"Who's this Benson?" Pierre demanded, his voice blasting through awkward silence.
"Who's this Melanie?" Someone shot back. The laughter echoed off the walls of the small hotel room. Six adults, five with sides splitting from laughter and one staring somberly out the window and into the blackness.
"Oh, come on, Pierre, Melanie's doing just what we want."
Pierre jerked around, his eyes flashed. "She's an innocent girl. Get her out of that room. I don't care how you do it, just get her out."
They all looked at him. For a long moment, no one spoke. They exchanged glances. Someone coughed, and it sounded like a grenade exploding. Jan took a step toward Pierre. "Who's going to get Laura to talk? I don't think she'll walk around the room blubbering to herself about her plans to knock someone off."
"And you expect her to confide in Melanie?" Pierre reeled sharply. "She just might receive a phone call, and you've got that covered. Why would she tell Melanie anything?"
"She won't, but we're looking for clues."
"You're invading Melanie's privacy." Pierre marched heavily toward the table and pushed a folding chair out of his path. It collapsed with an earsplitting clatter. He didn't bother to pick it up. No one made a move.
"And yours." Again, there was laughter, but this time more subdued. Pierre wasn't amused.
"Get her out," he ordered.
"She's not the target," Jan said quietly.
"We don't know that."
"We're listening."
"Right. We could be listening as she gets her throat slashed. We could pick up on a silencer, but we just might mistake it for a closing bathroom door. We'd never hear if the method is suffocation. Perhaps Laura will drown Melanie in the bathtub."
"Relax, Pierre." Joe's eyes narrowed. He motioned with outstretched hands for Pierre to calm down. "You're getting involved personally. Don't let that happen."
"Don't tell me what to do. I want Melanie out of that room." Pierre looked into the black of the night. "And don't try to tell me you're not involved in this personally." Pierre shot daggers at Joe.
Joe's hand rested on Pierre's shoulder, and they watched the lights of a jet streak silently by, its peaceful journey an ironic contrast to the turmoil that played wildly in Pierre's gut. "It's time for Jan to make his move. He'll cast his spell on Laura."
"Move him into the room." Pierre turned to smile bitterly at Jan. "Remember, she's supposed to be too much for me to handle."
"After Melanie's report on your evening, I'm not so sure Laura will be satisfied with me."
Pierre's piercing gaze passed from cohort to cohort before he spoke. "I'd like to have a chance at such a night. Don't let me down."
"She'll be fine. Just relax," the woman said. She yawned and made a half hearted effort to cover her mouth. "Isn't it too soon to fall so hard? Relax. Take your time."
"I can't. Remember, Melanie is spying for us, only she doesn't know she is. She could stumble onto something. If that happens, we all know Laura won't let her live to tell." Pierre frowned and tried to rub the tension from the base of his neck and from his throbbing temples. "Don't let me down. But, most of all, don't let Melanie down. We all know what we're up against. Melanie hasn't a clue. She's not prepared for this."
"Get some sleep," Jan said and reached to press the rewind button.
"Yeah." Pierre shoved Jan from his path and threw open the door. He slammed it shut with all his might.
"What do we have on this Benson?"
"Not much, except his father owns a pharmaceutical company in Ohio. We're delving into that. His brother was married to Melanie, and he died in an automobile accident. We'll tell Pierre just what he needs to know. I really doubt that Melanie is the target. I'd get her into hiding if I thought she might be harmed." Joe paced. "I actually think Pierre is more at risk. Of a broken heart when Melanie returns to Benson."
Heads nodded, and they returned to their lonely surveillance.
