Page 20 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

“Believe me, you wouldn’t think that if it happened.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Are there any other versions of you?”

“We’ll bridge that topic when needed.”

“So, that’s a yes.”

“You’ve always been one of the smartest people I know.”

“I suppose you want a report?”

“If you don’t mind.”

Not wanting to rely solely on his CIA security detail, Teddy had hired Vesna to both watch his back and help with the investigation. Her contacts in Europe ran much deeper than Teddy’s these days. What he hadn’t done yet was fill her in on any details. That was something better done in person.

“I’ve been watching the hotel since yesterday, and other than the group of fans by the entrance and the team your CIA friends sent, I haven’t seen anything unusual.”

The team she mentioned was made up of the agents Lance had promised to provide, though she was unaware of the director’s personal involvement in the mission.

“How many in the team?”

“Ten. They’ve been here since last night and are based out of five rooms on the third floor.”

“Have they been in this suite?”

“They’re CIA. Of course they’ve been in here. How could they resist?”

She pulled several audio bugs from her jacket pocket and tossed them onto the coffee table.

“Apparently, they were hoping to overhear some Hollywood secrets,” she said. “Don’t worry. These are deactivated.”

“And you’re sure you found all of them.”

She gave him a what-do-you-think look.

“I had to ask,” he said. He picked up one of the bugs, looked it over, then dropped it with the others. “Give me a second.”

He went into the bedroom and called Lance.

“Do you have something for me already?” Lance asked.

“I do. But a request, not an update.”

“And that is?”

“To tell the people you have watching over me that if they try to bug my suite again, I’m off the job.”

“Someone bugged your room?”

“I wouldn’t be telling you this if they didn’t.”

“Are you sure it was my people?”

“One hundred percent.”

“I’ll have a conversation with them. Just so you know, doing that was not part of my instructions.”

“Goodbye, Lance.”

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