DC By the Book

Excerpt: Tippett stared thoughtfully out the window. I recognized the look. He was in his zone. We were crossing the Key Bridge into Georgetown, and traffic was picking up. I left him alone and concentrated on my driving. I drove east on M Street, past rows of upscale bars and restaurants. The sidewalks were crowded with the city's young and beautiful. Traffic was bumper to bumper.

Excerpt: I took a right on Virginia, then made a quick left into the Watergate complex. I drove into the underground garage for the Watergate Hotel, showed the attendant my badge, and parked in a designated visitor's slot.

Excerpt: We pulled into a parking lot in front of a large two story pink and yellow stucco building. Anywhere else in the city, the avant-garde decor would have stood out. Not here. DuPont Circle was known as a haven for free spirits, sixties holdovers, and homosexuals.

Excerpt: McPherson Square was the fifth stop. I walked out into the noise, the light, the heat, and the smog.