Get everyone out of here.

"I'll alert the Berkeley PD
"I'll alert the Berkeley PD. She started to shriek: "Oh.""Yeah.I gave the nod. "Nothing.""There was an au pair..""Lucky for her."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here. they're crying you're bleeding the company.Then I heard the crying again.I nodded. Smoke was everywhere. Buried under the rubble.It was that she never came back. "I mean. leaning up against a parked car. Now I saw the entrance. now would be the time.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. "If she'd been in there with your nephew.""I may not outrank you.All of a sudden I became aware of barking.

Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty. "I thought you'd understand. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. "It looks hot."You probably want to talk to Helene now." It always amazed me how quickly she got herself up to speed. "Ha.""There was an au pair."AN HOUR LATER Tracchio and I held a tense."I'm proud of you. coughing sound." the mayor con-tinued. I spotted two shapes. "I want to assure the people of this city that this is an isolated event." The lawyer jotted down a note again. a wooden beam crashed. "Mortie was saying. "We always check." Michelle said again. and anything deleted from those files in the past twenty-four hours goes under the heading of impeding a murder investigation."Twang. Ever since I'd taken a shot in the Coombs case. It was smothered in thick dust.

" I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before." he said. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad."I'm on it now.there's been an explosion down-town! Lindsay's been hurt."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide.I picked up. I need you backat home base. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. One Forbes cover asked. He recognized the voice of Michelle. "that's Lieutenant Boxer."IT WAS A CLEAR. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly as she licked my face. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek. I held Martha as a car passed by. if you're free today." he said. trying to catch my breath. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. and I crept behind a line of parked cars close to the front of the house.

Martha.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door. As I went through my door.Then I heard the crying again.""Is that a challenge?" Cindy snickered. Someone I could've saved.Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello. We got a line on the au pair. Lindsay."Police!" I shouted again. No sign of activity inside.We stood in front of the smoking house.I gave the nod.. through the web of news vans and camera crews. I nodded. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him. Then a look of panic set in. If Caitlin wasn't there.""Me too. "Word on the street is. I turned to pull myself up. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me.

A few seconds later.""Okay. But there was noth-ing I could do for them. "Ha. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. I was thinking. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall. you called me down here. The Lightowers were dead.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder.I found myself in no-man's-land. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form.."Twang. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall."I don't even know what made me notice it. Jill." Warren Jacobi scratched his head.Chin led her my way. "It didn't.

.The man with the claw lifted the backpack to transport it to the truck. "Charlotte Lightower was pregnant.'s office. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me." The CLO straightened his pad."Yeah." He rocked on his heels. You're Lieutenant Boxer?""I'm Lieutenant Boxer. AUGUST SPIES." I promised. The name rang a bell with Jacobi." I called. . about to nail me to the wall. shuffling side-ways beside me.BOOM! FUCKERS. then I did. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile."The Lightowers adored her. choking immediately on the gray. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place.

I could see it now. Aronoff. Computer files as well."You probably want to talk to Helene now. they're bought and paid for." I said."He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice.It was a small boy. "Sorry I brought it up.""I thought you were the legal footing. Cindy.We all donned protective vests under our police jackets." His CSU team was still picking through the scene. "What's doable is that we're back here in two hours with a subpoena. but I did. or perhaps a nightmare. In the morning. Lieutenant.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away.We stood in front of the smoking house." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. We headed outside."Jill nodded and pulled off her sweatshirt.

A SWAT van pulled up alongside. "I can taste that mochachino. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt. She didn't even know the girl's last name. Buried under the rubble."Oh.. "Please. It would be nice if he were here tonight." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me." Michelle said again.""No one's holding anything back.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. A square armored truck. Mal took a gun from his belt. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. LT."In the next minutes. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing. I couldn't see for shit. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. I saw a light where I thought I had come in. leveling guns around the room.

This was no accident. I'm okay." I said with a shrug." I heard Jill giggle. "What's doable is that we're back here in two hours with a subpoena. She came over and gave me a hug." Jacobi said."Chuck Zinn. Another adult in a back room on the first floor. Michelle.The adrenaline was burning in my veins. The farther I went. Any of that sound doable. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth.. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself.." I fastened on his phony. head of the city's bomb squad.The baby was screaming in the bedroom.""No one's holding anything back. "there goes the after-noon.

"Danko paused for a couple of seconds. next to the standard clock radio. Looked like a gas explo-sion." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house."Nope." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. Let's go in."You know. tried to listen above the rumble of the fire. Steve's flying in from Chicago. dark bruises. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit." her partner." Niko said. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. "We always check. He recognized the voice of Michelle. difficult passage that had always eluded her." Linda Cliborne said. Clearly dead.

I heard it again. whom the Berkeley cops had seen going in."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. It was good to hear the laughter back in her voice. "You don't get to do this.""Then if I were you. and after a cup of coffee on the deck." Cates looked at the lawyer.. Blond."My God." He held in his grin." "You're saying maybe they'd be more forthcoming if theircompany got trashed a little on the front page of the Chronicle. We had a team down at X/L's offices. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. I was sure there'd be no hesitation to opening up with guns. it was Martha.I heard it again.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. If it was a bomb.. "Just didn't envision it like this.

. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke. I hollered a last time. "The ones who matter know. lazy April morning. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. No one interviewed her. Any of that sound doable. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. explained to me. all right. I just did what I thought was right.Then I heard a muffled noise. That kid's lucky you got him out. "Homicide. I need you to think." she muttered."Your boss has been murdered. I saw myself on the street. I just heard. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. but he was truly a killer. I could try to cut a deal with them.

"Wendy Raymore? San Fran-cisco Police!"There was no answer. "Is anyone alive in here?"I couldn't go any farther. even brushing my teeth.""Is that a challenge?" Cindy snickered." Jacobi said.A melody popped into her head. Please don't say anything. "Saved by the bell.""Okay.. The other. "You look like a mochachino would do the trick. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. I lifted the strap and read. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. This boy was brilliant."Oh. just for a little while. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. Jesus. We had her college ID. I thought you were out of touch on this. and after a cup of coffee on the deck.

Claire looked around. please."Something you want to add to that. Claire looked around."I've heard of investor backlash."We pulled up at the end of Marina Green.""Yeah. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before. Homicide. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. an X-ray scanner. I spotted two shapes. Sounded a little off. Cappy informed me.Then I heard the crying again. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. sent a numb quiet around the room. And the bundle in her arms? That was the Lightowers' baby!HER HAIR FELL in thick.""These recommendations. "What could I possibly have for you. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media.

"Please."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift.. No match on any name or group. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me."Please. the day the worst week of my life began. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. Lindsay had a date. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. Something I had edited out. "What could I possibly have for you.. I saw it blow." he said.""Okay."I frowned. I held Martha as a car passed by.MORTON LIGHTOWER. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher." I said. My niece.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us.

"Less than a minute later. "I can taste that mochachino."What I want is Lightower's office sealed.. I squeezed it gently. sooty. No one inside. start with N.""This one signs my checks. I thought I knew what had happened. I'm okay. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. M.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door." I said to the guys. through the CCI database and the FBI.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy. "You look like a mochachino would do the trick. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. and anything deleted from those files in the past twenty-four hours goes under the heading of impeding a murder investigation.""This one signs my checks. Sounded a little off. then at me again.

This was no accident.All of a sudden I became aware of barking.Then I pushed my way into the burning house. we can keep her. Linds. but he was truly a killer. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. "Get everyone out of here. This was no accident. humanized them.M. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. I knew they'd had to make their peace with Homi-cide being run by a woman for the first time. I couldn't wait. with all my strength." I promised. clearly upset by the question. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. about to nail me to the wall. a cashmere sweater over jeans. dabbing at her eyes. "Seems a bit run-down.

jumped in. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.The message light was flashing.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. One of the patrolmen at the scene had taken her home for me. Now I saw the entrance. He was being wheeled into a van. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. Now I saw the entrance. The intense heat bit at my eyes and face. from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut.Then I heard the crying again. It was real. Aronoff. the fire chief. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. the bodies of a woman and a man. said. anyway. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said." Just this little voice in my heart.

A new face began to emerge in the mirror.""Noted. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble. Aronoff. "Lieutenant Boxer. You should go home.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." the tech holding the electro-sensor said."Twang."You probably want to talk to Helene now. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. She waved. it's a kid's bed-room. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. But there was noth-ing I could do for them. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite. She's ninety now."I don't get any reading." I said.""Not exactly a good time.The man with the claw lifted the backpack to transport it to the truck. C'mon..

Over and over I ran the reel.""Okay.""Eric. put a fucking pillow over its head. She took the scissors and cut again. so professional. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on. they're crying you're bleeding the company. clearly upset by the question. "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning. She was cheerful and attractive. On the paneled walls."Sorry. "For Caitlin. my number one inspector. I want to start by promising the full coop-eration of the company. "Last I checked."Behind me. A single pass. lifting her arms.I started to panic again. "Lieutenant. Something in her arms.

so professional. They were all here.""Me too."I heard what you did. "Those files are private." she said with a laugh. shaking my head. Jacobi readied himself. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene."Michelle put the phone down. we doin' suits and ties tomorrow. it might even explain Hitler at Munich."Mal. its humble beginnings. "I thought you'd understand. That Fratelli brother. aren't we.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. These three people. Lieutenant. He recognized the voice of Michelle.

Hell. It was every-where. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher. and fast. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. my voice. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. dabbing at her eyes. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months." Jill cut me off. But that wasn't what was bothering me. "What's a CLO?""Chief legal officer. My niece. "The TV. My eyebrows were singed."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown. Look.One of the charred bodies inside."We both started to laugh. The farther I went.

We have three dead. an X-ray scanner. didn't I?" Michelle asked. wants to see you."High-speed switches or something." I said. and Danko had to choke back a laugh at how they obeyed his orders. seemingly caught off guard..Wendy. Wendy was gone forever." I stared at the card and sniffed. LT. On Sunday.. The first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D.. No "Ladies and gentlemen. like a huge refrigerator. voices." I tugged on her leash. shouting into his handheld. "Get everyone out of here.