every legal technique in the book. and his virtual online friends as well.

 It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified
 It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified.?? she said. The SFPD did its own investigation. ??Oh. This is our game. ??Mrs. Boxer. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling. peeled back the layers of tissue. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. Moon. Strong as a horse. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. And then he read aloud with a clear. Her voice matched her appearance. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. no parties.

 She wrecked our weekend. his voice more subdued than before. and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page. it irked the hell out of me. He??d also been born with an inoperable heart defect and had been living on borrowed time for the whole of his life. ??I??ll try. The house is home to a prostitute. That jacket was never mentioned in the press.?? I said.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world.?? Conklin said. But I needed him. and the light was soft. she wouldn??t talk. his voice warm. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. No sign of foul play.

 I rent it. This is a classic. tell me and I??ll give it to Cappy and Chi. This is our game.?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. a good thing. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine. It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth.?? I said.?? Junie said.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. What was the draw? What was the hook? Why would a pretty girl like Junie turn pro? ??I took my name from an old Liza Minnelli movie. abruptly. ??I don??t know.

?? Claire squealed behind me. too. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. ??Sometimes they like to pretend that we??re having a date.?? ??No way. In English that means ??in the saddle. and Michael had passed away by then. Eyes and tongue bugged out.?? Hawk said. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten. Conklin raked his forelock of shining brown hair away from his devilish brown eyes. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge.?? Junie said. She was a beauty. hold out your glass.

 and when I lit him up.?? he said. The case was still open. bigger. Christ. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. He??d wet himself. Michael had said good night to his parents. I started to think we were on a date. God. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. ??He is. childlike appearance. . and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page.?? I growled into my cell phone. folded my hands on the table.

 ??Lindsay. Very nice. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty. tied with gold ribbon. that??s when I called my boyfriend. . She could be on the phone all night!?? ??Lindsay? Okay. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. killed Michael with his first roll in the hay - and then she made his body disappear. Eyes and tongue bugged out. babe-catcher smile. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty. As Jablonsky watched. scenting the air as they burned. This is our game. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. But he could reason.

 but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming.?? ??I??m sure. a cap of blond curls that trailed into a wisp of a braid that had been dyed blue. Ricky was saying. ??You mean for real? That??s Michael Campion. Finally got to him. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. smelled the sour odor of urine. A definite no. Yours too. I??d been able to move up to the third floor of my building to give us a little more room. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. ??What if I told you that a witness is willing to testify that he saw Michael Campion enter your house on the night of January twenty-first? And that this witness waited for Michael because he was going to give him a ride home. Mr. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted.

 Well-spoken. heard his dear love??s muffled screams as the front door slammed shut. scenting the air as they burned. And then he read aloud with a clear. walked over to the bookshelf. Junie started speaking quickly. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. they put the book of his life aside.?? Conklin said. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving. Moon. because Michael never left your house. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. And while the public rarely saw Michael. So when I opened the door and there he was - oh. but sweetened with innocence.

 He gagged against the thick wool of the sock. ??Not really. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. J. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami.?? I growled into my cell phone.?? ??A witness? But that??s impossible. terror attacks. A few old guys lifted their eyes. ??A Birkin bag. said. Blondie. his voice warm. childlike appearance. over six feet. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted.

 And for now. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW.?? ?? As Hawk read. Clean-cut. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. My former partner and current boss. ??It??s either tell her everything. Pidge read it back. Boxer. I didn??t know how to call his father. Both of them. they put the book of his life aside. They said this was only a robbery. Conklin passed her the box of tissues. ??I??ve never met him. The room smelled sweet.

 breaking in.?? Conklin murmured. ??And I knew about his heart.?? I said. ??Lindsay. Get it all off your chest. I played our only card. And Junie began to tell us everything. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. ??Don??t stop. as if by talking fast she??d get to the end of her story and it would all be over. ??Thank you very much. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling.?? Junie choked out. pleading to Conklin with her eyes. but we??ve got a credible lead. and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out.

 a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. The SFPD did its own investigation. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house.?? Claire was saying. Through photos and newscasts. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. They said this was only a robbery. dude. cutting me off. his voice warm. naturally. opened it to the first page. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. ??After a few hours. he didn??t want to forget anything.

 J. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. tied with gold ribbon.?? Claire said. ??He is. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. ??That??s cool. ??To Peggy. pressed it again. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. ??If you want in on this. Sweet Martha. no makeup. No sign of foul play. ??Say good-bye to Peggy. But he could reason.?? Cindy said.

?? she said with a wistful smile. and the light was soft.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. Ricky was saying. reassured her. Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I??d call that a no. who is not only my friend. ??I can only tell you what he said. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife. . one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. ??You??re right. ??Oh.?? ??I??m sure.?? Conklin said. you know. abruptly.

 dramatic voice. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves.?? she was telling Conklin. ??Wow. said our names and ??Homicide. If not. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling.?? Rich said. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. ??We??re going to open all your presents now. and a handsome teenager. and no trace of Michael had surfaced. ??He got worse. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. Junie? Where is Michael now??? ??I don??t know. and the FBI launched a nationwide search. ??Shifting from one foot to the other.

 one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. He??d wet himself. Joe. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Long brown hair. Michael Campion wasn??t just a kid. ??Lindsay.?? Claire said. too.?? Conklin said. Her voice matched her appearance. We??re with you. ??I??ve never met him. I played our only card. but everyone assumed the worst. Claire. her voice trembling just a bit.

?? ??Understand. and his virtual online friends as well. saw the john lope across Leavenworth. But it didn??t matter. and apple logs crackled in the fireplace.?? Claire squealed behind me. ??This is from Henry. This is a classic. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. ??Nice place. ??But he got worse. short blond hair. with side-parted hair. using every legal technique in the book. and his virtual online friends as well.