THE CONFERENCE ROOM where the invitation-only panel would be held was pretty much what Teddy had expected. It differed very little from the other conference rooms at the convention, except those rooms were nestled next to each other and often featured temporary walls that could be slid back to merge two small panel rooms into one larger panel room, or four small panel rooms into an even larger panel room.
The conference room was self-contained. All walls were solid. There was no window. Unlike the double doors that opened into the other panel rooms, it had one single, solid door with a fairly substantial-looking lock. Teddy figured it might take him as much as a minute to open it.
“So what do you think?” Marcel said.
“Mind if I try a little experiment?” Teddy said.
“No, not at all. Be my guest.”
“Go in, close the door, and have a conversation. Talk to Stone and Dino at a normal level, then talk like someone speaking on a panel. Will they be using microphones, Marcel?”
“In a room this size, I doubt it. We would supply them, if asked. Do you want me to find out if any have been requested?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. But let’s make this test.”
Teddy went out and they closed the door. He waited a minute, but heard nothing. Finally he knocked on the door.
Marcel opened it with an inquiring look. “Well?”
“Perfect,” Teddy said. “You can’t hear a thing.”
“And that’s good?”
“It’s good for the security of the panel room. I quite approve. If I ever need to hold a secret meeting, I’d be happy to have it here.”
Marcel walked them back to the lobby and said good night to his guests.
“Now then,” Teddy said, as Marcel was walking away. “If you don’t mind, I’ll meet you back at the house.”
Stone frowned. “You have something to do?”
“I hope not,” Teddy said.
GLENVILLE WAS WATCHING the front door when Stone and Dino emerged. He grabbed his cell phone and texted, Other two left, not the target.
Aziz could see that for himself. Since leaving Glenville, he had worked his way around the building and climbed a tree that commanded a view of the entrance. He texted back, Circle hotel.
Glenville sighed. It was another case where he’d like clarification. He assumed what Aziz meant was to check all the exits to see if Barnett had gone out another door. He hurried to do that.
A side door opened, and a man came out. He wasn’t their quarry, but he was clearly a guest who was dining or staying at the hotel.
Glenville texted Aziz, Found one side exit, checking for others.
THROUGH THE SLIGHTEST crack in the side exit door, Teddy watched Glenville’s shadow continue around the building. Then he slipped out the door, and headed in the opposite direction.
Teddy spotted Aziz in the tree just before he fired. That alone saved him. The little man impressed him as someone who did not miss. The rifle had a silencer, and the only sound was the whine of the bullet caroming off the side of the building.
Teddy ruined his assailant’s aim by doing the one thing a shooter wouldn’t expect. He charged straight at him. He ducked to the side, dived into a summersault, and came up behind a potted bush.
He couldn’t see it, but Teddy could feel the rifle swinging in his direction. His gun was in his hand, he had drawn it as he rolled. He fired in the direction from which he judged the shot to have come. A yelp told him he was on target.
There was no clatter from a dropped rifle. The sniper was still armed. A moment later a crash and grunt told the story. The sniper had decided to climb down and fell. He still had his gun, but he’d lost the advantage of surprise. And a rifle was a clumsy weapon for fighting up close.
Teddy shortened the distance between them. He could make out the stocky profile as the little man struggled to his feet.
At that moment, the other man charged Teddy from the side. His shadow wasn’t much of a threat, but the little man was rushing him, too, and he couldn’t take them both at once. He had to shoot one of them. He wanted to keep the little man alive.
Teddy shot his shadow in the head. No wounding, no warning shot, Teddy put him out of the way to go after his prize.
The little man seemed to sense it was a real possibility that Teddy might put him out of action and capture him alive. Teddy was sure the little man didn’t want that to happen. Somehow it would be worse than being shot dead.
Teddy was right. The little man backed into the darkness, even with Teddy’s gun trained on him.
Teddy could have shot him.
He sighed.
He probably should have.