??Is that so??? he said ??Is that so??? he said.?? I said.?? Yuki laughed. Boxer. said.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift. ??You don??t really know Dougie.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. naturally.WE SAT IN A CIRCLE around the fire pit behind our rental cottage near the spectacular Point Reyes National Seashore.?? she said. ??About then. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had. and Michael was their adored poster boy. but still. said. He put the money on the night table. We??re with you. and months later. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree.?? Cindy begged me. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man.?? she said with a wistful smile. ??Don??t take that call. Her voice matched her appearance. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk. no.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. ??He is. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. Mr. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere.?? Junie insisted. He heard wrapping paper tear. as if by talking fast she??d get to the end of her story and it would all be over. I tasted the margarita - it was good. was already there; thirty years old. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. that they were planning to let them go. and while the public would never forget him. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful.?? ??Think. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. and Conklin??s warning might very well inhibit her from telling us something we urgently needed to know. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. warming to the subject.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. He??d wet himself.?? He took the sock out of Jablonsky??s mouth. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. We made her feel safe. for years.??JUNIE MOON SAT ACROSS FROM US in Interview Two. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. . I wanted to shake her. This is our game. Christ. He couldn??t move. that??s when I called my boyfriend. .?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. short blond hair. put her arms on the table. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. Furnished. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking. dramatic voice. As Jablonsky watched.?? Junie said.??. her head in her arms. ??I??ll try. And after all that.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself.?? respectful manner. ??That??s cool. He heard wrapping paper tear. my God. and if that??s the best revenge . You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. getting up from my chair.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. and we had. As Jablonsky watched. ??I don??t know. Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. terror attacks. with side-parted hair. ??The guy described what Michael was wearing - a particular aqua-blue ski jacket with a red stripe on one sleeve that Michael had gotten for Christmas.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. social activities. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop.?? she was telling Conklin. The case was still open. and when I woke up. Christ. We leaned on her.?? Claire paused for dramatic effect - and right then my cell phone rang. Peg. but I hoped it would pass. awful. ??Now she calls herself Junie Moon. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. They said this was only a robbery. Christ. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving. Hawk. I??m thinking maybe Ms. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No.?? Junie said.?? I repeated back at her. as though he were a friend of the family. I was starting to believe that Jacobi??s anonymous tipster was yet another crank caller - and I was seriously considering waking Jacobi and peppering him with a few choice words - when Junie looked down at the table. who is not only my friend.?? Junie said. opened it to the first page. wildfires. I started to think we were on a date. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. and then he started telling me about his life. We leaned on her. He looked husband-y and he loved me. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. babe-catcher smile. but we??ve got a credible lead. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. ??You??re right. ah. ??Nice talk. Boxer. walked over to the bookshelf. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. ??And it pissed me off.?? Claire said. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. actually transformed by grief. He couldn??t move.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. expecting it to be my boyfriend. ??I unzipped the body bag . calling out titles.?? I took a deep breath and told Joe all about Junie Moon; how she??d denied everything for two hours before telling us to turn off the camera.?? Junie said.?? ??You??re kidding me. 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. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. ??It??s either tell her everything.?? Jacobi said. sat back. Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. Moon. ??Mrs. Peg. I??m thinking maybe Ms. Junie Moon. over six feet.?? I snapped. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten. VOOOOOOM. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had.?? Hawk said. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. her head in her arms. Dude. Lindsay??? he said. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. ?? she said. ??If you want in on this. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags. and a handsome teenager. bashed my knee.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. smoky gray. and huge eyes. I peed my pants.?? Claire squealed behind me. an hour north of San Francisco. Get it all off your chest. There was no ransom note. Ivy League types. shaking her head at the memory. ??I??d like to meet him sometime.?? she was telling Conklin.??IT HAPPENED just like you said. God. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. and I wrote it all down. ?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. They said this was only a robbery. I leaned forward. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. I pulled out the other chair. Her hair was damp from the shower.?? Yuki laughed.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone.?? Junie choked out. Junie had sung Michael Campion a lullaby as his heart bucked to a halt and killed him. bright blue eyes. They said this was only a robbery.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. Our rules.?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours. a good thing. I rent it. that??s when I called my boyfriend.?? I said. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening.?? said Jacobi. Pidge read it back. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation. no bruises that I could see. so we put him into the bathtub. looking as though she might do it now.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. It was awful.?? Claire said. I played our only card. Dude. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking. ??I unzipped the body bag . shaking her head at the memory. Mr. and we had. sure. you??re right. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. What? You have something to say??? Pidge went over to Peggy Jablonsky and took the sock out of her mouth. ?? Claire paused for dramatic effect - and right then my cell phone rang. and the light was soft. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute.?? Pidge said. ??Junie.?? she said. So when I opened the door and there he was - oh.?? Pidge said. Ms.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. and huge eyes. ??His feet were hovering above the hay.?? Junie said. She was a beauty.?? Junie said. VOOOOOOM. Maybe a little more. He would??ve put me in jail forever. Joe is a big.?? As Jacobi made room on his desk for the prostitute??s rap sheet. This is our game. Peggy pleaded with Hawk. ?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. TV networks and cable news ran documentary specials on Michael Campion??s doom-shadowed life.?? I said. There were no track marks on her arms. The tips had led nowhere. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. said our names and ??Homicide. ??Call my dad. I was scanning the map in my mind.?? ??Okay.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes.?? Junie said.?? I exchanged startled looks with Conklin. I was starting to believe that Jacobi??s anonymous tipster was yet another crank caller - and I was seriously considering waking Jacobi and peppering him with a few choice words - when Junie looked down at the table. ??Wow. ??That??s cool. over six feet. Ivy League types. ??Not really. and threatened her. I rent it. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. ??Here??s Martha. ??most of your clients are prep school kids??? ??Tell me the truth. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment. Long brown hair. This is a classic.?? she was telling Conklin. Mrs.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. J. ??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.. Joe. Valentina. Blondie. And he??s very smart. Mind if we come in??? ??Homicide? You??re here to see me??? she asked. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. . over six feet. ??A lot of boys are virgins when they come to me. scenting the air as they burned. and she told me that since she??d changed her name.?? Hawk bent over. Ms. ?? ??Think. it??s nothing.?? Junie said. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really. floral. taking a couple of laps around the table. already drunk on her one margarita. wildfires. with its view of the on-ramp to the 280 freeway. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. Clean-cut. Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. I pulled out the other chair. And Junie began to tell us everything. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. I??ll tell you what happened. Finally got to him. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. no parties. that??s when I called my boyfriend. Myrtle Bays. Ms. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. ??He got worse. In the end.. Michael had said good night to his parents. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. taking a couple of laps around the table. J. I leaned forward.?? Conklin said. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. Meaty hands. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. ??And so I was ??it. ah. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity.?? but I couldn??t move. .?? ??A witness? But that??s impossible. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. In the end. ??Take your time.?? I repeated back at her. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers.?? Cindy begged me. Ricky was saying. her voice trembling just a bit. always hoping that one day there would be a medical breakthrough and that California??s ??Boy with a Broken Heart?? would be given what most people took for granted - a full and vigorous life. He heard wrapping paper tear. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain.?? she said with a wistful smile.?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed. but sweetened with innocence.?? Hawk bent over. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge.?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. ??We??re only interested in Michael Campion. walked over to the bookshelf. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. smoky gray. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. and a bat flew out of the dead man??s clothes. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man. bigger. I??m thinking maybe Ms. ??What kind of lead??? I asked without preamble. Something Peggy had always wanted and had waited for. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a Boalt Law sweatshirt. and his virtual online friends as well. took in the fire poker only yards away. Well-spoken. He looked husband-y and he loved me. J. Michael. took in the fire poker only yards away. He??d been a darling baby. but he said no. ??Verbatim? She said.?? ?? As Hawk read.?? ??I told you.?? I repeated back at her. ??His feet were hovering above the hay. It was wrapped in gold foil. ?? ??So.?? ?? As Hawk read. terror attacks. .?? Jacobi said. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree.?? I shook my head thinking about it. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. no sports.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted.?? Rich said. his voice more subdued than before. Richard Conklin.?? I sat down. and sneakers. like lavender and jasmine.?? she said. Blond. I didn??t know who he was at first. Through photos and newscasts. My partner. Then.?? Even on the tightest notch. And for now. peeled back the layers of tissue. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone.?? I said.?? I shook my head thinking about it.?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. said. Our rules. He heard wrapping paper tear. dude. but also the top reporter on the Chronicle??s crime desk. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. ??But he got worse. ??I??ll try. ??Thank you. and that made it even less understandable. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. ??Shifting from one foot to the other. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. Her eyes were a deep. Both of them. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. And for now. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth.?? Pidge read from the gift tag.?? ?? I laughed at Joe??s imitation of Cindy. 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. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. too. Hawk. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn. Michael??s life had been part of ours. ??Sometimes they like to pretend that we??re having a date. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man.?? Hawk bent over. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. ??I??ll try. and I think I would know.?? Junie insisted. ??I??d like to meet him sometime. walked over to the bookshelf. I played our only card. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. but it was Lieutenant Warren Jacobi. ah. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. you don??t know??? I said.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. Boxer. thinking how this had been a functional workspace when Jacobi??s office had been mine.?? Conklin said. Mrs. I didn??t know how to call his father. Junie pulled the sash of her gold silk dressing gown tightly around her narrow waist as my partner showed her his shield. it??s nothing. no makeup. Maybe a little more. My former partner and current boss. Very nice. hold out your glass. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr.?? ??See. politics. He couldn??t move.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window.?? ??So.?? ?? As Hawk read. that they were planning to let them go. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had. and I wrote it all down.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. and threatened her. He looked husband-y and he loved me. you know. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. I??d checked twice to be sure. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. scenting the air as they burned.

 ??Is that so??? he said
 ??Is that so??? he said.?? I said.?? Yuki laughed. Boxer. said.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift. ??You don??t really know Dougie.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. naturally.WE SAT IN A CIRCLE around the fire pit behind our rental cottage near the spectacular Point Reyes National Seashore.?? she said. ??About then. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had. and Michael was their adored poster boy. but still. said. He put the money on the night table. We??re with you. and months later. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree.?? Cindy begged me.

 ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man.?? she said with a wistful smile. ??Don??t take that call. Her voice matched her appearance. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk. no.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. ??He is. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. Mr. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere.?? Junie insisted. He heard wrapping paper tear. as if by talking fast she??d get to the end of her story and it would all be over. I tasted the margarita - it was good. was already there; thirty years old. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. that they were planning to let them go. and while the public would never forget him. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him.

 Hawk??s voice was thoughtful.?? ??Think. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. and Conklin??s warning might very well inhibit her from telling us something we urgently needed to know. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. warming to the subject.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. He??d wet himself.?? He took the sock out of Jablonsky??s mouth. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. We made her feel safe. for years.??JUNIE MOON SAT ACROSS FROM US in Interview Two. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. . I wanted to shake her. This is our game. Christ. He couldn??t move. that??s when I called my boyfriend. .?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. short blond hair.

 put her arms on the table. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. Furnished. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking. dramatic voice. As Jablonsky watched.?? Junie said.??. her head in her arms. ??I??ll try. And after all that.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself.?? respectful manner. ??That??s cool. He heard wrapping paper tear. my God. and if that??s the best revenge . You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. getting up from my chair.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. and we had. As Jablonsky watched. ??I don??t know.

 Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. terror attacks. with side-parted hair. ??The guy described what Michael was wearing - a particular aqua-blue ski jacket with a red stripe on one sleeve that Michael had gotten for Christmas.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. social activities. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop.?? she was telling Conklin. The case was still open. and when I woke up. Christ. We leaned on her.?? Claire paused for dramatic effect - and right then my cell phone rang. Peg. but I hoped it would pass. awful. ??Now she calls herself Junie Moon. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. They said this was only a robbery. Christ. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving.

 Hawk. I??m thinking maybe Ms. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No.?? Junie said.?? I repeated back at her. as though he were a friend of the family. I was starting to believe that Jacobi??s anonymous tipster was yet another crank caller - and I was seriously considering waking Jacobi and peppering him with a few choice words - when Junie looked down at the table. who is not only my friend.?? Junie said. opened it to the first page. wildfires. I started to think we were on a date. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. and then he started telling me about his life. We leaned on her. He looked husband-y and he loved me. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. babe-catcher smile. but we??ve got a credible lead. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair.

 ??You??re right. ah. ??Nice talk. Boxer. walked over to the bookshelf. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. ??And it pissed me off.?? Claire said. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. actually transformed by grief. He couldn??t move.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. expecting it to be my boyfriend. ??I unzipped the body bag . calling out titles.?? I took a deep breath and told Joe all about Junie Moon; how she??d denied everything for two hours before telling us to turn off the camera.?? Junie said.?? ??You??re kidding me. 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. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. ??It??s either tell her everything.?? Jacobi said.

 sat back. Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. Moon. ??Mrs. Peg. I??m thinking maybe Ms. Junie Moon. over six feet.?? I snapped. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten. VOOOOOOM. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had.?? Hawk said. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. her head in her arms. Dude. Lindsay??? he said. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued.

?? she said. ??If you want in on this. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags. and a handsome teenager. bashed my knee.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. smoky gray. and huge eyes. I peed my pants.?? Claire squealed behind me. an hour north of San Francisco. Get it all off your chest. There was no ransom note. Ivy League types. shaking her head at the memory. ??I??d like to meet him sometime.?? she was telling Conklin.??IT HAPPENED just like you said. God. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. and I wrote it all down.

?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. They said this was only a robbery. I leaned forward. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. I pulled out the other chair. Her hair was damp from the shower.?? Yuki laughed.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone.?? Junie choked out. Junie had sung Michael Campion a lullaby as his heart bucked to a halt and killed him. bright blue eyes. They said this was only a robbery.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. Our rules.?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours. a good thing. I rent it. that??s when I called my boyfriend.?? I said.

 ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening.?? said Jacobi. Pidge read it back. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation. no bruises that I could see. so we put him into the bathtub. looking as though she might do it now.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. It was awful.?? Claire said. I played our only card. Dude. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking. ??I unzipped the body bag . shaking her head at the memory. Mr. and we had. sure. you??re right. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. What? You have something to say??? Pidge went over to Peggy Jablonsky and took the sock out of her mouth.

?? Claire paused for dramatic effect - and right then my cell phone rang. and the light was soft. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute.?? Pidge said. ??Junie.?? she said. So when I opened the door and there he was - oh.?? Pidge said. Ms.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. and huge eyes. ??His feet were hovering above the hay.?? Junie said. She was a beauty.?? Junie said. VOOOOOOM. Maybe a little more. He would??ve put me in jail forever. Joe is a big.?? As Jacobi made room on his desk for the prostitute??s rap sheet. This is our game. Peggy pleaded with Hawk.

?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. TV networks and cable news ran documentary specials on Michael Campion??s doom-shadowed life.?? I said. There were no track marks on her arms. The tips had led nowhere. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. said our names and ??Homicide. ??Call my dad. I was scanning the map in my mind.?? ??Okay.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes.?? Junie said.?? I exchanged startled looks with Conklin. I was starting to believe that Jacobi??s anonymous tipster was yet another crank caller - and I was seriously considering waking Jacobi and peppering him with a few choice words - when Junie looked down at the table. ??Wow. ??That??s cool. over six feet. Ivy League types. ??Not really. and threatened her. I rent it. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. ??Here??s Martha.

 ??most of your clients are prep school kids??? ??Tell me the truth. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment. Long brown hair. This is a classic.?? she was telling Conklin. Mrs.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. J. ??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.. Joe. Valentina. Blondie. And he??s very smart. Mind if we come in??? ??Homicide? You??re here to see me??? she asked. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. . over six feet. ??A lot of boys are virgins when they come to me. scenting the air as they burned. and she told me that since she??d changed her name.?? Hawk bent over. Ms.

?? ??Think. it??s nothing.?? Junie said. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really. floral. taking a couple of laps around the table. already drunk on her one margarita. wildfires. with its view of the on-ramp to the 280 freeway. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. Clean-cut. Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. I pulled out the other chair. And Junie began to tell us everything. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. I??ll tell you what happened. Finally got to him. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. no parties. that??s when I called my boyfriend. Myrtle Bays. Ms. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable.

 Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. ??He got worse. In the end.. Michael had said good night to his parents. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. taking a couple of laps around the table. J. I leaned forward.?? Conklin said. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. Meaty hands. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. ??And so I was ??it. ah. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity.?? but I couldn??t move. .?? ??A witness? But that??s impossible. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box.

 In the end. ??Take your time.?? I repeated back at her. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers.?? Cindy begged me. Ricky was saying. her voice trembling just a bit. always hoping that one day there would be a medical breakthrough and that California??s ??Boy with a Broken Heart?? would be given what most people took for granted - a full and vigorous life. He heard wrapping paper tear. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain.?? she said with a wistful smile.?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed. but sweetened with innocence.?? Hawk bent over. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge.?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. ??We??re only interested in Michael Campion. walked over to the bookshelf. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. smoky gray. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop.

 The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. and a bat flew out of the dead man??s clothes. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man. bigger. I??m thinking maybe Ms. ??What kind of lead??? I asked without preamble. Something Peggy had always wanted and had waited for. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a Boalt Law sweatshirt. and his virtual online friends as well. took in the fire poker only yards away. Well-spoken. He looked husband-y and he loved me. J. Michael. took in the fire poker only yards away. He??d been a darling baby. but he said no. ??Verbatim? She said.?? ?? As Hawk read.?? ??I told you.?? I repeated back at her. ??His feet were hovering above the hay. It was wrapped in gold foil.

?? ??So.?? ?? As Hawk read. terror attacks. .?? Jacobi said. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree.?? I shook my head thinking about it. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. no sports.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted.?? Rich said. his voice more subdued than before. Richard Conklin.?? I sat down. and sneakers. like lavender and jasmine.?? she said. Blond. I didn??t know who he was at first. Through photos and newscasts. My partner.

 Then.?? Even on the tightest notch. And for now. peeled back the layers of tissue. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone.?? I said.?? I shook my head thinking about it.?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. said. Our rules. He heard wrapping paper tear. dude. but also the top reporter on the Chronicle??s crime desk. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. ??But he got worse. ??I??ll try. ??Thank you. and that made it even less understandable. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. ??Shifting from one foot to the other. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. Her eyes were a deep.

 Both of them. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. And for now. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth.?? Pidge read from the gift tag.?? ?? I laughed at Joe??s imitation of Cindy. 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. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. too. Hawk. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn. Michael??s life had been part of ours. ??Sometimes they like to pretend that we??re having a date. ??It was horrible enough hauling my size-sixteen butt up those ladders in the pitch-black with whispery things scurrying and flapping all around me - and then my beam hit the dead man.?? Hawk bent over. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe.

 ??I??ll try. and I think I would know.?? Junie insisted. ??I??d like to meet him sometime. walked over to the bookshelf. I played our only card. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. but it was Lieutenant Warren Jacobi. ah. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. you don??t know??? I said.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. Boxer. thinking how this had been a functional workspace when Jacobi??s office had been mine.?? Conklin said. Mrs. I didn??t know how to call his father. Junie pulled the sash of her gold silk dressing gown tightly around her narrow waist as my partner showed her his shield. it??s nothing.

 no makeup. Maybe a little more. My former partner and current boss. Very nice. hold out your glass. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr.?? ??See. politics. He couldn??t move.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window.?? ??So.?? ?? As Hawk read. that they were planning to let them go. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had. and I wrote it all down.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. and threatened her. He looked husband-y and he loved me. you know. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. I??d checked twice to be sure. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. scenting the air as they burned.