End Game: Irrational Acts, Tragic Consequences

To Bob, Marty, and Kevin

¡Salud!

Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals.

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO

Lawrence of Arabia, El Aurens

1888-1935

Chilean Antarctic Bases – 1961-2

North Antarctic Peninsula

Reference: Theodore J. Cohen, Gravity Survey of Chilean Antarctic Bases, Journal of Geophysical Research, The American Geophysical Union, Volume 68, Number 1, January 1, Washington, D.C., 1963

(From the author’s original manuscript, 1962)

Chile, South America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ci-map.png (Public Domain)

France

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/

the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html

(Public Domain)

Iglesia de San Francisco Santiago, Chile

Photograph by ‘Carlos yo’

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IglesiaSanFrancisco.JPG

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons

Attribution 3.0 Unported license

Iglesia de San Francisco Santiago, Chile

Photograph by Isabelle Lamarre, QC, Quebec, Canada

(Used with the permission of I. Lamarre)

Teatro Municipal

Santiago, Chile

Photograph by Usuario Patricio Mecklenburg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Municipal_(Santiago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teatromunicipal.jpg

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2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license

Performance Hall

Opéra National de Paris

Similar to the

Teatro Municipal, Santiago, Chile

This is the performance hall of the Opéra National de Paris. The architectural team that designed the Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile, benefited from a collaboration with Charles Garnier, the architect of the Opéra National de Paris. The performance halls of the two theaters are similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Municipal_(Santiago)

Photograph of Opéra National de Paris by Chie Rokutanda (‘scarletgreen’)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9160678@N06/723026413/

Licensed under the Creative Commons

Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Preface

This book is a work of fiction. With the exception of the author and his wife, who appear under the names Ted and Susan Stone, and the characters known as Professor Ethan O’Mhaille, PhD, Grant Morris, PhD, and David Green, PhD—who are real persons but who are known by these names in this novel—the characters are fictitious. Any resemblance they may have to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. For my family, the name ‘Stone’ has been substituted for ‘Cohen’ to acknowledge the fact that considerable license has been taken in telling the tale. Also, many geographic locations cited were a part of my life, though in some cases, the context in which they are presented has been changed.

For those who have read Book I, Frozen in Time: Murder at the Bottom of the World, and Book II, Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer, this book, Book III in the Antarctic Murders Trilogy, completes the story of Captain Roberto Muñoz of the Chilean auxiliary fleet tug Lientur and the hunt for the millions of dollars in US and British cash, negotiable securities, gold coins, and jewelry that were stolen from the Banco Central de Chile in Talcahuano following the Chilean Earthquake of May, 1960. What really happened to the two Navy non-commissioned officers who committed the bank robbery and who ostensibly died fighting to the death in the hold of the Lientur? And what more can we learn about the two Navy non-commissioned officers who traveled to Arica in search of the treasure—those who Captain Muñoz believed were indirectly responsible for Lieutenant-Commander Cristian Barbudo’s death? Will Captain Mateo Valderas and his associate, Lieutenant-Commander Antonio Del Río of the Chilean Navy’s Office of Internal Affairs, ever solve these cases, which have stymied them for more than three years?

There is only one way to learn the answers to these and other questions, and that is by reading the last book in the Trilogy, End Game: Irrational Acts, Tragic Consequences.

Theodore Jerome Cohen

Langhorne, PA

www.theodorecohennovels.com

Acknowledgements

Susan, my wife, provided vital suggestions, insightful editing, and most importantly, unswerving support during the development of the manuscript. I could not have published this novel without her by my side. I extend my deepest appreciation to Virginia Smith, EdD, for her careful review and editing of several drafts, and for her many helpful suggestions on how I could improve the story’s structure and the development of certain characters. Martin Halpern, PhD, graciously provided an explanation of his role as one of the Principal Investigators on the 1965-66 United States Antarctic Expedition to Eastern Ellsworth Land. Commander William Alden Lee, US Navy (ret.), generously gave of his time to edit the manuscript. I am grateful to Señora Maria Perez for sharing with me the prayer she recited as a child with her mother at bedtime.

Contents

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-one

Twenty-two

Epilogue

One

Captain Roberto Muñoz looked as if he had been sucker punched! His head jerked slightly to the right at what he had heard, and his eyes widened in disbelief. The moment passed as quickly as it had arrived, and the captain regained his composure almost immediately.

The episode, however brief, did not escape Captain Valderas’ eyes. Years of experience had taught him that only in a moment such as this—a brief, fleeting moment, just before logic takes over and rationalizes away what he had seen—is it possible to detect the ‘tell’. If Captain Muñoz didn’t just realize he has a problem, one having a major impact on his life, thought Valderas, then it’s time for me to submit my resignation to Internal Affairs.

Moments earlier, Captain Muñoz, his companion, Señora Maria Barbudo, Lieutenant-Commander Cristian Barbudo’s widow, and Señora Barbudo’s mother, Señora Aryanna Valencia, had been lounging in the lobby of the Teatro Universidad de Chile. They had been exchanging pleasantries with Captain Valderas, his companion, Señora Lucia Aguilera, Captain Del Río, and the captain’s wife, Señora Emilia Del Río. It was September 18, 1965, and tonight, the University’s Orquesta Sinfónica was to perform in concert.

As the seven of them were chatting, Professor and Señora Barría arrived. Professor Alejandro Barría was one of the most renowned geologists and seismologists in North and South America. In fact, he recently had been named Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Chile.

Professor Barría’s wife, Valentina, immediately recognized Lucia Aguilera in the crowd. For years, their daughters attended secondary school together, and the two mothers shared a warm friendship. Valentina was ecstatic at seeing her. I didn’t know you attended these concerts, Lucia. We will have to attend together in the future!

Yes, yes, of course. It would be wonderful. By the way, Valentina, may I introduce you and your husband to Captain Mateo Valderas?

The professor shook hands with Valderas. Con mucho gusto, Capitán.

Lucia continued her introductions. I also would like to introduce you both to Captain Roberto Muñoz and Señora Barbudo, to Señora Barbudo’s mother, Señora Aryanna Valencia, and to Captain Antonio Del Río and his wife, Emilia. Emilia and I work together downtown.

After greetings were exchanged, Professor Barría cocked his head to one side, and squinting, remarked, Muñoz. Captain Muñoz. Why is that name so familiar?

Before anyone could answer, the professor remembered. "Ah, yes … you were the courageous captain of the Lientur, who attempted to rescue Commander Barbudo from a crevasse in Antarctica three years ago. Señora Barbudo, Señora Valencia, we are so sorry for your loss. Please accept our deepest sympathies."

Maria and her mother thanked them for their thoughtfulness, and everyone acknowledged how courageous it was of Captain Muñoz to send a rescue party to shore, given the severity of the weather and the threat to his ship from the icebergs in the Bransfield Strait.

Captain Muñoz acknowledged their comments with humility. Thirty-nine years old, he was a tall, muscular man with steel-gray eyes and a serious demeanor. A bachelor, he graduated with honors from the Chilean Naval Academy and went on to become an experienced ship’s captain. Though born into poverty—his father’s employer, owner of one of the country’s largest copper mines, sponsored him for admission to the Naval Academy—he was considered by many to be destined for flag command. Importantly, he was a born leader. At the helm, he spoke with authority and commanded not only for reasons based on his rank and position, but also on his ability to motivate his crew and convince them of their ability to achieve uncommon results, even when faced with the most difficult of challenges. Which is exactly why he and his crew, working under some of the most extreme weather conditions ever experienced by the Chilean Navy in the history of Chile’s Antarctic explorations, though unable to rescue Commander Barbudo, were able to rescue the American scientist who was trapped with the commander in February, 1962. Currently, the captain was serving as an International Liaison Officer based in Fleet Headquarters, Santiago.

Sensing that he might have embarrassed the captain, Professor Barría looked at Muñoz and said, But I have great news for you, Captain.

Oh, what’s that, sir?

"I received a telegram today from my old friend at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Professor Ethan O’Mhaille. In it, he said that your friends, Ted Stone and Grant Morris, will be traveling to Santiago at the end of November. Stone will be accompanied by his wife, Susan. He will be bringing a Worden gravimeter with him, which the University of Wisconsin will be loaning to us for a year. Señor Stone also will be instructing my students in the use of the instrument as well as in the data reduction methods to be used when they head to Antarctica.

"Dr. Grant Morris, who finished his PhD under Ethan and now is teaching at the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies in Dallas, is coming to give two lectures on the work he will be doing this coming summer in Antarctica.

We are very excited about their coming to visit with us!

Captain Roberto Muñoz was stunned, but regained his composure almost immediately.

Why … that’s wonderful, Professor, the captain stammered, his voice breaking slightly. Beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead. He put his right hand into his pocket and flipped the coins there, one atop the other, over and over again, as he spoke. I haven’t seen them since the 16th Chilean Expedition to the Antarctic ended in Puerto Williams in March, 1962. When are they expected to arrive in Santiago?

"Well, they should get here before everyone going to Antarctica leaves for Punta Arenas. So, I expect it will be some time around November 25th. In fact, I’ve purchased three extra tickets for the concert on the evening of November 27th. Valentina and I plan to host the Americans as guests of the Department. You know, Professor O’Mhaille told me that Stone is quite an accomplished violinist. In fact, Ethan told me that he had been named co-first-chair of his hometown’s All-City Senior Orchestra. I’m going to see if it might be possible to get him backstage after the performance to meet the conductor.

Are you planning to attend the performance?

Everyone nodded, including—especially including—Captain Muñoz. But just as the house lights flickered, warning those in the lobby that the performance was about to begin, it did not escape Captain Valderas’ eye that Muñoz appeared to have something on his mind. Pursed lips and a set jaw betrayed his suspect’s sinister agenda.

Two

‘Grant? Is that really you? I can’t believe I’m hearing your voice after all this time. I just got off the telephone with Professor O’Mhaille. He called to confirm that I would take a gravimeter to Professor Barría at the University of Santiago in November. He said you would be going down there as well. I was just about to call you!"

It had been two years since Ted and Grant had spoken. With the exception of an ugly six-inch scar on his left leg—the only outward sign of the tragedy that befell him that fateful day in February, 1962, when he fell into a crevasse on the North Antarctic Peninsula—Ted had not changed much since they had last seen each other. Still, Ted never could break free from the dark memories of having been trapped in the ice with almost no hope of survival. At six feet, he was taller than most on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Now, he was working on his doctorate in Geophysics,