find Agent Morrow on his tail. Morrow was the only agent besides Kristin who hadn’t tailed him yet. Teddy led him to the Gare de Lyon Railway Station. He went down and opened box 29, and took out a thousand dollars of Claude Fisher’s money. He went back upstairs and managed to lose Agent Morrow in the station. The last thing Teddy saw was the pudgy agent heading downstairs to search his locker.
His phone bleeped with a text message.
It was from Jacques.
Top of Eiffel Tower.
41.
TEDDY GOT OUT of the elevator to find Jacques standing at the rail, looking out over the city. Teddy went up, leaned with his back against the rail, and cocked his head in Jacques’s direction. “The Eiffel Tower?”
Jacques shrugged. “You said touristy.”
“This better be good.”
“It’s not good, but it’s something. I was mistaken when I said the Syrians had three zoologists in their party. Two of the professors are zoologists, but the third is a world-renowned microbiologist.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and there are microbiologists in each party.”
“Interesting.”
“There’s more. Some of the men flagged as weapons dealers are actually weapons designers and constructors. It was the word weapons that was flagged, not the word dealers.”
“So this conference is actually about biological warfare?”
“As far as I can tell, the majority of the conference’s presenters and attendees are legitimate. As is the programming, with the exception of that one particular panel they are all attending, along with their scientists. That is by invitation only, and could well be a front for something involving biological weapons.”
Teddy thought that over. “Okay. Let’s keep this between us for now. You say another subgroup of this panel is big-game hunters?”
“That’s right. Though there is some overlap. Some of the big-game hunters are also into arms sales.”
“Let’s concentrate on them. Don’t set off any alarms by investigating the microbiologists. Investigate the hunters. I’m particularly interested in any wealthy Americans who may be looking to spend big bucks to kill the rarest and most expensive big game. I want to know where they are, when they are going to get here, and where they intend to be in the meantime. Get me everything you can by tomorrow morning.”
“Fine. Do I text you where to meet?”
Teddy smiled. “Sorry to spoil your fun, but I’ll meet you at the café.”
42.
AS TEDDY WENT down the Eiffel Tower, he checked to see if he was being followed. He wasn’t. He took evasive maneuvers anyway, out of habit, then hopped in a cab and headed for Stone’s house.
Stone met him at the door in his bathrobe.
“Just getting up?” Teddy said.
Stone led him into the living room and offered him a drink.
“Where’s Dino?”
“He’s having lunch with the prefect of police. I imagine they’re talking shop.”
“I hope he doesn’t eat too much.”
“Why is that?”
“I thought we might go out tonight, if you can arrange a dinner.”
“I can always arrange a dinner. Luckily, I have nothing booked. What did you have in mind?”
A svelte Frenchwoman, wrapped in a towel and dripping wet—yet somehow still effortlessly elegant—padded into the room.
“Monsieur Stone, I am in the shower for twenty minutes. You said you would scrub my back.”
“Yes, Monique, but you see we have a guest. Monique, Felix. Felix, Monique.”
“Monsieur,” she said to Teddy, “please do not think I do not like you, but you are keeping me from having a clean back.”
Teddy grinned. “I did not realize you had a previous engagement, Stone. Don’t worry, Monique, I won’t be long.”
Monique turned and padded out of the room.
“You were talking about dinner. What did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking of the Hotel l’Arrington.”
“Really? Coals to Newcastle in my case, but I’m happy to show it off.”
“I was hoping your co-owner could join us.”
“Marcel? I’m sure he’d love to, if there’s nothing he can’t get out of. Let me give him a call. Is there a particular reason you want to meet him?”
“I was hoping to get some information about the hotel.”
Stone’s eyebrows raised.
“I know you’re the co-owner,” Teddy said, “but he’s always here and has more intimate knowledge of the day-to-day. I was hoping to get some information about the convention next week, but there’s no reason to tell Marcel that. It may be nothing, and I don’t want to alarm him.”
“Now you’re alarming me. What’s happing at l’Arrington next week?”
“Animals.”
43.
GLENVILLE PAID OFF the cab and hurried down the street after the three men who were his quarry. The taxi he’d been following had driven up to the front door of l’Arrington, and he’d been forced to stop