The Spy

When a U.S. State Department official finds himself stranded in the bustling port of Valencia after a yellow‑fever quarantine blocks his return, he insists his visit is a simple accident. The local minister and his wife, however, are convinced he’s on a secret mission, and every passerby—from diplomats to shopkeepers—starts treating him like a spy. As he navigates polite dinners and whispered questions, he discovers that in this sun‑baked city even a harmless salesman is suspected of covert motives.

Unbeknownst to him, three powerful factions—the government, a nitrate mining trust, and the shadowy Walker‑Keefe consortium—are locked in a ruthless contest for the rich nitrate deposits nearby. Each employs its own network of agents, from the impeccably dressed legation “agent” to the low‑key hotel runner, all eager to outmaneuver the others. Caught in the middle, our reluctant envoy must decide whether to stay silent, become a pawn, or expose the tangled web before the city erupts into open conflict.