“Of course.”
The contact wiped the sleep out of his eyes. It was four AM. He had time, but not much. When did the damn plane land, anyway? He checked the arrival. He had time to send someone to the airport, but who? It would be a routine identification. The passengers all came out the same door, no matter where they were going. His man just had to be standing there. Any moron could do it. He could even give it to Shorty. No, probably not Shorty. How about Cal? It would serve him right. The son of a bitch was getting arrogant. Nothing like a four AM call for a routine job to knock him down a peg. The contact was grinning as he picked up the phone.
* * *
• • •
TEDDY WOKE UP an hour before the plane would land. He grabbed his kit and went into the restroom. Nothing suspicious in that, many passengers would be taking their toiletries into the lavatories to brush their teeth and freshen up before arrival. But Teddy’s wasn’t a toiletry kit. It was a makeup kit. He opened it up next to the sink and looked in the mirror. What did he need to change? More specifically, what did he need to change so he wouldn’t look like Billy Barnett, but would still look enough like Billy Barnett that the flight attendant wouldn’t notice a different passenger in the seat? Hair color, eye color, nose, and chin. He decided to go younger. Darker hair. A paler complexion than a man used to the Hollywood sun. That should do it.
Working quickly, Teddy altered his appearance. He was satisfied with the result. The face looking back from the mirror was unrecognizable from the one before.
Teddy closed up his makeup kit, flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and peered out the door. The flight attendants were busy getting the breakfast trays ready. Teddy slipped out of the bathroom and returned to his seat. He removed a floppy safari hat from his briefcase, pulled it on, and settled back with his head averted.
The disguise of the disguise worked. The flight attendant served him breakfast without batting an eye.
When they landed, Teddy got off the plane, keeping his head down. As he followed the signs to ground transportation and baggage claim, he pulled the hat off and put it in his briefcase. He didn’t want to disguise his appearance now, in fact, attempting to do so would only make others look more closely. He was just another passenger from the flight collecting his bags.
* * *
• • •
IN THE BAGGAGE claim area, Cal tracked the flight on his iPhone. He knew when the plane set down, long before it was posted on the arrivals board. He didn’t know if his quarry had checked baggage, but it didn’t matter. All the passengers walked out the same way, whether they were headed for the carousel or for ground transportation.
Cal had the passenger’s photo. He checked it again, not that he needed to. He’d checked it when he got the assignment. But four-in-the-morning assignments were a pain in the ass. You weren’t at your best when woken from a sound sleep, and in this job you wanted to be at your best.
The target looked like your everyday schmuck, the type of guy anyone could handle. How the man in L.A. could have missed him was a wonder. It was the only interesting thing about the assignment.
It would be sticky if he couldn’t spot him in the airport. He’d have to pull him out of the taxi line. Not good, but doable. It would be worse if the man had a limo waiting, but he probably didn’t. In the cluster of limo drivers holding up signs, none said Billy Barnett.
After what seemed an eternity, passengers began to stream out. Some of them headed for the flight’s carousel. But not the passenger he wanted.
* * *
• • •
TEDDY FAY WENT down the ramp and headed for the carousel to retrieve his suitcase. It was among the first bags out, one of the benefits of going business class. He scooped it up and headed for ground transportation.
After his adventure in the LAX airport, Teddy was on guard for trouble here. He easily spotted the hitman standing in line. The man was on high alert, watching all directions. Clearly he was waiting for someone who wasn’t expecting him.
Teddy wasn’t worried. If the guy hadn’t recognized him on his way to the carousel, he wouldn’t recognize him now.
Teddy exited the building and got in the taxi line. It was moderately long. He’d have time to make a call before he got in the cab. He popped open his suitcase and took out a burner phone.
10.
MILLIE MARTINDALE WAS having breakfast with Quentin Phillips.
The young agent smiled at her over a forkful of scrambled eggs. “You want to join the FBI?”
“You asked me that last week.”
“Yes, I did.”
“And what did I say?”
“You said no.”
“That’s right.”
“That’s why I’m asking you again.”
“You can ask all you like. You’re going to get the same answer.”
“You loved being in the field. You were good at it.”
“I wasn’t good handling the press.”
“You said ‘no comment’ as well as anyone.”
“I said it to you and you nearly kicked me out of the bedroom.”
Circumstances had conspired to send Millie and Quentin on a clandestine assignment together. The fact that she had been the lead and was forced to withhold vital information from him had not set well with the young agent.
Millie smiled, patted him on the hand. “I am never putting myself in that position again.”
Millie’s cell phone rang. She took it out of her purse.
“Let it go to voice mail,” Quentin said.
“It’s my other boyfriend. If I don’t answer, he’ll suspect something.”
Quentin smiled. “You’re terrible.”
Millie clicked the phone on. “Hello?”
“Hello, Millie.”
“Who is this?”
“You knew me as Fred Walker.”
Millie’s face froze. It was the leader of the mission that had caused trouble between Millie and Quentin.
“I’m sorry, I have to take this,” Millie said. She got up and stepped away from the table.
Quentin frowned as she went out the door.
“All right, what’s up?” Millie demanded.
“I have an assignment for you.”
“I don’t want it.”
“You don’t know what it is.”
“The last time you gave me an assignment, I got credit for a man you killed.”