Chapter 46

46

“Wow,” Peter said, looking out the window. “They are going all out.”

“The organizers did say they wanted to make a splash,” Billy said.

“Why am I suddenly feeling nervous?” Adriene asked.

Tessa put her hand on her friend’s. “Just think of it as a reward for all your hard work.”

Banners touting the World Thriller Film Festival’s opening night lined the road leading up to Berlin’s Haus der Kulturen der Welt — House of World Cultures. Many featured images of Mark, Tessa, and Adriene from Storm’s Eye.

The complex’s beautiful main building was lit up by waves of pulsating light. Near the entrance, several spotlights shot their beams high into the darkening sky as a steady stream of cars dropped off their passengers at the end of a red carpet.

From the front passenger seat, Lizzie said into her phone, “Uh-huh…uh-huh…Great. Got it, thanks.” She hung up and looked back at the others. “Okay, folks. We’ll be there in about a minute. When we stop, get out in the order we discussed. Congratulations, everyone. This is your night!”

“If we haven’t said it already, thank you, Lizzie,” Billy said. “We couldn’t have done this trip without you.”

“We’re not quite through yet, but you’re welcome.”

The van inched toward the drop-off point.

“How’s my hair?” Adriene asked.

“As beautiful as always,” Hattie told her.

“I feel like a giant sweat ball.”

“Deep breaths,” Tessa said. “With me.”

Adriene mimicked her sucking air in and pushing it out.

After they’d done this several times, Tessa said, “Better?”

“A little.”

“Remember, you’re not alone.”

“Thanks.”

There was only one car in front of them now, and it had just dislodged its occupants.

As it drove off and the van rolled up to the drop-off, Lizzie said, “Here we go.”

She hopped out and opened the side passenger door. A tidal wave of cheers rushed into the vehicle, making it impossible for anyone to hear anyone else.

Billy stepped out first. As he did, an amplified voice announced first in German and then in English, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Academy Award–winning producer of Desperation at Dawn , and the producer of tonight’s world premiere film Storm’s Eye , Billy Barnett!”

The fans in the grandstands that lined the red carpet roared in excitement.

Billy took a couple of steps down the carpet and waved, garnering even more cheers.

The MC’s voice boomed out again, “Composer of the Storm’s Eye ’s score and an Academy Award winner in her own right, Hattie Barrington!”

Adriene came next, beaming and waving, followed by Peter, and finally Tessa and Ben.

They walked down the carpet as a group, stopping several times to pose for photos.

Back at the van, Stone, Vesna, and Stacy exited and headed down the path for noncelebrities.

Teddy and the others reached the platform near the end of the red carpet.

The MC elicited another round of cheers as he reintroduced everyone, then he said, “Film lovers, please welcome the director of the World Thriller Film Festival, Constance Mueller!”

A small woman with a giant smile joined them and waved to the crowd. The MC handed her the mic.

Mueller spoke for several moments in German, then switched to English. “Welcome to the inaugural World Thriller Film Festival! I hope every one of you gets the chance to see one of the wonderful films we will be screening over the next week. And speaking of wonderful, I couldn’t be happier that we’re opening the festival with Storm’s Eye , the new film by the magnificent Peter Barrington!”

As the crowd roared, Peter waved and then bowed in thanks.

Vesna’s voice came over the comm in Billy’s ear. “Braun just pulled up.”

Billy’s smile didn’t miss a beat as he swiveled his gaze to the drop-off point, where Felix Braun was exiting a Suburban. Two men and a woman followed, all of whom Billy recognized.

One of the men was Dieter Wenz, and the other a man who’d been with him at the hospital in Budapest. The woman was Jillian, the person Billy had almost run into on the stairs at Ristorante Cumberland.

Peter’s voice boomed out of the speakers. “We are honored beyond words to be chosen to open this wonderful new festival! Thank you so much for inviting us!”

The mic was passed to Tessa. “What Peter said! We’re so thrilled to be here!”

Back at the Suburban, a festival worker guided Braun and his party to the alternate path into the theater.

And at the platform, Adriene was thanking the fans for coming out and telling everyone how excited she was.

Hattie came next, sharing a few thoughts on the marriage of film and music, then she handed the mic to Billy.

“I’m not sure how much I can add to what’s already been said,” he told the crowd. “Thank you for welcoming us to your wonderful city, and to the first of what is sure to be one of the best film festivals in the world!”

The shouts from the crowd reached new heights, while cameras flashed in rapid staccato.

As Mueller made a few more remarks, a beep sounded in Billy’s ear. He switched to the comm channel being used by the Strategic Services team helping him deal with Braun and his people and said just loud enough for his mic to pick up, “I’m here.”

“This is Strauss,” the team leader said. “We’ve identified twelve hostiles sprinkled around the event perimeter.”

Among his conditions to Lance for his continued involvement had been that each member of the Centurion contingent be provided a bodyguard and that a second security team be assigned directly to Billy. He’d further insisted this help come from Strategic Services and not the Agency to avoid the chance of his plans being leaked to Braun. While the mole had been captured, Billy wasn’t going to take any chances. Lance had grudgingly agreed to pick up the tab.

“Copy,” Billy said.

The MC took the mic back from Mueller. “Thank you all for coming out tonight! And now, it’s time for the show to begin!”

Because of their late inclusion, the tickets for Braun’s party put them in the back corner of the theater.

This turned out to be a good thing as it allowed them to observe the last of the moviegoers trickle in without drawing attention to themselves.

A ripple ran through the crowd and almost everyone turned their attention to the entrance as a statuesque woman stepped into the theater on the arm of a man a few inches shorter than her.

“She’s the movie star, isn’t she?” Braun asked Jillian.

“T-T-Tessa Tweed,” she whispered.

He had seen images of Tessa in the past, mostly in advertisements for House Dione and for a brand of high-end cosmetics of which he couldn’t remember the name. She was just as stunning in person.

“And the guy with her?”

“Ben Bacchetti, head of Centurion Pictures. They’re married.”

A second woman entered.

“Adriene Adele,” Jillian said, without prompting. “She’s in the movie.”

Braun had never heard of the woman.

Next came Peter and Hattie Barrington, the film’s director and its composer.

The attention of the crowd followed the quintet as they made their way to their seats near the center of the theater.

Braun kept his gaze on the doorway, however, and was rewarded a moment later when four more people walked in.

Beside him, Jillian tensed.

“That’s Barnett, isn’t it?” Braun said. “The guy in front?”

Though she didn’t want to, Jillian nodded.

Braun’s gaze narrowed on Billy Barnett. He was a man of indeterminate age, who carried himself with an air of confidence and success. The woman with him was considerably younger.

“Who’s his companion?” he asked. “Girlfriend?”

“Assistant,” Jillian said.

“That doesn’t mean she’s not sleeping with him.”

“I’ve found nothing that says they have anything more than a work relationship.”

“Too bad.” A girlfriend would be a weakness Braun could exploit to get Barnett to reveal his true identity.

“Who are the other two?”

“I believe the man is Peter Barrington’s father, Stone Barrington. I don’t know who the woman with him is.”

Braun focused back on Barnett as he and his assistant walked down the aisle and slipped into the row behind where his colleagues now sat. The director’s father and his date followed and took the last two open seats.

A voice came over the speakers. “The World Thriller Film Festival is proud to present Peter Barrington’s Storm’s Eye .”

The lights dimmed, the curtain opened, and the Centurion Pictures logo appeared on the screen.