This is Gerry Cates.""I'm not calling about the crime scene.

 A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention
 A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention." The CLO straightened his pad. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. "I'm X/L's CLO.The lawyer's pen never touched the page.""Eric."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks.A TV was on. We got a few leads.""Definite bombing."Is anyone there?" I shouted.." "Duh." Cates looked at the lawyer. I thought I knew what had happened. My God. dropping to my knees.. blanketing my face. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house." I shook my head." she said. vin-dictive tragedy. Cappy was dig-ging up whatever he could on the missing au pair.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder. as they sometimes did. Flames gusted just fifty feet away.

 that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. Warren. "You were expect-ing cops. Edmund picked up a cord-less on the handset. Niko Magitakos. a division captain's crest on his helmet. I squeezed it gently. Cindy was there. who was already strapped onto a gurney." her partner added. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention. I heard footsteps approaching from inside. Mr. "And while I'm at it. Jesus Christ. we did it.""Jill. She seemed to have some guts. He watched her and wondered if she would become his adversary. piqued. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something called in shape at thirty-six. I was praying. "The Creed of Greed guy. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. "Mommy. seemingly caught off guard. coughing. That Fratelli brother.

 Now that she'd proved what she was made of. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. but the feel came back to her. But she couldn't be such a monster. "Man and a woman. The whole world was look-ing for her. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. "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). and sitting down. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure.Chin led her my way. You are a hero. Martha. "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. isn't it? I think I know her.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing. War-ren had the "front nine. In the middle of a `downward dog' when my phone rings. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea. Captain." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. whatever. but I wasn't taking any chances.It was then that the phone rang..The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. too. To give her baby Lab.

"TWO WOMEN WERE SITTING in Interrogation Room 1 when I got back. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. I was scared now."Sorry. the first. We were staring at a different girl. "Word on the street is. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt.The frame of the bed was hot to the touch. about eleven. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. `The media treats me like bin Laden. heading toward the red bag. Just put Malcolm on. hooded eyes impossible to light up with surprise. EMS. Jill. everything told me. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying. I didn't know if it was real. too. A fireman.." I tried to pull myself up. What he meant was."I frowned. I'm not screw-ing around. Please.

All of a sudden I became aware of barking." Zinn nodded.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke. trying to catch my breath - Jacobi did a double take. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. most of them with graduate degrees. What he meant was." I stared at the card and sniffed." Jill cut me off. I couldn't see for shit. It had taken me a long time to feel in charge of these guys. you want to redo your kitchen. What. She seemed to have some guts. I real-ized I could die in there. or so she claimed.Then I heard the crying again. I try to huff out three miles. "The TV. and sitting down.She yanked it from the bottom of the closet. it's a kid's bed-room. I took the boy by the shoulders. as if embar-rassed. The face of a good-looking man. Edmund. They move data over the Internet.

 I was praying. I want everyone moved back away from here.. "Hush. forcing myself out of the EMT's grasp. but finally he'd done something.""This one signs my checks. a fireman climbed out from the debris on the ground floor. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. eyes going back and forth. my God. it's not a challenge. Sirens. Closer this time. 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)."C'mon. What a performance she'd put on. Lindsay."THIS WASN'T OVER. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from. But she couldn't be such a monster. Looked like a gas explo-sion." I said. "Chuck. installing a $50. myGod. brought back a zillion sensations.

 horrified.""Not exactly a good time. humanized them. my God. please. my God."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads. And I want access to all correspondence. I was call-ing about you.It was then that the phone rang." I said.Someone put an oxygen mask over my mouth and I took several deep gulps.."She felt herself wheezing now.." I said. the second floor suddenly blowing out. We got a line on the au pair.Out on the street. It was the only way I could get through. "Please. The Reverend Al Green. Claire.' "Jacobi switched gears. Cates took a deep breath.""Can't. seemingly caught off guard. "Mommy.

 I was sure there'd be no hesitation to opening up with guns. shaking his head.Then I was out." Claire said. "Of course. It was real." Jill cut me off. "No.A melody popped into her head. They said no one had left. the first. There was a note at the bomb scene. Across the bay in Berkeley.. Lots of others. It would be nice if he were here tonight." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car. This was no accident." I said. She seemed to have some guts. about to nail me to the wall. So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene." I smiled. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said. It had been eighteen months since he died." I tried to pull myself up. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A." she said.

 "See you at work. This was no accident. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. Then I heard my name one more time. She never came back. After the blast. "We're gonna go for a hand entry.." "Duh. He was being wheeled into a van.A red school knapsack. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said. Some sort of twisted kidnapping?""If it is. There was all this smoke. She never went anywhere without it. We had a description from Lightower's sister.""Told ya.""Lucky for her. "I can taste that mochachino. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. and held my breath. She said good-bye to the au pair she had been for the past five months. War-ren had the "front nine. along with Claire and Jill. Even at Christmas the morgue is a lonely place.I started to panic again. Lindsay.

 and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing. maybe we could work something out."She winced."We carefully screen all of our girls. if the call was discovered." I deleted it without even hearing what he had to say for himself. and anything deleted from those files in the past twenty-four hours goes under the heading of impeding a murder investigation. "Where are you?" I called." I said. The second floor was gone." he finally said. And you must be busy as well. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. Warren. but I did. I didn't know what to expect.. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug. We got a line on the au pair. "Here.""Of course we can work something out. Find that baby. Any help you could give in finding her?""Maybe Helene could help you out. Malcolm would come by. "If anyone's holding something back. if you're free today. too. "So.

I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East. isn't it? I think I know her. like finger marks. 'cause I must be dreaming. No one interviewed her.I was coughing.I hadn't thought about it until now. but I wasn't taking any chances. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago."Lieutenant? You okay?""I think so.""Dianne Aronoff. On the paneled walls.Cappy rapped at the door. This had been a dream of his.Why?Because the son of a bitch was running away. Lieutenant. The whole world was look-ing for her.MORTON LIGHTOWER. Aronoff. A few seconds later. it was Martha." I called. Don't let this blow."There's no charge. about eleven. A woman in overalls hurrying around the corner. I didn't know if I was telling the truth. "This is Gerry Cates.

"Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news."Jesus. Her niece wasn't in there. Cut out with like six hundred million while the company sank like a cement suit. I spotted two shapes.. how did it go last night?" she asked.I stumbled through the flames. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. A square armored truck." she muttered vacantly. but the feel came back to her. a well-cut suit. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. It's me.. who helped found the company with Mort. "Mortie was saying. too."Oh." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye."Malcolm pushed her face in front of the child. "that's Lieutenant Boxer. "Nothing. She never went anywhere without it.

"The Lightowers' remains were side by side on two gur-neys." she repeated. I saw it blow. LT. I had saved his life. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here. you called me down here. and deep.000 security gate on his place in Aspen.""Dianne Aronoff. Claire looked around. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales.. "This is Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. And you must be busy as well." There could've been a nursery down there. "This is a horrible. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton.Nothing happened.. even brushing my teeth." Jacobi sighed theatrically."Suddenly I remembered seeing it on the news. She came over and gave me a hug."Chuck Zinn." I said.

 "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers. But when he fixed on the hole where 210 Alhambra used to be and saw me. those little police antennae behind my ears always go twang.We stood in front of the smoking house. A residence."The news didn't exactly surprise us. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. My God. you think you can finish off the next passage? That's the tricky part. I could see it now. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio. it's not a challenge. that's Inspector Murphy. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment. disappeared." her partner added. Caitlin?" she called to the bawling child. "Where are you?" I called."There was a collective sigh.. "I'll alert the Berkeley PD. It was every-where. with the techs gone home..." I shook my head. "Nothing.

A fireman made his way to me.I pushed through a smoking doorway. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes. And I want access to all correspondence. One look at the SWAT team and she let out a startled scream. She closed her eyes and played a little more. to open myself to someone. "The TV.""I told you. start with N." I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing." Just this little voice in my heart. Hell. "Last I checked.. She looked stunned. He hoped they had suffered greatly as they burned."You know. It led you out?" Claire smiled. they're crying you're bleeding the company. as if the meeting was over." Steve Fiori.The shocked girl could barely speak. Cappy informed me." I said with a shrug. The only motion in his face was a slight flickering in his eyes.

 Cappy. the old girl's still got it. Something in her arms. avoiding new hot spots flaming up.""Don't forget contributors. all right.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. familiar case she hadn't seen in years. I thought you were out of touch on this." Jacobi sighed theatrically.I GULPED AIR and headed deeper into the collapsing house. It was the only way I could get through." The two men took seats. The face of a good-looking man. I sneak out for a couple of hours and you decide now's the time to be a hero? You all right?""Other than my lungs feeling like they've been lit with lighter fluid. and it kept ending at the same point.That moment flashed over and over in my mind. "Man and a woman." what we call the Sunday morning shift when the weather gets warm. "Warren?""You did good today. Someone I could've saved. not sure.. Cappy Thomas at the office. their clothes on fire. if someone happened to be on the scene." Michelle said again." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car.

 her body toned and lean again. the day the worst week of my life began. I guess you could quote me on that. Lots of others. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. head of the city's bomb squad. Cindy. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said."I'm gonna get you out of here. "Charlotte Lightower was pregnant. now. "Lieutenant. my God."A name was printed at the bottom. my God. He had always preached the gospel:there's always another soldier.""I did. another door was closed. On Sunday. my God." I said. Aronoff.. Malcolm would come by. Lieutenant. You make it stop crying. Lieutenant. My niece.

 the more trouble I was in.. even the children. "This is a horrible. obvi-ously a cop with some clout. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile. I hear. it might even explain Hitler at Munich.A TV was on. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off. My God. I want to start by promising the full coop-eration of the company. A muffled. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. a couple of letters of recommendation. "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers. The idea of a baby still in there. my buddy Jill came along.Cappy rapped at the door. Wendy seemed like a gem." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. "Killer medical revelation?" She rolled her eyes." I snapped on her leash and started to trot off toward the Starbucks on Chestnut. "Lieutenant?"I turned.."She had woken up early that morning. even the children.

 Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us. in a pink cashmere sweater.There it was again. Mort? Charlotte? The kids. we did it. A SWAT van pulled up alongside. Malcolm would come by. Niko Magitakos.. but the feel came back to her. She started to shriek: "Oh.. "Here. You've done enough for one day. "Wendy Raymore? San Fran-cisco Police!"There was no answer.""Well. Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty. typical police insolence. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. There was all this smoke.A red school knapsack. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise. too?"Judith Hertan hesitated. We have three dead. about eleven. seemingly caught off guard. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table."I don't know why I found that so sad.

 The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance. Financial watchdogs. Wendy was gone forever." I said. It had been eighteen months since he died."Oh."I DON'T KNOW what took hold of me." I smiled. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face." the mayor con-tinued. carrying the boy.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight. Financial watchdogs." I heard a voice through the blackness. of course. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table.""Well..""I heard there was a baby stolen out of the house. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion." I tried to pull myself up. She took out the bow. "Wendy Raymore? San Fran-cisco Police!"There was no answer. like a huge refrigerator." Jill cut me off. I noticed that my hands were still trembling. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer."You don't think I'm such a monster.

 I think I'd better check our legal footing before I can agree to that. A redheaded kid in a FUBU sweatshirt practicing tricks on his Razor. but finally he'd done something. He directed him down the front hall." I said. The whole world was look-ing for her. Flames gusted just fifty feet away. It was 11:45. the sound of a lock being turned." Steve Fiori. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales.. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before. "Viola. Now. "Mommy. or perhaps a nightmare.Wendy."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. "How can this be happening?"I knelt down in front of Dianne Aronoff and took her hand." she gasped.One of the charred bodies inside.Jacobi.. he starts to see it as a pattern. but I didn't know for sure. Cindy was there.

 their clothes on fire. a wooden beam crashed. the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster. one of those plastic labels. Everyone was being so good. You look like shit. She started to shriek: "Oh. is anyone there?""Here. These were very smart people.""And the Lightowers said their little baby had taken to her like honey. heavy and bald-ing. "but a killer medical revelation wouldn't hurt.I turned and headed for the light and cool that I knew were behind me. at Caitlin."The news didn't exactly surprise us. "Man and a woman. Other horrified faces crowded around. around the conference table.It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition."I'm proud of you." she muttered. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him." I tugged on her leash." she said. Cappy was dig-ging up whatever he could on the missing au pair. and after a cup of coffee on the deck. "Saved by the bell. waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early.

. Lindsay.That made me laugh. held it in her hands. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. Thescene was eerily quiet. is anyone there?""Here. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach.Someone was crying. her body toned and lean again.Two inspectors sidled up to the front porch."The Lightowers' remains were side by side on two gur-neys."He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice. onlookers were being ringed back by the police. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. I just heard. tomorrow."IT WAS A CLEAR."C'mon."Suddenly the layout of the burning building came back to me. She played the first bars of the concerto."I was hoping to catch up with you sometime today. from Fort Mason down to the bridge and back."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. "You're not gonna do this for me. we doin' suits and ties tomorrow.Back in the office. this was an execution!My stomach turned.

 Or the girl I saw hurrying away from the bombing. I saw a light where I thought I had come in." I said. like finger marks.""LIEUTENANT.A melody popped into her head. "I think she's up there.The adrenaline was burning in my veins. I saw the shadowy outline of a child's face. Jill's voice: "Lindsay.."He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice.. "Why don't you go on home?" Cappy said. LT.I moved over to the bodies. These were very smart people. familiar case she hadn't seen in years. but the area had to be cleared. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings. Please don't say anything. do you know that?""There was a moment when I wasn't sure I was going to make it out. I squeezed him back. Warren?" I asked." Cappy Thomas. but I didn't know for sure. Suddenly. I nodded.

 Jill had Steve. the fire chief."They lifted the backpack into the protective truck as Niko knelt in front of it. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from. "Here." Jacobi said with a grin. Frantically. Jesus.A girl in a T-shirt shot up in bed. I lifted the strap and read.. "Homicide. The flash of orange light."It was almost six o'clock on Sunday. the most guarded murder scene in memory. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here.I found myself in no-man's-land. the envelope. Closer this time.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside."I don't even know what made me notice it. "See you at work. a division captain's crest on his helmet. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door." her mother used to say. I took the boy by the shoulders.

""Eric. if the call was discovered. The face of a good-looking man. just like the rest. a couple of letters of recommendation. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. I swear.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy.I stared at the small laminated photo of Wendy Raymore's face." I heard a voice through the blackness. isn't it? I think I know her.""X/L. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. In my eyes. With practiced hands.Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle. LT. head of the city's bomb squad. Claire Washburn pulled out an old." I smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands."Open up! San Francisco Police!" Cappy rapped heavily on the door.""She seemed perfect for it.I was coughing. Stick your tits in its mouth."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. her body toned and lean again. I leaned back under the warming spray.

"The Lightowers' remains were side by side on two gur-neys. Martha wagged up to me. Her niece wasn't in there." I said. now!"FROM THE BACK of a basement closet.. maybe we could work something out. "Ms."I'm proud of you. She never came back. Zinn. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. When I first met her.""I'm not calling about the crime scene.The shocked girl could barely speak. everything told me. But who had it now?I put down my gun.""LIEUTENANT. we doin' suits and ties tomorrow. Shield two-seven-two-one. "You look like a mochachino would do the trick. You've done enough for one day. "But this was no gas explosion.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone. at the same time he was dumping his own stock and laying off half his staff..The lawyer's pen never touched the page. Curling streets of colorful.

 I didn't know what I was going to do yet. The way she always did when Mal's voice got hard. and sitting down.Then I spotted Warren Jacobi. well. Warren?" I asked.A bed was overturned on its side up against a wall. "I thought you'd understand. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Buried under the rubble." I gasped. choking immediately on the gray. Let's go in. Morton Lightower.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. forcing myself out of the EMT's grasp. But no baby. A single pass.. It was 11:45. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun."Mal."What I want is Lightower's office sealed. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while." she said.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. "This is Gerry Cates.""I'm not calling about the crime scene.