In the underground garage, Julio Valencia, known to his friends as Doc, was having the time of his life as he scooted around the ramps in the red Corvette looking for a silver Enzo Ferrari whose price tag was a mere $1 million. He knew because he was a car buff. He looked down at the two thousand dollars the silver-haired woman had pressed into his hand. He laughed when he recalled how she'd whispered, "Check the video cameras, then just back into it and smash in the front. You might want to give it a second crunch. Don't worry about my car, then park the Corvette, nose out. You have a job waiting for you at the Venetian. Three bucks more an hour. Just tell them Mr. Udal recommended you. Remember this number and call me if you have any problems."

Hot damn, the valet thought. Now I can take my girlfriend to Jamaica.

He loved and hated the sound of the Corvette smacking into the Ferrari's front end. He swung the Vette around and had another go at it. He got out to assess the damage and was satisfied the car was probably totaled. He climbed back into the Corvette and roared down a level to another floor, where he did what he was told and backed the candy-apple red machine in. He climbed out and walked up the ramp to the outdoors. He walked down the street, hailed a cab. His thoughts were on his girlfriend, Lucinda, and the two grand in his pocket.

Chapter 16

"My treat, Joe," Maggie said, paying for two coffees and two bagels. She carried the tray over to a small table in the coffee shop in the lobby of the Post, and set it down. Joe had two copies of the morning edition of the Post. Both of them were grinning from ear to ear as they stared down at the headline. It wasn't a WAR headline in big bold letters. It wasn't even a medium War headline. The fine italic heading was a statement: Mass Exodus From The Nation's Capital To Las Vegas. Underneath the startling headline it read, Does anyone in Washington really believe what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? This paper thinks NOT.

The printing was so finely scripted readers either had to put on their glasses or bring the paper to within eight inches of their faces.

"Great teaser!" Espinosa said.

"I can't take credit for it. It was Ted's idea. That's why I gave him the byline. I'll bet you five bucks the phones at the paper are jammed."

Espinosa grinned. He shook his head. "That's a sucker bet. It's like old times, eh, Maggie? Do you miss all the digging and the running, the adrenaline rush?"