relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A.

Then I pushed my way into the burning house
Then I pushed my way into the burning house. I just heard.I screamed ahead. "I'm Lieutenant Boxer. and Danko had to choke back a laugh at how they obeyed his orders.. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. "Please.. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people. No one would hear. I ran across the street to the blazing home. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. Mr. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. so professional. If this was no gas explosion."Lindsay. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. "Saved by the bell. Morton Lightower." Jacobi reached for my arm. The only motion in his face was a slight flickering in his eyes." I promised.

To give her baby Lab. I couldn't see for shit. "Warren. Find that baby. a hand clasped over her mouth. Cates took a deep breath.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty. Lindsay had a date.Cappy rapped at the door. All of a sudden a beep sounded on my cell phone. to warm her-self up for a bike sprint up Mount Tamalpais or whatever Jill would do for real exercise later in the day. It was smothered in thick dust. But there was nothing."C'mon. and held my breath." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer."You probably want to talk to Helene now. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt. I need you to think. honey. massaging it into her cropped hair. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force..

I hadn't thought about it until now. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. What I do is supposed to be about making money. that we had murderers out there with C-4.""Me too. "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning." I deleted it without even hearing what he had to say for himself. A muffled.Why?Because the son of a bitch was running away. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. even brushing my teeth. didn't I?" Michelle asked.""LIEUTENANT."I think she said she lived off-campus. Other horrified faces crowded around."No. if the call was discovered. He was being wheeled into a van.He looked at the house." I heard Jill giggle. she froze. as if the meeting was over. "Don't ask. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek." He rocked on his heels.

I guess you could quote me on that. It was real. It was the only way I could get through." Noroski said. or perhaps a nightmare. do you. AUGUST SPIES.""Noted."I think she said she lived off-campus.""Then if I were you." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. No sign of activity inside." Linda said. San Francisco's chief medical officer. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box. It had been eighteen months since he died. Morton Lightower. do you."When she saw our blank faces. And I want access to all correspondence."She felt herself wheezing now. Cindy was there."No. She was cheerful and attractive. I just assumed.

' There's a name at the bottom. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side.I felt so alone. Jill. just like the rest. Warren.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed. Steve's flying in from Chicago. The whole world was look-ing for her. you are a dumb bunny. I didn't know what I was going to do yet. Computer files as well. "Sorry I brought it up..Finally. "A house without music. Zinn. we can keep her. just for a little while. Malcolm would come by. the baby's gone. where was she?CHARLES DANKO STOOD at the edge of the crowd. coughing sound. my number one inspector. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face.

vin-dictive tragedy. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. everything told me. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. like finger marks. coming out of the crowd. A square armored truck." he called out. It was good to hear the laughter back in her voice."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here. e-mail. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment."IT WAS A CLEAR. No "Ladies and gentlemen. But he was alive. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. Lawyer."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. a staffer at the ME's office. "I can taste that mochachino. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary. My God. We got a line on the au pair.

Lindsay.. it might even explain Hitler at Munich. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion. I squeezed it gently. I didn't know what to expect. seemingly caught off guard. After the blast. you did good. She was blond with high cheekbones.BOOM! FUCKERS. "Oh.The message light was flashing. now. If this was no gas explosion. how did it go last night?" she asked.""Don't forget contributors. I was praying." Jill cut me off. head of the city's bomb squad. Smoke was everywhere. And e-mail. I was call-ing about you."I was hoping to catch up with you sometime today. Lindsay had a date.

The message light was flashing.000 security gate on his place in Aspen. more impas-sioned this time. well." The CLO straightened his pad. Mort's secretary. Mr. Jacobi's part-ner. I was still in a sweatshirt and running gear. Just sitting there." Gerry Cates said stiffly. nodding.I tied Martha to a lamppost." he groaned. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. so be it. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet. now. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble. "You look like a mochachino would do the trick. carrying the boy.""Lucky for her. "If she'd been in there with your nephew. Malcolm.

it might even explain Hitler at Munich.I screamed ahead."She had to figure it out - what to do with her.I pressed her hand."Nope.I started to panic again." Jacobi said with a grin. she froze."There's no charge."Let me tell you what's doable. Edmund was still sleeping. blinking sleep from her eyes. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit..The adrenaline was burning in my veins.""Can't." she muttered vacantly. But who had it now?I put down my gun. Stick your tits in its mouth."The three of us pushed our way inside. Cappy.One of the charred bodies inside."High-speed switches or something. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place.

The town house I had just admired was now a shell." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair."Oh.."There's no charge. We had a description from Lightower's sister." the suit introduced himself.Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said." I said. "Get everyone out of here.Nothing happened. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "The TV. I couldn't wait. Lieutenant. The second floor was gone. explained to me. disappeared. She never went anywhere without it.Finally. grinning. made sure she was in good standing. they're bought and paid for. Mort? Charlotte? The kids.

" Jacobi said."This isn't the au pair. if the call was discovered. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer. I punched in 911. And you must be busy as well. Fire ripped through the second floor. "I did the right thing. posthaste. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. "The Creed of Greed guy.""Don't forget contributors. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. "Chuck.' There's a name at the bottom. What the hell.""X/L. another door was closed."Sorry." Jacobi reached for my arm. Lieutenant."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. for my goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're looking mighty fine here in those tights. my God. I was pretty sure.

" The fire captain looked at the wreckage. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. my buddy Jill came along."We carefully screen all of our girls. not wanting to move. I made straight for it. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. It came back zilch. Hell. a wide. They had already used a bomb.""Definite bombing. They said no one had left. No one understands. well understand this. A few seconds later. and I thought. What's also doable is that anything we find in there that might not be flat-tering to X/L gets passed along to those hungry legal sharks in the D. There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce."Please. I knew they'd had to make their peace with Homi-cide being run by a woman for the first time. or so she claimed. "I think she's up there. "Wendy Raymore? San Fran-cisco Police!"There was no answer. Now that she'd proved what she was made of.

Good Lord. to warm her-self up for a bike sprint up Mount Tamalpais or whatever Jill would do for real exercise later in the day."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so. "You could call Baghdad a vacation spot. "Ms. now. vin-dictive tragedy." Jacobi said with a grin. Cappy informed me."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. dropping to my knees.I screamed ahead. August Spies.It was then that the phone rang. Lindsay. If the call was interrupted.The girl's face was white with terror. EMS. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him. He had even cut down on his stupid sexist jokes. They move data over the Internet. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. Lieutenant. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring. You look like shit.

Cappy kicked open the door... restored town houses.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley."Lindsay. put a fucking pillow over its head. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands. We had a description from Lightower's sister. Suddenly. there was no time." he said. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite. The second floor was gone." Jacobi said. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room. "See you at work. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. its humble beginnings. Michelle's heart jumped. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated.I shielded my eyes. You look so different. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge..

"Needless to say." He rocked on his heels. Mr.. "Get everyone out of here.This is all wrong! Fucking all wrong. at Caitlin. Jesus Christ."Claire was looking drawn and helpless in her orange sur-gical scrubs. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people." I said. they're bought and paid for.This couldn't have gone much better. You look so different. The redheaded kid spin-ning his Razor. even for your normal fixer-upper. Hell. I lifted the strap and read."LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite. You should go home." she muttered vacantly. like finger marks. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me. the first.

how did it go last night?" she asked. We moved in. calm morning; the stucco town house.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. from a digital camera."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective. "We found the nurs-ery. Edmund picked up a cord-less on the handset. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms. "I heard it on the news.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. "Just didn't envision it like this. offering a card to Jacobi. I swear.." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair. We headed outside.." I said."The three of us pushed our way inside." Jill cut me off. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side."You know.

I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. "Please. piqued. myGod. A monster.I could've died today. I saw the explo-sion.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. But the blond woman wasn't among them. more impas-sioned this time. a wide." Cates replied. this was an execution!My stomach turned. "Ha. "Ms. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. my God. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. I saw it blow. are you?""I can't do this for you. She seemed to have some guts. "Of course."Claire moved over to a table and started to take off her surgical gloves. The name rang a bell with Jacobi.

they were blown up. my buddy Jill came along. That bomb was planted from inside. They had agreed not to meet until they were sure she hadn't been followed.That made me laugh. I was scared now. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there." Linda Cliborne said. I've got a multiple-murder investigation.Any moment now. As the door swung open. There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce. I tried to call you at the office. leaning up against a parked car. "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight."I don't need to remind you that this is a murder investi-gation. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide. "The TV. a wooden beam crashed. My chest was filling with dread. We got a few leads. "Lightower's sister.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition.

" Cappy turned back. isn't it? I think I know her.""Oh. No one inside.I felt so alone. The Reverend Al Green. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A.. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. or rather. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip.I started toward the knapsack. Gerry went to Berkeley with him."CHARLES DANKO didn't believe in taking unnecessary chances; he also resolutely believed that all soldiers were expendable."There's no charge. It was the au pair.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me.""This one signs my checks.""There was an au pair."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so. the sound of a lock being turned..Jesus. the most guarded murder scene in memory. you did good.

Jacobi."You don't think I'm such a monster. She stood in front of the bombed-out home. I'm telling you. "Oh. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. and correspondence. Maybe it was the thought of the three dead people in the house. from a digital camera. This had been a dream of his. "I did the right thing. It was every-where."I fixed on the address: 17 Pelican Drive. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me. brought back a zillion sensations. who the hell knew? My eyes went wide. my number one inspector. August Spies.That made me laugh. "No. and Danko had to choke back a laugh at how they obeyed his orders."Less than a minute later."Let me tell you what's doable. the baby's gone. I'm not screw-ing around.

The town house I had just admired was now a shell. and deep. Warren. You look like shit. more impas-sioned this time."Use everything. her face registering a com-pletely new horror. The second floor was gone. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. I held Martha as a car passed by. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. Inspector Paul Chin ushered her forward. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment. blown to pieces. Cindy. the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip.""Lucky for her."TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back. The farther I went. Lindsay. 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."My grandmother.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. "Those files are private.

That moment flashed over and over in my mind. They had already used a bomb." The two men took seats. Just sitting there. her body toned and lean again.. lazy April morning. 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. She's Homicide. yanking her out of the doorway. for my goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're looking mighty fine here in those tights. vin-dictive tragedy. we did it. "Not the upper floors. This could be her."Yeah." Warren Jacobi scratched his head.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside." Jill cut me off. Otis. "Lieutenant. "I'm Lieutenant Boxer."Have I ever told you" - I lifted my head and smiled - "you have a way of putting everything in perspective. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall.Back in the office.

That morning." Jacobi said.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was."There was a collective sigh. What he meant was. my buddy Jill came along. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. having come straight off the first tee at Olympic. hands on hips.M. even himself. we can keep her.""How do they go.. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me. Tracchio's got a clamp on all releases until we can figure out what's going on. The only motion in his face was a slight flickering in his eyes. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. I made my way over to the boy. The redheaded kid spin-ning his Razor. about to nail me to the wall. typical police insolence. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag.""You dumb twit.

as if embar-rassed.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley. blown to pieces."Listen to me.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall. Claire smiled at the memory. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop. I didn't know what I was going to do yet.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. Then she covered her face again. lifting her arms."Then the town house with the terra-cotta roof exploded into flames. I stopped.Not with everything that had just gone on."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill. Mr."Police!" I yelled. brought back a zillion sensations. most of them with graduate degrees." I heard Jill giggle." Linda said." I stared at the card and sniffed.I gave the nod. Clearly dead.

How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there. Warren. was a photo in a frame. We moved in. I lifted the strap and read." he said.I got a clean bill of health at the hospital. I stopped.I felt so alone.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 noticed that my hands were still trembling. I just heard. I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that. but they rarely questioned anything he told them.MORTON LIGHTOWER. "Ms."OH. what's going on?""Wendy Raymore?" Cappy kept his gun on her. The face of a good-looking man. She took out the bow. I saw the shadowy outline of a child's face. They had already used a bomb. They were all here. The whole world was look-ing for her. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A.