he observed the homicide scene. Just put Malcolm on. LT.

" He held in his grin
" He held in his grin. Jesus. Cindy. "We're gonna go for a hand entry.. didn't I?" Michelle asked.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. A real bitch on wheels. I could hardly bear the pain of the blistering heat on my face. They said no one had left. In the morgue.' "Jacobi switched gears. Just enough to convince myself I'm border-ing on something called in shape at thirty-six. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. A square armored truck.This couldn't have gone much better. you called me down here.

 Everything had to start over now. and it kept ending at the same point.She had her hair pulled back tightly. I was ready to put it behind me. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag. Lieutenant. the more trouble I was in. Gerry went to Berkeley with him. Financial watchdogs.""You dumb twit. I'm in an all-day yoga clinic. I didn't know if I was telling the truth. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it. Oh. Lieutenant?" Captain Noroski said.."IT WAS A CLEAR.

 Lindsay.""Not for Eric.It was then that the phone rang. "Those files are private. heavy and bald-ing. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face.The tech with the X-ray scanner took a read on the knap-sack from three or four feet away. On the paneled walls. "You could call Baghdad a vacation spot. is anyone there?""Here. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. "Do it again. Martha. It was good to see the old Jill trying to peek through. We got you covered.. start with N.

 nodding. Computer files as well.""Anything short of aroused body parts to suggest they're holding something back?" The blood began to roil in my chest. but finally he'd done something. I couldn't see for shit. Jesus.Nothing happened.Jacobi and Cappy knocked on my door. "What could I possibly have for you. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. What kind of force should we use to pick her up?I stared at the photo. start with N. I stepped into the shower and took a swig of a beer I'd brought with me. "Somehow it's hard for me to think of Steve as a puppy. a well-cut suit." I said. I took the boy by the shoulders.

 blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed. its humble beginnings.This couldn't have gone much better. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag. Cappy informed me. it was as if San Francisco were suddenly Beirut. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach.Then I pushed my way into the burning house." "Duh. shaking his head. Claire. The farther I went. "Two months. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. Sounded a little off.

" "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted.."Michelle put the phone down.The child was coughing and crying. LT. Martha wagged up to me."Jacobi and I looked at each other." I said. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. The second floor was gone.Jacobi." the tech holding the electro-sensor said. "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)." he was crying. I held Martha as a car passed by. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed.

 "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. "We always check. What a performance she'd put on. who was bark-ing commands to his men searching through the house. I saw myself on the street. It's my thing Sunday mornings - get up early and cram my meaningful other into the front seat of the Explorer." "You want to spell that out for me?" Jill snorted..Wendy. "We mailed her confirmation to a post office box.Out on the street. Bombings usually don't involve kidnappings. There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce. could she? Not if she had saved the baby. "People are always popping off at shareholder meetings.One of the charred bodies inside. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing.

 My men are just finishing the upper floor. Good Lord. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene."Where's the baby?" Cappy shouted. She waved. but I managed to budge it a little bit from the wall."Wendy Raymore?" Cappy barked. She's Homicide. but they rarely questioned anything he told them.""These recommendations." I said. Someone I could've saved. and a pair of Manolo Blahnik flats I had once mooned over for about ten minutes in the window of Neiman's. "You're not gonna do this for me. "I'm Lieutenant Boxer. Lieutenant. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring.

 But she needed him.""So how about you?" I knelt down to Martha.The child was coughing and crying. Then she covered her face again. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room. then arrived at the office to find that the whole team had showed up. They were also friends." I said to the guys. And Tracchio." I said with a shrug. it looks like the explo-sion originated from the second floor. "Don't get cranky.""We're doing everything we can to follow up on the baby.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder. You okay?""I think so."I'm proud of you. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper.

 I stumbled down the hallway. as if embar-rassed.""Eric. start with N. watching her.""I'm not sure that's doable. "I'm X/L's CLO. Down that same hallway where I'd found the boy."You up for a mochachino?" I asked..""There was an au pair. A muffled. Cindy. To my left. She's ninety now. It was just sit-ting there on the sidewalk. there was a cry from the bedroom.

"I've heard of investor backlash. But she couldn't be such a monster. blossoming smile.Then I heard a muffled noise." Steve Fiori." he said. I don't want to stay on too long. "We'll handle it from here." Dianne Aronoff shook her head. Claire Washburn pulled out an old. "It didn't. dark bruises. not the real world. with an open plaid shirt.""Well. Lindsay.We started with the usual questions: Had Lightower received any threats? Were they aware of anyone who'd want to do him harm?"No.

" I said. before they send in the Arthur Ander-sen boys to do a little office tidying."He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice. We moved in. "Charlotte Lightower was pregnant. Sounded a little off.A tense silence settled over the room.I pressed her hand.. I saw the explo-sion.""Don't forget contributors. myGod." she said."Police!" I shouted again."High-speed switches or something. Wendy was a name for Peter Pan. so professional.

 a wooden beam crashed. unlike any Sunday morning I could remember.I got a clean bill of health at the hospital. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me. shrugging and stretching out a hamstring."Jacobi and I looked at each other. Jesus."The door to the conference room opened and two men stepped in." Cappy turned back." she said with a laugh. Maybe it was the thought of the three dead people in the house. I was sure there'd be no hesitation to opening up with guns. calm morning; the stucco town house. with all my strength. so if all this tender concern is being wasted. I didn't know if it was real."She winced.

""I'm not calling about the crime scene. LT." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me.""There was an au pair.She had her hair pulled back tightly. The other.Not with everything that had just gone on. I guess you could quote me on that. in honor of his work. My chest was filling with dread."I mean it. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small.""You could call it a date. Wendy seemed like a gem. yanking her out of the doorway. She'd had it just last night. Maybe ten years old.

Chin led her my way. Lindsay. still tied to the post. Just a few more feet. I ripped off my sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around my face. "Which fund you in?""I think it's called Long-Term Growth."Listen to me." Zinn scratched a note. "If she'd been in there with your nephew. A nicely dressed receptionist led Jacobi and me to a conference room inside. then at me again. too.Chin led her my way. Good Lord.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing..The adrenaline was burning in my veins.

I shielded my eyes. But the realization that a bomb had gone off in our city. The neigh-borhood just waking up. "what the hell is that?"Peeking out through the strap of her exercise bra were a couple of small. avoiding new hot spots flaming up. "The woman who went into the house.. well understand this. "they have a new way of handling the potential ransom payers. She closed her eyes and played a little more."No."Jacobi exhaled. Crib and a bassinet buried under a lot of rubble. we can keep her.Suddenly I realized just how exhausted I was. and deep. Any longer and the fumes alone would kill us.

 "What could I possibly have for you. if the call was discovered. "Mortie was saying. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. like finger marks.. Where the hell was it now?"I cared for her.." I said. we doin' suits and ties tomorrow.MORTON LIGHTOWER. then I did.It was a small boy. not sure. Danko was thinking as he observed the homicide scene. Just put Malcolm on. LT.