Crimes of August: A Novel

Six

[73] six On Friday, around seven a.m., carrying an empty suitcase, Climerio returned to the home of the gunman Alcino. “The shit’s hit the fan,”said Climerio.“That fucker Nelson turned himself in to the police yesterday.Today they took him to the Military Police barracks, and the bastard spilled his guts. I shouldn’t have trusted the son of a bitch. You’d better go into hiding.” He handed Alcino the suitcase.“Put some clothes in it. It’s best for you to leave immediately.” “What about my money? You promised it by today.” Climerio took from his pocket a wad of money and handed it to Alcino. Ten thousand cruzeiro notes. Alcino threw into the suitcase a sweater, two pairs of undershorts, two shorts, a knit woolen cap, a rosary with a metal cross at its tip, and a pair of clogs. First to arrive at the A Minhota,onSãoJosé,downtown,notveryfar from the Chamber of Deputies,was Lomagno.It was almost one o’clock.The restaurant, normally frequented by many senators and deputies, was empty. Lomagno sat down, uncommunicative. He asked the waiter for a whiskey on the rocks. After serving Lomagno, the waiter left on the table a bucket of ice and a half-full bottle of White Horse onto which was attached a vertical strip of paper marking the number of drinks consumed. [74] A short time later,Claudio Aguiar arrived.They had spoken several times by telephone, but that was the first time they had seen each other since the death of GomesAguiar.Claudio gestured to the waiter,indicating Lomagno’s whiskey. “Claudio, you’re a son of a bitch. Magalhães told me you tried to transfer the Cemtex financing to Brasfesa.” Claudio stammered.“He . . . he said that?” “Why did you do it?” “Luciana is going to get control of Cemtex now. I don’t trust her. Luciana is going to cheat us.” At that moment,Vitor Freitas arrived,accompanied by his aide Clemente and Deputy Orestes Cravalheira,of the PSD.Claudio greeted the three dryly and left the table, heading for the bathroom. Lomagno followed him. “Take it easy,” Lomagno said inside the bathroom. “Did he have to bring his catamite?” “Easy, easy,” Lomagno repeated. “He can’t do this to me. I’m going to tell him I don’t want that fag at our table. The scoundrel! The scoundrel!” Lomagno slapped Claudio forcefully. The latter drew back, startled. “Why did you do that?” “You’re not going to say anything.When you’re over this attack of hysteria, come back to the table and keep quiet.” “What’s with Claudio?” asked Freitas when Lomagno returned from the bathroom. “He’s not feeling well.” “Is he having a tizzy?” asked Clemente with a sarcastic smile. Lomagno ignored the question. “Cravalheira’s going to have a whiskey with us while he waits for some friends who’re having lunch with him,” Freitas said. Thewaiterbroughtglassesandanotherbottleof whiskey.Theydrank.They spoke about the assassination attempt that had claimed Major Vaz’s life and talked about generalities. Cravalheira commented that Judge Murta Ribeiro had been chosen by lot to draft the report on the appeal of Lieutenant Bandeira ,sentenced to fifteen years in prison for the death of the banker Afrânio Arsênio de Lemos, a crime of passion that still held the city’s attention. The [75] water shortage,as always,was mentioned,but only briefly.Freitas mentioned the issuing of money by the government. “You know how much Oswaldo Aranha has issued in the last twelve months, from August first’53 to August first’54? Over eight billion cruzeiros.There’s not even time for the employees to authenticate the notes manufactured by the presses at the Mint,American Bank Note, and Thomas de la Rue.” Lomagno remained silent. Claudio returned to the table. “Feeling better,dear boy?”Clemente asked.“You look as if you might have a touch of fever.” Cravalheira returned to the subject of the assassination attempt. “Until yesterday, or rather, until last night, the fourth, or the early hours of the fifth,when the attempt took place on RuaTonelero,the climate in this country recalled that of 1937. But now Getúlio no longer has any chance of pulling a coup.” “He wasn’t going to pull any coup,” said Cravalheira. “Why do you think Getúlio canceled his trip to Bolivia for the...