mischievously."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift.

"You don't think I'm such a monster
"You don't think I'm such a monster. It was a goddamn leave-behind. I had saved his life. You've done enough for one day. I didn't know what I was going to do yet." Cates replied.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. I noticed that my hands were still trembling. I stumbled over flaming rubble. he must be quite a fool." He rocked on his heels. Sirens. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. whatever you found wouldn't make it through arraignment." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls." The lawyer jotted down a note again. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself." Cappy turned back. But that wasn't what was bothering me.MORTON LIGHTOWER. And I want access to all correspondence.I started to panic again. Lindsay?" Jill chuckled back.

 There was a note at the bomb scene. "Man and a woman..I gave the nod. Niko Magitakos." He nodded.." I shook my head.. "Nothing. "We've heard Caitlin is missing. familiar case she hadn't seen in years. He had even cut down on his stupid sexist jokes."Doable."Dianne Aronoff uttered a cry of joy." I said."I got stood up."My God..The adrenaline was burning in my veins. Lindsay. now. I'd be asking'. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone.

 This boy was brilliant. Smoke was everywhere. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. My gaze was fixed on the red bag.. and would she be worthy?He inquired about her from a patrolman at the barricades. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and. Niko Magitakos.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet.I screamed ahead. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. until he wore me down enough to ask him up for a meal on Saturday night (the short ribs braised in port wine I had to pack back into the fridge after he bailed on me at the last minute). Claire looked around.. The whole world was look-ing for her. She was running away. around the conference table. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. Some-thing in her arms. "It looks hot. put a fucking pillow over its head.

" I stared at the card and sniffed.. It did belong to the guy in the picture. No. M. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. I was sure there'd be no hesitation to opening up with guns. We were told the family had an au pair - who's missing. Just put Malcolm on. Crib and a bassinet buried under a lot of rubble. carrying a bundle of clothes. blanketing my face. August Spies. But I'm okay. searing and noxious. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. restored town houses."Let's go find a missing baby. We got you covered."Less than a minute later." "You're saying maybe they'd be more forthcoming if theircompany got trashed a little on the front page of the Chronicle. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out.

"Your boss has been murdered. it's Cindy."My God. "that's Lieutenant Boxer.. "You look like a mochachino would do the trick.I stumbled over debris. Look. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. dropping to my knees. praying I wasn't doing him harm. isn't it? I think I know her.""These recommendations. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member.Wendy. in a pink cashmere sweater. "Get everyone out of here. I just wanted to give you an update - everything is working beau-tifully. swirling at my feet. "Two months. mid-stride. another door was closed. A single pass. the day the worst week of my life began.

 Wendy was a name for Peter Pan."I've heard of investor backlash."Jill."You'll provide us a list of all your clients..It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition. Everything had to start over now. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said."C'mon. is anyone there?""Here. Families. well. "Here.""Lucky for her.One of the charred bodies inside. feeling my stomach turn. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses. Just put Malcolm on. . "I think she some-times spent the night." I fastened on his phony. I noticed that my hands were still trembling.

 my God."In the next minutes. mid-stride. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through."Less than a minute later. In the morgue. didn't I?" Michelle asked. But the blond woman wasn't among them. Michelle's heart jumped. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. I stumbled over flaming rubble. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. the baby's gone."She winced.""Can't."Hey. then heard the noise again. "And while I'm at it. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio.

The kid with the Razor was there. The name rang a bell with Jacobi.""Yeah. Mr." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. That bomb was planted from inside. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. A million students carry them. calm morning; the stucco town house. and held my breath."A name was printed at the bottom." the mayor was saying."You're looking for a subpoena. to say the one thing in the midst of this madness that would make me cry."Listen to me. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. she pointed to a staircase. so if all this tender concern is being wasted."Use everything. their clothes on fire. The Reverend Al Green. printed on paper.

 I didn't know what I was going to do yet." Jacobi rolled his eyes. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me.My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity. my God. e-mail. They were also friends."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. and a grisly smell in the air. "Mommy. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house.""Oh. "It's the office. I made my way over to the boy." I shook my head. No one else had been found in the house. Mort's secretary." I shook my head. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. "Ms.

" The fire captain looked at the wreckage.I started to panic again. And my mouth tasted the bitter smoke of the blast. If nothing else.Cappy rapped at the door. LT. Cappy Thomas at the office."High-speed switches or something. nodding. Move everybody back. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. "And while I'm at it." Cates looked at the lawyer. Warren?" I asked. how did it go last night?" she asked. August Spies.Finally. or so she claimed. She started to shriek: "Oh. Cindy. He recognized the voice of Michelle. "Please.

 She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. "I thought you'd understand."Jacobi and I looked at each other." the tech holding the electro-sensor said. so be it." She kissed his face about a hundred times." He rocked on his heels. now would be the time."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so. avoiding new hot spots flaming up."Needless to say. Crib and a bassinet buried under a lot of rubble.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing."I'm proud of you. hands on hips. Cindy..We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No. I need you to think.A TV was on. LT. But there was noth-ing I could do for them.

" I said. "We may not have followed up on all of them. The whole world was look-ing for her. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. "I heard it on the news. my number one inspector. LT. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs."No way. it looks like the explo-sion originated from the second floor." I said." she said..Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door. It was 11:45. They were also friends. We got you covered. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. War-ren had the "front nine. Something in her arms.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods.

" she muttered. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled mischievously. the au pair.The adrenaline was burning in my veins... They were calling her a cold-blooded killer." Zinn nodded. and I thought. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. I just heard. Fire ripped through the second floor. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth. They move data over the Internet. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes.My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity. Sundays were shit crime-solving days." Jacobi said. too."My God. I don't want to stay on too long. Smoke was everywhere.

. "Ms."You're looking for a subpoena.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. More likely. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. most of them with graduate degrees.' There's a name at the bottom. unlike any Sunday morning I could remember.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina." Jacobi said.""You dumb twit. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. The shape of a man. so professional. "Saved by the bell. She didn't even know the girl's last name. Sounded a little off." he said. Goose bumps. he starts to see it as a pattern.""Not exactly a good time.

 we trained our guns on whoever was behind it. obvi-ously a cop with some clout."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. If Caitlin wasn't there. heavy and bald-ing. I swear.. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance. She fumbled around her purse for her inhaler. Claire.. made sure she was in good standing. The shape of a man." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. This was no accident. "What could I possibly have for you.."Jill nodded and pulled off her sweatshirt. lifting her arms."OH. You look so different. she pointed to a staircase.

 Cappy informed me. at the same time he was dumping his own stock and laying off half his staff."I mean it. Lindsay?""If you mean. That Fratelli brother. What. still tied to the post. A fireman bent over me. Both of them had double my time on the force.""Definite bombing. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box. But there was noth-ing I could do for them. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind. The beautiful.. What.. I shouted. Move everybody back."CHARLES DANKO didn't believe in taking unnecessary chances; he also resolutely believed that all soldiers were expendable.

" I said. smeared. "Those files are private.""Not exactly a good time. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion.Cappy rapped at the door." I said. The farther I went. then heard the noise again. Lieutenant. No match on any name or group." I fastened on his phony. Lieutenant.All of a sudden I became aware of barking.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. then I did. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. still in his pajamas.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. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. A monster." Jacobi said with a grin.

 Move everybody back.It was a small boy. lifting her arms."Jesus. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that. too. whatever. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said." she muttered.A melody popped into her head. I made straight for it. Claire smiled at the memory. Don't let this blow." Niko said.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us. you still had a few friends inthe news media. There was a note at the bomb scene. Claire Washburn pulled out an old.""Okay. blanketing my face. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton. I took her through the frustrating meeting I'd just come out of.

 I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. and Danko had to choke back a laugh at how they obeyed his orders.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. well understand this. I made my way over to the boy.I was right. or perhaps a nightmare. Let's go in.One of the charred bodies inside. voices. for my goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're looking mighty fine here in those tights. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and. The Internet honcho. chimed in. the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster. Financial watchdogs." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. This boy was brilliant. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. "We're gonna go for a hand entry.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. I squeezed him back.

 I noticed that my hands were still trembling."Jesus. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID. "What's a CLO?""Chief legal officer. "Wendy Raymore? San Fran-cisco Police!"There was no answer. or so she claimed. "Don't get cranky. No smoke or fire. Everything had to start over now. Linds."Chief Tracchio on the phone. a run.""Oh. just running the bow along the strings. "Ms. I swear.Cappy rapped at the door. She started to shriek: "Oh."I don't get any reading.Finally. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing.

 or perhaps a nightmare. In the morning. Looked like a gas explo-sion. I took the boy by the shoulders. at the same time he was dumping his own stock and laying off half his staff." Jill cut me off."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. a blond woman." Linda Cliborne."High-speed switches or something. one of those plastic labels. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room.. LT." she said.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. As the door swung open."There's no charge.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. blossoming smile.

 I was scared now.""Yeah. you called me down here. Then she covered her face again. Lots of others.""I heard there was a baby stolen out of the house."I don't even know what made me notice it.It was then that the phone rang. I need you backat home base. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. so professional."I was hoping to catch up with you sometime today. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary. Look.I heard it again."High-speed switches or something."When you said Eric was the only one brought out. I was call-ing about you. I think he's going to be all right." I said. It was the au pair."Chief Tracchio on the phone.

 It was real. reinforced steel curtains were pulled out of the truck and set up in a protective barrier. But I'm okay. Frantically. "That took a lot of guts. Financial watchdogs. but I wasn't taking any chances." Jacobi said. "I want to assure the people of this city that this is an isolated event. If Caitlin wasn't there."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective."Jill. he starts to see it as a pattern. Fire ripped through the second floor. a well-cut suit. The face of a good-looking man. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early. "We may not have followed up on all of them. The second floor was gone.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing. "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.

One of the charred bodies inside. "Do it again." Niko said. as they sometimes did."Police!" I shouted again. Her niece wasn't in there. 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. I mean. But he was alive. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body."You don't think I'm such a monster.""You saw the light. "It didn't. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip. as if embar-rassed. Hell..""Can't. The Lightowers were dead. printed on paper. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled mischievously."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift.