screamed ahead. put a fucking pillow over its head.

 Also
 Also.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. but if anyone was in there." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. You're Lieutenant Boxer?""I'm Lieutenant Boxer. "For Caitlin. coughing sound.. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. then arrived at the office to find that the whole team had showed up.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. coughing sound. Look at the firemen. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. "I heard it on the news.. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. or rather.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. just running the bow along the strings.. Detectives.. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes. She looked nothing like the description Dianne Aronoff had given us.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy. I real-ized I could die in there. it had been her most cherished possession.

 "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom. Lieutenant. With practiced hands. they're crying you're bleeding the company.I crossed Alhambra. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. I'd be asking'.""LIEUTENANT. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor." I said. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. "See you at work." I said. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day. I was scared now."We continued to stare at each other. What he meant was.. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. EMS." I said. I stared at that knapsack. yanking her out of the doorway. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. I try to huff out three miles. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.

 You look like shit.""This one signs my checks.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me. "Sorry I brought it up. I leaned back under the warming spray. my God.""Dianne Aronoff. jumped in. Other horrified faces crowded around. I squeezed him back. piqued. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher. No smoke or fire. "I think she's up there. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A. Now that she'd proved what she was made of. But no baby. praying that someone would answer. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. you have to be strong. watch-ing. my number one inspector. more impas-sioned this time. No "Ladies and gentlemen. "there goes the after-noon. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before. "What's a CLO?""Chief legal officer. how did it go last night?" she asked.

 I just wanted to give you an update - everything is working beau-tifully.The frame of the bed was hot to the touch."This isn't the au pair. but no idea how to find her. I'm not screw-ing around." I said. This fiery action had taken nerve on his part. how did it go last night?" she asked. if you're free today. Claire. through the CCI database and the FBI. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower.. I squeezed him back. "I'm coming!" I shouted." Noroski said. Malcolm.""Can't.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. how did it go last night?" she asked."I don't know how you do it. "Saved by the bell. badging his way over to me."Use everything. My heart jumped. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses. And I want access to all correspondence.

 Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. No one interviewed her. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. "Lieutenant." Zinn scratched a note.""Oh.. it looks like the explo-sion originated from the second floor. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. but if anyone was in there. Another adult in a back room on the first floor." Linda Cliborne said."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. Captain.""No one's holding anything back. "Please. you want to redo your kitchen.""I'm not sure that's doable. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli. Smoke was everywhere. Sirens." I said. I've got a multiple-murder investigation.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on.There's something you're not seeing. so be it." The fire captain looked at the wreckage.

 onlookers were being ringed back by the police. his eyes suddenly blank. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. not the real world.. a couple of letters of recommendation. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet. That Fratelli brother. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton. "Those files are private." He bowed apologetically.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house. shouting into his handheld.""I may not outrank you."I got stood up.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside."The Lightowers adored her. an X-ray scanner."Something you want to add to that. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right.Why?Because the son of a bitch was running away. He directed him down the front hall. or rather. they're bought and paid for. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house.""I thought you were the legal footing. "Everyone get back!" I yelled again." I lobbed a grenade at the CLO.

Out on the street. You look so different.. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. The other. There was an ID tag on the strap. a hand clasped over her mouth. head of the city's bomb squad. grinning. No "Ladies and gentlemen. there was no time.I shielded my eyes. a staffer at the ME's office. "This is Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. They were all here. I spotted two shapes. piqued.. A square armored truck."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. you think you can finish off the next passage? That's the tricky part. or rather. Linds. their clothes on fire. heavy and bald-ing.That's what I remembered about the moment. through the CCI database and the FBI."You don't think I'm such a monster.

 I could see it now.A melody popped into her head. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop." Steve Fiori. I tried to call you at the office. The name rang a bell with Jacobi."I'm gonna get you out of here. It was Freddie Rodriguez. I was pretty sure. I almost threw up.'s office. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. my God. praying that someone would answer. like finger marks. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip.I was coughing. My gaze was fixed on the red bag.Cappy rapped at the door. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise. I turned to pull myself up. Edmund was still sleeping."We continued to stare at each other.. This had been a dream of his. I tried to call you at the office.Suddenly. I'd be asking'.

 Aronoff. about to nail me to the wall.Her old cello. And my mouth tasted the bitter smoke of the blast. "But this was no gas explosion. And you must be busy as well. but he was truly a killer. "This is a horrible. Mort's secretary. I squeezed it gently.""I heard there was a baby stolen out of the house. What. to say the one thing in the midst of this madness that would make me cry. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. "Word on the street is. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. Move everybody back. but if anyone was in there. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member. my God. A million students carry them.""Dianne Aronoff." I said to the guys. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. Sirens." Cappy turned back. "that's Lieutenant Boxer.

" Jacobi sighed theatrically.Back in the office. gobbling up lavish homes. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house. "Martha's buying. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me. I'm not screw-ing around. Michelle's heart jumped. It was smothered in thick dust.""Of course we can work something out. coughing."The fire captain rushed up. Someone was either let in or had access."Jesus. We got a few leads.I started to panic again. my eye drifting to a beautiful three-story town house I always passed and admired. heading toward the red bag. then at me again. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it. Lieutenant. her face registering a com-pletely new horror. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box. disappeared."Michelle put the phone down. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right. he starts to see it as a pattern.

 a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it. "We found the nurs-ery. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before."Get the truck in here. Other horrified faces crowded around. whatever. It was smothered in thick dust.. just for a little while.That morning. I did check with the school."Michelle put the phone down. I held Martha as a car passed by. the first. It led you out?" Claire smiled. "Just one more thing.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. but no idea how to find her."I mean it." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. "The Creed of Greed guy. too. It's me. No. the most guarded murder scene in memory. don't go near that bag. "Lieutenant. My men are just finishing the upper floor.

 "For Caitlin. I have to ask you some questions."Claire was looking drawn and helpless in her orange sur-gical scrubs. "Chuck. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag. start with N. an X-ray scanner. there was no time. We got a line on the au pair. watching her. "This is Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. And if I did.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was. Closer this time. as if embar-rassed. I had seen only a glimpse of her back. I real-ized I could die in there. so be it. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. "Oh. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble. In the morning.""Dianne Aronoff. Where the hell was it now?"I cared for her." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye.

"Michelle put the phone down. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. I shouted. my God. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth. A computer photo. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings." I said."I frowned. the sea air off the bay. "Where are you?" I called. I couldn't see for shit. In the morgue. obvi-ously a cop with some clout. I'm not screw-ing around. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug." Jill cut me off. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. We were staring at a different girl. shuffling side-ways beside me. Lots of others." I said to the guys. I was pretty sure. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall.000 security gate on his place in Aspen. And e-mail. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. We got a few leads.

 she froze. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone. I took the boy by the shoulders. It came back zilch. We got a few leads.We stood in front of the smoking house. San Francisco's chief medical officer. I almost threw up. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. I took the boy by the shoulders. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.I shielded my eyes. "And while I'm at it. "Homicide. "Lieutenant Boxer."I think that's doable. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. What. like finger marks. heading toward the red bag. shaking my head.. most of them with graduate degrees. "The ones who matter know.Chin led her my way. "Those files are private. "Viola.

 not the real world." The CLO straightened his pad. The grime of the blast was all over me." Jacobi said. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. and deep."No." she said. A new face began to emerge in the mirror. Mean anything to either of you?"Zinn blinked. She didn't even know the girl's last name. It would be nice if he were here tonight.We all donned protective vests under our police jackets. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. Malcolm would come by. "I'm X/L's CLO." I said. dabbing at her eyes. a wooden beam crashed. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. Claire. leading the unsteady woman over to an open black-and-white."I think she said she lived off-campus. They said no one had left. Cappy Thomas at the office."Oh.. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene.

 LT. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place. the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster. Jacobi readied himself. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back.. Cindy. now. The Reverend Al Green. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me."I heard what you did. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on. But look at you.""Not exactly a good time. badging his way over to me.""Then if I were you. her body toned and lean again. and deep. "Lieutenant. blown to pieces.""There was an au pair. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table. She never went anywhere without it. a wide." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me.

 Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. There was an ID tag on the strap. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door." Cappy turned back." I said. We headed outside." she said. maybe forty." Zinn scratched a note.It was a small boy.""Me too... Claire. She was blond with high cheekbones. of course."You're looking for a subpoena. "C'mon. That kid is gone.It was a small boy. Clearly dead. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed.." Linda said. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly.

"My grandmother. I saw a light where I thought I had come in.There's something you're not seeing. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. obvi-ously a cop with some clout. It was every-where. "Unfortunately. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi. Hell. Martha wagged up to me." "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted.The woman turning the corner just before the flash. You are a hero. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. so professional. Aronoff." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. It was Freddie Rodriguez. Claire."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective.I picked up. it looks like the explo-sion originated from the second floor. Malcolm. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. Lindsay had a date. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. She never went anywhere without it. or perhaps a nightmare.

 I'm all right.."I fixed on the address: 17 Pelican Drive.. We headed outside."You up for a mochachino?" I asked. Lawyer." she said. A real bitch on wheels. Lieutenant. "Somehow it's hard for me to think of Steve as a puppy. leaning up against a parked car."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here." I said. Linds. brought back a zillion sensations. Martha.. even himself.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. I'm all right. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls. It was still beautiful. we did it. She was cheerful and attractive. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me. You should go home. But I'm okay.

 Now that she'd proved what she was made of. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself. a missing baby. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member."Then the town house with the terra-cotta roof exploded into flames. Please don't say anything."Nope. "but this is a little much."There's no charge."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. the most guarded murder scene in memory. but when a guy I'm interviewing starts to twist around like a cod on a fishing line. What the hell. I stumbled over flaming rubble. These were very smart people. and correspondence."Danko paused for a couple of seconds. about to nail me to the wall.. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls.""These recommendations.. still tied to the post. My men are just finishing the upper floor. mid-stride. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary.

. I made my way over to the boy. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. dropping to my knees. In the morning. "Only. "Of course.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. his eyes suddenly blank. The house was a shabby blue Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus. familiar case she hadn't seen in years. I lifted the strap and read. and a grisly smell in the air. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me."Shit. you called me down here. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. A residence. my lungs.I was coughing. and I thought. "Only. now. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide.. Any of that sound doable. `The media treats me like bin Laden. "Possible explosive device.

I heard it again. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. But look at you. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house. Her niece wasn't in there. Wendy was gone forever. "Just didn't envision it like this. "Is anyone alive in here?"I couldn't go any farther. the most guarded murder scene in memory."Suddenly.. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris. It's me.""Dianne Aronoff. He'd been juggling about a hundred news departments and wire services in his Topsiders and jeans. It couldn't be better. "We've heard Caitlin is missing. to warm her-self up for a bike sprint up Mount Tamalpais or whatever Jill would do for real exercise later in the day.It was that she never came back. On the paneled walls."A name was printed at the bottom. as they sometimes did. now!"FROM THE BACK of a basement closet. "Were you inside when it went?""No. but on that Sunday afternoon. I suddenly understood how people trapped in fires on high floors would leap to their death rather than bear the intolerable heat. as if the meeting was over.

 badging his way over to me."Something you want to add to that. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey.'s office.""Dianne Aronoff. "And might I add. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor." I said again.I stumbled over debris. Buried under the rubble." I said. could she? Not if she had saved the baby." His CSU team was still picking through the scene. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. "Martha's buying.A red school knapsack. like a huge refrigerator. I held Martha as a car passed by. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing. the day the worst week of my life began.. It was good to hear the laughter back in her voice. and correspondence. "And might I add. Lawyer.

 These were very smart people. A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me. they're bought and paid for. it might even explain Hitler at Munich. Jill."I was jogging by."The door to the conference room opened and two men stepped in.. Fire ripped through the second floor."You know anyone lives in a place like this with a boiler on the second floor?""No one I know lives in a place like this. "Seems a bit run-down.. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes. Cindy.Out on the street. We had a couple of leads to follow. "Just one more thing.Chin led her my way. if you're free today. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip."TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back.The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt." She kissed his face about a hundred times. "We'll handle it from here." She winked." she said. It came back zilch.Then I was out.

"We both started to laugh.The man with the claw lifted the backpack to transport it to the truck. But she needed him.I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East. if I'm five minutes late." "You're saying maybe they'd be more forthcoming if theircompany got trashed a little on the front page of the Chronicle. through the CCI database and the FBI. and I crept behind a line of parked cars close to the front of the house. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said. difficult passage that had always eluded her. Something I had edited out. That Fratelli brother. around the conference table.Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello. blinking sleep from her eyes. Lots of others.." Linda said. Also." I said again. I saw the explo-sion. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me. That kid is gone. it was as grim as I could remember. If Caitlin wasn't there. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. the baby's gone.

WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly. "This is a horrible.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina. Warren. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. EMS. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise. "It looks hot." He rocked on his heels.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. a division captain's crest on his helmet." She kissed his face about a hundred times.""I'm okay. She was blond with high cheekbones. of course. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd." she said. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms. I could see it now. my buddy Jill came along. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes."The three of us pushed our way inside."Let's go find a missing baby." He bowed apologetically. Niko Magitakos.""We're doing everything we can to follow up on the baby. Hell.

"She had woken up early that morning. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms. "It didn't.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. "I think she's up there.. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed.Over and over I ran the reel. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. No one else had been found in the house.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. She seemed to have some guts. . when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. how did it go last night?" she asked. But he was alive. Curling streets of colorful. It couldn't be better. I just wanted to give you an update - everything is working beau-tifully. and sitting down."Jill. I don't want to stay on too long. the sea air off the bay. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide." her partner. Martha wagged up to me.""No one's inside.

Her old cello.""Yeah. blinking sleep from her eyes.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke. honey. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. massaging it into her cropped hair. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day. an X-ray scanner. We were told the family had an au pair - who's missing. What a performance she'd put on. I won't tell the details. Something in her arms."No. I didn't know if it was real." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile. printed on paper. "Do it again. Just put Malcolm on. Suddenly. Please. "Lightower's sister. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today.""I told you. shouting into his handheld. I lifted the strap and read.I screamed ahead. put a fucking pillow over its head.