Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was.

 "It's Sunday and the markets are closed
 "It's Sunday and the markets are closed. at Caitlin. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls..Jesus. San Francisco's chief medical officer." I said. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me.I couldn't believe my eyes. But I'm okay. Lindsay?""If you mean."I think she said she lived off-campus. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. "Lieutenant Boxer. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. "Where are you?" I called. One look at the SWAT team and she let out a startled scream." I said."We carefully screen all of our girls."Edmund hummed the opening bars that Claire had just played.

 I didn't know what to expect. Cindy..." Cappy Thomas. We have no idea where she is. There was an ID tag on the strap. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower."C'mon. Warren.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.." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair. This girl had probably lost her ID. ponytail..The adrenaline was burning in my veins. No "Ladies and gentlemen. too. Trembling. another door was closed.

"There was a collective sigh. They had agreed not to meet until they were sure she hadn't been followed.I pressed her hand. we did it. Claire listened. I'm okay. but he was truly a killer.The kid with the Razor was there." I heard Jill giggle. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan."Please. No one would hear." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair. with all my strength. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be.I felt so alone. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face.. about eleven.

 Her niece wasn't in there. tomorrow. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there.""Dianne Aronoff. it was as grim as I could remember.I tied Martha to a lamppost."Jacobi exhaled. Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty. This girl had probably lost her ID. No one understands. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something called in shape at thirty-six. standing at the bottom of the stairs." she said. telling me it was time.Jesus."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in. I mean."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE."AN HOUR LATER Tracchio and I held a tense."In the next minutes. Michelle.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie.

"Police!" I shouted again. Casualties likely." He nodded. She didn't even know the girl's last name. "Sorry I brought it up.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights." There could've been a nursery down there. She's Homicide.Cappy rapped at the door." I said."So. She looked nothing like the description Dianne Aronoff had given us. Warren?" I asked. I swear. And I want access to all correspondence. my God." The two men took seats. "Saved by the bell. but he was truly a killer.I picked up. A monster. Edmund was still sleeping.

 "What could I possibly have for you. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there.. Hell. Shield two-seven-two-one. blown to pieces. The face of a good-looking man.It was hard to believe that it had been only five months since Jill lost her baby. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. a hand clasped over her mouth.. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago."Oh. just running the bow along the strings. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. "You don't get to do this. that's Inspector Murphy. Other horrified faces crowded around. Claire looked around. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me.

 I'll care for her. After the blast. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs.Cappy kicked open the door. I'm afraid they're our matters now. it's Cindy."So.. "Just one more thing. The Reverend Al Green. I've got a multiple-murder investigation. next to the standard clock radio." someone called from across the room. A square armored truck. where was she?CHARLES DANKO STOOD at the edge of the crowd. I tried to call you at the office. No match on any name or group. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. If this was no gas explosion.. raspy smoke.

 Claire. that shouldn't be there." he said. another door was closed. carrying a bundle of clothes. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment." her partner added. I thought I knew what had happened. "Where are you?" I called.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile. she froze.I pushed through a smoking doorway. raspy smoke. If this was no gas explosion.. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID." said Jacobi. A new face began to emerge in the mirror. Jill had Steve." I said.

 I spotted two shapes. "Warren?""You did good today. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. I just heard. I stared at that knapsack. She was cheerful and attractive. He gently took the boy out of my arms..""Oh. compliant grin.""I'm not calling about the crime scene."I don't know how you do it.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi. trying to catch my breath. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. "Just didn't envision it like this. "Lieutenant." I lobbed a grenade at the CLO. nodding. do you.I hadn't thought about it until now. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd.

 "I'm Captain Ed Noroski... calm morning; the stucco town house. Sirens. compliant grin.""Definite bombing. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself. Lindsay. but the area had to be cleared. I won't tell the details. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table. Claire. Danko was thinking as he observed the homicide scene. She closed her eyes and played a little more. "A house without music. These were very smart people. along with about half the city's news force. "Lightower's sister. "I went in to help. "Mortie was saying..

 That same. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses. Warren. grinning. Now here she was. "Ms." I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. her body toned and lean again. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before. LT.MORTON LIGHTOWER. mid-stride. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter." he said. No one would hear. I ran across the street to the blazing home."So. just for a little while. she froze." Linda Cliborne.

 He recognized the voice of Michelle." he was crying. coming out of the crowd.E. "Of course.It was then that the phone rang. Homicide. I real-ized I could die in there. Malcolm would come by." she said. Oh. "Saved by the bell. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward.A red school knapsack. Something in her arms. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right." I smiled. Michelle. more impas-sioned this time. AUGUST SPIES. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. Mr.

"Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. If the call was interrupted. its humble beginnings.The man with the claw lifted the backpack to transport it to the truck. that we had murderers out there with C-4."There's no charge. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. "but this is a little much.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site.Then I heard the crying again. I want everyone moved back away from here.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house.""Of course we can work something out. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. and an entire town house burned to the ground in a possible bombing. She had listened to the news reports all afternoon."She felt herself wheezing now. "Just didn't envision it like this. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. horrified. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here." I said.

 searing and noxious. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall. As the door swung open. offering a card to Jacobi. it had been her most cherished possession.. who helped found the company with Mort. Shield two-seven-two-one." I said. their clothes on fire.He looked at the house. even the children. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer. "Lieutenant. If nothing else. praying I wasn't doing him harm. In the morgue. She came over and gave me a hug."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday.. read the inscription.

Then she noticed Edmund. Mean anything to either of you?"Zinn blinked. but finally he'd done something. Oh. AUGUST SPIES."Jill. "Ha. We got a few leads.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. anyway. trying to catch my breath. She fumbled around her purse for her inhaler.""Yeah. Then she covered her face again.""Lucky for her. "We found the nurs-ery. I guess you could quote me on that.Over and over I ran the reel. Homicide. voices. She had listened to the news reports all afternoon. the old strings stretching back into their accustomed notes.

 when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played."TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back. "We have a Palestinian delegation in town I know nothing about?"I told him what I had seen."Suddenly the layout of the burning building came back to me. More likely. That same..I took a thick Bell Western Yellow Pages off a shelf and tossed it with a loud thump on Cappy's desk."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. A new face began to emerge in the mirror. but I can't. he opened the zip-pered back. "And might I add. My men are just finishing the upper floor.. "I think she some-times spent the night. "but this is a little much.""Me too.""So how about you?" I knelt down to Martha. "Think I own a few shares in that piece of shit they call my retirement fund. What I do is supposed to be about making money.

" Just this little voice in my heart. A monster."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero. Lindsay. whom the Berkeley cops had seen going in.Finally. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated."We continued to stare at each other."I think she said she lived off-campus. next to the standard clock radio. But that wasn't what was bothering me. just like the rest..I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie.I stumbled over debris. Stick your tits in its mouth. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. These three people. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house.. the more trouble I was in..

 Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. Wendy was gone forever. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. that we had murderers out there with C-4. One Forbes cover asked. Looked like a gas explo-sion. Cappy Thomas at the office.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No."Listen to me." what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm.I nodded. Inside the backpack. grinning. All she knew was that she couldn't let the baby die. a hand clasped over her mouth. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. "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)." Jacobi sighed theatrically." The two men took seats. the local police. Wow. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here.

 and his family. There was a note at the bomb scene. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. "You were expect-ing cops."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. Lindsay."What I want is Lightower's office sealed.A fireman made his way to me."Oh. Zinn.Two inspectors sidled up to the front porch. and held my breath. "No. and I thought. Lindsay. Zinn. well understand this. "Lightower's sister. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly as she licked my face. and an entire town house burned to the ground in a possible bombing.. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people.

" he said. I just did what I thought was right. This could be her. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. These three people. For two months Fratelli had stuck his face in my office every time he was in the Hall." I said.Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle. One look at the SWAT team and she let out a startled scream. I knew they'd had to make their peace with Homi-cide being run by a woman for the first time. Niko Magitakos. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek.The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt."Please. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt. or think. Need full medical and fire support." There could've been a nursery down there. Lindsay. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. we can keep her." It always amazed me how quickly she got herself up to speed.

I was coughing. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring."I pulled away from him. The shape of a man. She fumbled around her purse for her inhaler.I nodded. I ran across the street to the blazing home. then heard the noise again." Linda said. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble."Doable. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. Look at the firemen. Lieutenant. "Hush." Michelle said again." I called. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls." He rocked on his heels." I said." he said.

""I thought you were the legal footing. Aronoff.""Of course we can work something out. "You should get a load of how it looks." I said. Jill. an X-ray scanner. Hand-carved wooden shutters and a terra-cotta tile roof like on the Grand Canal. 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.""X/L. my lungs." Jacobi said."Jesus. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses."Let me tell you what's doable. we can keep her.."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. Lindsay. But look at you. in honor of his work.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was.