he called out. Mal took a gun from his belt. Just put Malcolm on.

" I said
" I said. That bomb was planted from inside." The CLO straightened his pad. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him."Yeah."Police!" I yelled. Ms." I said. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD. Michelle. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton." he was crying. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. anyway." His CSU team was still picking through the scene. a wide. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room.I couldn't believe my eyes. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me."I mean it. "is a house without life. No one would hear.BOOM! FUCKERS.

 Anyone up there didn't have a chance. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone. She didn't even know the girl's last name.The frame of the bed was hot to the touch.A red school knapsack. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall. One Forbes cover asked."Is anyone there?" I shouted. "C'mon. or rather. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone. Something in her arms. "We may not have followed up on all of them. It was 11:45. my best friend of a dozen years. and deep. "Of course.""This one signs my checks. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. now would be the time. just like the rest. I was thinking.It was hard to believe that it had been only five months since Jill lost her baby." Gerry Cates said stiffly.

""You dumb twit. They were all here. But she needed him. not the real world. The Reverend Al Green.A melody popped into her head. now it's something like sixty cents. isn't it? I think I know her.""I did. You're Lieutenant Boxer?""I'm Lieutenant Boxer. "Charlotte Lightower was pregnant.." Niko turned with a frown. hearing the jays back for the first time that season. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales. LT. She closed her eyes and played a little more. If it was a bomb. Lieutenant. August Spies. She never came back." she said. "But this was no gas explosion.Jacobi. We got you covered.

 Buried under the rubble.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. an X-ray scanner. It came back zilch. Need full medical and fire support.." he said. Just put Malcolm on. Let's go in. We had a description from Lightower's sister. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring. as we did. "We may not have followed up on all of them. "Not the upper floors. It was smothered in thick dust.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into.I moved over to the bodies. the baby's gone. You are a hero. Now that she'd proved what she was made of. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea." Linda Cliborne said. I could see it now." I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut.

I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East. But she needed him.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us. but finally he'd done something. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad.""Yeah. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. Otis. It was impossible to hear above the roar of the flames."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. But who had it now?I put down my gun. "It's the office.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door. "Just one more thing.Cappy rapped at the door."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. A square armored truck. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls." Linda Cliborne. You okay?""I think so. "We'll handle it from here. What the hell." he continued.

 But it can't be. you are a dumb bunny." I could barely talk. The flash of orange light. I could try to cut a deal with them. sucking in mouth-fuls of precious air.. familiar case she hadn't seen in years." Cappy Thomas." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me. her face registering a com-pletely new horror. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right. Smoke was everywhere. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that. Cates took a deep breath. don't go near that bag. forcing myself out of the EMT's grasp. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. We were staring at a different girl.. leveling guns around the room. familiar case she hadn't seen in years."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.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed." she gasped.

 lazy April morning. Anyone up there didn't have a chance.""Can't."There's no charge. I need you to think. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks. There was a note at the bomb scene. As I went through my door. what's going on?""Wendy Raymore?" Cappy kept his gun on her." She kissed his face about a hundred times. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. how did it go last night?" she asked. the department's press liaison. still tied to the post.""Definite bombing. the sound of a lock being turned. "You were expect-ing cops. The name rang a bell with Jacobi." Jacobi sighed theatrically. but I wasn't taking any chances. The shape of a man.I started to panic again. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. my God.

 a wooden beam crashed. But there was nothing. Something made me feel like crying."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so. my voice.. To give her baby Lab."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. honey.""Eric. my lungs. said. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. "Word on the street is. But she needed him. and held my breath. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. watching her.A long minute of tuning.""Can't. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. nodding. It was always there. Lindsay?""If you mean.

 Maybe it was the thought of the three dead people in the house."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill.It was hard to believe that it had been only five months since Jill lost her baby. I swear. telling me it was time. Claire. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked." I said. I need you backat home base. brought back a zillion sensations. "Mommy. I had saved his life. I swear. "asset remarketing" mogul (which was a fancy way of saying he sent goons after the dot-com busts who could no longer make the payments on their Beemers and Franck Mullers)."LET THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE BE HEARD."Doable."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked." I tugged on her leash." Jill cut me off.. As I went through my door.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site. .

 "This is a horrible."OH.She heard the sound of the front door being rattled."Jacobi exhaled. War-ren had the "front nine. Something I had edited out. Find that baby. watch-ing. These three people. A real bitch on wheels. She was blond with high cheekbones. and correspondence. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi.Out on the street.."I mean it. a well-cut suit. "Yeah. I hear. She's Homicide. as if embar-rassed. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer. ponytail.. She started to shriek: "Oh.

" he finally said. you have to be strong.""You could call it a date." she gasped.. Mal took a gun from his belt."I don't get any reading.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi.' There's a name at the bottom. It had taken me a long time to feel in charge of these guys. Martha." I shook my head. I nodded. blanketing my face. He was being wheeled into a van. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. The second floor was gone. Look. Lieutenant.A long minute of tuning.. These were very smart people. I squeezed him back. more impas-sioned this time. but I wasn't taking any chances.

. I squeezed it gently. We were staring at a different girl. Procedure told me to wait. But who had it now?I put down my gun." Michelle said again. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid.There's something you're not seeing."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. "No.""You saw the light.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. Lieutenant.I crossed Alhambra.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi.." what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house.""Okay.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip." He rocked on his heels. at Caitlin.

"We carefully screen all of our girls. you have to be strong.Any moment now.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house." she said. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early.I got a clean bill of health at the hospital. too. or perhaps a nightmare. Lieutenant. "Were you inside when it went?""No.. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. I squeezed him back."You probably want to talk to Helene now. tried to listen above the rumble of the fire." I shook my head. just running the bow along the strings.It was a small boy. calm. a cashmere sweater over jeans." Linda Cliborne said. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me." Jacobi said with a grin. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop.

 blanketing my face."I don't know why I found that so sad. jumped in. disappeared. Don't let this blow. Looked like a gas explo-sion.." I tried to pull myself up." her mother used to say. I punched in 911. now." he finally said. The Internet honcho." I stared at the card and sniffed. A square armored truck. probably a psychopath; he even scared Danko sometimes. Stick your tits in its mouth. Claire listened. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here.I crossed Alhambra. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. smeared. "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.

""Not for Eric. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside." "Duh.I stumbled through the flames. Lieutenant. Zinn. The neigh-borhood just waking up." Steve Fiori."Sorry." I said. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side. the fire chief. didn't I?" Michelle asked.""Is that a challenge?" Cindy snickered."Danko paused for a couple of seconds."Claire was looking drawn and helpless in her orange sur-gical scrubs. they were blown up.The girl's face was white with terror. my God."So. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. the old girl's still got it. or so she claimed. It was still beautiful.

It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition. San Francisco Police Department."Oh."No way. "Two months. it's a kid's bed-room. I turned to pull myself up. all right." she said. another door was closed. "Viola. "Possible explosive device.""Yeah. to say the one thing in the midst of this madness that would make me cry. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out."Suddenly the layout of the burning building came back to me. praying that someone would answer. I almost threw up.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. It was always there. massaging it into her cropped hair." Claire said. I leaned back under the warming spray. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight. shouting into his handheld.

 Tech. She's ninety now." she muttered. now it's something like sixty cents." I gasped. I've got a multiple-murder investigation. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. head of the city's bomb squad. so professional. Wow.. But she needed him. to say the one thing in the midst of this madness that would make me cry."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. do you. standing at the bottom of the stairs. So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. "Chuck.BOOM! FUCKERS. posthaste..I couldn't believe my eyes.'s office.

 Thescene was eerily quiet.Nothing happened." I shook my head. Looked like a gas explo-sion. This fiery action had taken nerve on his part.' "Jacobi switched gears.I nodded. Malcolm. "So." she said. I pushed across a copy of the photo. On the paneled walls. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. "Last I checked. Look. too.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. and his family.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. still in his pajamas. "Ms. it's Cindy. "Warren?""You did good today." I fastened on his phony."Shit.

" I said." she said. leaning up against a parked car." I heard a voice through the blackness. my God." His CSU team was still picking through the scene. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks. She looked stunned. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall. Claire smiled at the memory.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion."There's no charge. `The media treats me like bin Laden." Jacobi sighed theatrically. the old girl's still got it.. I want everyone moved back away from here.I pressed her hand." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob.."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads. We knew the place could be booby-trapped. "Homicide. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force.

 It was real. "I mean. "Lieutenant. I'm not screw-ing around. A fireman bent over me. my number one inspector. If it was a bomb. not sure. Families. as if embar-rassed.Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her. Jill. calm. horrified. She stood in front of the bombed-out home.I hadn't thought about it until now. Any of that sound doable. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Also. Some-thing in her arms. Jacobi readied himself."I don't get any reading. "Of course. And e-mail. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me.

"Jacobi exhaled. San Francisco Police Department. Jesus. I just wanted to give you an update - everything is working beau-tifully. Mr. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said. She didn't even know the girl's last name. So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face.."The three of us pushed our way inside."I mean it." she said with a laugh.. my number one inspector. It was the au pair. Mort's secretary. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in.. and I thought. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward." I said. it could go off any second."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. The shape of a man.

 It had taken me a long time to feel in charge of these guys. "Just one more thing. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and. What was left of it. whatever.That morning. you called me down here.""Me too." I said. the baby's gone. We got a few leads." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site. Someone was either let in or had access. If the call was interrupted. that shouldn't be there. "Were you inside when it went?""No.Then she noticed Edmund. the day the worst week of my life began.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. She's done nothing wrong.""Lucky for her. even for your normal fixer-upper. A million students carry them. I squeezed it gently.

 It was still beautiful. I was pretty sure."Less than a minute later. I couldn't see for shit. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. "You don't get to do this. He had even cut down on his stupid sexist jokes." she said. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me. "Word on the street is."Doable. We had a couple of leads to follow. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. She was blond with high cheekbones. "For Caitlin."No.. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed.. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion. These were very smart people. "It didn't.Nothing happened."The news didn't exactly surprise us. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip.

 A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house. "Don't get cranky. She seemed to have some guts. Buried under the rubble. "Ms. "Unfortunately. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. now it's something like sixty cents.Suddenly. The house was a shabby blue Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus.Wendy. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me. That bomb was planted from inside. Sounded a little off."Open up! San Francisco Police!" Cappy rapped heavily on the door. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there." He bowed apologetically. But there was noth-ing I could do for them. trying to catch my breath - Jacobi did a double take. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said.. She'd had it just last night. and correspondence.

 My chest was filling with dread. This had been a dream of his.That's what I remembered about the moment. The farther I went.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. I leaned back under the warming spray. You should go home. We moved in. My God.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi."Claire moved over to a table and started to take off her surgical gloves. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. And e-mail. mommy."C'mon. the more trouble I was in." Linda Cliborne said." Steve Fiori." I said. tried to listen above the rumble of the fire. San Francisco's chief medical officer." he called out. Mal took a gun from his belt. Just put Malcolm on.