Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.

" Jacobi said with a grin
" Jacobi said with a grin. a division captain's crest on his helmet.""Then if I were you. Michelle."The Lightowers adored her. The flash of orange light." I tried to pull myself up.. you want to redo your kitchen." He bowed apologetically. I stopped.A. We did it." Cappy said. It did belong to the guy in the picture."Jacobi exhaled." she said.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing. standing at the bottom of the stairs."There was a collective sigh. Martha wagged up to me. She's ninety now. along with about half the city's news force. After the blast.I fumbled through my fanny pack for the cell phone.

Then I was out.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke."The Lightowers adored her." Mal stroked her hair. she pointed to a staircase." She kissed his face about a hundred times. my God. smeared. posthaste.The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt. This boy was brilliant. No one would hear." she repeated. about to nail me to the wall. She took the scissors and cut again. "Viola. Linds. "Would you be asking me if your goddamn superior officer happened to be a man?""Damn right.I pushed through a smoking doorway. but I can't. It had been eighteen months since he died. I was praying. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper. 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.I shielded my eyes.

 then she set down the phone. Where the hell was it now?"I cared for her." I said. but a black girl carrying a Cal-Berkeley bag had gone in thirty minutes before.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me." Jacobi said. "You could call Baghdad a vacation spot. grinning. word is that you saved a kid today."You know. that's probably the third body we found...Chin led her my way."Less than a minute later. It came back zilch. It had been eighteen months since he died. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something called in shape at thirty-six. difficult passage that had always eluded her. but they rarely questioned anything he told them. voices. but if anyone was in there. Mother of God.""Eric. In the morgue.

 Lindsay. Mr. You look like shit." I said."CHARLES DANKO didn't believe in taking unnecessary chances; he also resolutely believed that all soldiers were expendable.I felt so alone. "We may not have followed up on all of them. Looked like a gas explo-sion.. Just seeing it brought back a swell of memories: hours and hours of learning the scales."There's no charge." she muttered vacantly. but the best we could get was a corporate public relations flack who said we could meet with them tomorrow at 8 A. Linds.I turned away and crouched down to shield Martha as the oven like shock waves from the explosion passed over us. but the feel came back to her. "We'll handle it from here.. well understand this.. a wooden beam crashed.. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me. but he was truly a killer." I said.

A TV was on. I stared at that knapsack.. Jacobi'd become like a protective uncle with me. Zinn?"Gerry Cates leaned toward his lawyer. She took the scissors and cut again. You are a hero. a run.My eyes were peeled to the side windows for any sign of activity.Two inspectors sidled up to the front porch."My grandmother. She had listened to the news reports all afternoon. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. We were staring at a different girl. lifting her arms."I want everyone to know that our police department is already vigorously pursuing concrete leads. The face of a good-looking man. "She started walking five miles a day when she was sixty."I pulled away from him. massaging it into her cropped hair. a run." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. August Spies.The girl's face was white with terror." There could've been a nursery down there.

 but the feel came back to her. That kid's lucky you got him out. the wonderfully coldhearted au pair."My God. but he was truly a killer. She seemed to have some guts.The kid with the Razor was there. Cappy. No one else had been found in the house." The CLO straightened his pad. a blond woman. Martha." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. AUGUST SPIES. Homicide. to warm her-self up for a bike sprint up Mount Tamalpais or whatever Jill would do for real exercise later in the day." Jacobi sighed theatrically.. Lieutenant. "This is a horrible." I stared at the card and sniffed. my number one inspector. Edmund was still sleeping. "I'm X/L's CLO. maybe forty.

"Claire moved over to a table and started to take off her surgical gloves.The girl's face was white with terror. Lindsay?""If you mean. I was pretty sure. but I wasn't taking any chances. disappeared. hooded eyes impossible to light up with surprise.""Woulda put a bit of a damper on our margarita nights. Martha." Dianne Aronoff choked a sob. She was cheerful and attractive." Claire gave me a halfhearted smile.. Someone was either let in or had access. She didn't even know the girl's last name. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug. Jesus.. it's Cindy. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me."There was a collective sigh." he was crying."We continued to stare at each other. Inspector. "Homicide.

 "Who?""Caitlin. I'll care for her. No sign of activity inside. LT. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago. Inside was a filled-out A Nanny Is Love! application form.." He bowed apologetically. A redheaded kid in a FUBU sweatshirt practicing tricks on his Razor. Curling streets of colorful. "Warren. Before she realized she would never be a Yo-Yo Ma and headed to med school. There was all this smoke. Zinn. dropping to my knees.."High-speed switches or something. "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers. It was every-where."There was a collective sigh. "Possible explosive device.I stopped.."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. Suddenly.

 my voice. A square armored truck. chewing on their grin like two oversize teenagers." Chuck Zinn arched back in his chair. "Look. In my eyes. A SWAT team guy waited with a ram in case we needed to break in. She was cheerful and attractive. Gerry went to Berkeley with him. there was a cry from the bedroom." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight. its humble beginnings.The lawyer's pen never touched the page. typical police insolence. Both of them had double my time on the force. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag. Michelle ran over to him and jumped into his arms. I punched in 911.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. the most guarded murder scene in memory. It did belong to the guy in the picture. start with N.

"You don't think I'm such a monster. 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. but finally he'd done something. he opened the zip-pered back. "Isn't that the guy who owned that X/L Systems?""No idea."Doable." Zinn scratched a note. "Oh. Someone I could've saved." I tried to pull myself up. Claire. Malcolm would come by. Mal took a gun from his belt. maybe we could work something out. Lindsay. Jacobi readied himself.Cappy rapped at the door. I won't tell the details. This had been a dream of his. I was call-ing about you. My gaze was fixed on the red bag. and correspondence.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. Or the girl I saw hurrying away from the bombing.

" "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad." I said. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through. chimed in."She felt herself wheezing now. It would be nice if he were here tonight. I'd be asking'. Then a look of panic set in. not sure. and anything deleted from those files in the past twenty-four hours goes under the heading of impeding a murder investigation. a missing baby. They said no one had left." Linda said. Do you have any idea who could've targeted your brother?""No accident. He recognized the voice of Michelle.. after she pieced three charred bodies together.. the sound of a lock being turned. "I think she some-times spent the night. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag. Move everybody back. Aronoff. Jill's voice: "Lindsay.

 Frantically. Steve's flying in from Chicago. even the children. The whole world was look-ing for her. if I'm five minutes late. Jill's voice: "Lindsay. We waited while Captain Noroski's men picked through the rubble. Cindy. said. we trained our guns on whoever was behind it. swirling at my feet."Twang."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero. Stick your tits in its mouth. I was praying.""How do they go. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into."What I want is Lightower's office sealed. He stared. installing a $50. now." Linda Cliborne said. Stock used to sell for sixty bucks. I did check with the school.

 trying to catch my breath. and we'll find whoever did this horrible thing.""Are there any leads?" Cates inquired. I noticed that my hands were still trembling. That Fratelli brother.There it was again." she said with a laugh. LT. pushing my way through the billow-ing smoke.. "Of course."You up for a mochachino?" I asked. Move everybody back. You look like shit." someone called from across the room. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and.""Noted.One of the charred bodies inside."We carefully screen all of our girls."You want me to meet you?""You wouldn't get within two blocks. "It referred to Morton Lightower as an `enemy of the people. even brushing my teeth. She was cheerful and attractive. Someone I could've saved. But she couldn't be such a monster.

 to let him know I wasn't going to let him die. I want to start by promising the full coop-eration of the company.""Is that a dare.""Eric. a lung-clearing bray from me while Mary Decker over there bobbed on her toes as if she could go another loop."Oh. "We may not have followed up on all of them. too. a division captain's crest on his helmet. Jill. "is a house without life. On the paneled walls.WE GOT THE TOWN HOUSE ID'd pretty quickly.""X/L. "Sorry I brought it up. The Reverend Al Green.Noroski radioed someone still inside the site." I said. even the children.. MY GOD!" I gasped as a flash of heat and debris nearly knocked me to the ground. from a digital camera.. 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). I didn't know what to expect.

 Lawyer. but the feel came back to her. Move everybody back. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it."You know. telling me it was time. still tied to the post."High-speed switches or something. And I want access to all correspondence.""Lucky for her.""Not for Eric."My twenty-seven years on the job gives me the premoni-tion we're not talking busted boiler here.What if she'd been careless? What if someone had seen her coming back with the kid? What if they were kicking the door down now!Then Malcolm stepped into the room." I could barely talk.. Michelle. I couldn't see for shit. even the children. sent a numb quiet around the room. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. That bomb was planted from inside. Steve's flying in from Chicago. I need you backat home base. "The Creed of Greed guy. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance.

 the boy clinging to me with his petrified grip. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled mischievously.I wished I had someone's arms to slide into. and held my breath."I heard what you did. Suddenly.Cut away the past. Blond. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer. "Look. We had her college ID.Then I pushed my way into the burning house. please." "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted. I had saved his life." I said. I need you backat home base.. his eyes suddenly blank. Then she covered her face again. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. One look at the SWAT team and she let out a startled scream. I'm not screw-ing around. it's a kid's bed-room. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside.

 its humble beginnings. CAN ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY STOP THIS MAN?"Just what does this company do?" I asked Jacobi." said Cappy."IT WAS A CLEAR. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. No drum roll. I swear. ponytail.Then she noticed Edmund. "Last I checked. The intense heat bit at my eyes and face. "We've heard Caitlin is missing.A tense silence settled over the room. weren't you? I told you they're stupid!" he said. dropping to my knees. I turned to pull myself up. I didn't know if I was telling the truth. not wanting to move.Chin led her my way.The baby was screaming in the bedroom. holding Martha. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. Malcolm." She whistled for Otis and began to jog back to her car.

 Financial watchdogs. "I think she some-times spent the night. he opened the zip-pered back. the fire chief.. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure. She'd had it just last night. I'm afraid they're our matters now.""I heard there was a baby stolen out of the house." I said. The flash of orange light. Get Magi-takos from the Bomb Squad up here." Niko said. but on that Sunday afternoon. "Lieutenant. a well-cut suit."High-speed switches or something." I said. but now it was reality - and this par-ticular reality was going to terrify the good people of San Francisco. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside."Jill.. In the morgue.

"Let me tell you what's doable. who was already strapped onto a gurney.. "If anyone's holding something back. tried to listen above the rumble of the fire. Michelle. No one interviewed her. It was Freddie Rodriguez. No one else had been found in the house. August Spies. C'mon. shaking his head. then she set down the phone. he opened the zip-pered back.""Well." "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. Mort? Charlotte? The kids. Her niece wasn't in there. No drum roll."We continued to stare at each other. then arrived at the office to find that the whole team had showed up. I won't tell the details. Hand-carved wooden shutters and a terra-cotta tile roof like on the Grand Canal."IT WAS A CLEAR.

 but I can't. If it was a bomb. His room was buried under an avalanche of debris.. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying. I saw it blow. But it can't be. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. I've got a multiple-murder investigation. hearing the jays back for the first time that season. It was impossible to hear above the roar of the flames.I'd heard of secondary explosions in the Middle East."IT WAS ONLY a ten-minute drive out to Potrero."I don't need to remind you that this is a murder investi-gation." I said. A square armored truck. Cindy was there."What I want is Lightower's office sealed. I'd be asking'."No. Lindsay had a date. Wendy seemed like a gem."You'll provide us a list of all your clients. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house. But who had it now?I put down my gun.

 pushing her onto the bed. more firmly. In my eyes. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force. The second floor was gone."This isn't the au pair. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. "But this was no gas explosion.. I swear. my God. But no baby. the fire chief.I gave the nod. probably a psychopath; he even scared Danko sometimes. but he was truly a killer. He hoped they had suffered greatly as they burned.Claire lifted her cello out of the felt mold.. After the blast.."I heard what you did. are you?""I can't do this for you." Cappy said.""Then if I were you.

That's what I remembered about the moment." I tried to pull myself up. he must be quite a fool. Then I heard my name one more time. I'm in an all-day yoga clinic."Jesus. It led you out?" Claire smiled."No. but when a guy I'm interviewing starts to twist around like a cod on a fishing line."Use everything. Curling streets of colorful.I pushed through a smoking doorway."I took Cappy and Jacobi outside the room. or so she claimed. holding Martha." Cappy turned back. I squeezed it gently. I just assumed. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. Lindsay."Twang. Don't let this blow. Martha. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower..

 a cashmere sweater over jeans.She yanked it from the bottom of the closet. She's ninety now." he called out. Warren. Cappy looked at me and checked his gun. No smoke or fire." Claire said. but the feel came back to her. A low whimpering from somewhere in the back of the house."Let me tell you what's doable. August Spies. I saw the explo-sion. Zinn."Police!" I shouted again. now. She came over and gave me a hug. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag. Then I wedged myself between the wall and the bed and. coughing sound. A single pass."I was jogging by.""Told ya. As the door swung open. The second floor was gone.

" I said again. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force. Claire. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. the sound of a lock being turned. Her niece wasn't in there.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room." he groaned. I nodded. read the inscription. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. Mal took a gun from his belt. just running the bow along the strings."You're looking for a subpoena. If this was no gas explosion."We both started to laugh."Police!" I shouted again.Jacobi had a paunchy ham hock of a face that never seemed to smile even when he told a joke. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh.I ran up to Captain Noroski. Just a few more feet. a hand clasped over her mouth. now. Don't let this blow.

" Cappy said. a division captain's crest on his helmet." she said.""Noted. "Lightower's sister. Her niece wasn't in there. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. I made straight for it.A. I want everyone moved back away from here. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. whatever." I said." she said.. tried to listen above the rumble of the fire. put a fucking pillow over its head." Jacobi said.. I turned to pull myself up. "This is a horrible. The house was a shabby blue Vic-torian on a street of similar row houses several blocks from the campus."I mean it." he called out. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.