“Waco was a standoff. Koresh and his people knew the officers were there. Pell won’t have a clue we’re coming.”

That was true, she reflected.

“It is Winston’s expertise, Kathryn,” Overby said. “That’s why he’s here. I really think we should move.”

Maybe her boss genuinely felt this way, though he could hardly oppose the view of the specialist that he’d wanted on board.

Stash the blame…

She stared at the map of Monterey.

“Kathryn?” Overby asked, his voice testy.

Dance debated. “Okay. We go in.”

O’Neil stiffened. “We can afford some time here.”

She hesitated again, glancing at Kellogg’s confident eyes as he too scanned the map. “No, I think we should move on it,” she said.

“Good,” Overby said. “The proactive approach is the best. Absolutely.”

Proactive, Dance thought bitterly. A good press conference word. She hoped the announcement to the media would be the successful arrest of Daniel Pell, and not more casualties.

“Michael?” Overby asked. “You want to contact your people?”

O’Neil hesitated, then called his office and asked for the MCSO SWAT commander.

Lying in bed in the soft morning light, Daniel Pell was thinking that they’d now have to be particularly careful. The police would know what he looked like in the Latino disguise. He could bleach much of the color out and change his hair again, but they’d be expecting that too.

Still, he couldn’t leave yet. He had one more mission on the Peninsula, the whole reason for his remaining here.

Pell made coffee and when he returned to the bed, carrying the two cups, he found Jennie looking at him.

Like last night, her expression was different. She seemed more mature than when they’d first met.

“What, lovely?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You’re not coming with me to my house in Anaheim, are you?”

Her words hit him hard. He hesitated, not sure what to say, then asked, “Why do you think that?”

“I just feel it.”

Pell set the coffee on the table. He started to lie—deception came so easily to him. And he could have gotten away with it. Instead he said, “I have other plans for us, lovely. I haven’t told you yet.”

“I know.”

“You do?” He was surprised.

“I’ve known all along. Not exactly known. But I had a feeling.”

“After we take care of a few things here, we’re going somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“A place I have. It’s not near anything. There’s no one around. It’s wonderful, beautiful. We won’t be bothered there. It’s on a mountain. Do you like the mountains?”

“Sure, I guess.”

That was good. Because Daniel Pell owned one.