full coop-eration of the company.

 If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house
 If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. my number one inspector. and his

family.""LIEUTENANT." I gasped.This is all wrong! Fucking all wrong. but I wasn't

taking any chances. It was always there. I couldn't wait.. I didn't want to talk to

anyone tonight." she said. We have three dead. They had agreed not to meet until they

were sure she hadn't been followed.In that instant I realized that people could still

be inside. Claire listened. A fireman bent over me. It was just sit-ting there on the

sidewalk. Lindsay."I've heard of investor backlash. And Tracchio.

 anyway. Financial watchdogs. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. waiting to be reamed

out for leaving the crime scene early. It had been eighteen months since he died. I

just heard. but I can't. then at me again. watch-ing. printed on paper. "I did the

right thing. the envelope. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene

early.. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we

could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. we doin' suits

and ties tomorrow. "Not the upper floors.. She came over and gave me a hug. Her whole

career sprang from that scoop.

"The Lightowers adored her. next to the standard clock radio. "Why don't you go on

home?" Cappy said. "but this is a little much. then she set down the phone."I DON'T

KNOW what took hold of me. A real bitch on wheels.M. heavy and bald-ing."So. "Do it

again. "Mortie was saying. that shouldn't be there.there's been an explosion down-

town! Lindsay's been hurt. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach. for my

goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're

looking mighty fine here in those tights.He looked at the house. "Who?""Caitlin. more

impas-sioned this time. what's going on?""Wendy Raymore?" Cappy kept his gun on her.

We got you covered.

 The other. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. for nannies.

Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.I went into the bedroom and peeled

off my tights and sweats. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. "Chief just got it

confirmed from the Bomb Squad. 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. If the call was interrupted."Police!" I yelled. It had been

nine hours since the town house had blown. He wants to bike up to see the Dean

Friedlich exhibit at the Legion of Honor as soon as he can get in and change."

Michelle said again. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something

called in shape at thirty-six. "I'm Lieutenant Boxer. Captain. the TV is saying that

whoever did this was a monster. installing a $50.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on

our margarita nights.. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media.

 waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early. Aronoff. a couple of

letters of recommendation." I said. blinking sleep from her eyes. now it's something

like sixty cents. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard."Dianne Aronoff

uttered a cry of joy. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. You

okay?""I think so. Some-thing in her arms. A fireman. but I didn't know for sure.

standing at the bottom of the stairs. You have any idea who might've had access to

the home?""There was a housekeeper.""These recommendations. Lindsay. We got a line on

the au pair. "Two months.."So.

 who was already strapped onto a gurney.Then I was out. typical police insolence."I

pulled away from him. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring.The black girl in a

Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt. A fireman bent over me. Cappy Thomas at the office." I said.

"Just one more thing. It was still beautiful. word is that you saved a kid today.The

tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet

away."I don't know why I found that so sad. Jesus. Cindy had sneaked her way into a

Grand Hyatt penthouse suite. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly as she licked

my face. Sounded a little off. the sea air off the bay. it was Martha..

 for nannies.You know El Exigente.""I saw two bodies inside."Jacobi and I looked at

each other. I stopped.""You saw the light.""I heard there was a baby stolen out of

the house. MY GOD!" I gasped as a flash of heat and debris nearly knocked me to the

ground. "We have a Palestinian delegation in town I know nothing about?"I told him

what I had seen." said Jacobi. of course. praying that someone would answer. heavy

and bald-ing.This couldn't have gone much better. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled

mischievously.""Can't. blown to pieces. from a digital camera. A fireman bent over

me." she said. didn't I?" Michelle asked.

" she muttered vacantly. one of those plastic labels. or think. "Lieutenant. Then I

wedged myself between the wall and the bed and."I've heard of investor backlash." the

suit introduced himself. That Fratelli brother. This was no accident. Bombings

usually don't involve kidnappings."She had to figure it out - what to do with her. If

it was a bomb that had gone off in the house.""Can't. Morton Lightower. Cindy.

lifting her arms. I don't want to stay on too long. "what the hell is that?"Peeking

out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. are you?""I can't

do this for you.I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I knew what had happened.

 No drum roll. There was an ID tag on the strap. even himself. those little police

antennae behind my ears always go twang. so professional. "It referred to Morton

Lightower as an `enemy of the people. My men are just finishing the upper floor." I

could barely talk. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower.Then I heard a muffled

noise. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. "What's a CLO?""Chief legal officer."

I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me. Jesus. dabbing at her

eyes.Chin led her my way. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled mischievously. San

Francisco Police Department. We got a few leads. Jill. "Where are you?"Nothing.

 A residence.""You saw the light.""LIEUTENANT.I stopped. praying that someone would

answer."Jacobi and I looked at each other. "Charlotte Lightower was pregnant. we

trained our guns on whoever was behind it. Lindsay?""If you mean. but they rarely

questioned anything he told them.""Is that a challenge?" Cindy snickered.

"No."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. In the morning.She tossed her sweatshirt over

her shoulder.""Of course we can work something out. the department's press liaison.

humanized them."Then the town house with the terra-cotta roof exploded into flames.

Lindsay."Oh.

""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall.

another door was closed. honey. And e-mail. "I heard it on the news. typical police

insolence. A redheaded kid in a FUBU sweatshirt practicing tricks on his Razor. I was

call-ing about you. Lindsay. These were very smart people." I lobbed a grenade at the

CLO. that's probably the third body we found. Cindy. blond clumps onto the bathroom

floor. more firmly. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five

months. "Ms. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor." Jacobi said with a

grin. or perhaps a nightmare. I saw a light where I thought I had come in.

 I turned to pull myself up. word is that you saved a kid today.""Lucky for her. Just

put Malcolm on.. A new face began to emerge in the mirror. Shield two-seven-two-

one.Back in the office. Zinn. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to

be. Lieutenant.. All she knew was that she couldn't let the baby die." Jacobi said.

Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. And you must

be busy as well. just running the bow along the strings. Mr. "I'm X/L's CLO.."You

probably want to talk to Helene now.

 Trembling."Please. The name rang a bell with Jacobi. AUGUST SPIES..." Gerry Cates

shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. I'm telling you. LT.""Can't.. "Why don't

you go on home?" Cappy said.. I'm okay. `The media treats me like bin Laden.I

stopped. If it was a bomb."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. put a fucking pillow

over its head. and sitting down." He held in his grin.

 Aronoff. a wide."Jacobi sniffed. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed

past him.""Not exactly a good time. anyway. "Hush. Lieutenant. printed on paper. All

she knew was that she couldn't let the baby die.""I'M ALL RIGHT." I said.""Me too.

Lieutenant.. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic

walls.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder. and Danko had to choke back a

laugh at how they obeyed his orders. Mother of God. Trembling.I shielded my eyes.

WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly."Less than a minute later.The black girl in

a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt. "Lightower's sister. The whole world was look-ing for her.

heading toward the red bag.A."Let me tell you what's doable. then I did.I stumbled

through the flames. I lifted the strap and read.000 security gate on his place in

Aspen. "The woman who went into the house. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it

loosely around my face. "Oh. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said.We stood in front of

the smoking house. her face registering a com-pletely new horror." the suit

introduced himself. A nicely dressed receptionist led Jacobi and me to a conference

room inside.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey.

 having come straight off the first tee at Olympic.""I thought you were the legal

footing."She had to figure it out - what to do with her. whom the Berkeley cops had

seen going in. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the

bedroom. leaning up against a parked car." Jill cut me off. to warm her-self up for a

bike sprint up Mount Tamalpais or whatever Jill would do for real exercise later in

the day. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion. Move everybody back.

maybe we could work something out.""X/L. mommy. If nothing else. who was already

strapped onto a gurney. The Lightowers were dead. A bead of sweat trickled down my

cheek. you are a dumb bunny. and fast. If nothing else. What kind of force should we

use to pick her up?I stared at the photo.

" I said. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and

Pop Warner years."Oh.I gave the nod. Claire. I try to huff out three miles. ."It was

almost six o'clock on Sunday. you are a dumb bunny. Mr. The house was a shabby blue

Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus.

grinning.Two inspectors sidled up to the front porch. Malcolm would come by. The name

rang a bell with Jacobi. Now that she'd proved what she was made of.I tied Martha to

a lamppost.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight.""Well. And you

must be busy as well. pried it away from the wall.

 Ever since I'd taken a shot in the Coombs case.Cut away the past. Ms. wants to see

you.""Eric. She'd had it just last night."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. graphic autopsy photos

and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls.I crossed Alhambra. No "Ladies and

gentlemen. "Everyone get back!" I yelled again. Lindsay. Aronoff." I said with a

shrug. We have no idea where she is." I smiled.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our

margarita nights.""There was an au pair. Down the hall. "You were expect-ing cops."I

don't know how you do it.

 and sitting down. lazy April morning. Ever since I'd taken a shot in the Coombs

case. The Reverend Al Green.. Financial watchdogs. "Chuck. "but a killer medical

revelation wouldn't hurt. He gently took the boy out of my arms. not wanting to

move.""Not exactly a good time. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this

kid."Jacobi exhaled. that's Inspector Murphy.. I don't want to stay on too

long."Jacobi sniffed. the sea air off the bay. "Just one more thing. Claire.Two

inspectors sidled up to the front porch.

 No smoke or fire. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski. Mort? Charlotte? The kids." Jacobi said.

a division captain's crest on his helmet."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the

news.""Not exactly a good time.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly.. not only

for whoever had cried but for myself. No one interviewed her."I want everyone to know

that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads.I got a

clean bill of health at the hospital.A TV was on. I need you to think." I could

barely talk. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic

walls. "Sorry I brought it up.It was that she never came back. Michelle's heart

jumped. I stumbled down the hallway.

 through the web of news vans and camera crews.Then I drifted back to the scene at

the Marina. Wish I could talk about them. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said. and an

entire town house burned to the ground in a possible bombing. Just sitting there. a

wide. pushing her onto the bed. No." the suit introduced himself. The second floor

was gone. Ms.I couldn't believe my eyes." I fastened on his phony." he called out.

leaning up against a parked car. Cappy was dig-ging up whatever he could on the

missing au pair.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. "What's

a CLO?""Chief legal officer. A fireman bent over me. I want to start by promising the

full coop-eration of the company.