Rodney stared at the woman who opened the door, peering over her shoulder to see inside. What he saw had him pushing her aside and striding to the inert form of Humphrey Borden.

"What happened here? Who are you?"

"I'm Lillian Patton and I might ask you the same thing." Rodney's size and glasses didn't intimidate her one bit.

"Did you call an ambulance?"

"I-- uh-- no-- I called Per-- Mr. Rudman . . ."

Rodney went straight to the phone and had the desk clerk call for an ambulance immediately. He turned back and looked at Lillian.

"So what happened?"

"He was like that when I arrived." She moved to a chair a decent distance from Humphrey's slumped form. "You never told me who you are."

"I work for Humphrey. I was looking for your husband."

"That's why I'm here! Did you find him? Where is he? Humphrey said you were bringing him here." She tried to avoid another look at their host.

'He managed to slip away just as I was ready to pick him up." Rodney removed his shades and bent down to the room bar. "Care for something while we wait?"

"Wait! I'm not waiting. I don't want anything to do with-- with . . ." She waved a tentative hand.

Another knock at the door and Rodney went to open it. "Paramedics," he said.

Another impatient knock and Percy nearly fell into the room as the door opened.

"What th-- who the hell are you? Lillian? What's going on here?"

A big hand settled with authority on Percy's shoulder and he tilted under the pressure.

"Suppose you tell me just who you are." Rodney' base reverberated in Percy's ear.

Before Percy could reply the paramedics shoved into the room with their gurney, issuing commands and asking questions. Humphrey was examined and found to be still breathing. They plopped him on the gurney, hooked him up to an oxygen tank and left as quickly as they arrived.

"He'll be at the Polyclinic Hospital."

Percy moved behind Lillian and then demanded an explanation from Rodney.

"Just who the hell are you?"

"I'm a professional skip tracer. I work for Mr. Borden and my name is Rodney Riddler."

"Oh, that's a nice na--"

"Be quiet, Lillian. You the guy he has looking for Patton? Did you find him?"

"I did but he slipped away."

"Slipped away! From you? He's nearly sixty for Pete's sake!"

"He's only fifty-seven, Percy." Lillian ruffled.

"He was in a car. I was on foot and while we're at this, just who the hell are you?"

"I'm Borden's employer and by extension I am now yours so get out there and find Patton. There is less than two days now before the whole thing is academic." Percy tugged at his lapels and glared at Rodney.

"Do you think Humphrey will be alright?" Lillian asked after Rodney left.

"Forget Humphrey, you called me on my private line, Lillian."

"Yes I know. You told me to always--"

"You gave my private number to a hotel desk clerk."

"Well all calls have to go through the hotel switchboard, Percy. I don't see--"

"And charges are incurred, Lillian. Charges that will be on my next bill showing when and where the call was made. Charges that are now also part of the hotel's records. That was my private line, Lillian!"

"The phones have no dials, Percy, what was I to do?"

"You could have gone down to the corner and used a pay phone."

"Percy, Humphrey needed help!"

"And you called me!"

"Yes-- I didn't know-- he was gasping . . ." She sank into a chair and immediately stood up, realizing it was the chair Humphrey had used.

"Go home, Lillian. Stay there until you hear from me. Understood?"

"What about Hum--?"

"Forget Humphrey! Just go home and wait for my call."

********

"I can get a flight out this afternoon. You think this will work?" Constance listened carefully to Rodney's plan to use her as a lure for Patton. He was sure that Mathew would want to confront the woman who set him up and when he did, Rodney would be there to set him down.

"As soon as you can, baby. Go straight to the bar where you picked him up, I'll be waiting in the lobby.

********

The whole business seemed so surreal to Mathew. The stuff movies were made of he thought. But unlike the movies this was happening to him and he needed to act. Constance, if only he could find her he could get proof that the photographs were fake . . . well not fake but certainly not . . . he would make them understand the circumstances and Lillian could take her divorce papers and shove them right up Percy's villa dreams.

He would try the hotel again. He hadn't had a chance to ask before, maybe a different person on the desk would have information. Mathew banged a hand on the steering wheel and set his thoughts in motion. He checked his watch, it was just on noon. Lots of time. Back to the motel for a shower and a change of clothes.

Look out world, Mathew Patton was moving through.

********

Rodney gave a slight nod as Constance walked through the hotel lobby to the bar. He watched her select a stool, turning to make certain he could see her clearly. Now they would wait.

"What would you like Miss . . . say, I know you don't I?" Oscar leaned back and studied the woman.

"Hi, yes you do." Her smile disarmed him and he tried to remember what Mathew had suspected about her. "I'd like a Manhattan, please"

"Yeah, sure. One minute." He went to the end of the bar and picked up the phone, calling the number Mathew had left then fixed the ordered drink and delivered it.

"Boss won't leave me alone," Oscar shrugged, covering for his use of the phone. "He must call ten times a day to make sure things are going well."

Constance blinked and lowered her eyes; the lie was so obvious she couldn't reply. She glanced up at the lobby and saw that Rodney was watching the activity closely.

"So, did you manage with that fella that you were talking with okay?"

"The one you helped me with? The one you said you knew?"

"Uhm, yes. He's a regular . . . or was. Haven't seen him since." Oscar wiped imaginary stains from the bar.

Constance sipped her drink. "Really, I thought he might have come back to thank you or pay his tab."

"Uh, ha ha, in my dreams, eh?" Oscar backed away and went to the other end of the bar.

********

Mathew read the message from Oscar again as he buttoned his shirt. She had come back! Now things would get sorted. He finished dressing then dashed out to the car and drove determinedly to the hotel.

Rodney immediately recognized the man striding through the lobby and straight into the bar. He tried to signal Constance but she was busy checking her makeup.

"Well, well if it isn't Miss Riaz. Trolling for more prospects are we?" Mathew slid onto a stool next to her. She turned, looking surprised. "Your eyes look like Olympic rings," he remarked meanly. "Wasn't that the opener?"

"Mathew . . . I know what you're thinking--"

"Really! Then you must be scared out of your conniving wits!"

"Can we take this discussion somewhere more private?"

"Where, your room maybe? Don't want to blow your cover here in the bar? You have an album of greatest tricks you'd like me to see?"

The sudden pressure against his kidney had Mathew stiffen and glance into the bar mirror. The hulk with the aviator glasses was standing behind him and the pressure was from a barely concealed gun.

"I think the lady's invitation was very generous, Mr. Patton. Why don't we accept without a fuss. This particular weapon is filled with a tranquilizer that will stop an elephant."