information is furnished:
1. (Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA, Brazzaville, Congo (Brazzaville) SUBJECT arrived Brazzaville 0835 GMT 2 January 1965 aboard UTA Flight 4505. He was met at airfield by Prime Minister Pascal LISSOUBA and taken to Cuban Embassy.
2. (Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA, Brazzaville) SUBJECT met with President Alphonse MASSEMBA-DEBAT and LISSOUBA at Presidential Residence at 1245 GMT 2 January 1965 for lunch.
3. (Reliability Scale Three) (From CIA source) At luncheon MASSEMBA-DEBAT and LISSOUBA asked for Cuban military aid and expressed willingness to cooperate with liberation movement. SUBJECT promised to furnish instructors for guerrilla operations, weapons, and money.
Howard W. O’Connor
HOWARD W. O’CONNOR
SECRET
Lowell read it and handed it to Lunsford.
“Colonel, I’m sorry,” he said to Harris, “but I happen to know you don’t have the right clearance for that.”
“I understand,” Harris said.
“Will there be a reply, Colonel?” Stephens asked.
“Not a reply, but I sure would like access to your hot line, Mr. Stephens.”
“None of my business, of course, but could your message have something to do with Colonel McGrory?”
“Indeed it does,” Lowell said.
“Same address as before?” Mr. Stephens asked.
“Right,” Lowell said. “Colonel, could I have a sheet of paper?” Stephens gestured with his hand that that would not be necessary. He walked to Harris’s desk and held his hand over one of the telephones on it.
“Okay, Dick?”
“Help yourself,” Colonel Harris said. “Would you like me to step outside for a moment?”
“Up to Colonel Lowell,” Stephens said as he picked up the telephone.
“Is that what I think it is?” Lowell asked.
“This is Stephens,” the mousy little man said. “Put me through to the farm, please.”
There was a slight pause.
“Put me through to the White House switchboard,” Stephens said. He handed the phone to Lowell. “I presume you know the extension?”
“White House Secure,” a male voice said.
“Two-two-seven, please.”
“Mr. Finton speaking, sir.”
“Finton, Lowell.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Is he there?”
“I can reach him in ninety seconds, sir.”
“Get a message to him. Ready?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Life insurance sold, but the defense attaché here, an Air Force absolute asshole colonel named McGrory, is going to screw things up, and he has to be told firmly and immediately to butt out.”
“I’ll take care of it, Colonel.”
“The operative word, Finton, is immediately.”
“I’ll take care of it, Colonel,” Mr. Finton said. “Anything else, sir?”
“No. That’s it.”
“Yes, sir,” Mr. Finton said.
There was a click on the line.
“White House Secure. Have you finished?” the male operator asked.
“Yes, I have, thank you,” Lowell said, and hung the telephone up.
He looked at Colonel Harris.
“Sir, I regret my intemperate language.”
“Colonel, I think that’s what’s known as calling a spade a spade,” Colonel Harris said. “Do you think it’s going to work?”
“I devoutly hope so,” Lowell said.
“Why don’t you take a few minutes to collect your thoughts before reporting to Colonel McGrory?” Colonel Harris suggested. “Can I offer you and the major a cup of coffee?”
“That would be very kind, sir. And if you happen to have an Alka-Seltzer, something like that?”
“The colonel and the major were out until the wee hours last night,” Stephens said.