Kiss of the Spider Woman (32 page)

21. Monday.
Subject went out at 8:37
A.M.,
took bus to Avenida Cabildo, from there another to Sante Fe and Callao, walking the last five blocks to intended destination: Calle Berutti 1805. Spoke with two males, examined space to be given over to window decoration, had coffee together. Left, alone, and repeated identical bus rides in opposite direction, returning home. At 11:30
A.M.
called his friend Lalo at Banco de Galicia, where the latter works 11
A.M.
to 7
P.M.,
talked together but seriously this time, obviously due to the fact that the friend was there at work. Subject simply related that he had arranged to begin work on the following day, in spite of not having settled the question of salary. The only other phone call that day came from Aunt Lola, who talked at length with subject’s mother, both rejoicing over the prospect of employment.

22. Tuesday
. Subject left home at 8:05
A.M.
, and arrived at boutique almost at 9
A.M.,
running the last two blocks. At 12:30
P.M.
went out to lunch, coffee shop on Calle Juncal between Ayacucho and Rio Bamba. Made a call there, from a public phone. It should be pointed out that subject dialed the number three times and hung up immediately, then spoke for a period of some three minutes. All that very peculiar considering fact that a phone also exists at his place of employment, whereas subject had to stand on line and wait to use phone at the coffee shop. Phones at the subject’s home, the Restaurant Mallorquin and the Banco de Galicia were immediately checked, verifying the fact that it was not with any of the above locales that subject had made contact. Subject left work at 7
P.M.
and arrived home a few minutes after 8
P
.
M
.

23. Wednesday
. Subject left house at 7:45
A.M.
and arrived work 8:51
A.M.
Around 10
A.M.
telephoned his friend Lalo at the latter’s home, thanking him for the job recommendation, and passed the receiver to one of his employers there in boutique who then spoke to Lalo as well, calling him Soraya of Persia, and eventually clarifying the meaning of said nickname, by remarking, “Soraya, that must be your name because you can never have children.” In turn, the other one, Lalo, called the first Queen Fabiola of Belgium, for same reason. We should again point out that the matter of constantly switching names for each other suggests no premeditation, but rather a simple game which conceals no code of any kind. At 12:30
P.M.
, subject left work, hailed a cab and was driven to the main branch of Banco Mercantil, where subject proceeded to savings window, took out a sum of cash and from there took a second cab to Calle Suipacha 157, entering the office of a notary public, where it was deemed inadvisable to pursue him, for obvious reasons. Left 18 minutes later and caught still another cab to shop on Calle Berutti. There unwrapped sandwich brought from home that morning, and ate standing up while measuring fabrics with one of the two shop owners. Left 7:20
P.M.
and arrived home by about 8:15
P.M.
using customary means of transportation. At 9:04
P.M.
left premises again, took bus to corner of Federico Lacroze and Alvarez Thomas, then second bus as far as Avenida Cordoba and Medrano. From there walking as far as Soler and Medrano. Paused near the corner, on Medrano, waited almost one hour. It should be pointed out that said corner, separated only by a few yards distance from a second crossing, that of Costa Rica, offers an excellent overall view to whoever would arrive at the above location from any one of four different vantage points, and as a consequence must be thought to be a site selected by party or parties expert at dodging police surveillance. Subject waited and spoke to no one, several cars did pass but none stopped. Subject returned directly home, with no awareness on his part, or so it seemed, of our continuous surveillance. It is the opinion of staff headquarters that subject had arranged a meeting with party or parties who did, however, notice surveillance.

24. Thursday
. According to separate report, subject withdrew total savings from bank, leaving only minimum deposit required in order not to close account. Money withdrawn had been deposited at intervals prior to term of imprisonment. At notary public’s office, “José Luis Neri Castro,” subject left sealed envelope in the name of the mother, containing only the above savings, this according to sworn declaration of named executive of said enterprise. Subject’s activities minimal, left for work at regular morning hour, ate lunch at work, with coffee, which subject drank continuously on and off throughout day, there on premises. Arrived home directly, at 8:10
P.M
. We also note, as per decision at command level, cancellation of project to leak to press imaginary confession, by Arregui to Molina, along with the latter’s supposed undercover work as intelligence agent. Cancellation based upon the probability of pending or possible imminent contact between subject and partisans of Arregui.

25. Friday
. Subject arrived at place of employment in the morning, left 12:30
P.M
., and went to have lunch, alone, a few blocks away, at a pizzeria, number 2476 on Las Heras. Subject first spoke by public phone at same location, after dialing three times and hanging up immediately, as on previous occasion. Talked for a few minutes. Then ate by himself, or rather had a bite or two, leaving the plate almost untouched. Returned to work. Left there at 6:40
P.M
., at Callao caught a bus to Congreso, where then went by subway as far as José Maria Moreno station. Walked to Riglos and Formosa. Waited there approximately thirty minutes, which is to say the amount of time alloted by Central Bureau until subject was to be picked up, if he had not been met by party or parties beforehand, and then taken away for interrogation. Therefore, two agents of the CISL, already in close contact with our patrol unit, proceeded to make the arrest. Subject demanded to see credentials. At that moment, however, several shots were fired from a passing automobile, wounding CISL agent Joaquin Perrone, along with subject, both of whom immediately fell to the ground. The arrival of our patrol unit, minutes later, was too late for pursuit of extremist vehicle. Of the wounded, Molina expired before arriving patrol unit could administer first aid. The above agent, Perrone, suffered thigh wounds plus serious contusions caused by his fall. The impression of other members of the patrol unit is that the extremists preferred to eliminate Molina to avoid the possibility of a confession. In fact, the recent activities of the subject, the matter of the bank account, etc., suggest that he himself feared something might actually occur. Furthermore, if he was in fact aware of our continued surveillance, his plan—in the event of being surprised in an incriminating position—may in fact have been one of the following: either he expected to escape with the extremists, or he was ready to be eliminated by same.