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〃You may have something；〃 said the President。 〃I haven't bitten into a good meatloaf since I was a kid。〃
〃Our customers go for it； especially since we retained the fancy service and intimate atmosphere。 My waiters all wear tuxedos； candles on tables； stylish settings； food presented in a continental manner。 And the best part is the diners eat faster； so there's a quicker turnover on tables。〃
〃And you're breaking even on the food while taking a profit on the booze and wine； right？〃
Hagen laughed again。 〃Vince； you're okay。 I don't care what the news media say about you。 When you're an old has…been politician look me up； and we'll open a chain of beaneries together。〃
〃Do you miss criminal investigation； Ira？〃
〃Sometimes。〃
〃You were the best undercover operative the justice Department ever had；〃 the President said； 〃until Martha died。〃
〃Gathering evidence on slime for the government didn't seem to matter anymore。 Besides； I had three daughters to raise； and the demands of the job kept me away from home for weeks at a time。〃
〃The girls doing all right？〃
〃Just fine。 As you well know； all three of your nieces have happy marriages and presented me with five grandchildren。〃
〃A pity Martha couldn't have seen them。 Of my four sisters and two brothers； she was my favorite。〃
〃You didn't fly me here from Denver on an Air Force jet just to talk old times；〃 said Hagen。 〃What's going down？〃
〃Have you lost your touch？〃
〃Have you forgotten how to ride a bicycle？〃
It was the President's turn to laugh。 〃Ask a stupid question。 。 。〃
〃The reflexes are a mite slower； but the gray matter still turns at a hundred percent。〃
The President tossed him the briefcase。 〃Digest this while I hike a couple of miles on the treadmill。〃
Hagen wiped his sweating brow with a towel and sat on a stationary bicycle； his bulk threatening to bend the frame。 He opened the leather case and didn't look up from reading the contents until the President had walked 1。6 miles。
〃What do you think？〃 the President asked finally。
Hagen shrugged； still reading。 〃Make a great pilot for a TV show。 Closet funding； an impenetrable security veil； covert activity on an immense scale； an undetected moon base。 The stuff H。 G。 Wells would have loved。〃
〃Do you figure it's a hoax？〃
〃Let's say I want to believe it。 What flag…waving taxpayer wouldn't？ Makes our intelligence munity look like deaf and blind mutants。 But if it is a hoax； where's the motive？〃
〃Other than a grand scheme to defraud the government； I can't think of any。〃
〃Let me finish reading。 This last file is in longhand。〃
〃My recollection of what was said on the golf course。 Sorry about the chicken scratch； but I never learned to type。〃
Hagen stared at him questioningly。 〃You've told no one about this； not even your security council？〃
〃Perhaps I'm paranoid； but this ‘Joe' character slipped through my Secret Service cordon like a fox through a barnyard。 And he claimed members of the ‘inner core' were highly placed at NASA and the Pentagon。 It stands to reason they've also penetrated the intelligence agencies and my White House staff as well。〃
Hagen studied the President's report of the golf course meeting intently； going back occasionally to check the Jersey Colony file。 Finally he hoisted his body off the bicycle and sat on a bench； looking at the President。
〃This photo blowup of a man sitting next to you in a golf cart。 Is that Joe？〃
〃Yes。 When returning to the clubhouse； I spotted a reporter from the Washington Post who had been photographing my golf game through a telescopic lens。 I asked him to do me a favor and send an enlargement over to the White House so I could autograph it for my caddy。〃
〃Good thinking。〃 Hagen peered closely at the picture and then set it aside。 〃What do you want me to do； Vince？〃
〃Dig out the names of the ‘inner core。' 〃
〃Nothing else？ No information or evidence on the Jersey Colony project？〃
〃When I know who they are；〃 the President said in a dead voice； 〃they'll be rounded up and interrogated。 Then we'll see how deep their tentacles reach。〃
〃If you want my opinion； I'd pin a medal on every one of those guys。〃
〃I may just do that；〃 the President replied with a cold smile。 〃But not before I stop them from kicking off a bloody battle for the moon。〃
〃So it adds up to a presidential cutout situation。 You can't trust anyone in normal intelligence circles and you're hiring me to be your private field intelligence agent。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What's my deadline？〃
〃The Russian spacecraft is set to land on the moon nine days from now。 I need every hour I can steal to prevent a fight between their cosmonauts and our moon colonists that might spread into a space conflict that none of us could stop。 The ‘inner core' must be convinced to back off。 I've got to have them under wraps； Ira； at least twenty…four hours before the Russians touch down。〃
〃Eight days isn't much to find nine men。〃
The President gave a helpless shrug。 〃Nothing es easy。〃
〃A certificate saying I'm your brother…in…law won't be enough to pass me through legal and bureaucratic roadblocks。 I'll require a concrete cover。〃
〃I leave it to you to create one。 An Alpha Two clearance should get you through most doors。〃
〃Not bad；〃 said Hagen。 〃The Vice President only carries a Three。〃
〃I'll give you the number of a safe phone line。 Report to me day or night。 Understood？〃
〃Understood。〃
〃Questions？〃
〃Raymond LeBaron； dead or alive？〃
〃Undecided。 The wife refused to identify the body found in the blimp as his。 She was right。 I asked the FBI director； Sam Emmett； to take possession of the remains from Dade County； Florida。 They're over at Walter Reed Army Hospital now； undergoing examination。〃
〃Can I see the county coroner's report？〃
The President shook his head in wonderment。 〃You never miss a trick； do you； Ira？〃
〃Obviously there had to be one。〃
〃I'll see you get a copy。〃
〃And the lab results at Walter Reed。〃
〃That too。〃
Hagen stuffed the files back into the briefcase； but left out the photo from the golf course。 He studied the images for perhaps the fourth time。 〃You realize； of course； Raymond LeBaron may never be found。〃
〃I've considered that possibility。〃
〃Nine little Indians。 And then there were eight。 。 。 make that seven。〃
〃Seven？〃
Hagen held up the photo in front of the President's eyes。 〃Don't you recognize him？〃
〃Frankly； no。 But he did say we knew each other many years ago。〃 〃Our high school baseball team。 You played first base。 I was left field and Leonard Hudson caught。〃
〃Hudson！〃 The President gasped incredulously。 〃Joe is Leo Hudson。 But Leo was a fat kid。 Weighed at least two hundred pounds。〃
〃He became a health nut。 Lost sixty pounds and ran marathons。 You were never sentimental about the old gang。 I still keep track of them。 Don't you remember？ Leo was the school brain。 Won all sorts of awards for his science projects。 Later he graduated with honors at Stanford and became director of the Harvey Pattenden National Physics Laboratory in Oregon。 Inven