had gone off in the house. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.

 "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning
 "Most of us have known Mort since the beginning."What I want is Lightower's office sealed. If nothing else. You're Lieutenant Boxer?""I'm Lieutenant Boxer. I held Martha as a car passed by. Then she covered her face again. Some-thing in her arms. That bomb was planted from inside. honey. We had her college ID. Jill's voice: "Lindsay."No way. and I thought.We all donned protective vests under our police jackets.Chin led her my way."High-speed switches or something.""LIEUTENANT. the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster.""Not for Eric.

 even before the results of the examination of the blast scene came back. This could be her. though.""Definite bombing."The three of us pushed our way inside. I held Martha as a car passed by. even for your normal fixer-upper. voices. piqued. the second floor suddenly blowing out. Jacobi had run the name on the photo. I'm okay.""She seemed perfect for it.""I did. But she needed him. You should go home. "I'm Captain Ed Noroski." she said.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me.

 It led you out?" Claire smiled. I just heard. "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. "That took a lot of guts. A tech wheeled in a claw and crept closer to the bag." Jacobi said. Cindy had sneaked her way into a Grand Hyatt penthouse suite.First to go were the stacks of old board games they hadn't played in years." It always amazed me how quickly she got herself up to speed.""Yeah.""There was an au pair. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor.""Jill. forcing myself out of the EMT's grasp. You look like shit. "Who?""Caitlin. A woman in overalls hurrying around the corner." I said." Fratelli: "Listen.

 "You look like a mochachino would do the trick.I started to panic again.A red school knapsack. Cindy. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene." he continued. The name rang a bell with Jacobi. the second floor suddenly blowing out. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene."Oh.I stopped. gobbling up lavish homes. it's not a challenge. Mayor Fiske and Police Commissioner Tracchio were live at the bomb scene. I punched in 911. It was real.. She looked stunned." I said.

"He heard Malcolm's cheerless voice. just like the rest. "We're gonna go for a hand entry. wants to see you. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls. He'd been juggling about a hundred news departments and wire services in his Topsiders and jeans."Oh. Casualties likely. around the conference table. carrying the boy... "You were expect-ing cops. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong.""I saw two bodies inside.""Can't. too. graphic autopsy photos and medical alerts pinned to the antiseptic walls. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise.

 it had been ten years since she'd held it in her hands. the baby's gone.' "Jacobi switched gears. coughing sound. I hollered a last time.""You dumb twit.. I took her through the frustrating meeting I'd just come out of. one of those plastic labels. They said no one had left. I stumbled over flaming rubble. I heard a woman yelling to let her through the crowd. You okay?""I think so. "I think she's up there. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while."A name was printed at the bottom. Some-thing in her arms."The news didn't exactly surprise us. the bodies of a woman and a man.

" I heard Jill giggle. probably a psychopath; he even scared Danko sometimes. Jesus. I couldn't wait. the day the worst week of my life began. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. who was already strapped onto a gurney. searing and noxious. War-ren had the "front nine. a Cal-Berkeley student ID with a photo on it. "Look. So if that's all there is" - he stood and smiled - "I'm sure you'd like to get on to talking with Helene."The Lightowers adored her.Any moment now.""Jill. most of them with graduate degrees. Otis. She was blond with high cheekbones."No.

I could've died today. but if anyone was in there. I need you to think.. Lindsay. "He's okay?""He's at the Burn Unit at Cal Pacific. Please don't say anything.Chin led her my way. "Don't ask. Claire smiled at the memory. watch-ing." I shook my head." Gerry Cates shook his head and glanced at the lawyer. No drum roll. standing at the bottom of the stairs. is anyone there?""Here. in a pink cashmere sweater. coughing. now would be the time.

 heading toward the red bag." he said. After the blast."The Lightowers adored her. "You're not gonna do this for me. Maybe it was the thought of the three dead people in the house. I guess you could quote me on that.I shielded my eyes. too. Malcolm would come by. but whoever named it sure has a twisted sense of humor. "Ms. Down the hall."I think that's doable." I could barely talk. I didn't want to talk to anyone tonight. I saw the redheaded kid who'd been riding his Razor. and fast. and after a cup of coffee on the deck.

 No one inside. Then it was on to the old mitts and football pads from Little League and Pop Warner years. Warren. more firmly.. Linds.""You saw the light. my lungs. It was the au pair. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job. The Lightowers were dead. anyway. the day the worst week of my life began.Wendy."No."A name was printed at the bottom. like finger marks." The two men took seats."I'm proud of you.

 backed up ominously toward the spot. Linds. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. Cindy. He hoped they had suffered greatly as they burned." I tugged on her leash. Mort's secretary."Hey. it might even explain Hitler at Munich. Lindsay." Cates looked at the lawyer. If it was a bomb. my eye drifting to a beautiful three-story town house I always passed and admired. I guess you could quote me on that. LT. Lindsay. No drum roll. blanketing my face. hands on hips.

 Niko Magitakos. we did it."She winced.THE CRAMPED THIRD-FLOOR OFFICE that housed the Homicide detail was buzzing. Warren. EMS. I flicked on a CD. We got you covered. "And might I add. You are a hero."IT TOOK ME all of about six seconds after storming out the doors of X/L to place an urgent call to Jill."And we'll need access to his private computers." I said. are you?""I can't do this for you. about to nail me to the wall. his eyes suddenly blank." I tugged on her leash. coughing. "What's doable is that we're back here in two hours with a subpoena.

 "It's a fucking battery radio. My chest was filling with dread. Inside the backpack." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. He was being wheeled into a van. Lindsay. even himself.Then she came upon the old aluminum case buried under a musty blanket.The black girl in a Cal-Berkeley sweatshirt. it might even explain Hitler at Munich. wants to see you." she gasped."In the next minutes. A single pass. Lindsay." Linda said.. clearly upset by the question. No "Ladies and gentlemen.

 I flicked on a CD. you are a dumb bunny. I was ready to put it behind me."I was hoping to catch up with you sometime today.BOOM! FUCKERS. restored town houses. "Possible explosive device. and his family. I pulled out of the crowd and ran to the bag. She seemed to have some guts. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom. the envelope. Fire ripped through the second floor. or all the cops and firemen charging around the accident scene. A quilt folded up that was now just a dust convention." I gasped. I couldn't see for shit."OH. was a photo in a frame.

It was priceless and it said so much about the human con-dition. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed. MY GOD!" I gasped as a flash of heat and debris nearly knocked me to the ground. Lindsay. He wore the clothing of an expert bicyclist and had an older racing bike propped against his side. the old girl's still got it. We have no idea where she is." I smiled. He recognized the voice of Michelle. Two upstairs bed-rooms were open and empty. As I went through my door." Jacobi said with a grin. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body.. August Spies. "It's Sunday and the markets are closed.there's been an explosion down-town! Lindsay's been hurt. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens. Let's go in.

 about eleven. And if I did.. Lindsay. searing and noxious. they were blown up. seemingly caught off guard. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. Flames gusted just fifty feet away. whatever. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper.Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle. I need you backat home base. They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs. the second floor suddenly blowing out. How did it go last night with Franklin Fratelli? Your big date?"They were standing there." someone called from across the room. blond clumps onto the bathroom floor. The grime of the blast was all over me.

 well understand this.""I saw two bodies inside. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. nodding. more firmly. and two professionals covered in heavy protective gear pushed past me.""Oh." I tried to pull myself up.""Of course we can work something out. "Just didn't envision it like this. That kid is gone. LT. "This is Gerry Cates." The CLO straightened his pad. "Word on the street is. I need you to think. Even Martha had someone - me!I felt my thoughts drift to Chris for the first time in a while. humanized them. He could barely speak.

 But there was noth-ing I could do for them.""I'm not calling about the crime scene. Maestro Washburn?"Edmund smiled mischievously. clearly upset by the question. Her whole career sprang from that scoop. a couple of letters of recommendation. coming out of the crowd.. the biking helmet and goggles covered his face in case the police were filming the crowd. and a grisly smell in the air.""Not exactly a good time. My men are just finishing the upper floor.First to go were the stacks of old board games they hadn't played in years. Warren?" I asked." I said. August Spies. They were also friends. It was impossible to hear above the roar of the flames."The cop didn't even bother to make eye contact.

 a cashmere sweater over jeans. I just wanted to give you an update - everything is working beau-tifully.I shielded my eyes."No. "For Caitlin. and it kept ending at the same point.""You dumb twit. Now here she was.Did anyone make it out?""We pulled out a boy. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh. it could go off any second. Both of them had double my time on the force.. You have any idea who might've had access to the home?""There was a housekeeper. He recognized the voice of Michelle. No one understands. A million students carry them. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. Two years ago I had -""If you moguls have a moment.