Page 44 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

“That’s four dead now,” Lance said.

“Not my biggest concern at the moment.”

“I apologize. Of course not. That would be the body.”

“The bodies.”

“Right. One moment.” Lance returned half a minute later. “I have your position as approximately twenty minutes outside Bologna, still in the mountains.”

Billy looked out the window. “That sounds right.”

“I have a cleanup team that can meet you en route. Bologna is too soon, so probably in Ferrara. They’ll take Rogers and clean up the mess.”

“What about the assassin?”

“Do you have anything you can grab fingerprints with?”

“I do.”

“Get prints and take pictures, then give those to the cleaners. The area you’re currently in is rural, correct?”

“Very.”

“Then it seems to me it’s the perfect location for the assassin to get off the train. I’ll have my watchers deal with that.”

“You mean the watchers who have yet to notice that anything happened?”

“They aren’t with you now?”

“No. As far as I know, they’re still in their seats, oblivious.”

“I see,” Lance said, not sounding pleased. “I’ll have them there in a few moments.”

“Don’t,” Teddy said. “I have someone I trust who can help me. We’ll take care of it.”

“That wasn’t an offer. Their job is to—”

“Lance, let me make this perfectly clear. Not only was one of your agents killed, but my friends were put in danger becauseyourteam was not doing their job. My colleague was in the same car as they, and realized something was up, so they have no excuse. Per our agreement, I’m in charge, and I make the calls. My call is that I never want to see any of them again.”

“I can’t say I wouldn’t feel the same in your shoes. Very well. I’ll have them replaced as soon as you arrive in Venice.”

“Only if the replacements are competent. Otherwise, don’t bother. Even then, I’m not sure I would trust them.”

“I’ll make sure it’s a team of our very best.”

“Why weren’t they your very best from the start?”

“I don’t know the answer to that question, but I promise you will not have similar issues with the new team.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with your mole, does it?”

“No. I can guarantee you that.”

“Fine. If you’ll excuse me there are a few things that need my attention.”

Billy hung up and rejoined Vesna.

They wrapped Rogers in a blanket and moved him into an empty cabin. Billy then took photos of the assassin and used the fingerprint kit he kept in his makeup box to take a full set of prints.

---