So there I was, on my tour of Secret Service headquarters. We were talking about Reagan and that day he was shot. Then one of the agents offered this secret: When Reagan was President, he carried his own gun.

"It's true," they said. A .38. Reagan used to hide it in his briefcase and take it on Air Force One.

I contacted former President George H.W. Bush, who's been kind enough to answer questions as I research my novels. But Bush was far more impressed with the initial news about his former boss. He had no idea Reagan carried a gun.