"Hell, no. I was just asking, Harry. I'm sorry I brought it up. No, I'm not. Just hold on here a minute. When those eagle-eyed forensic people test those ashes, aren't they going to be able to tell how old they are?"

"Well, yeah, Jack," Harry drawled a second time. "It will just perpetuate the ninja myth that they come back to life, then return to their. . .uh, other form."

The others listened to Harry's explanation with wide eyes and dropped jaws. None of them were going to touch that explanation with a mile-long pole. Jack shrugged as he stared at the picture still on the screen. He just knew the son of a bitch was going to pull it off. He should have known better than to even think about questioning Harry.

Maggie's cell phone took that particular moment to ring. She looked down at the caller ID and mouthed the words "Joe Espinosa." "Yeah, Joe, what's up?" She listened a moment, and with her index finger indicated that Charles should turn to the Fox News Channel. "What do you mean, where am I? First of all, it's none of your business where I am. I ask the questions, remember? Everything's ready to go. I'll be in by nine. I'm sleeping late because I'm treating myself to a job well done by you. Stay on it, Joe. I know what time it is. You have the rest of your life to sleep. Screw this up, and you won't like what I do."

She powered down and then made the decision to leave immediately instead of in the early hours of the morning, regardless of what she'd just told Joe. Nellie elected to go with her.

Harry poked Jack on the arm. "See, they're all chasing their tails. Now they don't know what to do since the ashes were human remains. Not to worry. By morning those ashes will be nothing but a memory." He cackled gleefully as he walked out of the room with his arm around Yoko's shoulders.

Jack doubled over laughing as he gasped to Maggie, "Make sure Espinosa is on top of this and the paper runs with the theft. Play it up, Maggie, the ninjas came back for their. . .whatever term ninjas use for their remains."

Maggie offered up an airy salute. At the door, she turned around and asked Charles if she was going to Vegas.

"I'm not sure, Maggie. You might do us more good here. I'll let you know by noon tomorrow."

"Okay, works for me. You ready, Judge?"

"I'm ready, dear."

Maggie ran over to Annie and whispered in her ear. Annie hugged her and, like every other mother in the world, said, "Drive carefully, dear. Call us when you get home safe and sound."

"Will do, Mom."

Chapter 7