Page 113 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

“Better.”

“Why would he want to kill your president and your director of the CIA? Were either involved in Golden Hour?”

“Neither were. My guess would be Braun’s going after them because they’re symbols of the government that greenlit the mission.”

“That makes sense, if you’re a psychopath.”

“Which I’m pretty sure Braun is.”

“You may want to warn your CIA friends that their boss and their boss’s boss need to watch their backs.”

“I’ll make the call.”

“You may also want to come up with an excuse for Billy missing the festival.”

“Perhaps.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps? I was thinking something more along the lines of ‘Hell, yes.’ ” She studied him for a moment. “Don’t tell me. You have something else in mind, don’t you?”

“More the inkling of something else.”

“Care to share?”

Teddy shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Then how do you want to proceed for now?”

“Just as we’veplanned.”

40

Teddy flicked the lights onin Kevin’s bedroom and said, “Time to get up.”

Kevin flipped onto his side so that his back was to the door. “Five more minutes.”

“You said that fifteen minutes ago.” Teddy clapped his hands loudly. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.”

Kevin groaned, flung his legs off the mattress, and sat up. “What time is it?”

“Eleven p.m. Come on. It’s time to get to work.”

A few minutes later, Teddy, Vesna, Kevin, and Hans were gathered in the living room.

“Status on Braun?” Teddy asked.

“He left at nine-thirty,” Hans said. “His car drove directly to his residence, and it hasn’t moved since.”

“Any sign of Wenz?”

“He was here for about an hour between six-thirty and seven-thirty and has not returned.”

“All right. Kevin, it’s time for you to do your thing.”

Kevin opened the messenger bag he’d brought with him and removed a cardboard box about the size of a smart-phone.

“Here you go,” he said and handed it to Teddy.

Teddy opened it. Nestled within a bed of foam inside was what looked like a slightly longer than normal thumb drive. He put the top back on and held it out to Kevin.

---