Harry's eyes spewed sparks when, hands on hips, he asked, "What? You're here because some actors stirred up things at the White House? You came here because I'm the number two martial-arts expert in the world and you think I'm somehow involved because of my friendship with District Attorney Emery? I have no comment. Now, get the hell out of here before you make me angry."

Espinosa raised his hand the way a school-child would. "Not me, Mr. Wong. I don't think that's all, and neither does the Post. I came here to get your spin on it because you are the number two expert. Personally, I think you should be the number one expert. I've seen you in action. I know you wouldn't have anything to do with that fiasco. Joe Espinosa from the Post, sir."

"Oooh, I love the way you suck up, Joe. Good going," Maggie mumbled to herself.

Harry stared at Espinosa as though he was contemplating his next move. "Okay, okay, the Post always gets it right—unlike these other guys, who make it up as they go along. Come on in, I'll talk to you."

Maggie burst out laughing when Espinosa turned to the Channel 5 reporter and flipped him the bird. "Well, damn," she muttered. Yoko was going to be so proud of Harry. She wasn't sure if Ted would be proud of Espinosa, not that it mattered. She was proud of him, and that was all that counted.

She watched a few moments longer and saw Harry motion one of the cops to come closer. She couldn't hear what was being said, but the cop backed away and, with his fellow officers, started to move the crowd farther back. The television media, sensing favoritism, started to squawk. The cops ignored them and moved the crowd back fifty feet from Harry's dojo.

"Show's over folks, let's move it along now," one of the cops could be heard saying.

Maggie sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "Guess that takes care of that," she muttered to the empty space surrounding her.

Maggie looked at the clock. Two hours to go until it was time to meet Jack, Harry, Judge Easter, and Pearl Barnes, retired justice of the Supreme Court, for the trip to the mountain. She crossed her fingers, hoping Espinosa could get the interviews with Jack and Harry in to her before it was time to leave.

Maggie blinked when her e-mail chirped. She looked up at the name of the sender and saw that it was Espinosa, who was winging his interview by the seat of his pants and sending it on to her at the same time, knowing it would be blue-penciled within seconds. Modern technology. She was convinced now that Espinosa had learned more from Ted than she had thought. No matter, Espinosa is coming through, she thought as she gleefully read what was coming to her, one e-mail after another.