saved a lot of lives and property. On behalf of the nation, I thank you.'
Charley recognized the medal. 'The Distinguished Flying Cross,' she told Rip and Egg.
'Coolidge gave one to Lindbergh after he flew the Atlantic,' the president told them. 'You three deserve them.'
On that note the president leaned back, crossed his legs and asked about the battle on the moon and the saucer battle over Washington and New York. After an hour of conversation, he rose to go.
'Sure you don't know where that saucer is?' he asked Rip.
'Pretty sure that if I knew I wouldn't tell' was the reply.
'Well, if you find it and change your mind, give us a call.'
Egg accompanied the president and O'Reilly toward the cars. The president was about to get into his limo when he saw the small saucer on the rock. He walked over to it for a look while Egg and O'Reilly trailed along. Once there, he even put on his glasses to examine the detail.
'Nice,' he said finally. 'Thing'll turn green out here in the sun and rain. Maybe you should put it inside.'
'Outside seemed best,' Egg said.
'By the way, the folks in western Missouri, Kansas and half of Arkansas and Oklahoma lost their electrical power for a couple of hours the other night. You know anything about that?'
'Read about it. We didn't lose power here.'
'Heard about Chadwick passing away. The newspaper said he died an old man, of natural causes, right here on your property.'
'That he did. Lalouette dropped him here. He died peacefully.'
'Any connection between his death and the loss of electrical power?'
'Not that I know of,' Egg said truthfully.
'Umm.' The president leaned on the saucer, tried to push it. 'Heavy thing,' he muttered.
'It's welded to steel rods in the rock,' Egg said.
The president glanced sharply at Egg, then said, 'Just as long as it doesn't go anywhere.'
'Yes, sir,' Egg replied.
The president got into his limo and the Secret Service agents boarded theirs.
Egg waved as the entourage rolled off toward his gate, took a last look at the saucer, then walked up the hill to the porch where Charley and Rip were waiting.
Egg had just settled into his chair on the porch when the telephone in the kitchen rang. He rushed away to answer it.
'So what are we going to do now?' Rip asked Charley.
'You mean this morning?'
'In this lifetime.'
'Oh,' she said casually, as if the question were no big deal. 'I've got an offer I'm weighing. Found it as an e- mail on the computer this morning.'
She passed Rip a folded sheet of paper. He opened it and read: 'Am divorcing the Junior League babe. If you're looking for someone to go flying with, I'm available. Joe Bob Hooker.'
'Very funny,' Rip said sourly. He folded the sheet of paper into an airplane and tossed it back.
Charley winked at him, but Rip noticed that she refolded the paper and put it in her pocket.
Egg came to the screen door. 'You two won't believe this, but the Australians have found a piece of what they think is an ancient mother ship buried in the Great Barrier Reef. They've invited us down for a look. They're still on the phone.'
'Mother ship? You mean an interstellar spaceship?'
'Precisely. Like the one that brought the saucer to this solar system. You two want to go?'
Rip and Charley glanced at each other; then Charley said, 'Of course. We could catch a plane tomorrow morning in St. Louis for L.A. and cross the pond from there. You're coming, aren't you?'
'I'll come to Australia next week to see what they have. I have a date this weekend.' Egg flushed and hurried away along the hallway.
Rip winked solemnly at Charley Pine, who threw back her head and laughed.
