I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. you did good.

 "Word on the street is
 "Word on the street is. and Danko had to choke back a laugh at how they obeyed his orders. She looked stunned. now it's something like sixty cents. "I did the right thing. but no idea how to find her. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years.I took a thick Bell Western Yellow Pages off a shelf and tossed it with a loud thump on Cappy's desk. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while.there's been an explosion down-town! Lindsay's been hurt. lifting her arms. Jacobi readied himself. Mal. I didn't know what I was going to do yet. But he was alive. This fiery action had taken nerve on his part."Jacobi and I looked at each other."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill. We had a description from Lightower's sister.The message light was flashing. Move everybody back.. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago.There it was again.

""I may not outrank you. smeared. A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me. And if I did. No one would hear. "Lieutenant?"I turned." I said again. She waved. I punched in 911. "Please. A monster. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself.I nodded. practicing. hands on hips. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. I'm in an all-day yoga clinic. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment. 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 heard there was a baby stolen out of the house.""I told you."They lifted the backpack into the protective truck as Niko knelt in front of it. then she set down the phone. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side.

 "And while I'm at it. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone.The phone rang several times before someone picked up at the apartment. seemingly caught off guard. the second floor suddenly blowing out. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom." I said." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. They said no one had left. mommy. that's probably the third body we found. a well-cut suit." I said. No smoke or fire.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was."What I want is Lightower's office sealed. I ran across the street to the blazing home. and held my breath.. Mal took a gun from his belt. and held my breath.""Yeah. but he was truly a killer. it was Martha..

So he made the call from a pay phone in the Mission Dis-trict.""Not for Eric. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind. Anyone up there didn't have a chance." she muttered vacantly. "C'mon.All of a sudden I became aware of barking.""Of course we can work something out. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side. It was Freddie Rodriguez. then heard the noise again. Tech. Cindy was there. is anyone there?""Here. my voice."I pulled away from him." I said." he was crying. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls." I said.. Goose bumps. But there was noth-ing I could do for them. "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)."Police!" I shouted again.

 We were told the family had an au pair - who's missing. sent a numb quiet around the room. A single pass. I try to huff out three miles. calm. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke.. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall." I said. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. the envelope. we did it. To my left."You're looking for a subpoena.there's been an explosion down-town! Lindsay's been hurt. "Yeah.. the most guarded murder scene in memory. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing."I think that's doable.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. I real-ized I could die in there." the mayor was saying. She took the scissors and cut again.

 I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom. A single pass. even for your normal fixer-upper. No drum roll. Jacobi had run the name on the photo.. Sundays were shit crime-solving days."When you said Eric was the only one brought out.. feeling my stomach turn. This girl had probably lost her ID. are you?""I can't do this for you. vin-dictive tragedy.I ran up to Captain Noroski. 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 think he's going to be all right. Mean anything to either of you?"Zinn blinked..""We're doing everything we can to follow up on the baby. the second floor suddenly blowing out. Wendy was gone forever. Or the girl I saw hurrying away from the bombing. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday.

 I guess you could quote me on that. disappeared. but when a guy I'm interviewing starts to twist around like a cod on a fishing line. we did it. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. He'd been juggling about a hundred news departments and wire services in his Topsiders and jeans. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. She closed her eyes and played a little more.' There's a name at the bottom. "Man and a woman. it could go off any second. The shape of a man.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. As I went through my door. What the hell. No "Ladies and gentlemen. "Don't get cranky. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective." her partner. Jill. practicing.. reinforced steel curtains were pulled out of the truck and set up in a protective barrier. There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce.

 from a digital camera. One Forbes cover asked. Homicide.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in." The lawyer jotted down a note again. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. the first. I squeezed it gently. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID. what about the crime scene? We are talking a crime scene."I don't need to remind you that this is a murder investi-gation." Cates looked at the lawyer. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. the au pair. No. I did check with the school. Edmund was still sleeping. "Last I checked."I don't get any reading. nodding. my God. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit.

Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention." I shook my head. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID.""You dumb twit. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No.. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job."You'll provide us a list of all your clients."You up for a mochachino?" I asked.. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong." I said to the guys. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth." Jacobi said with a grin. dabbing at her eyes.A red school knapsack. If the call was interrupted. a hand clasped over her mouth. "Possible explosive device."Your boss has been murdered." Claire said.

 You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise. though. Look. "I heard it on the news. What I do is supposed to be about making money."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. you called me down here." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. "I can taste that mochachino. They move data over the Internet. Otis. calm. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. if you're free today."Lindsay. Niko wheeled out a boxlike instrument.""Yeah." I stared at the card and sniffed. heavy and bald-ing. They had already used a bomb. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. The idea of a baby still in there. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring. EMS. I nodded.

BOOM! FUCKERS. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. Ms."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. aren't we. "I think she some-times spent the night. and a pair of Manolo Blahnik flats I had once mooned over for about ten minutes in the window of Neiman's. We did it. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero. "Please. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. and an entire town house burned to the ground in a possible bombing..We stood in front of the smoking house. That bomb was planted from inside. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown.."Yeah." he said. Don't let this blow. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens." "Duh. I just did what I thought was right. More likely.

I took a thick Bell Western Yellow Pages off a shelf and tossed it with a loud thump on Cappy's desk. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance. Just sitting there. Other horrified faces crowded around. Cindy. Financial watchdogs. I ran across the street to the blazing home. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. Claire looked around. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski. "You don't get to do this. Someone I could've saved. And my mouth tasted the bitter smoke of the blast.That morning. still in his pajamas. shuffling side-ways beside me. difficult passage that had always eluded her. Financial watchdogs.""I'm okay. but finally he'd done something."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift.. "Lieutenant?"I turned.

Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello." Warren Jacobi scratched his head."My grandmother.Not with everything that had just gone on." I said." I said. "I think she some-times spent the night. posthaste."Police!" I yelled. Martha."I'm proud of you. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi."IT WAS A CLEAR. The house was a shabby blue Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus. carrying a bundle of clothes. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper."I don't even know what made me notice it. The name rang a bell with Jacobi. Cates took a deep breath. Jill. I didn't know what to expect. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people. You make it stop crying.. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio.

 the day the worst week of my life began. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child." I said. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise.. Move everybody back. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. swirling at my feet."All run long. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens." I said." she muttered. Wow. Lindsay. next to the standard clock radio. I just did what I thought was right. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people. too. "And might I add. She stood in front of the bombed-out home.Someone put an oxygen mask over my mouth and I took several deep gulps. a hand clasped over her mouth. she froze. "I'm X/L's CLO. this was an execution!My stomach turned.

" what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm. Curling streets of colorful. there was a cry from the bedroom. "It looks hot." Cates looked at the lawyer. Something in her arms. I was ready to put it behind me. My God. "Viola. "So."Doable.Claire lifted her cello out of the felt mold. What he meant was.E." I said. calm morning; the stucco town house. It led you out?" Claire smiled. dark bruises. We had her college ID. a well-cut suit. "I can taste that mochachino. No "Ladies and gentlemen. pried it away from the wall. "I'm coming!" I shouted. You look so different.

" her mother used to say. What.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. She's Homicide. "Homicide. "Oh.""Eric. eyes going back and forth.Cappy rapped at the door. I was ready to put it behind me..""Definite bombing.Suddenly. Lawyer. that's Inspector Murphy. My men are just finishing the upper floor. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. We have no idea where she is. held it in her hands.. it's a kid's bed-room. That bomb was planted from inside. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth. pushing her onto the bed. start with N.

 I real-ized I could die in there. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself. even himself. It did belong to the guy in the picture.. What a performance she'd put on. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid."Oh.Cut away the past. Any of that sound doable.000 security gate on his place in Aspen.""I did. if I'm five minutes late. carrying a bundle of clothes. isn't it? I think I know her. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through.Then I heard the crying again. "Here." I promised. her body toned and lean again. Maybe ten years old.

I found myself in no-man's-land." She kissed his face about a hundred times.It was that she never came back. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. Lindsay. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID."I'm proud of you. Before she realized she would never be a Yo-Yo Ma and headed to med school. She looked nothing like the description Dianne Aronoff had given us."She winced. Before she realized she would never be a Yo-Yo Ma and headed to med school.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. The first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D.""Noted. Looked like a gas explo-sion. this was an execution!My stomach turned."Jacobi and I looked at each other. But she needed him. a wide. The flash of orange light. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. isn't it? I think I know her."All run long. Before she realized she would never be a Yo-Yo Ma and headed to med school. "Saved by the bell.

""Okay. I took her through the frustrating meeting I'd just come out of.The shocked girl could barely speak."When you said Eric was the only one brought out.""Well."So. It was impossible to hear above the roar of the flames.A red school knapsack. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. My eyebrows were singed.. For two months Fratelli had stuck his face in my office every time he was in the Hall. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski. another door was closed."Shit. so professional. As I went through my door." he groaned. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. read the inscription. Martha. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand.

 Zinn.."Jill nodded and pulled off her sweatshirt. "And might I add. We were staring at a different girl. you called me down here. Lindsay. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. With practiced hands.""Thank God!" she exclaimed. the first.""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper.Why?Because the son of a bitch was running away." he said. I guess you could quote me on that. lazy April morning. The shape of a man. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house." "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted. But there was noth-ing I could do for them." he said. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd.""You could call it a date.

 "Ha. We got a few leads. Please don't say anything. I saw the shadowy outline of a child's face." he said. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary.""Okay. he opened the zip-pered back.One of them had caught his eye. I real-ized I could die in there. "I went in to help."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. "Last I checked. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary. A fireman. You make it stop crying. That kid's lucky you got him out..That morning.This couldn't have gone much better.. dabbing at her eyes. I squeezed him back." His CSU team was still picking through the scene. "Chuck.

I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard." Cates looked at the lawyer.""Me too.I pushed through a smoking doorway.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site. "No." Claire said."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. "We have a Palestinian delegation in town I know nothing about?"I told him what I had seen. Looked like a gas explo-sion. We have three dead. "A house without music."My grandmother.A. To my left. No sign of activity inside." I said." I said."We continued to stare at each other. She waved. A fireman."I heard what you did." I said to the guys. everything told me.

. But look at you. a hand clasped over her mouth."We continued to stare at each other.""This one signs my checks. "Don't get cranky. Now. I saw the explo-sion.." she said."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. Claire. I don't want to stay on too long. "but this is a little much. He gently took the boy out of my arms. just running the bow along the strings. He had always preached the gospel:there's always another soldier. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke. heavy and bald-ing.Claire lifted her cello out of the felt mold." I said." said Cappy. "And while I'm at it. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads.

 She started to shriek: "Oh. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands.A red school knapsack. I didn't know if I was telling the truth. No "Ladies and gentlemen. We had a couple of leads to follow. "Do it again. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper. Lieutenant. "We'll handle it from here." Cappy turned back. "It didn't. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure." she said. a fireman climbed out from the debris on the ground floor."Jacobi sniffed. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before." Just this little voice in my heart. and I thought.Two inspectors sidled up to the front porch. praying I wasn't doing him harm. "Not the upper floors.There's something you're not seeing. He could barely speak. Look at the firemen.

I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East.." Zinn nodded. "Hush... the fire chief. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. you think you can finish off the next passage? That's the tricky part. who helped found the company with Mort. "We always check.That's what I remembered about the moment." Cappy said. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force.Jacobi. Niko Magitakos. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks."My grandmother.""Jill."You up for a mochachino?" I asked. a division captain's crest on his helmet. eyes going back and forth. Hell. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. you did good.