Page 13 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

“Yes?”

“Mr. Wenz to see you,” his assistant said.

“Send him in.”

Wenz was a former German special forces member and Braun’s right-hand man. Listed as a security consultant on BLS company records, his true role was to run an off-the-books operation they referred to as the special projects division.

The division’s purpose was to take on jobs that the legitimate side of BLS could not touch. For instance, the removal of an unwanted rival or the pressuring of a politician with things like kidnapping family members. Necessary things that the governments of the world did not look kindly upon.

Wenz entered and walked up to Braun’s desk.

“Good morning, Dieter,” Braun said. “I hope you bring me good news.”

“A little yes, and a little no,” the man said, his perpetually calm demeanor revealing nothing.

Braun frowned. “Start with the good.”

“Our contact at the CIA has confirmed that the Agency knows the body was that of Owen Pace. He was identified by the Paris station chief.”

“Did our calling card catch his attention?”

“That our contact was unable to confirm, but it would have been hard to miss.”

“We need to know for sure that they are getting our message,” Braun said.

“I agree, and we’re working on it.”

“And the not good news?”

“Schmidt lost his target.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I wish I were.”

If anyone else had delivered the news, Braun would have chewed their head off. But Dieter was the only one who always gave him the unvarnished truth. He respected that.

Braun took a breath. “Explain.”

“According to Schmidt, he followed Rogers to the agent’s hotel, gave him enough time to fall asleep, and then sneaked into the room to take care of him. Only Rogers wasn’t there, and it looked like he never had been. The room was untouched.”

Braun squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Then,through clenched teeth, he said, “Please tell me Schmidt is attempting to locate him.”

“He is.”

“And?”

“When I talked to him right before I came here, he said he has a promising lead.”

“Promising but not concrete?”

“Correct,” Wenz said.

Braun grimaced. “This is my fault.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. I’m the one who decided to give Schmidt a chance, even with your warnings.”

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