Jackpot

4

“I’m Dale Gai,” the woman said to Teddy.

“How do you know Peter Barrington?”

“I work for the resort where they’re holding the film festival he’s working with.”

“I work with Peter as a producer, but I wasn’t involved with the film festival business. I need to get back to L.A. and get some sleep.”

“Peter needs you,” Dale Gai said.

“You said that already, but I told you that I’m not working with him on the film festival.”

“I’m an assistant in the security division of the resort. That’s all I can tell you.”

“Why didn’t Peter just call me himself?”

“I volunteered to come for you. They don’t know this area like I do, and it would save time. Please. I can’t say any more than that here.”

Teddy considered the woman’s hand-to-hand combat skills and wondered what kind of assistant she was.

“You were really just trying to wake me up?” he asked.

Dale nodded.

Peter didn’t know the full extent of Teddy’s life before becoming Billy Barnett — definitely not as much as his father, Stone Barrington, who had hunted Teddy and partnered with him — but he knew that Teddy had certain skills other producers didn’t. Between the lack of sleep and the exhaustion from travel, he was beginning to feel more like a hard-luck tourist than a government-trained assassin and master of disguise. Had his career shifts toward movie producer and, more recently, stunt work and character acting ruined him for more dangerous work? He figured the easiest way to find out would be to follow this beautiful and mysterious woman.

“Okay. Let’s go,” Teddy said.

Dale led him to the SkyPier landing where they boarded a ferry for Macau. During the forty-five-minute ride across the South China Sea, Teddy spent significant time running through possible scenarios. Was he being set up? He thought about using his expert disguise skills and changing his appearance so he could ditch Dale Gai, but then he realized he’d left his luggage in the lounge at the airport, including his disguise and makeup kits.

“Are you okay?” Dale asked, with what seemed like genuine concern.

“I’m fine. It’s just been a very long week, and I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“None of us are.”

“You managed to keep me from beating you to death when you surprised me in my sleep, so you’re doing something right,” Teddy said.

“Ten years ago, it wouldn’t have taken me that long to beat you.”

“Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have fallen asleep in an airport,” Teddy said.

Dale laughed and Teddy felt better about the situation.

“Now that we’re out of the airport, can you tell me more about what’s happening with Peter? Is Ben Bacchetti with him still? Are they safe? Have you called Ben’s dad? Where’s Stone Barrington?”

Dale paused, and then said, “The man who owns the casino and resort complex where they’re having the Macau Film Festival is the same man who owns this ferry company. Who would have thought that an American could have that much sway in our part of the world?”

“What man is that?”

“His name is Arrow Donaldson. It’s been a long day and I don’t really feel like talking anymore.”

Teddy may have been a step behind in close combat, but he didn’t need to be told twice that Dale was offering a number of red flags in her speech. Wherever they went, someone was listening.