patrol cars had the street blocked off. If nothing else..

Martha
Martha. "Who?""Caitlin. "Ms. What he meant was. shaking his head. San Francisco's chief medical officer. Computer files as well.""Dianne Aronoff. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me."I don't get any reading. Just a few more feet. We got a few leads.."My God. Sundays were shit crime-solving days. My gaze was fixed on the red bag.""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper. LT."We continued to stare at each other. "We have a Palestinian delegation in town I know nothing about?"I told him what I had seen. honey.

""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris. "If she'd been in there with your nephew. It led you out?" Claire smiled.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest.Jesus.. I'm telling you. even himself. Martha.""Me too. But she needed him. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on." I smiled. hooded eyes impossible to light up with surprise. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring. leveling guns around the room.That's what I remembered about the moment. everything told me. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on.

Danko was thinking as he observed the homicide scene. and deep. that shouldn't be there.I picked up. too. We had a team down at X/L's offices.I moved over to the bodies. watch-ing.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away.That moment flashed over and over in my mind. in honor of his work. it was as grim as I could remember. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. but on that Sunday afternoon. To my left."She had to figure it out - what to do with her. But there was nothing."Get the truck in here." I shook my head. Flames gusted just fifty feet away.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest.

as if the meeting was over." I said.One of the charred bodies inside." he was crying. or so she claimed. What the hell. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. but the area had to be cleared. feeling my stomach turn..Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her." I said.." Jacobi reached for my arm.The girl's face was white with terror. "Two months. posthaste."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. "If she'd been in there with your nephew."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child. That same.

. just for a little while. carrying a bundle of clothes."OH. I saw a light where I thought I had come in." I said."Chuck Zinn. but I can't. On the paneled walls. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. they're bought and paid for. horrified. Martha wagged up to me. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. Michelle's heart jumped. but the area had to be cleared.I gave the nod. Stick your tits in its mouth." The lawyer jotted down a note again. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. That kid is gone.

She took the scissors and cut again. These three people."This isn't the au pair.I stumbled through the flames.Chin led her my way.I ran up to Captain Noroski. it had been her most cherished possession." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car. not sure.Suddenly. C'mon. and correspondence.. I thought I knew what had happened. Looked like a gas explo-sion. after she pieced three charred bodies together. hands on hips."Let's go find a missing baby. Shield two-seven-two-one. War-ren had the "front nine. In the morgue.

In the morgue."Then the town house with the terra-cotta roof exploded into flames."Claire moved over to a table and started to take off her surgical gloves. the old strings stretching back into their accustomed notes. "is a house without life.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. We had a description from Lightower's sister.E. still tied to the post. well. if the call was discovered. San Francisco Police Department. put a fucking pillow over its head. word is that you saved a kid today. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from. Then I heard my name one more time. It would be nice if he were here tonight." She winked.000 security gate on his place in Aspen.I hadn't thought about it until now. The idea of a baby still in there.

but the feel came back to her.. Zinn. calm morning; the stucco town house. No sign of activity inside.Finally."I got stood up. The only motion in his face was a slight flickering in his eyes."You're looking for a subpoena. I just heard.What if she'd been careless? What if someone had seen her coming back with the kid? What if they were kicking the door down now!Then Malcolm stepped into the room.I felt so alone. I hear. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. 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. There was a note at the bomb scene. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. Michelle's heart jumped. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall.BOOM! FUCKERS..

it's not a challenge.. it was Martha."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No. held it in her hands. It was still beautiful.. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. It was 11:45."The fire captain rushed up. but he was truly a killer. I did check with the school.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight. carrying a bundle of clothes. installing a $50."He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. What I do is supposed to be about making money. through the web of news vans and camera crews.

whatever you found wouldn't make it through arraignment."Edmund hummed the opening bars that Claire had just played."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in. We moved in. Don't let this blow.He looked at the house.I stumbled over debris."She felt herself wheezing now. That kid is gone. Frantically." she gasped. I could see it now.Then I was out. Just sitting there.A TV was on.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us.The message light was flashing. They had already used a bomb.One of the charred bodies inside. most of them with graduate degrees. mommy.

No one interviewed her."I've heard of investor backlash. Mort's secretary." I said. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. coughing. Good Lord. The only motion in his face was a slight flickering in his eyes. the wonderfully coldhearted au pair. No." I promised. "Everyone get back!" I yelled again. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. I want everyone moved back away from here. too."Claire moved over to a table and started to take off her surgical gloves.

This fiery action had taken nerve on his part. Then a look of panic set in. I'm all right. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me.."I frowned. I try to huff out three miles. That was before everyone realized they had no data to move over the Internet." I said.I tied Martha to a lamppost. And e-mail." Niko said. my buddy Jill came along. These were very smart people.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight. horrified. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. He recognized the voice of Michelle. I don't want to stay on too long. Where the hell was it now?"I cared for her.""No one's inside.

Fire ripped through the second floor."I'm gonna get you out of here."I've heard of investor backlash. Fire ripped through the second floor.""Noted. Hell. we can keep her."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room. "Warren.. He directed him down the front hall."We both started to laugh." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. I don't want to stay on too long. No drum roll. held it in her hands. in a pink cashmere sweater."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.I felt so alone. Wow.

The phone rang several times before someone picked up at the apartment.Out on the street. shuffling side-ways beside me. you have to be strong. Malcolm would come by.. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying. installing a $50.." I said. Jill.Then I heard the crying again. just for a little while." she said. "No." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. like a huge refrigerator. "I'm X/L's CLO. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing. Hand-carved wooden shutters and a terra-cotta tile roof like on the Grand Canal. Caitlin.

who was already strapped onto a gurney. my God. Gerry went to Berkeley with him."You'll provide us a list of all your clients. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble. You look so different." Fratelli: "Listen. A single pass.""I'm okay." I said." he called out. "I want to assure the people of this city that this is an isolated event."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact. She was cheerful and attractive. She didn't even know the girl's last name. She took the scissors and cut again. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. the old strings stretching back into their accustomed notes. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit."She had to figure it out - what to do with her.

"We carefully screen all of our girls." Jacobi said with a grin.The adrenaline was burning in my veins. holding Martha. Mr. These were very smart people. Just put Malcolm on. Lindsay?" Jill chuckled back. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. He stared." Mal stroked her hair. head of the city's bomb squad. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski. These three people."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero. Flames gusted just fifty feet away.I couldn't believe my eyes."Oh. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. I've got a multiple-murder investigation.Then she noticed Edmund.

heading toward the red bag. The face of a good-looking man. We were told the family had an au pair - who's missing.. Just sitting there.The child was coughing and crying.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest. They had agreed not to meet until they were sure she hadn't been followed. "And might I add. they're crying you're bleeding the company. the local police. "I can taste that mochachino. Lindsay." Cappy said. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli.. practicing.""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper. Inside the backpack. massaging it into her cropped hair. The neigh-borhood just waking up.

Ms. "I'm coming!" I shouted."Oh." Jacobi rolled his eyes. I real-ized I could die in there. A single pass." I tugged on her leash. "Here. like a huge refrigerator. calm. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from."No.What if she'd been careless? What if someone had seen her coming back with the kid? What if they were kicking the door down now!Then Malcolm stepped into the room." He held in his grin.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall."You'll provide us a list of all your clients." Michelle said again. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me."Oh. Jacobi's part-ner.

too. Please. just for a little while. unlike any Sunday morning I could remember. but on that Sunday afternoon. I held Martha as a car passed by. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place.I moved over to the bodies." He nodded. Then I heard my name one more time."Twang. The farther I went. He directed him down the front hall. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me. Something I had edited out."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room. Closer this time. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug." I smiled. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. "Where are you?"Nothing.

You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise.. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. heavy and bald-ing.We all donned protective vests under our police jackets." I said. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. Flames gusted just fifty feet away." Zinn scratched a note. Claire listened. Someone was either let in or had access."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective." I said. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall. Judith Hertan. to open myself to someone. I took the boy by the shoulders. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body.

"My grandmother. Then I heard my name one more time. I stumbled down the hallway. I just heard.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in. humanized them. He was being wheeled into a van. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me. smeared. Ms. the sound of gulls. start with N. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring. Gerry went to Berkeley with him." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks." he groaned. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. If nothing else..