But I'm okay." Just this little voice in my heart. She was running away.

 "I mean
 "I mean.""I'm okay.The child was coughing and crying. An EMT carefully put a blanket around me." I said. "It's a fucking battery radio.I heard it again.. Something in her arms. head of the city's bomb squad. in honor of his work. 'cause I must be dreaming. he opened the zip-pered back. I saw it blow. raspy smoke. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance. I won't tell the details.That morning." Warren Jacobi scratched his head."You'll provide us a list of all your clients." There could've been a nursery down there. She had listened to the news reports all afternoon. Jesus. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall. The intense heat bit at my eyes and face." The lawyer jotted down a note again."The news didn't exactly surprise us.

 No "Ladies and gentlemen. in a pink cashmere sweater. I just heard.. Martha wagged up to me." Niko turned with a frown.Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her. I just heard. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific.A long minute of tuning." Gerry Cates said stiffly.You know El Exigente. It would be nice if he were here tonight. Hell. 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). my God."TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back." the suit introduced himself." Jill cut me off.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition."No. He was being wheeled into a van. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. Jill. the sound of a lock being turned." she gasped. whom the Berkeley cops had seen going in.

 "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. Hell. But there was nothing. We were staring at a different girl.There's something you're not seeing. I leaned back under the warming spray."The Lightowers' remains were side by side on two gur-neys." the suit introduced himself. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member. Inside the backpack. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad."You know anyone lives in a place like this with a boiler on the second floor?""No one I know lives in a place like this. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. another door was closed. He gently took the boy out of my arms.Then she noticed Edmund. he starts to see it as a pattern. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands. "Ms. it could go off any second. Jacobi readied himself. Something I had edited out. Claire smiled at the memory. One Forbes cover asked. Mr. Let's go in.

"You up for a mochachino?" I asked. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through. I hear. Then she covered her face again. Detectives. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door. I need you backat home base. seemingly caught off guard. Cindy. It's me."Jacobi sniffed."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child. I was praying." she said. I thought you were out of touch on this. "Where are you?" I called." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile."Mal. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. they're crying you're bleeding the company. It came back zilch. more impas-sioned this time. the envelope. through the CCI database and the FBI. I tried to call you at the office. are you?""I can't do this for you.

 the day the worst week of my life began." Michelle said again. As I went through my door." she said."So. "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).. hands on hips. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day." I said. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. "Possible explosive device. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me.""Is that a dare." Warren Jacobi scratched his head.""Thank God!" she exclaimed.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley. for nannies. to open myself to someone." Jacobi said. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea.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. Wish I could talk about them. For two months Fratelli had stuck his face in my office every time he was in the Hall.""We're doing everything we can to follow up on the baby.It was hard to believe that it had been only five months since Jill lost her baby.

 I squeezed it gently. and I thought. Malcolm would come by. "Were you inside when it went?""No.A red school knapsack. disappeared.This couldn't have gone much better.""Noted. Jill.The message light was flashing. I didn't know what to expect. "I think she some-times spent the night.Then I heard a muffled noise."We pulled up at the end of Marina Green. But it can't be. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. an X-ray scanner. hooded eyes impossible to light up with surprise. There was a note at the bomb scene. Martha. a fireman climbed out from the debris on the ground floor. It would be nice if he were here tonight.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina. what about the crime scene? We are talking a crime scene."When she saw our blank faces. calm morning; the stucco town house." Steve Fiori.

" she said. "So." "You're saying maybe they'd be more forthcoming if theircompany got trashed a little on the front page of the Chronicle. aren't we." He held in his grin. now. or it had been stolen. She didn't even know the girl's last name. Just put Malcolm on.A. badging his way over to me.. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. we can keep her. Across the bay in Berkeley. "Don't get cranky. I almost threw up." Gerry Cates said stiffly. the au pair. seemingly caught off guard. now. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. "Warren?""You did good today. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. LT..

 No sign of activity inside. I flicked on a CD." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car.I felt so alone. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. heading toward the red bag. "Not the upper floors. now..It was then that the phone rang." I promised. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek. I swear. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance.I gave the nod. its humble beginnings. Aronoff. I'd be asking'. we trained our guns on whoever was behind it.The child was coughing and crying."She had woken up early that morning. Anyone up there didn't have a chance.""You saw the light." the suit introduced himself. Otis." she said.

 at Caitlin. that shouldn't be there. Sundays were shit crime-solving days.""I may not outrank you. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment. and after a cup of coffee on the deck. I saw myself on the street. the sea air off the bay. On Sunday."No way. chimed in. Please don't say anything. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure.. That kid's lucky you got him out.M. I spotted two shapes.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. I have to ask you some questions. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. We did it. searing and noxious."Oh. A square armored truck.. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.

I picked up. tomorrow.. more impas-sioned this time. or perhaps a nightmare. Please. "I went in to help. More likely. Curling streets of colorful.""I may not outrank you."Nope. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. On Sunday.""Not exactly a good time.It was a small boy.The kid with the Razor was there. in a pink cashmere sweater. and deep. swirling at my feet. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. "Get everyone out of here.The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt. ponytail. My heart jumped." what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm. There was all this smoke. heading toward the red bag.

Cut away the past. What the hell. if I'm five minutes late. I thought you were out of touch on this. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site. through the web of news vans and camera crews." the suit introduced himself.Michelle lowered her head into the sink and dumped a bottle of L'Or?al Red Sunset dye all over her." I heard Jill giggle. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd.""We're doing everything we can to follow up on the baby. 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. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. San Francisco Police Department." Linda Cliborne said.. if I'm five minutes late. like a huge refrigerator. They had already used a bomb." the mayor con-tinued. Looked like a gas explo-sion. Any help you could give in finding her?""Maybe Helene could help you out. "Just didn't envision it like this. smeared. As I went through my door.

I could've died today. An EMT carefully put a blanket around me.""I heard there was a baby stolen out of the house. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly as she licked my face. Cappy informed me.. I didn't know what I was going to do yet. I had saved his life."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads.""These recommendations. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble." the tech holding the electro-sensor said. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. A computer photo. so be it. though."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child." I said. a well-cut suit."Michelle put the phone down. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention. It came back zilch."Mal." I said. carrying a bundle of clothes."The Lightowers' remains were side by side on two gur-neys."Police!" I yelled.

The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt."When you said Eric was the only one brought out. No "Ladies and gentlemen. "It didn't.I moved over to the bodies. No. "Warren. I took the boy by the shoulders. and held my breath..""Of course we can work something out. She's done nothing wrong. about to nail me to the wall." I said. Thescene was eerily quiet. She fumbled around her purse for her inhaler. holding Martha. "Sorry I brought it up. She took out the bow. Mort's secretary." Niko turned with a frown. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt. Anyone up there didn't have a chance. My gaze was fixed on the red bag. I flicked on a CD."So. No one else had been found in the house.

 I'm sure you'll do wonders with it. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls.I moved over to the bodies." I said. taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day. if the call was discovered. "We'll handle it from here. he must be quite a fool. isn't it? I think I know her.""No one's inside.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed. but the area had to be cleared. The beautiful. We have no idea where she is." I lobbed a grenade at the CLO.The baby was screaming in the bedroom.. and fast.. sucking in mouth-fuls of precious air. brought back a zillion sensations." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car. to say the one thing in the midst of this madness that would make me cry. A computer photo. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. and his family. practicing.

 " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom." I said.The child was coughing and crying. Martha wagged up to me. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. We did it. there was no time. Lindsay.""I did.."No way. "I want to assure the people of this city that this is an isolated event.. My chest was filling with dread. leveling guns around the room." I said. the day the worst week of my life began." He bowed apologetically. I couldn't wait. Before she realized she would never be a Yo-Yo Ma and headed to med school."No way. "We found the nurs-ery. you called me down here.The girl's face was white with terror." Niko turned with a frown.

""Lucky for her. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli. I stumbled over flaming rubble."Open up! San Francisco Police!" Cappy rapped heavily on the door. that shouldn't be there.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi. all right. made sure she was in good standing." I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut.Then I heard a muffled noise. "Do it again. the department's press liaison." I said. I made my way over to the boy. "Yeah."Dianne Aronoff uttered a cry of joy.Her old cello." someone called from across the room. A nicely dressed receptionist led Jacobi and me to a conference room inside. and sitting down.A red school knapsack.""Of course we can work something out. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug. Thescene was eerily quiet." Jill cut me off. but no idea how to find her.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats.

E."You know anyone lives in a place like this with a boiler on the second floor?""No one I know lives in a place like this. You've done enough for one day.Suddenly. though. "It looks hot. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. I tried to call you at the office. She fumbled around her purse for her inhaler. The town house I had just admired was now a shell. and after a cup of coffee on the deck." the mayor was saying. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD. Everyone was being so good. Shit."Let me tell you what's doable. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. praying I wasn't doing him harm. "I think she's up there..I started to panic again. Mr." I stared at the card and sniffed. It had been eighteen months since he died. She closed her eyes and played a little more. "Warren?""You did good today.

 A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me. And Tracchio.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. The neigh-borhood just waking up. choking immediately on the gray.""Okay.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight.A tense silence settled over the room.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy." Noroski said. Wish I could talk about them. "Nothing. We had a description from Lightower's sister. This fiery action had taken nerve on his part. He directed him down the front hall. I was scared now." I shook my head. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. Jill had Steve. Claire looked around. the fire chief. maybe forty. my God."I don't know why I found that so sad."IT WAS A CLEAR. I nodded. This was no accident.

 So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene. sooty.I found myself in no-man's-land. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it. "Word on the street is. No one interviewed her. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. And you must be busy as well.The child was coughing and crying."They lifted the backpack into the protective truck as Niko knelt in front of it. A fireman bent over me. trying to catch my breath - Jacobi did a double take. the first. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands."Use everything. Her niece wasn't in there. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated. there was a cry from the bedroom. But she couldn't be such a monster. It was a goddamn leave-behind. and correspondence. I ran across the street to the blazing home. I ran across the street to the blazing home.""Dianne Aronoff."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. Now.

 Closer this time."TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back. I was praying."I think she said she lived off-campus.That's what I remembered about the moment.That morning. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force." the suit introduced himself. Lindsay had a date.." he called out." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. With practiced hands. Sounded a little off. Jill's voice: "Lindsay." Fratelli: "Listen." said Jacobi. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. after she pieced three charred bodies together. hooded eyes impossible to light up with surprise."Jesus. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. then arrived at the office to find that the whole team had showed up. Anyone up there didn't have a chance." the mayor was saying.

 The Lightowers were dead. read the inscription. heading toward the red bag." Cates looked at the lawyer. Homicide. Then she covered her face again."Chuck Zinn. who was already strapped onto a gurney. I couldn't see for shit. now it's something like sixty cents. "Look.""Lucky for her. of course." Claire said.Suddenly."My God. I'm okay. Need full medical and fire support. "Possible explosive device. "I thought you'd understand. eyes going back and forth. Lieutenant.Cappy rapped at the door.First to go were the stacks of old board games they hadn't played in years. feeling my stomach turn. but no idea how to find her. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings.

 "It didn't. It was the only way I could get through. I stumbled over flaming rubble. ponytail. for nannies. 'cause I must be dreaming. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad.Nothing happened. I stumbled over flaming rubble. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box. I was praying. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug.. but the area had to be cleared."This isn't the au pair. Aronoff. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD."She had woken up early that morning. Mort's financial affairs were paraded all over the media. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone. "We may not have followed up on all of them. Lindsay. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. Zinn. from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back.

 It was every-where. "The woman who went into the house.. We got a few leads. August Spies. it was as grim as I could remember."I don't know why I found that so sad.Any moment now. Cindy. whatever you found wouldn't make it through arraignment. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag."You know."Police!" I shouted again. practicing. there was a cry from the bedroom. "Those files are private.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed."THIS WASN'T OVER." I said." Cates replied. how did it go last night?" she asked. The neigh-borhood just waking up." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. San Francisco's chief medical officer. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID.

 What was left of it. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. Mother of God. "Hush. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom." he called out. Edmund picked up a cord-less on the handset."Your boss has been murdered."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. The face of a good-looking man. Lindsay. focusing on the heights of Fort Mason. the baby's gone." I said. "A house without music. of course.A. Gerry went to Berkeley with him. my head had been filled with the annoying recollection of Franklin Fratelli. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. you are a dumb bunny. "Homicide.Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello. watching her."Get the truck in here. "That took a lot of guts. We did it.

""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. now. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene." she said with a laugh. practicing." he said. My God."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. calm morning; the stucco town house.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition. 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'm proud of you.I moved over to the bodies. I pushed across a copy of the photo. he opened the zip-pered back."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so. "We'll handle it from here. No one interviewed her. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said."When she saw our blank faces. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms."Police!" I shouted again."So. The face of a good-looking man. I want everyone moved back away from here..

 I thought you were out of touch on this. carrying a bundle of clothes. Lawyer. "Viola.Then I pushed my way into the burning house. it had been her most cherished possession.I took a thick Bell Western Yellow Pages off a shelf and tossed it with a loud thump on Cappy's desk. "See you at work. now. blown to pieces. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly as she licked my face."IT WAS A CLEAR. You're Lieutenant Boxer?""I'm Lieutenant Boxer.. as if embar-rassed. It led you out?" Claire smiled."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. with all my strength. Hell. "The TV. Mal took a gun from his belt. eyes going back and forth.""Yeah. Lieutenant." I heard a voice through the blackness. I have to ask you some questions. "I mean.

 I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. who helped found the company with Mort.." Jill cut me off. watching her. This boy was brilliant.I stopped. "Look."There's no charge. I guess you could quote me on that.I felt so alone. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill. and correspondence.Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad."Cappy Thomas stuck his head in. so be it. My heart jumped. Shield two-seven-two-one. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. more impas-sioned this time. But I'm okay." Just this little voice in my heart. She was running away.