Free The Pacific Conspiracy by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

and glass. Joe gave the car to a bellhop to park, and he and Frank Walked into the lobby.
    "Can I help you, sir?"
    "A room for two," Frank said. He gave the clerk the name on Butch's passport, Anton Lee.
    The man behind the desk punched up some numbers on the computer before him. "Very good, Mr. Lee. I also have a message for you from Mr. Forrester. He's in room four-ten. Shall I ring him?"
    "Oh, no," Frank said, trying to hide his excitement. What luck! They had found Forrester! "We'll surprise him."
    "Very well," the clerk said, and he handed Frank a key. "You two will be in room five twenty-four."
    Frank led the way there and opened the door.
    "Wow," Joe said, stepping past his brother and entering the room. "This sure beats the cabin on the Hatta."
    Frank agreed. Everywhere they turned there was another extravagance. The refrigerator was full of food and champagne. The bathroom had a Jacuzzi, the bedroom had two queen-size beds and a color TV, and there was another color TV in the living room, with a VCR and a selection of several of the latest movies.
    There was a knock at the door. Joe opened it, and a bellboy walked in.
    "I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable here," he said. His accent sounded Australian. "And to tell you about some of the activities taking place in the hotel this evening."
    Before either of them could respond, the bellboy launched into his speech.
    "There's a coed volleyball tournament starting at six, a Balinese wayang orang performance at eight, and disco dancing in the Livingston Lounge. Tomorrow morning at seven a tour bus leaves for Denpasar. And all week we have special transportation to the Eka Dasa Rudra ceremonies at Temple Besakih." He smiled. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
    Frank pressed a wad of rupee notes into the young man's hand. "Thanks for your time," he said, opening the door. "Maybe we'll see you later."
    "Do we check in with the Network?" Joe asked when they were alone.
    Frank shook his head. "No. I'd like to find out more about what's going on here before we do that."
    "Talk to Forrester, you mean."
    "Right," Frank said. He picked up the phone and dialed Forrester's room. There was no answer.
    "Guess we'll try later," he said, hanging up.
    Joe smiled. "After that volleyball tournament."
    "Wrong," Frank said. "The last thing we need is to get spotted by the Assassins. Then this trail will go cold, too." He opened the VCR cabinet. "Watch one of these if you want. I'm going to get some shut-eye." He yawned. It was barely past dinnertime, but he was exhausted. Frank put in a seven-thirty wake-up call.
    The next thing he knew, the sun was streaming in through the window. Joe had fallen asleep on the couch with the TV on. They ordered breakfast and tried Forrester's room again.
    "Nobody home yet," Frank said, hanging up the phone.
    Joe took a big bite of French toast and stood up. "No sense in waiting around anymore. Let's check out his room, at least."
    Frank nodded. A little careful snooping couldn't hurt.
    They took the stairs down one flight, to room 410. There was a big Do Not Disturb sign on the door.
    Frank knocked lightly, not expecting an answer. He wasn't expecting the door to swing open at his touch, either.
    The first thing he noticed when he stepped inside was what a lousy housekeeper Forrester was. Room service trays littered the living room, and papers were scattered everywhere.
    "Looks like we're talking about the same Forrester, at least," Joe said. He held up a baseball cap with the words Eddings Air stenciled across the brim.
    Frank stepped into the bedroom. The TV was on, and a man was lying on the floor next to the bed.
    "It's Forrester." Joe walked past Frank, bent down next to the man, and checked for a pulse. He shook his head.
    "Make that, was Forrester."

Chapter 12
    "What now?" Joe asked.
    "We don't have much choice, do we?" Frank knelt down beside his brother to examine Forrester's body. It was cold. The man must have been dead since