note. You don’t have hours, but I do. See you there. Act casual.
Teddy grinned. He found he was getting quite a kick out of Kristin.
Teddy got dressed and headed out. He used evasive action, but no one was watching the apartment. He hailed a cab, got out a block from the embassy, and asked a passerby for the Café du Soleil. It was a little coffee shop down a sunny side street. There were tables out front, but Jacques wasn’t there. Teddy peeked in the door and found him sitting over a cup of coffee. His laptop was open on the table in front of him.
“So that’s why you like this café. They have Internet.”
Jacques looked up and smiled. “Ah, you took my suggestion.”
“You seem like a man whose opinion I can count on.”
“Please, sit down.”
“Thank you.”
Teddy sat and ordered an espresso and a croissant.
“I checked you out,” Jacques said.
“Oh? Why?”
“Because everyone else did. Right after you left, Agent Reynolds wanted to know what you were asking about.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him you were looking for a place to eat.”
“Was he happy to hear it?”
“He didn’t seem happy.”
“I get the impression he really isn’t. I’m glad you didn’t tell him about l’Arrington.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know what it means yet, and until I do, people underfoot are a nuisance.”
“Do you think there’s something to it?”
“You did.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You told me about it.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
“I suppose I was passing the buck.”
“Your English idiom is very good.”
Jacques frowned. “You don’t want to know what I mean?”
“I know exactly what you mean. You think the reservations at l’Arrington mean something. But you’ve made your report, no one took it seriously, and you don’t want to become known as a pest. On the other hand, if I take an interest, you’re off the hook.”
Jacques grinned. “Got me. Am I no longer your friend?”
“No, I like you even better. All right, here’s the deal. I’d like to know a little more about these reservations. Check them out again, see if anything else pops up. Though let’s not bring it up at the Agency. This is just between you and me. Are you here the same time every morning?”
“More or less.”
“Let’s make it more. See if there are any more bookings of that nature, and get me some details on the ones you found. We’ll meet back here tomorrow. Is that all right with you?”
“It is.” Jacques put up his hands apologetically. “I would kind of like to know who I’m dealing with.”
Teddy smiled. “You accessed my files and got nothing.”
“Yes.”
“May I use your laptop?”
“You can’t access Agency files from here.”
“Let me see.” Teddy swung the computer around, typed in a few codes, and swung it back. Felix Dressler’s file was on the screen.
Jacques was astonished. “How did you do that?”
“Want to see another trick? I’ll open one of the classified missions for you.”
Teddy opened a file labeled Afghanistan, K&R.
“That’s kidnap and ransom. It was a clandestine mission because the United States doesn’t ransom prisoners.”
“But you do?”
“Not at all. But the enemy thought I would, and we got our prisoner back. Now then. That’s who I am, and that’s the type of thing I do. Read about it, and close the file. Don’t worry about security. When you close it, it won’t open again.
“Anyway, that’s a glimpse at who I am. You have to make up your mind about me. I’m gambling that you’ll do the right thing. I’ll be here tomorrow morning. I hope you will, too.”
“That’s all you want to know? About the reservations at l’Arrington?”
“For starters. When I hear what you’ve found, I hope it leads to something else.”
Jacques took a breath. “I’ll be here.”
“Good.”
Teddy stood up and tossed money on the table. “I’ll leave first,” he said.
He figured Jacques would like that.
35.
TEDDY WALKED A few blocks until he found a hotel. He went in as if he belonged there and asked if they had computers for the guests. The concierge directed him to the back of the lobby where a small business office was set up with computers, a printer, and even a fax machine. Teddy logged onto one of the computers and sent an encrypted e-mail to Mille Martindale reporting his progress. It was short, as there was none. He logged off, and left the hotel.
Teddy went back to the apartment Dino had rented for him, the one no one knew about. Nonetheless, he checked to see that it was undisturbed, and that no one had planted any