He checked his watch. His daughter and her partner, almost fiancé, would be showing their faces shortly. She’d called him that morning to let him know they were very close to breaking open the story on the corruption of the last mayoral election.

“But in that event, I would be allowed to govern the House of El as his widow until the child came to majority.”

A gleam came into Perry’s eyes, a gleam that hadn’t been there for over a year. “Jimmy, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Larry? . . .Barry? . . . Barry Barstow, Sammy’s Look-alike Agency. I’m on it, Chief,” Jimmy announced heading for the nearest phone.

Ching gave Perry a curious look. “What have you got in mind?”