TEDDY HADN’T SEEN Kristin in a few days. He was concerned. There were only a few things that could mean: none of them good.
Her cover may have been blown, and she had come to harm. Teddy knew from experience these guys played rough.
Or she could be lying low, waiting to strike at the end of the conference. That could only lead to disaster. Whatever she was plotting was sure to throw a monkey wrench into his plans.
Teddy never once considered the possibility that she might have simply given up. It just wasn’t in her nature.
Teddy called Jacques. He caught him at his computer.
“What do you need?”
“Anything going on?”
“It’s pretty quiet.”
“Anybody at the office show an interest in the conference?”
“None. It’s a nonevent. It might as well not be happening.”
“Is Kristin around?”
“Norton sent her to London with the ambassador’s wife.”
“Really?”
“She wasn’t happy about it. She tried to foist it off on Valerie but Norton wouldn’t let her. He put his foot down. It’s no secret he’s been getting fed up with her lately. Feels she’s grown lax about following orders and has a tendency to do whatever she wants.”
“He’s not wrong about that. When does she get back?”
“Not until tomorrow. Which takes her out of the picture as far as you are concerned. The conference will be over.”
“Right.”
“Is that why she was so upset? She was planning to hook up with you?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, you two seemed close. And you asked about her.”
“I was asking in terms of the conference.”
“Of course,” Jacques said. “You forget, I’m French.”
“Never,” Teddy said.
Teddy hung up the phone feeling better. Kristin was out of the way for the rest of the conference. He could imagine the scene in Norton’s office. Having managed to establish an off-the-books relationship with Rene Darjon, Kristin could not have been easy to dissuade.
Teddy couldn’t recall ever feeling so nervous about an operation. But that was only natural. He couldn’t recall an operation where there had ever been so much at stake.