15 

TEDDY FOUND THE CREW shooting another setup in the hills. As he got out of the car, Dan Waters came striding over.

“Don’t worry,” Teddy said, “it went just fine.”

Dan pulled him aside out of earshot of everybody else. “It didn’t go as fine as you think.”

“He asked me some questions, I answered him, and as I was leaving he thanked me for my suggestion about Jake and said there’d be a bonus in my final paycheck.”

“I got a call from his assistant after you left. She said Dax was back on the phone, making calls about you.”

“I don’t know what his problem is,” Teddy said.

“Dax thinks you’re a danger to him.”

“How could he think that? I just saved his shoot and a couple of million dollars that would have come right out of his pocket.”

“He doesn’t think you’re a danger to his wallet, he thinks you’re a threat to him, personally.”

“Personally? What does that mean?”

“He thinks you’re working for somebody who wants him taken out—a guy at Centurion named Billy Barnett—something about his wife.”

That stopped Teddy in his tracks. “Dan, can I confide in you?”

“Sure.”

“This can’t go any further, or I’ll go down fighting Heckel and Jeckel.”

“Ted, come on, give.”

“I’m not Ted Shirley, I’m Billy Barnett.”

Dan froze, then looked at him closely to see if he was kidding. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

“I’m not kidding. I’m a producer at Centurion for Peter Barrington’s production company.”

“Holy shit! Dax thinks you’ve hired yourself to knock him off?”

“It sounds that way.”

Dan started pacing, looking at the ground.

“What’s the matter, Dan?”

“We’ve got to get you out of here, and you can’t go back to the production center.”

“Actually, I’m not that worried about Heckel and Jeckel. Heckel has a broken wrist, and Jeckel is scared of me.”

“I’m not worried about them, either, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to worry about.”

“What should I be worried about?”

“Dax has sent for a guy from L.A., and he’s due in this afternoon.”

“A guy? What kind of guy?”

“The kind of guy who makes people disappear. It sounds like he’s coming for you, first, then for Billy Barnett.”

Teddy couldn’t help laughing. “He’s going to kill me twice?”

“That’s the idea.”

“Who is this guy?”

“He’s a Russian. His name is Dimitri Kasov.”

“I’ve heard that name, never met him.”

“If you’d met him, you wouldn’t be here. We’ve got to get you out. Let me see if the chopper is free. They could pick you up here and take you straight to the airport.”

“No, no, don’t do that. Dax would know about it immediately.”

Dan looked at his watch. “I think you’ve got, maybe, three or four hours.”

“Then I’ll be here when he arrives. He can come looking for me.”

“Are you crazy? Don’t you understand what I’m telling you?”

“Dan, if I’m here, at least I can see the guy coming. If I leave, he’ll hunt me down and take me out when I least expect it.”

“Ted . . . ah, Billy . . .”

“Keep calling me Ted.”

“Ted, you’re beginning to sound like you’ve had some experience at this sort of thing.”

“Some,” Teddy admitted.

“How can I help?”

“Do you know what this Kasov looks like?”

“Not big, maybe five-eight, a hundred and sixty pounds, all muscle and gristle.”

“Does he dress in any particular way?”

“He dresses to blend in. Look around you, he’ll look like one of us.”

“I think I’d better shave,” Teddy said. He peeled off his mustache. “Can we swap hats?” Teddy handed him his Stetson and took Dan’s baseball cap.

“You look completely different,” Dan said.

“That’s the idea, isn’t it? It may not work for long, but it’ll give me a little edge.”

“Listen, Ted,” Dan said, “I’ve got a gun in my room. I don’t know why I carry the thing, but you’re welcome to it.”

“I don’t think guns will be involved,” Teddy said. “Kasov is more likely to use a knife or an ice pick.”

“I’m getting really scared,” Dan said.

“Don’t be. Kasov’s not coming for you.”

“I mean, scared for you. This guy’s a pro, and from what I’ve heard, he’s pretty much unstoppable.”

“Nobody is unstoppable,” Teddy said. “Everybody bleeds.”

“Jesus,” Dan sighed.

“Who knows where I live?” Teddy asked.

“Did you put your address on your employment application?”

“I used a P.O. box number in Tesuque.”

“Then he’ll know you’re in Tesuque. It’s a small place, it won’t take long to track you down. Has Sally been there?”

“Yes.”

“Then she’s probably the only one on the shoot who knows.” Dan raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “I don’t want to know.”

“Does anybody know Sally and I have been seeing each other?”

“Just me. Oh, and the makeup girl, Mala, remember?”

“Can you reach her?”

“I’ve got her cell number.”

“Please call her and find out if she’s mentioned Sally and me to anyone.”

“Okay.”

“And if she hasn’t told anybody, tell her to keep quiet.”

“Okay. What are you going to do?”

Teddy gave him the keys to his truck. “This is parked in the lot at La Fonda Hotel. The ticket’s under the sun visor. Can you get somebody to get it out of there and return it to its owner?”

“Who’s that?”

“His name and address are on a piece of paper in the glove compartment. Tell him I won’t be needing it anymore.”

“What are you going to do for wheels?”

“I’ve got wheels.”

“You didn’t tell me what you’re going to do, Ted.”

“I think I’m going to pay Dax another visit.”

“Oh, shit.”