“We don’t know about the bones, but our scientists will soon find out. The dog tags belong to a soldier who was a murderer and a deserter, Colonel. And there’s another problem. We have evidence that he was fighting for your side.”

The colonel watched him carefully. “Half of your country was fighting for our side,” he said, delighting in another minor provocation.

“Not by killing our Marines.”

For the first time Colonel Pham lost his jaunty air. “You are sure?”

“We are positive.”

“Is he still alive?”

“We don’t know yet. I think he is, though. He apparently killed this man in order to take his identity. He was hoping the body would be found and the Americans would assume he was dead, so they would stop looking for him. But the war ended, and they didn’t find the body either. We don’t know where he went. If he’s still alive he could be living anywhere. Even here.”

Condley took out an envelope from his trouser pocket and handed it to Colonel Pham. “We are not talking about this publicly. We are not looking for a confrontation with the Vietnamese government. But we intend to find him. His personal information is inside this envelope. Maybe you can bring me some news about . . . how he helped your government and if they know where he went.”

“This will be difficult,” said the colonel, choosing his own words very carefully. “I know of no such cases.”

“That’s why I came here to see you. I must ask you personally, because I am confused. Can you tell me what usually happened to the Americans who fought for your side after the war ended?”

“I know of no such Americans.” Colonel Pham had stiffened into an abrupt formality. Condley sensed that his posture was driven more by bureaucratic fear than any sort of anger. “Mister Condley, I must remind you that it is the position of our government that there are no Americans from the war who are still alive in Viet Nam.”

“I’m only asking for your advice, Colonel. The question is for my personal education.” Condley studied the colonel’s face carefully, looking for clues. “And I have another question, because my memory troubles me. When I left Viet Nam at the end of the war, there were a few thousand American deserters living in Sai Gon and another five hundred or so living in Da Nang. Can you help me discover what happened to them?”

Colonel Pham lifted his chin, his face becoming intransigent. “As you know, I spent the war in the mountains. I know nothing of what happened here in the city during those times. But there were no living Americans in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of the war! I am sure of this!”