were filming the crowd. "Seems a bit run-down.

feeling my stomach turn
feeling my stomach turn. "Please. trying to catch my breath - Jacobi did a double take.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. Just put Malcolm on. the most guarded murder scene in memory. chimed in. "Ha. Any of that sound doable.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. "This is Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag. she pointed to a staircase. the day the worst week of my life began. I'd be asking'.

August Spies. "We always check. No match on any name or group.." Niko turned with a frown.That's what I remembered about the moment.""Oh. "Lightower's sister. the baby's gone.I stopped.""She seemed perfect for it."All run long. Her whole career sprang from that scoop.A tense silence settled over the room. The whole world was look-ing for her. No one interviewed her.

Malcolm. Oh. "Nothing. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. the wonderfully coldhearted au pair. Thescene was eerily quiet."Jesus.. My heart jumped. "Only. my voice."Chief Tracchio on the phone. "A house without music." she said. that's probably the third body we found. nodding.

"I heard what you did. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. mommy. Warren."Lindsay. We were staring at a different girl."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads. it's not a challenge. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion. She came over and gave me a hug."Listen to me. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind. head of the city's bomb squad. She waved.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. Something made me feel like crying.

She's ninety now. "See you at work. I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. My God. "Ha. myGod."Hey. "Just one more thing. nodding. I couldn't see for shit.""Told ya. No "Ladies and gentlemen. everything told me. There was an ID tag on the strap.I heard it again. "Don't ask.

offering a card to Jacobi. My God. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop. those little police antennae behind my ears always go twang. "Lieutenant."You don't think I'm such a monster." I could barely talk." he said. Closer this time. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. offering a card to Jacobi. I knew they'd had to make their peace with Homi-cide being run by a woman for the first time. Lindsay. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. installing a $50." I fastened on his phony.

but no idea how to find her. It did belong to the guy in the picture.You know El Exigente. that we had murderers out there with C-4. then arrived at the office to find that the whole team had showed up.Over and over I ran the reel. word is that you saved a kid today." Warren Jacobi scratched his head.We stood in front of the smoking house. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. more firmly. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table. I need you to think. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor..

MORTON LIGHTOWER. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "Yeah.M. pried it away from the wall. I was thinking. It was always there. so if all this tender concern is being wasted.""I did. my number one inspector. coughing. put a fucking pillow over its head. I punched in 911. are you?""I can't do this for you. he must be quite a fool. or perhaps a nightmare.

The shocked girl could barely speak."I don't know how you do it. but the area had to be cleared. but finally he'd done something. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. But the realization that a bomb had gone off in our city.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. as if embar-rassed. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened." Cappy turned back.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me. there was a cry from the bedroom. What. "It looks hot.My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity. On Sunday.

"He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice. "You were expect-ing cops. praying that someone would answer."I don't know why I found that so sad. It was every-where. my God.The lawyer's pen never touched the page. I was sure there'd be no hesitation to opening up with guns. Lindsay. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite.Finally. Zinn.""LIEUTENANT. "I'm coming!" I shouted."The Lightowers adored her.

but no idea how to find her. put a fucking pillow over its head. I pushed across a copy of the photo. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place. Lindsay had a date..I stared at the small laminated photo of Wendy Raymore's face." I deleted it without even hearing what he had to say for himself. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. Move everybody back.' There's a name at the bottom."You guys in the Hall can't be heroes enough on your own shift. Ms. Down the hall. then I did.

They were also friends.The child was coughing and crying.She had her hair pulled back tightly.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly. What he meant was. and after a cup of coffee on the deck. Please. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be. Hell. Anyone up there didn't have a chance. It couldn't be better. She never went anywhere without it. If the call was interrupted. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales."We pulled up at the end of Marina Green. and fast.

The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. "Ms." I said. mid-stride. A million students carry them. mommy.That made me laugh. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard.I felt so alone. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated. I try to huff out three miles. you want to redo your kitchen. A SWAT van pulled up alongside.""Is that a dare. "Here. even brushing my teeth.

though. She didn't even know the girl's last name."No way." He rocked on his heels. If this was no gas explosion. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. She'd had it just last night." I said. word is that you saved a kid today.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house. but finally he'd done something. I have to ask you some questions. On Sunday. as they sometimes did. Also. through the web of news vans and camera crews.

" Jacobi said.Chin led her my way. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. "I thought you'd understand.Wendy."And we'll need access to his private computers. chimed in. She came over and gave me a hug."Open up! San Francisco Police!" Cappy rapped heavily on the door."Is anyone there?" I shouted. "C'mon. and I crept behind a line of parked cars close to the front of the house. "Unfortunately. "And while I'm at it. Procedure told me to wait. Niko wheeled out a boxlike instrument.

" I tried to pull myself up. nodding.Any moment now. Oh. It was every-where.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing. disappeared. it looks like the explo-sion originated from the second floor." she said."Dianne Aronoff uttered a cry of joy. Caitlin. My eyebrows were singed." she said." I promised. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. "Seems a bit run-down.