I DON’T HAVE precognition. I did not know what I would learn listening to Beagle. But it seemed reasonable that it might take me back to L.A. Once I was certain that Taylor was recording and I was listening live, I figured that would give me a twelve-to twenty-four-hour jump on him. Especially if I could get past his watchers.
Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy’s unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.
—Sun Tzu
I leave Steve, Martin, and Hawk to guard Maggie. I go crosscountry by mountain bike, across Maggie’s property, across the neighbor’s property, and then out on the county road that runs more or less parallel to the one that goes to our driveway. That way I evade the two guys in the van watching our driveway and I don’t have to worry about the car cruising between them and the watchers near Beagle’s property.
Once I’m out on the road, I have a ten-mile ride to a small local airstrip. There’s a pay phone there. I call Dennis from the airport and give him my ETA, and he calls the other two, Paul Dressier and Kim Tae Woo, a cousin of Sergeant Kim. Dennis meets me at the airport. He has the masks and jackets for us to wear.
By 11:10 A.M. we’re at CinéMutt. Tae Woo walks up to the guard and speaks to him in Korean. The guard is confused. Then Dressier marches in and starts talking to the guard. The guard tells Woo to wait and turns to Paul. Paul asks him where Kitty’s office is. The guard tells him. Tae Woo steps behind the guard, puts a hand on each side of the guard’s neck and presses until the guard passes out. It is done very deftly. They slide the guard under his desk. Tae Woo puts on the guard’s hat and sits in his place. Dennis and I enter. All of us, except Tae Woo, put on masks. We go into Kitty’s office. It goes perfectly. It’s all over by 11:20.
By noon we’re at the airport I’m certain that I’ve pulled it off before Taylor has a chance to react. But he will react. So I take them with me. With the three guys I already have, that will be seven of us against whoever Taylor cares to send—Otis and Perkins or Hartman’s Ninjas. I think it will be enough.
By 4:30 we’re five hundred miles away. Back in Napa. No need to hide our return. We go back to the house by cab. When we get inside, I find Steve lying on the kitchen floor. He’s facedown. There’s blood on the floor and what looks like a bullet hole in his back. Martin and Hawk are gone. Maggie’s gone.