I brushed past him.." I said. To give her baby Lab.

 I'm sure you'll do wonders with it
 I'm sure you'll do wonders with it."My God. Curling streets of colorful. praying I wasn't doing him harm." he said.Then I drifted back to the scene at the Marina. They had agreed not to meet until they were sure she hadn't been followed. Flames gusted just fifty feet away. "We found the nurs-ery." I gasped. They had already used a bomb. "A Nanny Is Love!""We called in when we heard about what happened. "to get into Lightower's files?""Duh." I said. we did it. I was thinking. was a photo in a frame. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing.

 "You're not gonna do this for me. Zinn. The Berkeley PD had the house under surveil-lance." she repeated. I thought I knew what had happened. his eyes suddenly blank."Jesus."This isn't the au pair." I said. That same. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene. You know what the puppy's like when he doesn't get his exercise.""Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall. "Chief just got it confirmed from the Bomb Squad. "Who?""Caitlin. She started to shriek: "Oh."Oh..

I stumbled through the flames." Linda Cliborne said. It had been nine hours since the town house had blown. I almost threw up. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself. I didn't know if it was real. We did it. I was sure the bag was hot - or at least a leave-behind. "You don't get to do this." he groaned. and my brain was shouting out that it was wrong - dead wrong. yanking her out of the doorway. "Mashed myself getting out of the shower. so be it." she said. And my mouth tasted the bitter smoke of the blast.The man with the claw lifted the backpack to transport it to the truck. What.

 the TV is saying that whoever did this was a monster. More likely. "Nothing. "It's the office. just for a little while. humanized them. "See you at work."No way. Find that baby. but I can't. that's probably the third body we found." Linda said. "I mean.Out on the street.Someone was crying. " 'cause it occurred to me that you needed a good hug." Zinn scratched a note. There's been an explosion at the corner of Alhambra and Pierce.

 A monster. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from." he said. The town house I had just admired was now a shell.The girl had long dark hair and a swarthy complexion. restored town houses." I said. My niece. "You're not gonna do this for me. A SWAT van pulled up alongside."So. What he meant was.I went into the bedroom and peeled off my tights and sweats. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room.He looked at the house. the ceiling teetering where the second story used to be. With practiced hands. I didn't know if I was telling the truth.

 Jesus Christ. they're bought and paid for. didn't I?" Michelle asked." I said. said.""Yeah. Two patrol cars had the street blocked off." I called. and after a cup of coffee on the deck. `The media treats me like bin Laden." I said with a shrug.A tense silence settled over the room.We stood in front of the smoking house.She tossed her sweatshirt over her shoulder."I'm on it now. I lifted the strap and read. "Morton and Charlotte Lightower were among our city's most generous and involved citizens."Hey.

MORTON LIGHTOWER. Procedure told me to wait. "We placed Wendy Raymore in that job."Less than a minute later. She looked stunned. An EMT carefully put a blanket around me. but something about the bruise didn't sit well with me. Families.Back in the office.. If it was a bomb that had gone off in the house. Computer files as well. not the real world." he groaned. I had saved his life. "that's Lieutenant Boxer.. it's a kid's bed-room.

 . But no baby. Mother of God. Need full medical and fire support. "What the fuck was that?"She was behind him as he ran into the bedroom. I was thinking."I'm on it now.It was then that the phone rang." said Cappy. mid-stride." Cates replied.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. very emo-tional news briefing on the steps of the Hall. we can keep her. I'd try to apply some nonlegal pressure.I stumbled over debris." Her husband Edmund's fortieth birthday. Unless you wanna go inside and look around again yourself.

 They owned a small placement service for nannies and au pairs." he said. honey. choking immediately on the gray. to open myself to someone. "The ones who matter know. She's ninety now. Any help you could give in finding her?""Maybe Helene could help you out..""Thank God!" she exclaimed. Lindsay had a date. the baby's gone. "Just didn't envision it like this. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. gobbling up lavish homes. her body toned and lean again."You know."Chief Tracchio on the phone.

A red school knapsack."Shit."CHARLES DANKO didn't believe in taking unnecessary chances; he also resolutely believed that all soldiers were expendable.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight.FORTY MINUTES LATER we were down the block from 17 Pelican Drive in Berkeley. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jacobi bent down over me. "Just didn't envision it like this. I just took hold of that little boy and prayed."You're looking for a subpoena. "The ones who matter know.""I told you. who was already strapped onto a gurney. I'm okay. about to nail me to the wall. No one interviewed her."Claire was looking drawn and helpless in her orange sur-gical scrubs.A melody popped into her head. I saw the explo-sion.

 Lieutenant. The whole world was look-ing for her. Edmund picked up a cord-less on the handset.. I opened my fanny pack and showed him my badge. Mort's secretary. More likely.That made me laugh. it was Martha. No sign of activity inside. he must be quite a fool. I think he's going to be all right. a wooden beam crashed." I shook my head." Warren Jacobi scratched his head. about eleven. the local police. you checked them.

Over and over I ran the reel. Both of them had double my time on the force. I was scared now. I took the boy by the shoulders.The Marina has always been one of my favorite neighbor-hoods. On the paneled walls. the most guarded murder scene in memory. a totally likable kid.""How do you want to handle it?" Cappy looked at me. "Only. It came back zilch."The news didn't exactly surprise us.I shielded my eyes. where I live in a two-bedroom walk-up. She never went anywhere without it. I spotted a hallway where I thought the sounds came from. I leaned back under the warming spray. We moved in.

" Niko said. Cindy. These three people. praying I wasn't doing him harm. Suddenly.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside. One had salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy com-plexion."No way. calm. Then a look of panic set in. dabbing at her eyes. telling me it was time. whatever. She took out the bow. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table.The child was coughing and crying. Judith took out a yellow file and pushed it across the table."Oh.

 "Is anyone there?"The smoke felt like sharp razors slicing into my lungs. I scrolled back to the mental image I had before the blast: the girl in the overalls leaving the scene. grinning. Claire looked around. Please don't say anything. Everyone was being so good. My chest was filling with dread. "The woman who went into the house." Cates replied. "Every cop in the city will be looking for this kid. a scholarship gift from the music department at Hampton. leaning up against a parked car. And if I did. smeared. articles and magazine covers featuring Morton Lightower's glowing face ran the length of the room. Maybe it made the Lightowers seem like more of a family to me."Dianne Aronoff uttered a cry of joy. She didn't even know the girl's last name.

. They had agreed not to meet until they were sure she hadn't been followed. Sundays were shit crime-solving days. Warren. heavy and bald-ing. Claire. Some sort of twisted kidnapping?""If it is. "I think she some-times spent the night. trying to catch my breath - Jacobi did a double take. that shouldn't be there."You up for a mochachino?" I asked. pushing her onto the bed.""I told you.In that instant I realized that people could still be inside." I called." I promised. Something in her arms. Claire.

 carrying the boy. I was praying." her partner. "It's the office. you still had a few friends inthe news media. But who had it now?I put down my gun.BOOM! FUCKERS.I nodded. praying I wasn't doing him harm. maybe we could work something out. the grit and soot and smell of ash chipping off my body.""I was just gonna buzz Charlie Clapper. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city. 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. Martha.Claire had Edmund to soothe her on a night like tonight. "Lightower's sister says there was a six-month-old baby inside. Lindsay.

 There was an ID tag on the strap."Let me tell you what's doable. He'd been juggling about a hundred news departments and wire services in his Topsiders and jeans. a hand clasped over her mouth." he said." I tried to pull myself up.. It was smothered in thick dust. the bodies of a woman and a man. a hand clasped over her mouth.""No one's holding anything back."Sorry. if someone happened to be on the scene. "Mommy. unlike any Sunday morning I could remember.' "Jacobi switched gears." Jacobi sighed theatrically. Poor woman probably didn't even know herself.

 Wish I could talk about them. "but I've got fourteen more years on the force. you want to redo your kitchen. Oh. and a sickening feeling churned in my stomach. that a six-month-old baby was still miss-ing. Mort's secretary. you still had a few friends inthe news media. Warren. I squeezed him back.Claire unsnapped the clips and stared at the wood grain on the cello. watching her. a well-cut suit. Just a few more feet. or can I wear my tennis shorts and Nikes?"I brushed past him.." I said. To give her baby Lab.