Chapter 28

28

The next morning, the Storm’s Eye group flew to Budapest, arriving a few minutes before 9:30 a.m. From there, a trio of SUVs whisked them through the Pest side of the city to the Ritz-Carlton, near the Danube River.

Though a new Strategic Services detail waited for them outside the hotel, there were no screaming fans to hold off.

“Good job keeping our arrival a secret this time,” Peter said to Lizzie.

“I leaked to a few fan sites that we were staying at the Hotel Clark on the other side of the river,” she said.

“Sneaky!”

“All part of the job.”

As the group entered the hotel lobby, Mark pulled Stacy aside.

“Can you check with the front desk and see if a message has come in for Billy?” he whispered.

“On it,” she said.

He’d awoken that morning to a text from Rick awaiting him, confirming that Danielle Verde was on her way to Budapest. She would be traveling under the name of Monique Ortega and should be in the city before he arrived. She’d been told to leave a note for Billy Barnett at the hotel with details on how to contact her.

When Stacy returned, she said, “Sorry, nothing. But I told the desk to call me if something arrives.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I need one more favor.”

He handed her a credit card.

“Is this a reward for having done a great job?” she asked.

“Did you miss the part where I said ‘one more favor’?”

“If you give me a reward, I’ll be extra attentive, and that would be a kind of favor, wouldn’t it?”

“How about this? I promise to buy you a nice memento while we’re here.”

“My choice?”

“Within reason.”

“What do you consider within reason?”

“Three hundred dollars or less.”

“Make it five and you have a deal.”

“You realize you’re trying to extort me to make you do your job.”

“If you’re asking for a favor, I assume it has nothing to do with the movie or Centurion Pictures. Or am I wrong about that?”

“Fine. Five hundred.”

She held out her hand and they shook.

“What’s the favor?” she asked.

“Get a room under the name Monique Ortega and tell them she’ll be picking up the key later.”

Stacy raised an eyebrow. “Why, Mark, is there a girlfriend I don’t know about?”

“There is not. And if you want that memento, you won’t pursue the subject.”

“One room for Monique Ortega coming right up.”

Braun glanced up as Jillian entered his office, and barked, “What?”

“I-I-I have something to show you.”

“I’m very busy.”

“Oh, um, okay. M-M-Mr. Lawrence thought you’d want to see it. But I can come back.”

As she turned to the door, Braun let out a resigned sigh and said, “Make it quick.”

“Yes, sir.” She hurried over to his desk. “H-h-have you heard of the filmmaker Regina Gideon?”

“No. Should I have?”

“Not necessarily. She’s made a few indie films and does a lot of commercial work. Sh-she’s even been contracted to direct her first studio feature in a few months.”

“Good for her. Tell me why should I care, or get out.”

Jillian hesitantly laid a photo on his desk. It was a head and shoulders shot of an unremarkable middle-aged man.

“ This is Regina Gideon?”

“No, sir. This is Roland Turner. He’s the script supervisor Ms. Gideon works with on all her projects.”

“Ms. Courtois, I don’t have time for games. If there’s a point to all this, I suggest you get to it!”

She set down a photo of a film set, with several people in it, and tapped on a man half in shadow.

Braun studied the image. There was something about the man that tickled his memory, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Before he could say as much, Jillian laid down a third photo. He immediately recognized it as the old security cam image of Teddy Fay.

Braun picked up the second and third photos and compared them. The silhouettes weren’t exact matches, but they were close enough that the intervening years and a bit of plastic surgery could explain the difference.

“Turner is Teddy Fay?”

“I’m not saying that for sure,” she said. “I-I’m saying there’s a chance he is. I’ve been looking at everyone associated with the film festival, including people involved in the movies that will be shown. Regina Gideon’s latest film will be there.”

“And Turner worked on it,” Braun said.

“Correct.”

He frowned. “Hmmm. I don’t know. Maybe there’s some resemblance, but…”

“I’ve sifted through hundreds of people, and Turner is the first who even comes close. And he’s in Europe right now.”

That piqued Braun’s interest. “Is he, now?”

She nodded. “Gideon is shooting a commercial in Budapest this evening, and she’s brought key members of her crew with her, including Turner. They’re all registered as attendees at the festival, too. I assume they’ll be heading to Berlin after. There’s also this.”

She laid down a printout of the photo Dieter’s team had taken in Venice.

“There’s not a lot to work with in this,” she said. “So I haven’t been able to make a positive ID. Yet, I mean. But if you compare this to the others here…”

Braun took a closer look. The guy was wearing a mask and hat, so matching faces was not possible, but his size and shape were basically the same as those of Turner and the old Teddy Fay shot.

“Well, damn,” Braun said. “You’re right. He’s worth checking out.”

She wanted to sigh in relief but held it back. “At Mr. Lawrence’s suggestion, I’ve been in touch with a private investigator in California who’s ready to look into his life there once I give him the word.”

“Tell him to get to work.”

“I will,” she said.

After she left, he picked up his phone. If it really was Fay, he wanted someone in place to act quickly.

“Mr. Braun,” Dieter answered. “What can I do for you?”

By five p.m., Mark and the others were back at the Ritz.

“Am I the only one who needs a nap?” Adriene asked, as they crossed the lobby toward the elevators.

“We warned you these things could be a grind,” Mark said.

“You did, and you weren’t kidding.”

“Welcome to the life of a star,” Hattie teased.

“I’m not complaining,” Adriene said. “Just tired.”

Their day had been filled with a series of videotaped interviews, as well as an appearance by Tessa, Adriene, and Mark on a Hungarian podcast focused on pop culture.

Stacy had hurried ahead to the reception desk when they’d arrived and now rejoined the group. She caught Mark’s eye and shook her head. Still no message from Danielle.

Mark hadn’t been concerned earlier, but he was starting to feel that way now. As soon as he was alone in his room, he called Rick.

“No sign of Danielle yet,” he said.

“Hold on. Let me see if I can contact her.” When Rick came back on the line, he said, “I tried several times, but no answer. I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I.”

“I’ll keep trying. If she shows up, let me know right away.”

A shower and some time spent with his makeup kit turned Teddy from Mark Weldon back into Billy Barnett.

Tonight, Tessa would be filming a commercial for House Dione, a heavy hitter in the fashion industry, for which she was a brand ambassador.

The commercial was being directed by Regina Gideon, an up-and-coming talent who had signed on to direct a film for Centurion Pictures later that year. Since Ben was still in Los Angeles, Billy and Peter would be attending the shoot to touch base with her and watch her in action.

There was a knock on his door as he was pulling on his jacket.

“It’s me,” Peter called from the corridor.

Teddy exited his room. “Where’s Tessa?”

“The production company picked her up thirty minutes ago. I’m guessing she’s in hair and makeup by now.”

“Lead on.”

Another production assistant from the shoot was waiting for them in the lobby.

“Mr. Barrington, Mr. Barnett, I drive for you,” he said, taking time to pronounce the English words. “Come.”

“One moment,” Billy said. He went over to the reception desk.

“May I help you?” a woman manning the desk asked.

“I’m Billy Barnett.” He gave her his suite number. “I’m heading out for a shoot and—”

Her eyes lit up. “The commercial with Tessa Tweed and Mari Chen?”

“That’s the one.”

Mari Chen was a half-Japanese, half-Chinese Australian pop singer who had rocketed to stardom thanks to a talent for writing powerful songs with catchy tunes, which she sang in multiple languages. She was also a House Dione brand ambassador.

“I wanted to go watch,” the woman said, “but no one would trade shifts with me.”

“If you’d like, I can get Tessa’s autograph for you.”

Her mouth opened in surprise. “Really?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

“Thank you. Could you maybe get Mari’s, too?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “She is my favorite singer.”

“No promises, but I’ll see what I can do. May I ask a favor of you, too?”

“Of course.”

“I’m expecting a woman named Monique Ortega. You’re holding a room in her name. When she asks for me, can you please give her the room key and tell her I’ll be back later?”

She beamed. “I am most happy to do this for you.”

He thanked her and rejoined Peter and the PA.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “I’m ready to go now.”

“This way,” the PA said, then led them out of the hotel.