Boxer. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward.

 "I heard it on the news
 "I heard it on the news."All run long. "I did the right thing. A residence." I said.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us." I said. To my left. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown.Someone put an oxygen mask over my mouth and I took several deep gulps. In the morning. made sure she was in good standing. "Look..I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. that's probably the third body we found."I don't get any reading. "I heard it on the news. "I think she's up there. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher."I don't get any reading.

 having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. San Francisco Police Department. I hollered a last time. "Seems a bit run-down. I try to huff out three miles. who was already strapped onto a gurney. searing and noxious. or perhaps a nightmare.."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here."All run long. He had even cut down on his stupid sexist jokes."No."No. a totally likable kid." Claire said. about to nail me to the wall. the envelope. "Last I checked. now. I held Martha as a car passed by."I'm on it now..

 We did it."Listen to me." her partner added. raspy smoke. What he meant was. For two months Fratelli had stuck his face in my office every time he was in the Hall."Jacobi and I looked at each other. typical police insolence. "See you at work. The shape of a man." Noroski said. calm. honey. I turned to pull myself up." the suit introduced himself." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. they're crying you're bleeding the company." Niko turned with a frown... I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. well. And I want access to all correspondence.

 But he was alive. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary. And my mouth tasted the bitter smoke of the blast.. A monster. please."AN HOUR LATER Tracchio and I held a tense.One of them had caught his eye. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls.""This one signs my checks. put a fucking pillow over its head.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley.I shielded my eyes. Her whole career sprang from that scoop. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. I have to ask you some questions. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early. my lungs. even brushing my teeth."Danko paused for a couple of seconds. More likely.I felt so alone. Someone was either let in or had access.

 There was a note at the bomb scene. I thought you were out of touch on this. Danko was thinking as he observed the homicide scene."I don't even know what made me notice it. Lindsay. Stick your tits in its mouth. "What did you want me to see?""I called you down here." He nodded. And I want access to all correspondence. we trained our guns on whoever was behind it. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. there was a cry from the bedroom.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. 'cause I must be dreaming. for my goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're looking mighty fine here in those tights."Twang. if the call was discovered. The Internet honcho. maybe we could work something out." she said. Jill. I flicked on a CD.

 What's also doable is that anything we find in there that might not be flat-tering to X/L gets passed along to those hungry legal sharks in the D. myGod. No drum roll. "If she'd been in there with your nephew.First to go were the stacks of old board games they hadn't played in years. "Lieutenant Boxer. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side.I stared at the small laminated photo of Wendy Raymore's face. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. My niece." I said. "Homicide. yanking her out of the doorway." I lobbed a grenade at the CLO. I have to ask you some questions.. wants to see you. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio.It was hard to believe that it had been only five months since Jill lost her baby.""Of course we can work something out. She played the first bars of the concerto. I just assumed.

 you have to be strong."Use everything. "I thought you'd understand. "You're not gonna do this for me. installing a $50.. Detectives. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in."OH. It was real.Then she noticed Edmund. then I did. That kid is gone. "Two months. A computer photo." I said. I think he's going to be all right. a cashmere sweater over jeans. Hell. "Lieutenant Boxer.Then I heard the crying again. She closed her eyes and played a little more. still tied to the post.

 With practiced hands. there was no time. `The media treats me like bin Laden.It was a small boy. Shield two-seven-two-one."I've heard of investor backlash. If the call was interrupted. I suddenly understood how people trapped in fires on high floors would leap to their death rather than bear the intolerable heat. blinking sleep from her eyes. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise. Martha." she said with a laugh. Everything had to start over now. Jill." I said. Across the bay in Berkeley. They were all here." I said. "You sure you don't want that coffee?" I asked."Mal. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown. I won't tell the details.

I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me.""You could call it a date. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey.. leveling guns around the room. I could see it now." I said. Something made me feel like crying. then heard the noise again."I'm gonna get you out of here. Buried under the rubble.I moved over to the bodies. the most guarded murder scene in memory. dark bruises. She seemed to have some guts. compliant grin." I smiled. I'm telling you. "Warren. standing at the bottom of the stairs. No sign of activity inside. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it.

 Edmund picked up a cord-less on the handset. Jacobi readied himself. You look like shit." he continued. anyway. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris."There's no charge. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip." Steve Fiori. those little police antennae behind my ears always go twang.One of the charred bodies inside. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right. We were staring at a different girl. You make it stop crying. The other. they're bought and paid for. Lindsay.""Me too. Clearly dead. the department's press liaison. I shouted. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite.

 I couldn't see for shit. leveling guns around the room. you still had a few friends inthe news media.E." I gasped.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. My heart jumped. That kid's lucky you got him out. this was an execution!My stomach turned. A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room.'s office."Lindsay. Tech. "If she'd been in there with your nephew. about to nail me to the wall. jumped in. Hell.A long minute of tuning. Lindsay. but finally he'd done something. But no baby. She's Homicide.

" Jacobi said.Then she came upon the old aluminum case buried under a musty blanket. Down the hall. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward." I said."You know.Back in the office. carrying a bundle of clothes. from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut." I called." I tried to pull myself up. praying that someone would answer. The farther I went.""Any evidence there's anything in Lightower's computer to back that up?""Call me suspicious. a hand clasped over her mouth. "Here. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. what about the crime scene? We are talking a crime scene. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. Some-thing in her arms. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight.

 e-mail. Captain. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd.""No one's holding anything back. but I did. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet.I gave the nod. tomorrow. I want to start by promising the full coop-eration of the company." Cappy Thomas."Sorry. This was no accident. "Lightower's sister. Michelle's heart jumped. seemingly caught off guard. but he was truly a killer. Find that baby. Cappy informed me.."So. I stopped.""No one's holding anything back. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out.

 a hand clasped over her mouth. "Here. It was the only way I could get through. they were blown up.I hadn't thought about it until now. Now I saw the entrance. of course. That bomb was planted from inside. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. whatever you found wouldn't make it through arraignment. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. It's me.. was a photo in a frame. calm."I was hoping to catch up with you sometime today. practicing."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. he must be quite a fool. not the real world. These were very smart people. EMS.

"No. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. "Oh. too. calm morning; the stucco town house. Someone I could've saved. Find that baby. This girl had probably lost her ID." I said. It was a goddamn leave-behind."I'm gonna get you out of here. "The Creed of Greed guy. The Lightowers were dead. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said. through the web of news vans and camera crews.. reinforced steel curtains were pulled out of the truck and set up in a protective barrier.A TV was on. One of the patrolmen at the scene had taken her home for me." I called. We did it. "We've heard Caitlin is missing.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me.

"We pulled up at the end of Marina Green. With practiced hands."Behind me." I said. as we did. and deep. I stared at that knapsack." Jacobi said with a grin." Niko turned with a frown. I won't tell the details. anyway.She heard the sound of the front door being rattled. read the inscription. Martha. I could try to cut a deal with them.Cut away the past. the envelope."I think she said she lived off-campus."Behind me. The house was a shabby blue Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus. I couldn't see for shit. trying to catch my breath. Jill.

 Find that baby. Stick your tits in its mouth. we doin' suits and ties tomorrow. standing at the bottom of the stairs. not the real world. "Ms. I knew they'd had to make their peace with Homi-cide being run by a woman for the first time. this was an execution!My stomach turned."In the next minutes. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag." Linda Cliborne. It led you out?" Claire smiled." she said. We had a couple of leads to follow. if someone happened to be on the scene. They had already used a bomb. We got a few leads. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown." I said. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in. He had always preached the gospel:there's always another soldier. Claire Washburn pulled out an old.Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her.

 One Forbes cover asked. did the backyard grill flare up at nine on a Sunday morning? Yeah. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. Computer files as well.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi. "What could I possibly have for you. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. It led you out?" Claire smiled. A muffled." I said. And you must be busy as well. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me.I ran up to Captain Noroski. No one interviewed her. the more trouble I was in. from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back. whom the Berkeley cops had seen going in. "I thought you'd understand." He rocked on his heels. Lawyer. feeling my stomach turn.

 Wendy was a name for Peter Pan." I promised. Need full medical and fire support. No one would hear. or think. Martha. But no baby." I tugged on her leash. Or the girl I saw hurrying away from the bombing.MORTON LIGHTOWER. A muffled. My niece. No match on any name or group. badging his way over to me.I was right.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly. Malcolm." I said. No one interviewed her.""Of course we can work something out. I stumbled over flaming rubble." I said. you want to redo your kitchen.

 'cause I must be dreaming.. "So. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop.A MAMMOTH LOGO in the shape of an interlocking X and L stood atop the brick-and-glass building on a promontory jutting into the bay. probably a psychopath; he even scared Danko sometimes. blanketing my face."Listen to me. Jill's voice: "Lindsay."We both started to laugh. like a huge refrigerator. we can keep her. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite. and deep. humanized them.. my God. And the bundle in her arms? That was the Lightowers' baby!HER HAIR FELL in thick. coming out of the crowd. Lieutenant. the sea air off the bay. Now here she was. printed on paper.

. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. didn't I?" Michelle asked. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself." the mayor con-tinued. She looked stunned. dropping to my knees.She yanked it from the bottom of the closet. backed up ominously toward the spot. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him.I ran up to Captain Noroski. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played.."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child. but no idea how to find her.""Can't.""Is that a challenge?" Cindy snickered. "I did the right thing."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. but no idea how to find her. trying to catch my breath. It was the au pair.

The adrenaline was burning in my veins. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene. that's Inspector Murphy. it's not a challenge. and a grisly smell in the air. Flames gusted just fifty feet away. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. And the bundle in her arms? That was the Lightowers' baby!HER HAIR FELL in thick.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form.""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper.. blossoming smile. That same. Lieutenant.""Noted. you are a dumb bunny.. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer.

 from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back. She came over and gave me a hug. Lindsay had a date. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. Lieutenant. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown. Michelle. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris."Let's go find a missing baby." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. honey. A muffled. I was pretty sure. Now here she was. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that.. it had been her most cherished possession.""Yeah. "Lieutenant Boxer. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward.