Page 105 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

“Not our first rodeo,” Teddy said.

Otto laughed. “I have always loved this expression. So very American.”

“You clearly have never been to the Calgary Stampede in Canada.”

“I will put it on my to-do list.”

“You were going to tell us about BLS’s special projects group,” Vesna prodded.

Otto sobered, though without the previous tension. “Nothing I know is firsthand, but what I have heard from others. I have no reason to doubt what they say, however.”

“Understood,” Teddy said.

“It is an off-the-books black ops unit that will take onany job for the right price. No moral code, you know? Assassinations, kidnappings, business disruptions, it does not matter.”

“Do you know who their clients are?”

“Specifically, I do not. But from what I understand, their services do not come cheap, so you can draw your own conclusions as to the types of clients. Is it a client you are interested in or BLS?”

“Both, we think,” Teddy said.

“I wish there was more I could tell you, but I have made it a habit not to know what goes on there.”

“That sounds like a smart strategy.”

“I can give you some advice, if you are interested.”

“Please.”

“There was a man I knew who worked for Braun. He quit in the middle of a job, which apparently caused some hiccups. For three months, nothing happened to him. Then one night he ‘falls’ in front of a subway train. No witnesses, and the CCTV cameras covering the platform were conveniently not working. But Braun had to be behind it.” Otto paused. “In other words, my advice is to proceed with extreme caution. Felix Braun is not one to be crossed. He has a long memory, and he holds grudges.”

Vesna glanced at Teddy. “Anything else?”

He shook his head. “I’m good.”

“Thank you, Otto,” Vesna said. “We’ve taken up too much of your time already. I promise that the next time I visit, I’ll treat you to lunch.”

As she and Teddy stood, Otto said to Teddy, “You heard that, yes? You are my witness.”

Teddy smiled. “I will happily testify against her if she tries to renege.”

Braun was in the elevatorheading down when Dieter called.

“Are you back?” Braun asked.

“Just landed.”

“I’m heading to Kurfürstendamm for a meeting. Meet me at Cumberland at one for lunch.”

Braun hung up without waiting for a reply.

Teddy and Vesna were headingfor the next S-Bahn train back into the city when their phones vibrated at the same time with a text from Hans.

Braun just left the office in his car.

Click here to track him

Teddy tapped the link and a map of Berlin opened on his screen. He zoomed in on the moving blue dot that represented Braun’s vehicle.

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