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“She’ll never believe that. Tell her killer robots.”

“Robots are sexy. You’re not right now. I’ll get up when I smell coffee.”

“You’re a morning pest.”

“I’m a goddamn princess. Now go and make me coffee.”

I start up the coffeemaker and go downstairs to roust Vincent. When I knock on his door, he opens it on the second knock. He’s fully dressed and bright-­eyed.

“Shit, man. Did you even go to bed last night?”

“For a while,” he says. “Now that I’ve healed I don’t need much sleep. Where are we going?”

“You’ve got me. But it better be goddamn outstanding. I mean Disneyland with dancing girls and a bourbon Slip and Slide.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

“If it’s not, Candy’s going to hate me for getting her up. Hell, I hate me right now.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Thanks, but two against one says that I’m an asshole.”

Kasabian pounds on the wall. “It’s three to one. Shut up and let me get back to sleep.”

I steer Vincent out of the storage room.

“Come upstairs for some coffee.”

When the machine finishes, Candy wanders into the kitchen in a Killer BOB wanted-­poster T-­shirt.

She pours herself some coffee and hands the pot to Vincent. He pours himself half a cup and fills the rest with milk and five sugars. He sniffs it, smiles, and washes the brew down with another pill.

I wash up and go back to the kitchen. Candy sips her coffee, not looking any more awake than when she came in.

“Do you know where we’re going?” I ask her.

“I’m not supposed to tell.”

“That doesn’t fill me with confidence, especially if we’re supposed to go in armed.”

“You’re always armed.”

“Yeah, but Julie wants it this time. That makes it different.”

“Whatever you say, Deputy Dawg. I’m getting dressed.”

It’s almost nine when she’s ready. Everyone piles in the Crown Vic and I drive us to Julie’s office. I don’t bother getting out. I just call her and tell her we’re downstairs. She comes down with a big USGS map under her arm. I look at her in the rearview mirror.

“Which way?”

“Take Sunset all the way to Pacific Palisades,” she says.

I pull out into traffic.

“Where are we going?”

“Will Rogers State Historic Park.”