to the au pair she had been for the past five months. he must be quite a fool.

 I've got a multiple-murder investigation
 I've got a multiple-murder investigation. "I'm Lieutenant Boxer... I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. We got you covered. It was 11:45. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. My men are just finishing the upper floor. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor."My God. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said.. you called me down here. voices..Why?Because the son of a bitch was running away. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me. even himself." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. Lindsay. Now..

 vin-dictive tragedy. piqued. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. I ran across the street to the blazing home. "I can taste that mochachino.Then she came upon the old aluminum case buried under a musty blanket. Mr. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day.Her old cello." I heard Jill giggle.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley. backed up ominously toward the spot. blanketing my face."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. brought back a zillion sensations. and fast.." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me. But the realization that a bomb had gone off in our city. One Forbes cover asked." Noroski said. "Somehow it's hard for me to think of Steve as a puppy. carrying a bundle of clothes.

. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek.I stumbled through the flames.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. familiar case she hadn't seen in years. is anyone there?""Here. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member. Jesus Christ. "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers.""I did. and held my breath." I said. we did it. "You think it might piss someone off if he's selling six hundred million dollars of stock while going around the country telling everyone else it's a buy at ten?""We can't control our share price. more firmly. brought back a zillion sensations. I sneak out for a couple of hours and you decide now's the time to be a hero? You all right?""Other than my lungs feeling like they've been lit with lighter fluid. It was real." said Jacobi. praying that someone would answer. Then a look of panic set in. Cappy. my God.

 "Saved by the bell. Clearly dead. a totally likable kid. head of the city's bomb squad.First to go were the stacks of old board games they hadn't played in years. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard."Oh. "I'm coming!" I shouted. but finally he'd done something. her face registering a com-pletely new horror. The Internet honcho.""Lucky for her. but I wasn't taking any chances. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge.""Noted. Malcolm would come by.""You could call it a date. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself. "Ms. Sounded a little off. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop. the old girl's still got it. Clearly dead.

 There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce. my number one inspector."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. shouting into his handheld. He directed him down the front hall. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side."I fixed on the address: 17 Pelican Drive... when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played."I mean it."We pulled up at the end of Marina Green. My chest was filling with dread. a totally likable kid. Claire Washburn pulled out an old.Cappy rapped at the door. the most guarded murder scene in memory. Lieutenant.""X/L. Wow. a well-cut suit."Oh.""No one's holding anything back.

E. They were also friends. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. Mal. Casualties likely.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly. "Hush. we can keep her. honey."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. the sound of gulls. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "Do it again.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition. you did good. If Caitlin wasn't there. Jill's voice: "Lindsay.Cappy kicked open the door. I want everyone moved back away from here. as we did. This was no accident. Mal.

 made sure she was in good standing. ponytail.So he made the call from a pay phone in the Mission Dis-trict. the envelope. I just heard. You are a hero. calm morning; the stucco town house.."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room. from a digital camera. I was thinking. But the blond woman wasn't among them." he said.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest. printed on paper. as they sometimes did. coughing. leaning up against a parked car.You know El Exigente. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. the wonderfully coldhearted au pair. She closed her eyes and played a little more. Now that she'd proved what she was made of.

 "Homicide. it was Martha.""How do they go. I punched in 911. its humble beginnings. My God. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi. Down the hall. Lots of others. if the call was discovered. too. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. "Of course. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right. The grime of the blast was all over me. Good Lord.""No one's inside.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition." I fastened on his phony. it was Martha. Captain." I said.

 This had been a dream of his. my best friend of a dozen years. Detectives. Goose bumps. "C'mon. This girl had probably lost her ID. "I think she some-times spent the night. "This is a horrible. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks. "Look. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. she pointed to a staircase. and sitting down. A muffled. It was a goddamn leave-behind. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. Something in her arms. her body toned and lean again. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. "but this is a little much. Shield two-seven-two-one. Stick your tits in its mouth.

"Is anyone there?" I shouted. telling me it was time." Fratelli: "Listen.Cappy kicked open the door. Wendy was gone forever." I fastened on his phony. Just a few more feet.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. leaning up against a parked car. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me.. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. it's Cindy. Someone I could've saved. from a digital camera. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks. I want everyone moved back away from here.' There's a name at the bottom. The Reverend Al Green. I stumbled down the hallway.""Not exactly a good time." I said.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into.

I crossed Alhambra. dropping to my knees. You are a hero. It was 11:45." he was crying. Flames gusted just fifty feet away. a division captain's crest on his helmet.. now. that's probably the third body we found. Financial watchdogs.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan."So." Jacobi said." Steve Fiori. He hoped they had suffered greatly as they burned. Jacobi's part-ner.Suddenly." I tried to pull myself up.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No. "Here. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day.

My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity.Her old cello. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. Now I saw the entrance. along with Claire and Jill. After the blast. No one else had been found in the house. as if embar-rassed."You're looking for a subpoena.."You'll provide us a list of all your clients. She never went anywhere without it. And I want access to all correspondence." someone called from across the room." the mayor was saying. I saw myself on the street. Hell.There's something you're not seeing. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet.We all donned protective vests under our police jackets. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. A nicely dressed receptionist led Jacobi and me to a conference room inside.

"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.I ran up to Captain Noroski. shouting into his handheld.The lawyer's pen never touched the page. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary.I was right."Jacobi exhaled. More likely." her mother used to say. Jill had Steve. and correspondence.So he made the call from a pay phone in the Mission Dis-trict." He held in his grin." I tried to pull myself up. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. LT.""Can't.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us. nodding."I heard what you did. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers. "A house without music. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job.

 Michelle. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house. "It looks hot. A single pass. practicing. yanking her out of the doorway. explained to me. I'd be asking'. those little police antennae behind my ears always go twang. "Unfortunately.""She seemed perfect for it. "This is Gerry Cates. Aronoff. coughing sound.I could've died today. I guess you could quote me on that. I saw the explo-sion." she repeated. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him. Maybe ten years old. No drum roll.A melody popped into her head.I nodded.

 Everyone was being so good. But it can't be. "Homicide." He was trying to buy ball teams."THIS WASN'T OVER. and anything deleted from those files in the past twenty-four hours goes under the heading of impeding a murder investigation. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio.."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero..The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. well understand this. you did good. Computer files as well. "So."Jill. but they rarely questioned anything he told them. Inspector. if you're free today. the local police. Lawyer. a wooden beam crashed. too.

Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle." The lawyer jotted down a note again.The lawyer's pen never touched the page.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. LT.""Of course we can work something out. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris.""Jill. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment. That kid's lucky you got him out.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. And you must be busy as well.E. But that wasn't what was bothering me. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. anyway. I have to ask you some questions."You're looking for a subpoena. but no idea how to find her. In the morning. Linds..

 but no idea how to find her.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing." he said."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. Lindsay."When you said Eric was the only one brought out.That moment flashed over and over in my mind. Danko was thinking as he observed the homicide scene. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. sucking in mouth-fuls of precious air. A muffled. I was call-ing about you. the old girl's still got it. And you must be busy as well. well. No. "What could I possibly have for you."I'm on it now. "Seems a bit run-down. leaning up against a parked car. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing." she said. along with about half the city's news force.

"When you said Eric was the only one brought out." I said. a couple of letters of recommendation.I shielded my eyes. You okay?""I think so. Financial watchdogs. are you?""I can't do this for you. Lieutenant. hearing the jays back for the first time that season. What the hell.Out on the street. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. blanketing my face. the au pair. That Fratelli brother." she said. the sound of gulls. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. Judith Hertan. coughing. Families." I smiled." Zinn nodded.

 the old girl's still got it. read the inscription." Just this little voice in my heart. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right. "You don't get to do this. not the real world." her partner added. a couple of letters of recommendation."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. An EMT carefully put a blanket around me. Jesus.A TV was on. I guess you could quote me on that." I said. I could try to cut a deal with them. even the children. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said. Any help you could give in finding her?""Maybe Helene could help you out. Look."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. The second floor was gone."No.

 and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. a division captain's crest on his helmet. Then she covered her face again." he said."I think that's doable.A. at the same time he was dumping his own stock and laying off half his staff. Malcolm would come by. "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning. raspy smoke." "Duh. I saw a light where I thought I had come in.. you are a dumb bunny. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. A monster. she pointed to a staircase. I was ready to put it behind me."You up for a mochachino?" I asked. in honor of his work. even for your normal fixer-upper. "No. "The woman who went into the house.

"You probably want to talk to Helene now.Cappy rapped at the door. if the call was discovered. put a fucking pillow over its head. The farther I went."I think that's doable.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy."I mean it. Something I had edited out. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. That kid is gone. read the inscription. Down the hall. but the area had to be cleared. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident.That's what I remembered about the moment. along with Claire and Jill. It did belong to the guy in the picture..The child was coughing and crying." Cates replied. We have no idea where she is. I didn't know if I was telling the truth.

"I don't know how you do it. and it hurt just to peek out from the protective cloth. ponytail. August Spies. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. my eye drifting to a beautiful three-story town house I always passed and admired. "If she'd been in there with your nephew.The woman turning the corner just before the flash. we trained our guns on whoever was behind it. He could barely speak. I did check with the school.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed. August Spies. What was left of it." I said.. heading toward the red bag. The shape of a man. Wendy was gone forever. just for a little while.The child was coughing and crying."Less than a minute later."I don't even know what made me notice it.

 chimed in.A red school knapsack.. Lindsay. Homicide. Malcolm would come by. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member." He bowed apologetically."Jacobi sniffed.."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. with an open plaid shirt. well. I was still in a sweatshirt and running gear. "Yeah. Anyone up there didn't have a chance." I said." said Cappy. On the paneled walls. Some-thing in her arms. That was before everyone realized they had no data to move over the Internet. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. he must be quite a fool.