Remo went to the pay phone. He dialed Ned's Cab. Ned himself answered.
"You picked up a Russian at Ed's Filling Station," Remo said. "Do you remember where you took him?"
"He wasn't no Russian," Ned insisted. "Told me he was a Czech."
Remo sighed. "Did he wear a white coverall suit?"
"That's the one."
"Now we're getting someplace. Where'd you take him?"
"I dropped him off at the Holiday Inn on Interstate Twenty-nine."
"Great. Appreciate it."
When Remo rejoined the others, Ed asked, "Ned help you out?"
"He did. Thanks," Remo told him.
"Good. Because if he didn't, I woulda boxed his ears. Ned's my twin brother."
"Thanks," Remo said as he climbed back into the jeep. He nodded to the driver and they drove off, Ed waving an oily rag in farewell.
As they tore along the road, the sun came up, turning the distant sky orange.
"He was dropped off at a Holiday Inn," Remo told the driver. "Know it?"
"Sure. All the .local hookers work out of that one."
"Good. Take us there."
"You don't think you'll actually find him there, do you?" Robin demanded. "Wouldn't he have switched to a car or another cab?"
"One halting step at a time," Remo said.
The desk clerk was extremely helpful. He told them that he would have to speak to the manager before he could answer any questions about the hotel's guests.
Robin Green, putting on a charming if strained smile, leaned over the desk and whispered something low and breathy.
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The clerk leaned forward, his brows growing together as he concentrated. His eyes fell to Robin's ample chest.
"I didn't quite catch that, miss," he began.
Then Robin yanked his face down onto the shiny countertop and stuck a cocked automatic in his left ear.
"I said if you're hard of hearing, I got just the thing to clean the wax out of your ears," she shouted.
The desk clerk looked to Remo with wild, pleading eyes.
"I'd answer her," Remo said seriously. "She's been like that all day." He smiled. The clerk's face sagged like hot taffy
"Foreign accent? White coveralls?" he said quickly. "Room 5-C. Been here two weeks. He's registered as Ivan Grozny."
"Thank you," Robin said politely, releasing the desk clerk."You've been very helpful. Anything else you care to tell us?"
"The elevator's around the corner."
They started for the elevator. Remo paused to have a word with the desk clerk. "If you're thinking of giving the room a buzz to warn anyone, don't. We know where you work."
"My break starts in five minutes."
"Why not get a head start on it?" Remo suggested pleasantly. "You probably don't want to be on duty when the fun starts."
They exited the elevator on the fifth floor. Remo led them to the room marked 5-C. He waved for them to stay back, and slipped under the door peephole. No sense in taking any chances.
Remo put his ear to the door. He heard the unmistakable beeping of a Touch-Tone telephone at work. Good, Remo thought. He's preoccupied. Remo got down on the garish red-and-blue rug and tried to peer under the crack in the door. He was in luck. He saw
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the legs of assorted furniture. And near a circular lampstand stood a pair of white plastic boots. They were sharp and clear this time. Not fuzzy-looking at all. And they didn't glow.
Remo took that as a good sign. He eased himself to his feet and joined the others.
"He's making a call," Remo told them. "This is perfect. Chiun and I will go first. You stay back until we subdue him. If we can."
"Try to stop me!" Robin said, waving her automatic.
Remo calmly relieved Robin of her weapon. He held it up and shoved his index finger down the barrel. The mechanism cracked. The slide fell off.
"I meant it," Remo warned, leaving Robin to stare at her maimed weapon in wonderment.
"Ready, Chiun?" Remo asked. They placed themselves on either side of the door. Chiun nodded silently.
"Okay," Remo said."One ... two ... three!"
Remo cracked the lock with a short-armed blow while Chiun pulverized the hinge-supporting wood with hammerlike blows. The door felt in like a ramp.
They jumped in. And stopped dead in their tracks.
The room was empty. The telephone receiver dropped to the rug with a soft thud.
"Damn!" Remo snapped. "He's made his move. Search everywhere."
Chiun pulled open the bathroom door. It was empty. Remo checked the closet. Also empty. They looked out the window. The parking lot was deserted.