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for the glass of wine that Jude is offering. “God knows what he’s up to. One day that boy’s gonna get himself in big trouble.”
    14
    The White House, Washington DC
    T he press corps is lapping it up. America’s First Lady and her gorgeous kids playing on the White House’s famous Rose Garden lawns with a million-dollar Chinese dog, while President Pop is away in Beijing battling with the Asian business bores.
    It’s a classic photo opportunity.
    And the dog is a wow as well. The Tibetan mastiff practically poses for shots. Tilts his cute head and shakes his thick double coat of fur as the kids hang onto his big neck and all but ride him.
    Sheryl Molton gathers the pet and her two children beside a lectern and microphone to say a final few words before disappearing back inside. “Thank you all for coming. Emperor, Jack, Jane, and myself all hope you managed to get the pictures that you wanted and had as much fun as we did.”
    A reporter raises a hand, and when a press aide gives him the nod, he calls out a double-edged question “Jan Bolz, Modern Dog magazine—can you tell us, has Emperor already had all his shots and been microchipped?”
    â€œHe has. The President and I are big believers in animal welfare and owner responsibility. He’s up-to-date on all his inoculations and has been chipped and registered—though, as I’m sure you’ll agree, the chance of us losing him are pretty thin.”
    The remark draws laughter from across the lawns and even a smile from the Secret Service men standing guard in their suits and shades.
    â€œAnna Arit, Washington Post. Could you tell us, ma’am, are Asian dogs trickier to tame than American ones?”
    There’s laughter at the double entendre before the First Lady even starts to answer.
    â€œIn my experience, all dogs are tricky to tame. Ask any wife or mom in the country and if she’s got a dog in her life she’ll tell you they’re always out making a mess somewhere.”
    More laughter and a ripple of applause fills the gardens.
    â€œIan McLoughlin, CNN. How is the President getting along with his new foreign friend? Has he already managed to establish himself as its master?”
    Sheryl Molton senses the allusions are getting a little too close for comfort. “Hey, for a start, the President knows there’s only one boss in my house, and I can tell you it’s not him or the dog!” She decides to quit while she’s ahead. “Thanks again, folks, I hope you all have a good day.”
    The cameras click like crazy as the First Family and Emperor walk away, waving and smiling in the Washington sunshine.
    Once back inside the privacy of the West Wing, Sheryl asks herself the same question, and suspects her husband is having a far more difficult time with President Xian than anyone expects.
    15
    Downtown, Miami
    T he distraught faces of Kathy Morgan’s parents are still burned in Ghost’s mind as he drives away from work.
    Over the years, he’s learned to objectify victims as much as possible.
    He’s taught himself to see them as the central part of a cryptic puzzle that needs total focus and clarity of mind to crack. But he’s never been completely successful at blocking out the person, and with it, all the human pain. Personal empathy and emotion seep like acid through whatever professional barriers he erects. Right now he’s aching for Derek and Amy Morgan, wishing they’d never had to stand in that cold morgue and had a sheet pulled back to reveal the remains of their beloved child.
    He tries to shut off work as he lets himself into a three-­bedroom penthouse in the city’s Historic District. The prime real estate has been in the family for decades, passed to him when his very successful, elderly parents died a few years back.
    Around him is a stretch of land and key buildings bounded by Miami Court, North Third Street, West Third