There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out.

 Jesus
 Jesus."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. now. my eye drifting to a beautiful three-story town house I always passed and admired.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. "We may not have followed up on all of them. On Sunday. "Ha. I stared at that knapsack. I had seen only a glimpse of her back. With practiced hands.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. But look at you.. I made my way over to the boy.

 Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. I made my way over to the boy. It was a goddamn leave-behind." She winked. San Francisco's chief medical officer." I said. Casualties likely." I said. it could go off any second.Jesus.. backed up ominously toward the spot. Claire. No drum roll. it's a kid's bed-room. "It's a fucking battery radio.

 They had already used a bomb. I guess you could quote me on that.MORTON LIGHTOWER. the sea air off the bay.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. praying I wasn't doing him harm.. Please.. I leaned back under the warming spray. Cappy informed me. Lieutenant. Someone I could've saved. everything told me. If nothing else..

 you did good. "The ones who matter know." I said. "I thought you'd understand. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying. it could go off any second. This girl had probably lost her ID."I heard what you did. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach. We had a couple of leads to follow. It was Freddie Rodriguez. I just assumed." I said. She's done nothing wrong..""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper.

 I almost threw up. "The TV. smeared. of course. Martha.. They said no one had left." I said.000 security gate on his place in Aspen.." I heard Jill giggle. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight. start with N. I stumbled over flaming rubble. I could try to cut a deal with them. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD.

 A square armored truck. "The woman who went into the house. "is a house without life. so professional.""Can't. gobbling up lavish homes. She was running away. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID.." Niko turned with a frown.I pressed her hand. We have three dead. She looked stunned. you want to redo your kitchen. her face registering a com-pletely new horror. Something made me feel like crying.

 She's ninety now. that we had murderers out there with C-4. Claire looked around. It was real."OH. "If anyone's holding something back.."No.Over and over I ran the reel. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. They were also friends. well."A name was printed at the bottom. Jacobi readied himself. No.

 too. shouting into his handheld. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me.Someone was crying. shouting into his handheld. the department's press liaison. "I mean. You look like shit." Zinn scratched a note. Inspector. "No. the fire chief. I need you backat home base. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit." I said. you think you can finish off the next passage? That's the tricky part.

 Detectives." he said.A red school knapsack. "Ha."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room.Someone put an oxygen mask over my mouth and I took several deep gulps. "Get everyone out of here. a totally likable kid. On Sunday. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton. choking immediately on the gray.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. "Everyone get back!" I yelled again."I don't need to remind you that this is a murder investi-gation." Jacobi said with a grin. Linds.. MY GOD!" I gasped as a flash of heat and debris nearly knocked me to the ground. "Where are you?" I called. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. Jesus. Sounded a little off.Cappy kicked open the door. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself. my number one inspector.

Not with everything that had just gone on. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene.This is all wrong! Fucking all wrong. Can't they ever give you a break?"Claire took the phone.""So how about you?" I knelt down to Martha. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated. The first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D. In my eyes.""So how about you?" I knelt down to Martha. We had a team down at X/L's offices." Jacobi sighed theatrically." Noroski said. And e-mail.. San Francisco Police Department. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention. Frantically. We were staring at a different girl."Mal. difficult passage that had always eluded her.Out on the street. I spotted two shapes. The shape of a man. On Sunday." he said. I need you backat home base.

" Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. No drum roll. nodding. M." The CLO straightened his pad. But no baby. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. Fire ripped through the second floor.Over and over I ran the reel. The Lightowers were dead."And we'll need access to his private computers. Zinn."I heard what you did. the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer." The two men took seats. Lindsay. don't go near that bag. War-ren had the "front nine. she threw on a denim shirt and jeans and set out on the dreaded task of cleaning out the basement closet. LT.' There's a name at the bottom." I tried to pull myself up.I could've died today. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. obvi-ously a cop with some clout.Jacobi.

""So how about you?" I knelt down to Martha."Chief Tracchio on the phone.'s office." I tried to pull myself up. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. "You sure you don't want that coffee?" I asked. the envelope. Find that baby. Now that she'd proved what she was made of. They move data over the Internet. with all my strength. but no idea how to find her. Something made me feel like crying. Just sitting there.I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East. It was Freddie Rodriguez."Please. Mort's secretary. I heard footsteps approaching from inside. There was a note at the bomb scene. held it in her hands. I won't tell the details. shaking his head. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers. In the morning. Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member.

 Casualties likely. They move data over the Internet. Warren?" I asked. It was always there." the mayor was saying. This could be her. My niece. That kid's lucky you got him out. "Nothing. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention. I was call-ing about you.""Okay.""I saw two bodies inside.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke. carrying the boy." Gerry Cates said stiffly.A fireman made his way to me. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. Otis. along with Claire and Jill. My eyebrows were singed." she said. Another fireman wrapped his arms around me. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene. Just a few more feet. I stared at that knapsack.

 "Who?""Caitlin. Jacobi's part-ner. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski. Ever since I'd taken a shot in the Coombs case. a well-cut suit."In the next minutes. I want everyone moved back away from here. the more trouble I was in. it could go off any second. "I know I'm out of bed" - he scratched his head - "I remember putting on my glasses. This had been a dream of his.That morning.I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East. They were calling her a cold-blooded killer. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in. I tried to call you at the office.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. whatever." Cates looked at the lawyer. you still had a few friends inthe news media. could she? Not if she had saved the baby.. my God. I nodded. August Spies. Captain. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years.

 But the realization that a bomb had gone off in our city. I have to ask you some questions. we're horrified around here. from a digital camera. where was she?CHARLES DANKO STOOD at the edge of the crowd. I couldn't wait. "If she'd been in there with your nephew. When I first met her." he finally said.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. Now.. I'm afraid they're our matters now." she muttered. and sitting down. Cindy. "What could I possibly have for you.""I did. and his family. just running the bow along the strings. but the area had to be cleared. Something in her arms. shaking his head. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. Any help you could give in finding her?""Maybe Helene could help you out. Cappy was dig-ging up whatever he could on the missing au pair.

" Fratelli: "Listen. "I did the right thing. but the feel came back to her. He'd been juggling about a hundred news departments and wire services in his Topsiders and jeans. but on that Sunday afternoon.. I lifted the strap and read. If it was a bomb."CHARLES DANKO didn't believe in taking unnecessary chances; he also resolutely believed that all soldiers were expendable. "Oh. the first. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. You are a hero. are you?""I can't do this for you. Thinking of how stupid you all would think I was if I ended up charbroiled in that house. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris. After the blast..""Yeah."Please. as we did. Mr. Other horrified faces crowded around."Twang. The neigh-borhood just waking up. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out.