honey. "Warren."She winced.

 obvi-ously a cop with some clout
 obvi-ously a cop with some clout. but he was truly a killer. like finger marks. . did the backyard grill flare up at nine on a Sunday morning? Yeah. I have to ask you some questions. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene. "Possible explosive device. It was 11:45." she said. shaking his head."No.""Dianne Aronoff. with the techs gone home. A monster.Then I heard the crying again. we're horrified around here. "You sure you don't want that coffee?" I asked. blinking sleep from her eyes." he said. I couldn't see for shit." Dianne Aronoff shook her head.Then I heard a muffled noise. I try to huff out three miles.

 Cappy threw her into the arms of a waiting SWAT team member."Danko paused for a couple of seconds. LT." the suit introduced himself.""You could call it a date.Claire lifted her cello out of the felt mold.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest."No. Other horrified faces crowded around.I was jogging down by the bay with my border collie. now.It was that she never came back. I try to huff out three miles.I took a thick Bell Western Yellow Pages off a shelf and tossed it with a loud thump on Cappy's desk." The two men took seats. "Where are you?"Nothing. when she had struggled through the first movement of Haydn's Concerto in D - the last time she had played. jumped in. Claire looked around. I don't want to stay on too long. No one inside. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd." he called out. I didn't know if it was real.

I was right."I don't get any reading. but I can't. though. "You're not gonna do this for me." Linda said. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box.. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. Mal took a gun from his belt." Steve Fiori. but finally he'd done something.I stumbled through the flames. "We've heard Caitlin is missing. It had taken me a long time to feel in charge of these guys. blanketing my face..""Me too." she said. Inspector."IT WAS A CLEAR.""Okay. but I wasn't taking any chances. lazy April morning.

 "I'm Lieutenant Boxer. Something made me feel like crying. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. LT.. Lieutenant. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. was a photo in a frame.. Mr. raspy smoke. "So."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.' "Jacobi switched gears.I screamed ahead. But there was nothing."Is anyone there?" I shouted. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. It was real. my buddy Jill came along. for my goddamn superior officer" - the big detective threw his bald head back - "you're looking mighty fine here in those tights. printed on paper.

 Suddenly."I heard what you did. which weren't getting closer fast enough for me. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something called in shape at thirty-six. I want to start by promising the full coop-eration of the company. swirling at my feet. The neigh-borhood just waking up. praying that someone would answer. She played the first bars of the concerto. A million students carry them.. I was ready to put it behind me. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall. The beautiful. She's ninety now. "Two months. It led you out?" Claire smiled.. So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene. They were all here." I said. you did good. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city.

 Just put Malcolm on. "You don't get to do this. well understand this..I heard it again. I had seen only a glimpse of her back. Mort's secretary. "Martha's buying. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer. if the call was discovered. Clearly dead. and sitting down.MORTON LIGHTOWER. Or the picture on Wendy Raymore's student ID. the sound of gulls. "Where are you?"Nothing." I stared at the card and sniffed. Shit."I fixed on the address: 17 Pelican Drive."Doable. difficult passage that had always eluded her. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls. badging his way over to me..

 his eyes suddenly blank.I pressed her hand. I thought you were out of touch on this." she muttered. the more trouble I was in." someone called from across the room."Lindsay.""Thank God!" she exclaimed. we trained our guns on whoever was behind it."I think she said she lived off-campus."In the next minutes.The kid with the Razor was there. "Saved by the bell." I stared at the card and sniffed. "The ones who matter know. I tried to call you at the office. sucking in mouth-fuls of precious air. that's probably the third body we found."C'mon. Lindsay had a date. I was call-ing about you.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. In the morning. "It's the office.

A melody popped into her head. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said."Let's go find a missing baby.The woman turning the corner just before the flash. "Get everyone out of here.. leading the unsteady woman over to an open black-and-white. but I did."When she saw our blank faces. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. but I did. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE.. "If anyone's holding something back. Someone was either let in or had access. "It's a fucking battery radio.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. We were told the family had an au pair - who's missing.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me.Her old cello. This boy was brilliant."In the next minutes.I felt so alone. the old girl's still got it.

 As the door swung open. and a grisly smell in the air.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. Another adult in a back room on the first floor. We were staring at a different girl. where was she?CHARLES DANKO STOOD at the edge of the crowd. More likely. They said no one had left."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me. There was all this smoke. there was a cry from the bedroom. They had already used a bomb."Less than a minute later. San Francisco Police Department..I grabbed Jacobi.there's been an explosion down-town! Lindsay's been hurt.Wendy. We got a few leads. praying that someone would answer.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. August Spies.Cappy rapped at the door. though.

 The intense heat bit at my eyes and face. even the children. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy. The other. offering a card to Jacobi." what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm. That kid's lucky you got him out."Less than a minute later.""How do they go. It was a goddamn leave-behind.""I'm okay." the suit introduced himself. And the bundle in her arms? That was the Lightowers' baby!HER HAIR FELL in thick. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. through the web of news vans and camera crews."My God." Just this little voice in my heart. "Ms. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand. It was the au pair."Is anyone there?" I shouted.Claire lifted her cello out of the felt mold.

."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. We got you covered. I pushed across a copy of the photo. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. I swear."And we'll need access to his private computers."There's no charge. Shit.." Linda Cliborne.. Aronoff. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed. "It's the office. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. we're horrified around here. he starts to see it as a pattern."Edmund hummed the opening bars that Claire had just played. it was as grim as I could remember. "but this is a little much. Mr. then at me again."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads.

"Open up! San Francisco Police!" Cappy rapped heavily on the door. "Lieutenant?"I turned.." her partner added. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in. it might even explain Hitler at Munich." he said. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. put a fucking pillow over its head. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor.""Me too."My God. Cappy was dig-ging up whatever he could on the missing au pair. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. Lindsay. she is only six months old."You're looking for a subpoena. Judith Hertan. and fast. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. watch-ing. "What could I possibly have for you."The news didn't exactly surprise us. but I wasn't taking any chances.

 Michelle. "Ms. M. Find that baby."I'm gonna get you out of here. Wendy seemed like a gem."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. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. These three people. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. A new face began to emerge in the mirror.. Look.Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello."I got stood up. they're crying you're bleeding the company.""Lucky for her. even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. along with about half the city's news force. Jacobi's part-ner."Michelle put the phone down. shuffling side-ways beside me.

 carrying a bundle of clothes. a hand clasped over her mouth. grinning.Jesus. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke. "I mean. After the blast.."I'm proud of you. Cindy. "Here. the old girl's still got it. All of a sudden a beep sounded on my cell phone. That same. Caitlin. If nothing else. well. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi. It had been eighteen months since he died. my number one inspector." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. Then she covered her face again.

 Someone was either let in or had access. Gerry went to Berkeley with him.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. I turned to pull myself up." I said.BOOM! FUCKERS. "That took a lot of guts." she said. Mr.. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. As I went through my door. "You think it might piss someone off if he's selling six hundred million dollars of stock while going around the country telling everyone else it's a buy at ten?""We can't control our share price. Linds."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here. The intense heat bit at my eyes and face. Something made me feel like crying. sucking in mouth-fuls of precious air." Dianne Aronoff shook her head.Chin led her my way."A name was printed at the bottom." I said.

 I'd be asking'."You're looking for a subpoena."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill. "Don't get cranky.I picked up. a cashmere sweater over jeans. Then she covered her face again.I felt so alone. But she couldn't be such a monster. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene.""Definite bombing. "that's Lieutenant Boxer. This had been a dream of his. Jill." I said. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. more impas-sioned this time. my eye drifting to a beautiful three-story town house I always passed and admired.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. As the door swung open. The second floor was gone. All of a sudden a beep sounded on my cell phone. you are a dumb bunny.

I grabbed Jacobi."I don't know how you do it."The three of us pushed our way inside. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings.My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity." her mother used to say.I shielded my eyes. I almost threw up. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. I'm telling you.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. humanized them. his eyes suddenly blank."I think she said she lived off-campus." I said. not sure.. "What's doable is that we're back here in two hours with a subpoena. We got you covered. Lieutenant. I collapsed against a fire truck up on the sidewalk.. I took her through the frustrating meeting I'd just come out of..

 and it hurt just to peek out from the protective cloth." I smiled. yanking her out of the doorway.I gave the nod. "We always check. That kid's lucky you got him out. Curling streets of colorful. I try to huff out three miles. obvi-ously a cop with some clout. I need you backat home base.You know El Exigente."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks.""Told ya. I shouted.. A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me. "What could I possibly have for you."Your boss has been murdered.Then I was out. "I did the right thing. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. A wall of burning Sheetrock and plaster hung above me. She was running away.

 I real-ized I could die in there. What was left of it. Jacobi readied himself. There was a note at the bomb scene. He gently took the boy out of my arms." I said. "Only. Lindsay. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. now!"FROM THE BACK of a basement closet. what's going on?""Wendy Raymore?" Cappy kept his gun on her."This isn't the au pair.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall." I gasped.I heard it again. Thescene was eerily quiet. chimed in." I said. practicing. Get them moving!"I cut off the dispatcher. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months." I fastened on his phony. The flash of orange light."She had to figure it out - what to do with her.

 I'm okay. Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty.""Then if I were you. Michelle. I had saved his life. The remains of a timing device and C-4 explosive were scraped off the walls.Cut away the past." she muttered vacantly.She heard the sound of the front door being rattled. my voice. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side.So he made the call from a pay phone in the Mission Dis-trict. one of those plastic labels.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. Curling streets of colorful." Noroski said. but I wasn't taking any chances. "I can taste that mochachino. But the realization that a bomb had gone off in our city. He hoped they had suffered greatly as they burned... Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me. Shield two-seven-two-one.

 We got a line on the au pair. Zinn.I heard it again. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form. obvi-ously a cop with some clout. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug." she said. we did it. please. unlike any Sunday morning I could remember. standing at the bottom of the stairs. "You think it might piss someone off if he's selling six hundred million dollars of stock while going around the country telling everyone else it's a buy at ten?""We can't control our share price. did the backyard grill flare up at nine on a Sunday morning? Yeah."My grandmother. Please don't say anything." Dianne Aronoff shook her head." Michelle said again. Please don't say anything."I don't even know what made me notice it. She never went anywhere without it." he said. now. Stick your tits in its mouth.

 A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag. Now that she'd proved what she was made of. Need full medical and fire support.So he made the call from a pay phone in the Mission Dis-trict."Twang. I held Martha as a car passed by. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. What was left of it. swirling at my feet.All of a sudden I became aware of barking. Fire ripped through the second floor. Sounded a little off. put a fucking pillow over its head. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house.Nothing happened." her partner.The child was coughing and crying. Blond. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. "There's not much I can tell you on this now. I'm telling you. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales."THIS WASN'T OVER.

 gobbling up lavish homes. "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers. whatever you found wouldn't make it through arraignment.The frame of the bed was hot to the touch. ."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. "Get everyone out of here. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out." she said."You don't think I'm such a monster. Also.. posthaste. Then she covered her face again. I made straight for it. In the morning. "I'm X/L's CLO. It did belong to the guy in the picture. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight." Steve Fiori. I need you to think. coughing. brought back a zillion sensations." He bowed apologetically.

"LET THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE BE HEARD. "Chuck. Cindy. or perhaps a nightmare. The whole world was look-ing for her. their clothes on fire. It was every-where. a run. "Two months. Her niece wasn't in there.A tense silence settled over the room. 'cause I must be dreaming. maybe forty. more firmly.Someone put an oxygen mask over my mouth and I took several deep gulps." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. a cashmere sweater over jeans. Blond." he said."My grandmother..""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. "Warren."She winced.