"I think he is to Nancy. The kids. Look, Lisa, there's a psychological downside to having a former President whacked. Bad for morale. You know? Not to mention your job. So, try to get your bosses to take this seriously."

"We take it very seriously. We're doing all we can at the moment."

"Also, this presents an opportunity to capture the number one terrorist in America."

"We understand that. But understand that this theory of yours is not getting much play."

"Okay. Don't say I didn't warn everyone."

"We appreciate the warning."

I opened the car door, and Lisa asked us, "Are you going there?"

I replied, "No. Not in the mountains, in the dark. And we have to be in D.C. tomorrow. Hey, thanks."

"For what it's worth, I'm with you on this."

"See you at the Senate inquest."

I got into the car, and Kate was already behind the wheel. She pulled out of the parking area and onto the driveway. The gates opened automatically, and we moved out onto St. Cloud Road. Kate asked me, "Where to?"

"The Ranch in the Sky."

"Why did I even ask?"

CHAPTER 53

Off we went to Rancho del Cielo. But first, we had to get out of Santa Bel Air, and it took a while to get to a freeway entrance.

Kate asked me, "I already know the answer, but tell me why we're going to the Reagan ranch."

"Because ninety percent of life is just showing up."

"Try again."

"We have six hours to kill before our dawn flight. Might as well try to kill Asad Khalil while we're killing time."

She took a deep breath, smelling the flowers, I guess. She asked me, "And you think Khalil knows that Reagan is there, and that Khalil intends to kill him there. Right?"

"I think Khalil intended to kill Reagan in Bel Air, got some new information from someone when he got to California, had Aziz Rahman drive him north from Santa Monica to check out the terrain around the Reagan ranch, and to ditch his overnight bag that probably contained the Clocks and his false identity papers in a canyon. It fits, it makes sense, and if I'm wrong, I'm really in the wrong business."

She thought a moment, then said, "Okay, I'm with you on this, for better or for worse. That's what commitment is all about."

"Absolutely."

"And commitment is reciprocal."

"Hey, I'd take a bullet for you."

She looked at me, and we made eye contact in the dark car. She saw I was serious, and neither of us said the obvious, which was we might be about to find out. She did say, "Me, too."

Finally, she found the freeway entrance, and we got on, heading north on the San Diego Freeway. I asked her, "Do you know where the ranch is?"

"Somewhere in the Santa Inez Mountains near Santa Barbara."

"Where's Santa Barbara?"

"North of Ventura, south of Goleta."

"Got it. How long will it take?"

"Maybe two hours to Santa Barbara, depending on the fog. I don't know how to get to the ranch from there, but we'll find out."

"You want me to drive?"

"No."

"I can drive."

"I know how to drive, and I know the roads. Go to sleep."

"I'm having too much fun. Hey, if you want, we can stop at the Ventura office for body armor."

"I'm not anticipating a shoot-out. In fact, when we get to the ranch, we'll be politely asked to leave, just as we were in Bel Air. The Secret Service are very protective of their own turf." She added, "Especially with FBI involvement."

"I can relate to that."

She said, "We are not going to be given a piece of this, but if you want to be close to any possible action, then we're headed the right way."

"That's all I want. Call the Ventura office later and find out where the FBI folks are posted in Santa Barbara."

"Okay."

"Hey, this is a nice road. Really beautiful country here.

Reminds me of those old cowboy movies. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Tom Mix."

"Never heard of them."

We drove on awhile, and I noticed it was 1:15 A.M. Long day.

We came to an interchange. To the east was Burbank and to the west Route 101, the Ventura Freeway, which Kate took. She said, "We're not taking the coast road this time because it may be fogged in. This is faster."

"You're the local."

So we headed west through what Kate said was the San Fernando Valley. How do these people keep all the Sans and Santas straight? I was really tired, and I yawned again.

"Go to sleep."

"No. I want to keep you company, to hear your voice."

"Okay. Listen to this-why were you so nasty to Doug?"

"Who's Doug? Oh, that guy. Do you mean in L.A. or in Bel Air?"

"Both."

"Well, in Bel Air, I was pissed off at him because he knew the Reagans weren't home, and he didn't tell us where they were."

"John, you didn't know that until after you were nasty to him."

"Let's not split hairs over the sequence of events."

She stayed silent awhile, then said, "I didn't sleep with him, I just went out with him." She added, "He's married. Happily married with two kids in college."

I saw no need to reply.

She pushed it a bit and said, "A little jealousy is all right, but you really-"

"Hold on. What do you call your stomping off back in New York?"

"That's totally different."

"Explain it to me, so I know."

"You're still involved with Beth. L.A. is history."

"Gotcha. Let's drop it."

"Okay." She took my hand and squeezed it.

So, I've been engaged for about twenty-four hours, and I didn't know how I was going to make it to June.

Anyway, we made nice talk for about half an hour, and I noticed that we were in the mountains or hills or whatever, and it was really dangerous-looking, but Kate seemed very assured behind the wheel.

She asked me, "Do you have a plan or something for when we get to Santa Barbara?"

"Not really. We'll wing it."

"Wing what?"

"I don't know. Something always pops up. Basically, we have to get to the ranch."

"Forget it, as your friend Lisa would say."

"Lisa who? Oh, that Secret Service woman."

"There are a lot of beautiful women in California."

"There's only one beautiful woman in California. You."

And so forth.

Kate's cell phone rang, and it could only be Douglas Pindick checking up on us after discovering that we hadn't checked into the designated airport hotel. I said, "Don't answer it."

"I have to answer it." And she did. It was, indeed, Senor Sin Cojones. Kate listened a few seconds, then said, "Well… we're on One-Oh-One, heading north." She listened, then replied, "That's right… we did discover that the Reagans are-" He obviously interrupted, and she listened.

I said, "Give me the phone."

She shook her head and continued to listen.

I was really pissed off because I knew he was chewing her out, and you don't do that to John Corey's fiancee, unless you're tired of living. I didn't want to grab the phone from her, so I sat and stewed. I also wondered why he wasn't asking to speak to me. No cojones.

Kate tried to say something a few times, but Doggy Dipshit kept interrupting. Finally, Kate butted into his little tirade and said, "Listen, Doug, I do not appreciate you withholding information from me and telling the Secret Service to withhold information. For your information, we were sent here by the co- commanders of the ATTF in New York, who have asked that the L.A. field office extend to us all courtesies and all aid and support necessary. The New York ATTF is the designated office on this case, and we are its representatives in L.A. I am, and have been, available by cell phone and beeper, and will remain so. All you need to know is that Mr. Corey and I will be on that flight this morning, unless we hear otherwise from our superiors in New York or Washington. And furthermore, it is not your business where I'm sleeping, or whom I'm sleeping with." She hung up.