Three days before she died, Anna Nicole Smith was planning a long stay in Dubai.

More precisely: Her attorney, lover and perhaps father of her baby, Howard K. Stern, was making plans to bring her to Dubai, a seaside city in the United Arab Emirates that serves as a hot spot for the rich and famous.

An insider who was in on the negotiations tells me: "Howard knew she was around drugs all the time and wanted to bring her to a place where there aren't any. He really wanted to bring her here."

The source says that Stern was concerned for Smith's health and safety and reached out to the sultan of Brunei for help in getting her to Dubai.

When Smith's death was announced, the people on the other end were in shock.

"We couldn't believe it. We thought they were coming here. It's very sad."

For what it's worth, the Dubai insiders — having had e-mail correspondence with Stern in the days leading up to Smith's death — say the attorney is getting a raw deal in the press.

"He's a good man," the source said. "He was trying to take care of her."