The Argentine Triangle: A Craig Page Thriller Read online

  Praise for The Argentine Triangle

  “Allan Topol is back with another captivating and fascinating Craig Page thriller. Politics, history, international settings, great characters—The Argentine Triangle has it all. Be forewarned, this one will keep you turning pages late into the night.”

  —M.J. Rose

  International best-selling author of The Book of Lost Fragrances,

  What To Do Before Your Book Launch, and Seduction

  Founder Authorbuzz.com

  “The Argentine Triangle has everything I love in an espionage novel: a compelling, resourceful hero, an exotic locale, worthy villains, and a meticulously researched plot. Highly recommended.”

  —Mark Sullivan

  New York Times best-selling author of Outlaw

  “The Argentine Triangle is a dynamic blend of old-school nail-biter and modern thriller. Devious, lightning quick, and thoroughly entertaining.”

  —Jonathan Maberry,

  New York Times best-selling author of Code Zero and Extinction Machine

  “I read Allan Topol’s The Argentine Triangle while riding the overnight train from Venice to Paris. It couldn’t have been a more appropriate setting for reading an international thriller that takes its cue from the likes of the late great Tom Clancy. I didn’t sleep much that night, but that wasn’t because of a train that bucked and rocked as it sped its way through the Alps. It was because Topol’s prose is locked and loaded with all the tension, plot twists, and romantic foreign locales you might expect of a bestselling espionage author writing at the top of his game.”

  —Vincent Zandri

  Best-selling author of The Remains and The Innocent

  “From a DC insider, Allan Topol is in the top tier of today’s thriller writers! The Argentine Triangle is a thrill ride from beginning to end. It’s a keep-you-up-all-night story of well-drawn characters, clever plot twists, and a blockbuster conclusion. This novel is a terrific blend of political intrigue and riveting suspense —a winner!”

  —Karna Small Bodman,

  Former Senior Director, White House National Security Council and

  Best-selling author of Castle Bravo

  A beautifully plotted nail-biter and a breathless romp across three continents. Don’t start the last fifty pages unless you have time to read to the end.

  —Maria Hudgins,

  author of Death of a Second Wife

  Other Masterful Thrillers

  from the Mind of Allan Topol

  China Gambit

  “The China Gambit is a choice pick for those who love high end military plots, very much recommended.”

  Midwest Book Review

  Spy Dance

  “It’s a smooth and exciting ride. You’ll want to see these characters take on another problem or two. Yep, I was sorry the story stopped.”

  Carnegie Mellon Magazine

  “The story takes off at warp speed.”

  Washingtonian Magazine

  “Spy Dance is a must-read for fans of espionage thrillers, and deserves a place on the bookshelf alongside the works of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and even John LeCarre.”

  Hadassah Magazine

  “This is a superb first novel …”

  Newt Gingrich

  Enemy of My Enemy

  “Topol’s turf is the old-fashioned novel of international intrigue. His scene shifts constantly from trendy clubs in Moscow to three-star restaurants in Paris to strip joints in Montreal to Cabinet-level confrontations in the Oval Office.”

  The Washington Post

  “Topol is up there with such masters of the Labyrinthine as Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy.”

  Washintgon Post

  Dark Ambition

  “Topol might be the most riveting spy-adventure writer in America today … I found myself solidly immersed in Topol’s multi-faceted conspiracy and am eagerly anticipating his next work.”

  Newt Gingrich

  “Unlike most other members of the lawyer-novelist fraternity, Topol turns out good old-fashioned spy stories that leave the corridors of big law firm business far behind in favor of the broader stage of foreign affairs, political intrigue, and the murky recesses of human desire.”

  “In this tightly written novel, Topol captures well the quiet neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., and the occasional ruthlessness of its people.”

  Legal Times

  “John Grisham and Richard North Patterson may have a new successor in Topol …”

  Publishers Weekly

  Conspiracy

  “Seethes with political intrigue, a cast of shady characters, and enough deception, smart dialogue, and behind-closed-doors deals to keep readers hooked until the final.”

  Publishers Weekly

  “An entertaining and suspenseful thriller with a well-crafted plot …”

  Stephen Frey, New York Times best-selling

  author of Silent Partner

  “Conspiracy is a perfectly executed combination of the best elements of legal and political thrillers. With a lightning-fast pace, a compelling story, and an insider look at Washington, Topol takes his readers on a memorable thrill ride. Find a comfortable chair and plan to stay up late. Highly recommended.”

  Sheldon Siegel, New York Times best-selling author of Final Verdict

  “[Topol has] managed to weave a convincing conspiracy theory into near worldwide conflict. And it’s done with the extreme finesse that keeps us guessing all the way, also hankering for more of Topol’s penetrating portrayal of inside-the-Beltway deceptions.”

  The Sanford Herald

  “A paranoia-inducing thriller … The action scenes and telling details linger long after you have finished the book.”

  Legal Times

  “This Washington, D.C.-set thriller from Topol (Dark Ambition) seethes with political intrigue, a cast of shady characters and enough deception, smart dialogue and behind-closed-doors deals to keep readers hooked until the final scene.”

  Publishers Weekly

  A Woman of Valor

  “Few novels have kept me as involved as this one.”

  South Bend Tribune

  “Topol has written an evenly paced story, introducing his characters slowly so that each has a chance to come alive before the plot takes off on a convoluting and deftly interwoven path leading to the climax.”

  The Free Lance-Star

  The Fourth of July War

  “The book is remarkably reflective of contemporary affairs.”

  Chicago Tribune

  “Topol creates believable characters with real problems and emotions; he constructs a tight, suspenseful plot that has us flipping pages as fast as we can find out what happens while we root 100% for a hero we don’t altogether like.”

  The Los Angeles Times

  “Topol’s scenario for this fast-paced, gripping novel has the ring of inevitability … Should be a best seller.”

  Houston Chronicle

  “It’s a screamer of a novel … So real it makes you believe it could happen.”

  Natchez Democrat

  The Russian Endgame

  “The Russian Endgame is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and reading it is like a rush of adrenaline in your veins. The characters are three-dimensional and believable, and it’s a book you won’t want to put down.”

  Douglas Cobb

  Guardian Liberty Voice

  guardianlv.com

  “Allan’s novel, The Russian Endgame, brings to light what happens when two powerful countries and their leaders decide to team up against the United States! Just Reviews is honored to award this year’s Author of the Year for Historical Fiction and Writing to
best-selling author Allan Topol.”

  Presented by Fran Lewis and Just Reviews

  November 20, 2013

  Also by Allan Topol

  FICTION

  The Fourth of July War

  A Woman of Valor

  Spy Dance

  Dark Ambition

  Conspiracy

  Enemy of My Enemy

  The China Gambit

  The Spanish Revenge

  The Russian Endgame

  NON-FICTION

  Superfund Law and Procedure (coauthor)

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations within cities, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events and locales or persons described, either living or deceased, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 by Allan Topol

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

  This edition is published by SelectBooks, Inc.

  For information address SelectBooks, Inc., New York, New York.

  First Edition

  ISBN 978-1-59079-141-7

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Topol, Allan.

  The Argentine triangle / Allan Topol. – First edition.

  pages cm

  Summary: “Undercover in the glamorous circles of Buenos Aires’ wealthy elite, former CIA director Craig Page uses all the skills in his arsenal to avert cataclysmic events threatening the future of the United States and South America”– Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 978-1-59079-141-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)

  1. United States–Foreign relations–South America–Fiction.

  2. South America–Foreign relations–United States–Fiction.

  I. Title.

  PS3570.O64A89 2014

  813’.54–dc23

  2013035457

  Manufactured in the United States

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Dedicated to my wife, Barbara, my partner

  in this literary venture

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  One Year Later

  Bariloche, Argentina

  Sardinia

  Porto Cervo, Sardinia

  Buenos Aires

  Porto Cervo, Sardinia

  Washington

  Northern Argentina

  Washington

  Buenos Aires

  Bariloche

  Washington

  Bariloche

  Buenos Aires

  Bethesda, Maryland

  Buenos Aires

  Middleburg, Virginia

  London

  Over the Atlantic

  Buenos Aires

  Washington

  Buenos Aires

  Buenos Aires

  Northern Argentina

  Buenos Aires

  San Francisco

  Washington

  Northern Argentina

  Washington

  Los Angeles

  Rancho Santa Fe

  Washington

  Buenos Aires

  Washington

  Buenos Aires

  Middleburg, Virginia

  Buenos Aires

  Iguazu, Argentina

  Middleburg, Virginia

  Northern Argentina

  Middleburg, Virginia

  Northern Argentina

  Iguazu

  Northern Virginia

  Iguazu

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  I wish to thank my agent, Pam Ahearn, who helped me develop the Craig Page series. We are now on our fourth book. It has been a pleasure working with the people at SelectBooks. I very much appreciate Kenzi Sugihara’s enthusiasm for the novel from the first reading.

  Nancy Sugihara and Molly Stern did an outstanding job of editing, and I’d like to thank Kenichi Sugihara for his work as the marketing director.

  Thanks to my wife, Barbara, for her enormous assistance. She read each draft and offered valuable suggestions for keeping Craig in character in Argentina. We had great fun visiting Buenos Aires, Bariloche, and Iguazu.

  PROLOGUE

  Washington

  The morning after Craig Page’s return to Washington from Moscow, he arrived at the office at 8 a.m. Since he had been in his job as director of the CIA for only three weeks, and was traveling most of this period, Craig hadn’t had time to select his own secretary. He refused to inherit Jane, who had worked for the predecessor he despised, so he counted on his deputy Betty Richards to find someone more suitable.

  He met her choice. Monica Donnelly was a tall, angular blonde with a runner’s legs in her forties who had worked with the agency for twenty years. “She’ll keep you out of trouble,” Betty had told him. “If that’s possible.”

  Knowing Craig had lived in Paris, Monica had installed an espresso machine in the outer office. For Craig, fighting jet lag and a couple of sleepless nights, the double espresso she placed on his desk was like manna from heaven.

  “Welcome back Mr. Page,” she said.

  “Thank you. It’s good to be in Washington.”

  “Miss Richards called and asked if she could see you as soon as you arrived.”

  Betty had beaten Craig to the punch. He was planning to talk with her first thing this morning.

  “Have Betty come up,” he told Monica. “And please fix her an espresso.”

  Minutes later, Betty arrived, dressed in a snug navy suit, strands of black hair streaked with gray falling haphazardly around her face. She was wearing black frame glasses with thick lenses, the kind that people refer to as looking like old Coca-Cola bottles.

  Cup in hand, Craig led the way to the conference table where Betty’s espresso was waiting.

  Once they were seated, she said, “I want a briefing on what occurred in that airplane hangar in Moscow.”

  He sighed. “It was an unmitigated disaster. Nothing went as I had planned.”

  “I realized that when I heard that President Zhou was dead. What happened?”

  “Well, my great plan to have the Spanish Special Ops kidnap Zhou and fly him back to Madrid to stand trial for the murder of scores of Spanish citizens never got off the ground. Orlov killed Zhou.”

  “Avenging the death of his sister?”

  “Yeah. After that everything spun out of control. Zhou’s aide killed Orlov and one of the Spanish troops shot Zhou’s aide. I felt as if I were in a shooting gallery.”

  Betty pushed back her glasses. “That’s not such a bad result. Even if the Spanish had gotten Zhou to Madrid, they might not have been willing to hang tough about putting the president of China on trial. They might have folded and coughed him up. At least this way the world is rid of a man who was on his way to rivaling Mao. And you have some form of revenge for Zhou arranging the heinous murder of your daughter.”

  “All of that’s true, but I didn’t want it to end that way.”

  “Have you briefed President Treadwell?”

  “As soon as the plane landed at Andrews yesterday I went straight to the White House.”

  “What’d Treadwell say?”

  “He was pleased. He realizes that Mei Ling, the new Chinese president, is someone he’ll be able to work with. He already sent her congratulations and invited her to Washington for an early visit.”

  “So it sounds as if everybody came out a winner.”

  “Except Zhou. But as you said, the world’s a better place without him.”

  He paused to take a sip of coffee before continuing, “Now that this operation is over, I’ll really have to take on the job of being CIA director. No more shunting all the work off on you.”

  “That’s true. You can’t du
ck it any longer. How about if I schedule a meeting at three this afternoon for you with senior staff. Let them finally meet the boss.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.”

  His office phone rang. A moment later, Monica buzzed on the intercom. “It’s the White House. President Treadwell wants to see you ASAP.”

  Puzzled, Craig replied, “Did they give you a reason?”

  “Nothing. Just that it was urgent.”

  “Tell them I’m on my way.” What else could you tell the president of the United States?

  He looked at Betty. “What do you think? A new crisis?”

  “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

  “That doesn’t help me.”

  “Just a gut instinct. Washington is the city of sharp knives.”

  When Craig entered the Oval Office, he saw that Edward Bryce was there along with President Treadwell. Craig had met Bryce once before in another Oval Office meeting, when Craig had gotten Treadwell’s approval for the Moscow operation that resulted in Zhou’s death. At that meeting it had been the president, Craig, Elizabeth Crowder, and Bryce, whom Treadwell had introduced as “a close friend, a powerful Washington lawyer, and my informal advisor on certain sensitive issues.”

  Bryce was about sixty, Craig thought. Dignified and patrician was how Craig would have described him. He had a full head of gray hair and was dressed in a starched white shirt with diamond studded French cuffs and a red silk Hermes tie, loosened at the neck. No jacket.

  Treadwell, looking grim, was seated behind his red leather-topped desk and made no effort to come forward and greet Craig. Bryce was standing next to one of the two chairs in front of the desk. Treadwell motioned to the other chair and Craig sat down.

  “We have a problem,” Treadwell began.

  “What’s that?” Craig asked.

  “I received a call from Mei Ling. She and the Chinese leadership are publicly sticking with the story that President Zhou had a heart attack. No one was permitted to see Zhou’s body. It was kept in a sealed coffin. Armed guards enforced that order. He was buried quickly.”

  Craig held his breath, waiting for what came next.

  “Are you familiar with President Zhou’s brother, Zhou Yun?” Treadwell asked.

  “Very. He’s one of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen in China. He’s every bit as evil and ruthless as his brother. Zhou Yun arranged the assassination of President Zhou’s predecessor, President Li.”