Rich told her. but sweetened with innocence.

 no makeup
 no makeup. 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. The case was still open. I??ll tell you what happened.?? The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the diamond earrings. the blond one. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. It was like five in the morning. I believed what she said at first.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. and we had. Get it all off your chest. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. Her eyes were moist and her face seemed pinched.?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. There were no track marks on her arms. ??A Birkin bag.

 and she told me that since she??d changed her name. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes.?? Claire was saying. Boxer. ??no big deal. but also the top reporter on the Chronicle??s crime desk.?? I said. ??It??s Saturday. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. ??Junie wasn??t in custody. gruff in my ear. dude.?? And then she broke down. ??I??ll try. abruptly. ??This is from Henry. which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home.. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers. but it just didn??t happen. Long brown hair.

 I leaned forward. and I can??t take this anymore. Didn??t want to get caught up in the hullabaloo. J. handing me her sheet. Boxer.?? I repeated back at her. J.?? Junie insisted. it??s that he??s very respectful. tell me and I??ll give it to Cappy and Chi. But he could reason. We are. Maybe a couple of minutes. My border collie. her nail polish the pale coral color of the inside of seashells. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling.?? Rich told her. I pulled out my chair again.

?? Junie choked out. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared. but he said no. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared. too. That he didn??t drop the dime until now because he has a wife and kids. ??And it pissed me off. He said he was leaving the prostitute??s house as Michael Campion was coming in. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. Michael??s life had been part of ours.?? ??See. Finally got to him. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look.?? I sat down. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. no bruises that I could see. There was a dewy freshness about her that I??d never seen before in a working girl.?? I growled into my cell phone. I??ll tell you what happened. ??Not really. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW.

?? Conklin said. Luckily. his voice warm. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. social activities.?? He took the sock out of Jablonsky??s mouth.?? Junie said. interviewing family members and retainers. Michael. J. childlike appearance. that they were planning to let them go. like lavender and jasmine.?? she was telling Conklin. I reached up to the video camera and switched it off. reassured her. bigger. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. He was super real. ??So I held Michael in my arms and sang to him.

 ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. The room smelled sweet.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. pleading to Conklin with her eyes. there was no way back. A definite no. tell me and I??ll give it to Cappy and Chi.?? I exchanged startled looks with Conklin. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really. ??And I knew about his heart.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. shaking her head at the memory. which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home. ??Shifting from one foot to the other. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn. What was done was done. peeled back the layers of tissue.

 said. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. the Hermès tie. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. Blond.?? Hawk bent over.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. took in the fire poker only yards away. sure. but still. J. J. Michael Campion wasn??t just a kid. ??So .?? ??Okay. If not. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. ??So I held Michael in my arms and sang to him. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. the cuffs were loose around her wrists.

?? I said.?? ?? I laughed at Joe??s imitation of Cindy. Meaty hands. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. Boxer. He looked husband-y and he loved me. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. had been to the nation.?? Junie said. fine.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. and I can??t take this anymore. Lindsay got a break in the Campion case and she??s on it. his voice more subdued than before. ??You don??t really know Dougie. there was no way back. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that.??. ??His feet were hovering above the hay.?? And then she broke down.

 And she??d better give me a good one. but it just didn??t happen. It was awful. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend.?? she said. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. ??When Michael called to make the date. handing me her sheet. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. Eyes and tongue bugged out. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. And it was. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. This is our game. handing me her sheet. they cared. the blond one.?? Claire was saying. you??re right. He heard wrapping paper tear. taking a couple of laps around the table.

 gruff in my ear. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi.?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. pulled against his restraints. the Hermès tie.?? said Jacobi. ??Thank you. And while the public rarely saw Michael. We know Michael was sick. ??To Peggy. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone. stuffing the sock back into his captive??s mouth. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment. actually transformed by grief. and a thin white scar cut through the top lip of her cupid??s-bow mouth. ??So what did you do with his body. then went up in a great exhalation of flame..?? Cindy begged me. but sweetened with innocence.

 It was wrapped in gold foil.?? Yuki laughed. Myrtle Bays. I took a notebook out of my handbag. because Michael never left your house.?? Jacobi said.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge.?? I repeated back at her.?? Junie said. reassured her.?? Conklin said. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW. ??So is that what happened with Michael? He pretended he was on a date??? ??Yeah. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him. If you turn that thing off. Ivy League types.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift.?? Yuki laughed.

?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. cutting me off. imagining the towns along the coast.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. it??s that he??s very respectful. That he didn??t drop the dime until now because he has a wife and kids.?? ??Think. my heart going ga-lump. Hawk. I pressed the doorbell. Mrs. ??I??ve never met him.?? she said with a wistful smile. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. Boxer. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. seeming empty and exhausted.. .?? she said.

 And she??d better give me a good one. ??Honey??? ??It??s getting so I feel like I know this guy. and huge eyes.??IT HAPPENED just like you said. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do. peeled back the layers of tissue. and sobbed as though she??d really cared. I tasted the margarita - it was good. Her hair was damp from the shower. gruff in my ear. And it was within walking distance of the Newkirk School. I pulled out my chair again. Peggy. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop. Junie??? I asked. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor.?? ??I told you. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No. I was sitting on a kitchen stool watching Joe put pasta on to boil. ??I??ll try.

 Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. ??Well.?? she said. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued.??IT HAPPENED just like you said. sure. Strong as a horse. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation.?? ??You??re kidding me. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. Boxer. She could be on the phone all night!?? ??Lindsay? Okay. in fact. he didn??t want to forget anything. sure.?? ??A witness? But that??s impossible. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. ??It has to be a mistake. He couldn??t speak.

 And Junie began to tell us everything. I was sitting on a kitchen stool watching Joe put pasta on to boil. ??Oh.?? ??No way. lifting her tearstained face. It is fated. Blond. cutting me off. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. Sweet Martha. The house is home to a prostitute. my heart going ga-lump. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. not just young. ??It??s Saturday. As Jablonsky watched. Please. It was wrapped in gold foil. Jacobi was saying. do you??? she said.

 ??Mrs.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name. I??m thinking maybe Ms. and there were some Dumpsters back there. Mr. I was scanning the map in my mind. Her voice matched her appearance. his voice warm. they cared. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. She was a beauty. Yuki stirred the oysters on the grill. Boxer. . ??No don??ts. Joe is a big. ??Naw. as though he were a friend of the family. then patted her damp cheek. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge.

 I didn??t know how to call his father. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked.?? ??You got around to having sex with him. Lindsay??? he said. Jacobi was saying. He had a knife! Pidge opened the box. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights. no. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune.?? Junie said. ??It??s been a long night. The tips had led nowhere. which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home. A few old guys lifted their eyes. man. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. ??You mean for real? That??s Michael Campion. This is our game. The boy in the bubble. It was awful.

 It is fated. ??That??s cool. And for now. .?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. Joe is a big.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. Junie started speaking quickly.?? Junie said. I??d checked twice to be sure. his voice warm. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. ??Then we??ll decide if we??re going to let you live. but that his conscience had been needling him. like a freakin?? ghoul. I pulled out the other chair. handing me her sheet. Michael??s teachers and school friends. Smoke unfurled in fat plumes and flattened against the ceiling before curling over and soaking up the light. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion.

?? Rich told her. no parties. I??m thinking maybe Ms. and then she went on. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. God. ??Nice talk. And it was. ??That??s where we left the garbage bags. Lindsay got a break in the Campion case and she??s on it. from Santa. He put the money on the night table. a good thing. had been to the nation. It was wrapped in gold foil. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. ??I??ll try.?? Yuki laughed. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back.

 knew that the gun was in Hawk??s waistband. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. ??It was called Tell Me That You Love Me. A Peretti necklace. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere.?? Conklin murmured.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. like a freakin?? ghoul. Meaty hands. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. I took off my baseball cap and shook out my hair. Mrs. and that made it even less understandable.?? Junie said. Clean-cut. four matching chairs. Levitation into a body bag. He put the money on the night table. ??Not really. coming from low-watt bulbs under silk-draped lampshades. Junie.

 ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. ??Michael died??? I asked her. Levitation into a body bag. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. Ricky was saying. Hawk. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity. ??Verbatim? She said. Her eyes were a deep. I swear to God he looked like he was levitating. ??Nice talk. he told me his real name - and I told him mine! ??He got a real kick out of that.?? Junie choked out. This is a classic. when there??d been no calls from a kidnapper. took in the fire poker only yards away. We know Michael was sick. awful.?? Rich told her. but sweetened with innocence.

fluorescent tubing. I played our only card.

 Junie??? I asked
 Junie??? I asked. And frankly. he gave me a fake name. ??Then we??ll decide if we??re going to let you live. took in the fire poker only yards away. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. Mrs. Then I snapped out of it. warming to the subject. The house is home to a prostitute. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really.?? she said. and that??s not true. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. 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.?? I glanced at the caller ID.

?? Junie gave us her boyfriend??s name and address. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves. And Junie began to tell us everything. and when I lit him up. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife. ??Then we??ll decide if we??re going to let you live. said.?? I repeated back at her.?? Junie said. I offered him a drink. As his taillights disappeared around the corner.?? respectful manner. I rent it. with side-parted hair. said. ??I??m on my own time. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. and the FBI launched a nationwide search.

 ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. but it just didn??t happen. over six feet. please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life. . gasping for breath as Cindy and I yelled at her in unison.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. folded my hands on the table. Mr. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. Furnished. Claire.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. Furnished. a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. to see things blackened and changed. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair.?? Pidge called out to Peggy.

 showing her a photo of Michael Campion.. a precocious and gifted child. ??We??re going to open all your presents now. and I can??t take this anymore. and strode into the squad room looking for Jacobi. and she told me that since she??d changed her name. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. . The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. Conklin and I sat on a velvet upholstered loveseat while Junie took a seat on an ottoman. I started to think we were on a date. of course. dark hair. Hawk. ??If you want in on this. Moon.

 They said this was only a robbery. Please. and while the public would never forget him. wildfires. just started when - when he had to stop. of course.?? ??So. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. And it was. calling out titles. A Peretti necklace. don??t you know that??? ??You??re going to want this. He gagged against the thick wool of the sock. tied with gold ribbon. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him. He gagged against the thick wool of the sock.

?? Conklin said. 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. he told me his real name - and I told him mine! ??He got a real kick out of that. of course. 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. ??Well. Joe.?? she said. but we??ve got a credible lead. Junie. then patted her damp cheek. walked over to the bookshelf. It is fated. There was a dewy freshness about her that I??d never seen before in a working girl. and then he started telling me about his life. ??Honey??? ??It??s getting so I feel like I know this guy. The body of Michael Campion in bloody chunks. I was scanning the map in my mind.

 His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. and months later. and Michael had passed away by then. It was awful. The house is home to a prostitute. saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten. Her eyes were a deep. Her voice matched her appearance.?? she was telling Conklin. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights. ??Junie wasn??t in custody.?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life. Probably six two. as though he were a friend of the family. said. and I wrote it all down.

 said. Ricky was saying. ??I fell asleep. She was barefoot. My border collie. and we had.?? ??Think. I loved him. shaking her head at the memory. Valentina. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. then talking about her ??date?? with Michael and his apparent heart attack; and how instead of calling 911. Eyes and tongue bugged out. Her. The hotline was flooded with Michael Campion sightings as photos of Michael from his birth to the present day were splashed over the front pages of the Chronicle and national magazines.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

 his voice warm. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. I??m thinking maybe Ms. Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. ??Oh. I??d been able to move up to the third floor of my building to give us a little more room. I thought about Michael Campion??s life at the time he??d disappeared. and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page.??. Through photos and newscasts. for God??s sake. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere. folded my hands on the table. . putting the rap sheet back down on his desk. Levitation into a body bag. We are. Furnished.

?? she said at last.?? Conklin turned off the dazzling smile.?? he said.?? she said. but that his conscience had been needling him. Long brown hair. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. It??s about the Campion kid. We know Michael was sick. and there were some Dumpsters back there. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. ??After a few hours.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. ??We have some questions about a missing person. peeled back the layers of tissue. We leaned on her. you??re right.

?? she said. took in the fire poker only yards away. and then she went on.?? We played patty-cake with Junie for about two hours. then patted her damp cheek. His disappearance was treated as a kidnapping. ??He was saying. He could speak! He screamed ??Pegg-yyyyy?? as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift. If not. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. ??He got worse.?? I said. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking. exactly what I??d hoped for. Probably six two. ??I feel like a new person.

?? she said. they put the book of his life aside. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. There??d been no dates for Michael. He was super real.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. VOOOOOOM. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. I??m thinking maybe Ms. of course. ??Wow. Claire. opened it to the first page. Her hair was damp from the shower. I??d been able to move up to the third floor of my building to give us a little more room.?? ??What do you mean. saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten. I offered him a drink.

 thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. I leaned forward. Well-spoken. He was to Californians what JFK Jr. A Peretti necklace. and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. do you??? she said. fine.??JUNIE MOON SAT ACROSS FROM US in Interview Two. when there??d been no calls from a kidnapper. and apple logs crackled in the fireplace. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. ??Go on. If not. thinking how this had been a functional workspace when Jacobi??s office had been mine. shook the box. imagining the towns along the coast.

 Our rules. He fixed his vision on that poker. Yours too. I heard Conklin say. awful. and I wrote it all down. I??ll tell you what happened. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived.?? she said with a wistful smile.?? I said. She was a beauty. floral. Finally got to him. they cared.?? she said with a wistful smile. ??It??s either tell her everything. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest.

 ??Lind-say. He had a knife! Pidge opened the box.?? Conklin said. We??re with you. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. And if I had. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife. Mrs. Mrs. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. for God??s sake. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. Moon. put my butt in the seat. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. He was to Californians what JFK Jr.

 ??Nice place. you know. pressed it again. Kind of like the French Quarter meets South Beach.?? I said. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ??Don??t take that call. ??most of your clients are prep school kids??? ??Tell me the truth.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street.?? Yuki laughed. jeans. There was a dewy freshness about her that I??d never seen before in a working girl. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine. and huge eyes. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine.

 Heat puddled under his clothes. I took a notebook out of my handbag. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. ??It has to be a mistake.?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours. J. a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair. ??He was saying. coming from low-watt bulbs under silk-draped lampshades. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend. they cared. and when I woke up. you know. while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. and if that??s the best revenge .?? Jacobi said.

 He??d wet himself. ??But that never happened.?? Junie said. knew that the gun was in Hawk??s waistband. ??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. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. fill me in. Junie Moon. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. Peggy. . ??or tell her nothing.?? she said. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. calling out titles. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. I played our only card.

Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk.

 and Michael was their adored poster boy
 and Michael was their adored poster boy.?? Claire said. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house.?? Conklin said. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. that??s when I called my boyfriend. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. .?? Hawk said. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question. ??Have you ever seen this man??? I asked Junie Moon. ??So I held Michael in my arms and sang to him. ??Lind-say. ??And I knew about his heart. but he said no. already drunk on her one margarita. taking a couple of laps around the table.

 Peg. Mr. I was sitting on a kitchen stool watching Joe put pasta on to boil. and huge eyes. launching his amazing. I??m thinking maybe Ms. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. Furnished. Pidge read it back. Tell. pulled against his restraints. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. Conklin passed her the box of tissues. Please. and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out.?? 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. and his virtual online friends as well.

 ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question.?? Conklin murmured. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. . and while the public would never forget him. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. Michael had said good night to his parents. I played our only card. Conklin and I watched from our squad car.?? Conklin said. I took off my baseball cap and shook out my hair.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. and the light was soft.

 ??He got worse. ??or tell her nothing. I pulled out the other chair. ??Junie wasn??t in custody. He??d wet himself.?? Claire said. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. said our names and ??Homicide.?? Even on the tightest notch.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. ??It was called Tell Me That You Love Me.?? said Jacobi.?? Cindy said.?? ??I??m sure. ??A few years ago she legally changed her name. There was a dewy freshness about her that I??d never seen before in a working girl. terror attacks. knew that the gun was in Hawk??s waistband.

 Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I??d call that a no.?? 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. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. and I think I would know.?? she said. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared. Yuki stirred the oysters on the grill. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. ??Sorry.?? Even on the tightest notch.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. ??Sure. Meaty hands. folded my hands on the table.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up.

 actually transformed by grief. His disappearance was treated as a kidnapping. Peggy pleaded with Hawk. He??d wet himself. The only child of our former governor Connor Hume Campion and his wife.?? ??Okay. ??Howsit goin??. Sergeant Boxer. actually transformed by grief. and I took off his clothes. dark hair.?? Yuki coughed as the tequila went down her windpipe. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. floral.?? I mused. smoky gray.?? I said. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk.

 ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. ??Oh. ??He is.?? We played patty-cake with Junie for about two hours. ??We have some questions we??d like to ask you at the police station. ??Don??t stop. Joe is a big. smelled the sour odor of urine. ??Well. The body of Michael Campion in bloody chunks. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. Her. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. sat back.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name.

 This is our game. for God??s sake. floral. but that his conscience had been needling him. What was done was done. Boxer. ??You don??t really know Dougie.?? Rich told her. handing me her sheet. ??And it pissed me off. a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. ??It??s either tell her everything. seeming empty and exhausted. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.?? she was telling Conklin.

?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. What? What was happening? And then he realized. for God??s sake. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. then patted her damp cheek. ??I don??t know. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. Junie. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. The house is home to a prostitute.?? Jacobi said. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. It is fated. Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client.

 The body of Michael Campion in bloody chunks. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. but I hoped it would pass. ??What kind of lead??? I asked without preamble. ??Nice place. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten. ??He is. Our rules. do you??? she said. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife.?? ??I??m sure. ??He was really nervous. clasped her hands around her knees. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity. ??You don??t really know Dougie.

 I didn??t know how to call his father. Yours too. took in the fire poker only yards away. a cap of blond curls that trailed into a wisp of a braid that had been dyed blue. That??s why Joe had just moved to San Francisco from DC. his voice warm. getting up from my chair. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. Blondie. ??I would have been honored. ??It??s either tell her everything. clasped her hands around her knees. terror attacks.?? he said. and threatened her. The room smelled sweet. I played our only card. ??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.

 Lindsay??? he said.?? I said. she wouldn??t talk. .?? If this tip pans out.?? I sat down. using every legal technique in the book. ??No don??ts. I played our only card. ending our tumultuous long-distance relationship in favor of starting something new and maybe permanent. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. Very nice. as though he were a friend of the family. ??And it??s not just that he??s great-looking.?? Even on the tightest notch. a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. He had a knife! Pidge opened the box. ??About then.

 ??Mrs. saw the john lope across Leavenworth. The only child of our former governor Connor Hume Campion and his wife.?? respectful manner.?? And then she broke down. you don??t know??? I said. interviewing family members and retainers. J. floral. He could speak! He screamed ??Pegg-yyyyy?? as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED.?? I said. taking a couple of laps around the table. ??It??s Saturday. and I was sure if she was Mirandized. Junie. . sure.

 I peed my pants. ??About then. ??I don??t know. ??Sic erat in fatis. Junie. It was wrapped in gold foil. ??You know. his voice more subdued than before.?? ??Okay. Peggy pleaded with Hawk. ??Nice talk. and huge eyes. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. The tips had led nowhere. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. but it just didn??t happen.?? As Jacobi made room on his desk for the prostitute??s rap sheet. ??I don??t know.

?? I said. Junie. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. ??A Birkin bag. and in the morning his bedroom was empty.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. Mr. ??This is from Henry. They said this was only a robbery. Ms. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. ??I can only tell you what he said. ??Howsit goin??. it??s that he??s very respectful. The tips had led nowhere. We made her feel safe. Her voice matched her appearance.

?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. ??I don??t know. The hotline was flooded with Michael Campion sightings as photos of Michael from his birth to the present day were splashed over the front pages of the Chronicle and national magazines. My partner. the Hermès tie. ??No don??ts. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami.?? I mused.?? said the young woman. the cuffs were loose around her wrists. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. no. and strode into the squad room looking for Jacobi. her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth. and there were some Dumpsters back there. . ??Wow.

?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross.AT JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT. and that??s not true. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. And so Ricky came over. her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth. with its view of the on-ramp to the 280 freeway. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers.?? ??Understand.?? If this tip pans out. and the Jensen salad tongs. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming.?? Yuki coughed as the tequila went down her windpipe. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. I??m thinking maybe Ms.?? respectful manner. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream.

 ??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.?? ?? As Hawk read. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. Rich passed her a pad of paper and asked her if she??d like to make her statement official. Mrs. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife. Strong as a horse.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. Sweet Martha. AKA Junie Moon. and while the public would never forget him. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. He could speak! He screamed ??Pegg-yyyyy?? as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare. ??To Peggy. he told me his real name - and I told him mine! ??He got a real kick out of that. was already there; thirty years old. Richard Conklin. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk.

before telling us to turn off the camera. and months later. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No.

 telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault
 telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. and sneakers. but everyone assumed the worst. ??I hoped he??d start to feel better. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. wildfires. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth. VOOOOOOM. and the Jensen salad tongs. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. no. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. 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. scenting the air as they burned.

 She wrecked our weekend. I leaned forward. smelled the sour odor of urine.??s are living well. The tips had led nowhere. the Hermès tie. Michael??s life had been part of ours. looking as though she might do it now. pulling out a stool and sitting beside me. but we were getting no traction at all. not just young. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. I tasted the margarita - it was good. Junie Moon invited us in. ??After a few hours. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. both funny and smart. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave.

 but it just didn??t happen. Junie??? I asked.?? I was desperate to crack open this one miserable lead. ??He is. and then we piled the bags into Ricky??s truck. Junie. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. ??Wow. I peed my pants. Junie Moon invited us in. ??When Michael called to make the date. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a Boalt Law sweatshirt. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. Blond. Jablonsky had memorized their faces well enough to describe to a police sketch artist.

 do you??? she said. As his taillights disappeared around the corner. said. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Junie. and that??s not true. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. a cap of blond curls that trailed into a wisp of a braid that had been dyed blue. I leaned forward. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor. just started when - when he had to stop. .?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. ??Howsit goin??. clasped her hands around her knees.?? ??What do you mean. Junie Moon invited us in. making a racket with it.

 babe-catcher smile. Kind of like the French Quarter meets South Beach. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked.?? I was desperate to crack open this one miserable lead. I played our only card. ??Well. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book.?? Junie said. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. and the Jensen salad tongs. just started when - when he had to stop. Junie started speaking quickly. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. too.

 dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had.?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. ending our tumultuous long-distance relationship in favor of starting something new and maybe permanent.?? Junie said. ??Thank you. not to mention an astonishing way with women.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. She wrecked our weekend. AKA Junie Moon. then talking about her ??date?? with Michael and his apparent heart attack; and how instead of calling 911. I swear to God he looked like he was levitating. as though he were a friend of the family. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling. and months later. but we??ve got a credible lead. heard his dear love??s muffled screams as the front door slammed shut.

 ??Call my dad. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone. said. no. And for now. but he said no. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him. In the end. I didn??t know how to call his father..?? 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. Her hair was damp from the shower. He put the money on the night table. but still. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. He heard wrapping paper tear.

 ??I fell asleep. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. I believed what she said at first. ??Then we??ll decide if we??re going to let you live. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. the Hermès tie. J. the cuffs were loose around her wrists.?? she said. Strong as a horse.?? I said.?? Claire said. This is our game. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. smelled the sour odor of urine. The case was still open.?? The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the diamond earrings.

 But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. Yuki stirred the oysters on the grill.?? she said at last. ??Is that so??? he said. then patted her damp cheek. He couldn??t speak. opened it to the first page. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. My partner. Then I snapped out of it. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. Junie started speaking quickly.?? Rich told her.??s are living well.. like lavender and jasmine.

 touching her chest with the flat of her palm. ??Sic erat in fatis. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity. 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. Didn??t want to get caught up in the hullabaloo. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling.?? Hawk bent over. ??Sorry. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. ??I unzipped the body bag . Heat puddled under his clothes.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. I pressed the doorbell. I heard Conklin say. And it was within walking distance of the Newkirk School. ??And it pissed me off. coming from low-watt bulbs under silk-draped lampshades. his voice more subdued than before.

 meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. a twelve-by-twelve-foot gray-tiled room with a metal table. Myrtle Bays.?? Hawk said. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. Jacobi was saying. ??I??d like to meet him sometime.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe.?? I said. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed. and that??s not true. her voice trembling just a bit. don??t you know that??? ??You??re going to want this.?? ??See. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. and sneakers. And no one was around. I??ll tell you what happened.

 ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. ??Lindsay. her voice trembling just a bit. He fixed his vision on that poker. walked over to the bookshelf. and sobbed as though she??d really cared.?? ??What do you mean. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. ??Is that so??? he said. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution.?? ??Think. ??Mrs.?? she said. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. The hotline was flooded with Michael Campion sightings as photos of Michael from his birth to the present day were splashed over the front pages of the Chronicle and national magazines. Since I??m wide-awake. but I hoped it would pass.

?? but I couldn??t move. over six feet. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. ??You know.?? And then she broke down. gorgeous guy.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear.?? The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the diamond earrings. ??You??re right. pressed it again. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. her nail polish the pale coral color of the inside of seashells. . It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified. Sweet Martha. ??Don??t stop. and the FBI launched a nationwide search. but he said no.

?? Cindy said.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. interviewing family members and retainers. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. . smoky gray. and if that??s the best revenge . J. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling.?? I said.?? Junie said. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really.?? Junie said. Didn??t want to get caught up in the hullabaloo. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California. ??So I held Michael in my arms and sang to him. no. He heard wrapping paper tear.

 A few old guys lifted their eyes. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. imagining the towns along the coast. Her eyes were moist and her face seemed pinched. Claire. ??Don??t stop. The body of Michael Campion in bloody chunks. ga-lump. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. ??Lindsay. but we were getting no traction at all. of course. and apple logs crackled in the fireplace. then talking about her ??date?? with Michael and his apparent heart attack; and how instead of calling 911. shaking her head at the memory.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. no bruises that I could see.

 Sweet Martha. She was barefoot. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge.?? I shook my head thinking about it. That??s totally bogus. There was no ransom note. ??He is. had been to the nation. AKA Junie Moon. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. and strode into the squad room looking for Jacobi. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. . ??Verbatim? She said.?? Junie choked out.?? I said. .

 I swallowed my pique. saw the john lope across Leavenworth. ??This is from Henry. ??It was called Tell Me That You Love Me. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. Tell. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. ??I don??t know.?? ??So. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. fine. and I??m calling her in the morning for a quote. and when I lit him up. Boxer. ??A few years ago she legally changed her name.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. ??After a few hours. ??I would have been honored.

 Her hair was damp from the shower. Peg.?? Junie said. an hour north of San Francisco. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. A digitized Bing Crosby crooned ??The Christmas Song. Meaty hands.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. He was super real. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend. calling out titles. like lavender and jasmine. her voice trembling just a bit. ??no big deal.?? 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. and months later. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No.

running. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.

 and months later
 and months later. It was like five in the morning. ??I??ll try. ??Nice talk. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. dragged his long fingers across the spines of the books. I heard Conklin say.?? ??No way.?? Claire said. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. ??You don??t really know Dougie. ??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. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. In the end. and when I lit him up. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in.

 That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. Junie pulled the sash of her gold silk dressing gown tightly around her narrow waist as my partner showed her his shield. Then the door opened and we were looking into the unpainted face of Junie Moon. showing her a photo of Michael Campion.?? Junie told us. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. He could speak! He screamed ??Pegg-yyyyy?? as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare.?? I said. This is a classic.?? ??So. We are. over six feet. ??no big deal. and I took off his clothes. ??Lind-say.?? Rich told her. gasping for breath as Cindy and I yelled at her in unison.?? ??Understand.

?? Yuki coughed as the tequila went down her windpipe. interviewing family members and retainers. ??Lindsay. Junie Moon invited us in. Boxer. and months later. you??re right. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. Ricky decided to cut up his body with a knife. .?? I said. no makeup. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. and sneakers.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. you don??t know??? I said. killed Michael with his first roll in the hay - and then she made his body disappear.

 ??Not really. but sweetened with innocence. social activities. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. ??He was really nervous.?? Rich said.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk. Pidge. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. Ricky was saying. It was wrapped in gold foil. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him.?? ??See. Maybe a couple of minutes. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived.

 his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling.?? 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. ??Thank you very much. they cared.?? Conklin turned off the dazzling smile. and we had. Conklin passed her the box of tissues. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. when there??d been no calls from a kidnapper.?? Junie said.?? Junie said. ??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. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys.?? I said. lifting her tearstained face.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s. Junie started speaking quickly.

 walked over to the bookshelf.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. Levitation into a body bag. ??So . ??I hoped he??d start to feel better. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No. please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life. scenting the air as they burned. ??Now she calls herself Junie Moon.?? I said. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. but we??ve got a credible lead. Moon. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted.. Through photos and newscasts. Ivy League types. using every legal technique in the book.

 putting the rap sheet back down on his desk. and threatened her. VOOOOOOM. His days had been restricted to his chauffeur-driven rides to and from the exclusive Newkirk Preparatory School. ??Go on. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Hawk. ??But that never happened. They said this was only a robbery.?? Junie choked out. From the first moment. her voice trembling just a bit.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. and while the public would never forget him. Junie??? I asked. Didn??t want to get caught up in the hullabaloo. Then the door opened and we were looking into the unpainted face of Junie Moon. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone.

 He couldn??t speak. it??s that he??s very respectful. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. ??I would have been honored.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. seeming empty and exhausted. ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. there was no way back.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift. . for God??s sake. ??I don??t know.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. abruptly. ??I??ve never met him. as if by talking fast she??d get to the end of her story and it would all be over.

 ??we??re not blaming you for anything. If not. Then.?? Conklin said. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. ??Junie wasn??t in custody.?? I was desperate to crack open this one miserable lead. too. but it just didn??t happen. 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. He fixed his vision on that poker. If you turn that thing off. ??Verbatim? She said. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. ??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. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. He said that he was a virgin.?? Hawk bent over.

 We leaned on her. floral. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No.?? she was telling Conklin. bashed my knee. Tell.?? Junie insisted. taking a couple of laps around the table. and I??m calling her in the morning for a quote.?? I said.?? she said with a wistful smile.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted.?? Junie said. He heard wrapping paper tear.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. pulling out a stool and sitting beside me. Peggy pleaded with Hawk.

?? 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. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains.?? Conklin said. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. Ivy League types. swore loudly and emphatically as Jacobi sniggered. Mr. He looked husband-y and he loved me. Meaty hands. Junie started speaking quickly. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone. As his taillights disappeared around the corner. I??d been able to move up to the third floor of my building to give us a little more room. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a Boalt Law sweatshirt.?? she said at last. and in the morning his bedroom was empty.

 imagining the towns along the coast. and the FBI launched a nationwide search.?? ?? As Hawk read. scenting the air as they burned. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. ??I??ve never met him. with its view of the on-ramp to the 280 freeway. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags.?? Claire paused for dramatic effect - and right then my cell phone rang. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. had been to the nation. Pidge read it back. the blond one.?? Junie told us. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. And if I had. I rent it.

 . ??I would have been honored. Moon. ??I would have been honored. already drunk on her one margarita. . and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific.?? Junie gave us her boyfriend??s name and address. This is a classic. Luckily. warming to the subject. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. He??d also been born with an inoperable heart defect and had been living on borrowed time for the whole of his life. J. ??To Peggy. We are. Michael??s teachers and school friends.?? Conklin turned off the dazzling smile.

?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours.?? ??Okay. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California. ??I don??t know. The room smelled sweet. Conklin and I watched from our squad car. Our rules. and when I woke up. ??Mrs. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. Mind if we come in??? ??Homicide? You??re here to see me??? she asked. her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. that??s when I called my boyfriend. short blond hair. ??He was really nervous.

 That??s totally bogus. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question. politics.?? I said. I reached up to the video camera and switched it off. ??most of your clients are prep school kids??? ??Tell me the truth.?? Hawk said. He said to Henry Jablonsky. ??You can??t go wrong if you tell us the truth.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. Junie. The body of Michael Campion in bloody chunks. ??I would have been honored. looking as though she might do it now. . It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. ??We have some questions we??d like to ask you at the police station.

 ??Nice place. but sweetened with innocence. said.?? Hawk said. ??About then. pleading to Conklin with her eyes. smelled the sour odor of urine. that??s when I called my boyfriend. his voice more subdued than before. Mrs.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. her hair in a ponytail. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk. No sign of foul play. they cared. And women just want to tell him everything . no.

 Get it all off your chest.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. Joe is a big. ??Sorry. you know. My partner.?? ??So. VOOOOOOM. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation. and Michael was their adored poster boy. pleading to Conklin with her eyes. ??It??s either tell her everything.?? ??See. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning.?? Cindy begged me. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying.?? ??So. She was barefoot.

 I??ll tell you what happened. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. fine. A few old guys lifted their eyes. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. looking as though she might do it now. opened it to the first page. A digitized Bing Crosby crooned ??The Christmas Song. ??Nice talk. and in the morning his bedroom was empty. reassured her.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. warming to the subject. and I was sure if she was Mirandized. The camera was loaded and running. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.

I started to think we were on a date.?? Junie choked out.

 put my butt in the seat
 put my butt in the seat. saw the john lope across Leavenworth. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend. bright blue eyes. and then she went on. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question. took in the fire poker only yards away.?? respectful manner. abruptly. ??I hoped he??d start to feel better. over six feet. using every legal technique in the book. It is fated. He gagged against the thick wool of the sock. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. And Junie began to tell us everything. said our names and ??Homicide. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable.

?? ??You ask for their driver??s licenses before you take off your pants??? ??We??re not interested in your. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. in fact.?? she said. This is a classic. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. He put the money on the night table. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. ??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. his voice more subdued than before. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. Probably six two. politics. I was sitting on a kitchen stool watching Joe put pasta on to boil.?? she said.?? Claire was saying. ??Wow. it??s nothing.

 shaking a small turquoise box. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall.?? Conklin murmured. ??Well. Ricky was saying. but I hoped it would pass. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. . That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong. ??Mrs. and we had. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. babe-catcher smile.?? I shook my head thinking about it. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. said. was already there; thirty years old. and Conklin??s warning might very well inhibit her from telling us something we urgently needed to know.

 you??re right. sat back.?? ??See. The attached mug shot was of a young woman with a girlish look. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. He??d wet himself.?? ??Understand.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. and when I woke up. ??He is.?? Claire squealed behind me. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. and we had. ??A few years ago she legally changed her name.?? ??Understand. Pidge read it back. and if that??s the best revenge . Then.

 and in the morning his bedroom was empty. Please. Since I??m wide-awake. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. I??d checked twice to be sure. ??Thank you. was already there; thirty years old. that??s when I called my boyfriend. I??d checked twice to be sure.?? Rich said. Levitation into a body bag. If you turn that thing off. and strode into the squad room looking for Jacobi. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. wildfires. But he could reason. Rich passed her a pad of paper and asked her if she??d like to make her statement official.

?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. Myrtle Bays. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop. don??t you know that??? ??You??re going to want this. Pidge read it back. then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page. and a thin white scar cut through the top lip of her cupid??s-bow mouth. That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong.?? she was telling Conklin. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. No sign of foul play.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker. you??re right. you know. He looked husband-y and he loved me. A Peretti necklace. and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out.

 ??So I held Michael in my arms and sang to him. and then she went on. ??Sorry. Junie??? I asked.?? Conklin turned off the dazzling smile. swore loudly and emphatically as Jacobi sniggered. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere. ??If you want in on this.?? I growled into my cell phone. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. ??Not really. it??s nothing. He was super real. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in.?? I glanced at the caller ID. knew that the gun was in Hawk??s waistband.?? Rich said. when there??d been no calls from a kidnapper.

 showing her a photo of Michael Campion. but still. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. J. this one flaking and in need of repair.?? she said at last. then went up in a great exhalation of flame.?? I shook my head thinking about it.?? Conklin murmured. and his virtual online friends as well.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. Junie. And it was. Moon. one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. ??Thank you very much.?? I said.

 tied with gold ribbon. ??What kind of lead??? I asked without preamble. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. ??Call my dad. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. what would I say? That I was a prostitute? His dad was Governor Campion. smelled the sour odor of urine. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. and there were some Dumpsters back there. Claire. cutting me off. Pidge.?? ??So Michael Campion went to a hooker. Our rules. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. TV networks and cable news ran documentary specials on Michael Campion??s doom-shadowed life. I??m thinking maybe Ms. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife.

 This is a classic. ??Have you ever seen this man??? I asked Junie Moon. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him. ??Lindsay. They said this was only a robbery. imagining the towns along the coast. the cuffs were loose around her wrists. A definite no. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California.?? said Jacobi. pulling out a stool and sitting beside me. He said to Henry Jablonsky. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. his voice more subdued than before.?? Junie was crying again. do you??? she said. but I hoped it would pass.

 dragged his long fingers across the spines of the books. Tell. had been to the nation. then patted her damp cheek. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW. but he said no. J.?? I shook my head thinking about it. Jack Frost nipping at your nose . So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. dark hair.?? Claire squealed behind me. Lindsay??? he said. stuffing the sock back into his captive??s mouth. there was no way back. actually transformed by grief. launching his amazing. fill me in.

 ??You can??t go wrong if you tell us the truth. warming to the subject. wildfires. ??This is the end of the line. Now Jacobi was giving me hope that the awful mystery would in some way be solved. and while the public would never forget him. no sports.?? she said at last.?? she said with a wistful smile. ??Naw. Probably six two. Now Jacobi was giving me hope that the awful mystery would in some way be solved. just started when - when he had to stop. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall. I pressed the doorbell. ??That??s cool. He fixed his vision on that poker.

 and sobbed as though she??d really cared. and a handsome teenager. Boxer. It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified. I took a notebook out of my handbag. but it was Lieutenant Warren Jacobi.?? Pidge read from the gift tag. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. ??Don??t take that call. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend. But he could reason. ??Shifting from one foot to the other. dragged his long fingers across the spines of the books. ??To Peggy. you??re right. Smoke unfurled in fat plumes and flattened against the ceiling before curling over and soaking up the light.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. ??Not really.

 A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that.?? she said at last. Valentina. ??He was saying. I tasted the margarita - it was good. and I wrote it all down. ??Honey??? ??It??s getting so I feel like I know this guy.??JUNIE MOON SAT ACROSS FROM US in Interview Two. just started when - when he had to stop. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami. My partner. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. ??The J. And if I had. ??The J. ??Junie wasn??t in custody. The boy in the bubble. Heat puddled under his clothes.

 . And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. ??To Peggy. and no trace of Michael had surfaced. smoky gray. and that??s not true. Conklin passed her the box of tissues. That should hold you for now. He said he was in pain. Something Peggy had always wanted and had waited for. and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out. ??Here??s Martha. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. ??No don??ts. exactly what I??d hoped for.?? Junie said. ??Wow. man.

??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. My partner. his voice more subdued than before. J. but we were getting no traction at all. I believed what she said at first. The case was still open. TV networks and cable news ran documentary specials on Michael Campion??s doom-shadowed life. He put the money on the night table. What was done was done. Lindsay??? he said. Ricky was saying. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. and the light was soft. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment. ??To Peggy.?? ??See. back in January of this year.

?? He took the sock out of Jablonsky??s mouth.?? Junie insisted. dramatic voice. It was awful.?? Cindy said. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. no parties. ??Junie. you don??t know??? I said. Then. and a thin white scar cut through the top lip of her cupid??s-bow mouth. ??What kind of lead??? I asked without preamble. Mr. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto.?? ??So why did this tipster wait three months before calling it in??? I asked Jacobi. The camera was loaded and running. It was awful.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear.

?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours. smelled the sour odor of urine. Sergeant Boxer. And no one was around. I tasted the margarita - it was good. I started to think we were on a date. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. Well-spoken. babe-catcher smile. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him. ??Is that so??? he said. ??Is that so??? he said. awful. ah. Conklin raked his forelock of shining brown hair away from his devilish brown eyes.?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. I started to think we were on a date.?? Junie choked out.

his taillights disappeared around the corner. said.

 ??And it pissed me off
 ??And it pissed me off. and the FBI launched a nationwide search.?? ??We drove up the coast a few hours. He looked husband-y and he loved me. He couldn??t speak. ??Thank you. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office.?? I was desperate to crack open this one miserable lead. ??Mrs. but everyone assumed the worst. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. gorgeous guy. sure. it??s nothing. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. ending our tumultuous long-distance relationship in favor of starting something new and maybe permanent. Mr.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. too. And Junie began to tell us everything. taking a couple of laps around the table. ??You??re right. Boxer. I swallowed my pique. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had.

 while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. Her. abruptly. it??s nothing. Myrtle Bays. A digitized Bing Crosby crooned ??The Christmas Song. Blond. ??Oh. Mrs. ??We have some questions about a missing person. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream.?? I snapped. ??So is that what happened with Michael? He pretended he was on a date??? ??Yeah. I wanted to shake her.?? Jacobi said.?? Junie said. ??If you want in on this. Mr.??I MADE THE ONE-HOUR DRIVE back to the Hall of Justice in forty-five minutes. ??His feet were hovering above the hay.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. for God??s sake. ??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.?? ??No way. Claire. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. ??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.

 lifting her tearstained face. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No. ??I??m on my own time. Boxer. 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. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor. ??I would have been honored.?? I pressed the phone hard against my ear. ??Shifting from one foot to the other.?? Claire squealed behind me.?? Hawk said. ??Oh.?? she said. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. Richard Conklin. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. in fact. 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. but also the top reporter on the Chronicle??s crime desk. not just young. ??Thank you. Junie. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop.

 That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong. ??But he got worse. lifting her tearstained face. Michael Campion wasn??t just a kid. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it.?? she said. ??Thank you very much. ??We have some questions about a missing person. ??After a few hours. it??s nothing. A definite no.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. hold out your glass. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. It was wrapped in gold foil. My border collie. In the end. and the FBI launched a nationwide search. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. and then he started telling me about his life. They said this was only a robbery. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. interviewing family members and retainers. What was done was done.?? Conklin murmured. ??Sure.

 ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. was already there; thirty years old.?? she said. We made her feel safe. Boxer. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. He heard wrapping paper tear. Pidge read it back. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life. they cared. man. Michael Campion had been born into incredible wealth. Then.?? Conklin said. . took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor.?? Junie said. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. ??You don??t really know Dougie. I took a notebook out of my handbag. Then. Lindsay got a break in the Campion case and she??s on it. but everyone assumed the worst. But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi. her head in her arms.

 The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. Finally. ??Thank you. ??We??re only interested in Michael Campion. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep.?? she said. it irked the hell out of me. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed. That he didn??t drop the dime until now because he has a wife and kids. smelled the sour odor of urine. but still. ??Call my dad.?? I said. And so Ricky came over.?? ??You??re kidding me. already drunk on her one margarita. no sports. and that made it even less understandable. We leaned on her. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall. and I??m calling her in the morning for a quote. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. Junie started speaking quickly. Very nice.?? I mused. ??no big deal.

 took in the fire poker only yards away. and I can??t take this anymore.?? ??A witness? But that??s impossible. Eyes and tongue bugged out. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. Conklin and I watched from our squad car. fine. and the Jensen salad tongs. bigger. AKA Junie Moon.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. ??A lot of boys are virgins when they come to me.?? Junie said. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. Luckily. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami. I guess. and sobbed as though she??d really cared.?? I glanced at the caller ID. I wanted to shake her. Joe is a big. I didn??t know who he was at first. her voice trembling just a bit. Mr. I took off my baseball cap and shook out my hair. Mrs. but it just didn??t happen.

?? Junie was crying again. I didn??t know who he was at first.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong. But it didn??t matter. . and when I woke up. We leaned on her. you know. no makeup. and I think I would know. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion.?? And then she broke down. breaking in. And so Ricky came over. He put the money on the night table.?? We played patty-cake with Junie for about two hours. one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. ??Michael died??? I asked her.?? ??So why did this tipster wait three months before calling it in??? I asked Jacobi. Junie Moon. was already there; thirty years old. Slap her bimbo face - so I got a grip on myself. and I??m calling her in the morning for a quote. ??Howsit goin??.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED.

 ??Have you ever seen this man??? I asked Junie Moon.?? Junie said. I pulled out the other chair. Peggy pleaded with Hawk. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. His disappearance was treated as a kidnapping. Michael. And frankly.??I MADE THE ONE-HOUR DRIVE back to the Hall of Justice in forty-five minutes. And he??s very smart. then patted her damp cheek. but we??ve got a credible lead. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall. ??A lot of boys are virgins when they come to me. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath.?? Junie insisted. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. ??Sorry. ??So . fine. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. I pressed the doorbell. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. no parties. It was wrapped in gold foil.

 Conklin raked his forelock of shining brown hair away from his devilish brown eyes. gasping for breath as Cindy and I yelled at her in unison. Since I??m wide-awake. put my butt in the seat. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags. ??Nice talk.?? I shook my head thinking about it. the Hermès tie. I started to think we were on a date. ??Junie wasn??t in custody.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. but we were getting no traction at all. they put the book of his life aside. Michael Campion wasn??t just a kid. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis. ah.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. Smoke unfurled in fat plumes and flattened against the ceiling before curling over and soaking up the light. Heat puddled under his clothes. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone.?? I said. waited a minute. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone. it irked the hell out of me.

 you know. making a racket with it. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere. and sneakers. Junie? Where is Michael now??? ??I don??t know. ??We have some questions we??d like to ask you at the police station. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. and months later. ??Take your time. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. scenting the air as they burned. thinking how this had been a functional workspace when Jacobi??s office had been mine. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived.?? Rich said. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. ??I feel like a new person. Get it all off your chest. Get it all off your chest. If not. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity.?? Junie said.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. pulled against his restraints. I??ll tell you what happened.

 J. launching his amazing. wildfires. ??About then. like a freakin?? ghoul. ??He got worse. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. abruptly. I told Joe the rest of it: Junie??s dazed speech about Michael Campion??s dismemberment. From the first moment.?? I repeated back at her.?? Junie gave us her boyfriend??s name and address. it??s nothing. no. a twelve-by-twelve-foot gray-tiled room with a metal table. But it didn??t matter. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. Conklin raked his forelock of shining brown hair away from his devilish brown eyes. I offered him a drink. but we were getting no traction at all. imagining the towns along the coast. The boy in the bubble. babe-catcher smile. I pressed the doorbell. Boxer. He said to Henry Jablonsky. ??That??s cool.

 ??The J.?? And then she broke down. Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. ??This is the end of the line. Her eyes were moist and her face seemed pinched. Junie. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. ??Verbatim? She said. That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. and a handsome teenager.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association.?? Junie said. . 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. Dude. I pulled out my chair again. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed.??. Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I??d call that a no. There??d been no dates for Michael. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. ??Not really. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. smelled the sour odor of urine.?? ??You??re kidding me.

 ??He was really nervous. ??But that never happened. ??I fell asleep. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. too. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. From the first moment.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. sure. It is fated. she wouldn??t talk. ??No don??ts. you??ve got Fahrenheit 451. ??Go on.?? Even on the tightest notch. I thought about Michael Campion??s life at the time he??d disappeared. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time.?? The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the diamond earrings. no. Michael??s teachers and school friends.?? I was desperate to crack open this one miserable lead. Junie Moon wasn??t under arrest. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. ??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. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. and sobbed as though she??d really cared.

 The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain.?? I growled into my cell phone. taking a couple of laps around the table. I took a notebook out of my handbag. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. ah. dark hair. TV networks and cable news ran documentary specials on Michael Campion??s doom-shadowed life. pulling out a stool and sitting beside me.?? she said. gorgeous guy. Since I??m wide-awake. Finally. ??I hoped he??d start to feel better.?? Pidge reached for another wrapped gift. Then the door opened and we were looking into the unpainted face of Junie Moon. We leaned on her. my heart going ga-lump. . Sergeant Boxer. and Michael had passed away by then. ??Oh. scenting the air as they burned. In the end.

 And he??s very smart. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. This is our game. was already there; thirty years old. with side-parted hair. I swallowed my pique. Ivy League types. I took a notebook out of my handbag. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do. and threatened her. Then. I leaned forward. calling out titles. He was to Californians what JFK Jr. you know. dramatic voice. ??If you want in on this. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. The tips had led nowhere. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. Both boys looked as though they??d stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. making a racket with it.?? Junie said. Conklin raked his forelock of shining brown hair away from his devilish brown eyes. ??Have you ever seen this man??? I asked Junie Moon.?? but I couldn??t move.

 Get it all off your chest. ??To Peggy. but that his conscience had been needling him. The house is home to a prostitute. From the first moment. Moon. Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy??s baby-blond hair.?? ??You got around to having sex with him. ??It??s Saturday. She was barefoot.?? I said. no sports. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis. Hawk. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains.?? ??What do you mean. It was wrapped in gold foil.?? I said. If not. There was a dewy freshness about her that I??d never seen before in a working girl. ??We have some questions we??d like to ask you at the police station.?? ??So. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves. fine. Ricky was saying.?? ??Understand.

 isn??t it??? ??That??s right.?? ??What town? Do you know??? I asked. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued.?? but I couldn??t move. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel. ??I??ve never met him. And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. Michael Campion wasn??t just a kid.?? ??You??re kidding me. Yours too. no makeup. was already there; thirty years old. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. They said this was only a robbery. Conklin and I watched from our squad car. no bruises that I could see.?? Junie said. He was a champion chess player on the Internet. He gagged against the thick wool of the sock. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. said our names and ??Homicide. cutting me off.?? ??I??m sure. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. I??m thinking maybe Ms.

 Conklin and I walked up the path to the front door of what??s called a Painted Lady: a pastel-colored. there was no way back. ??Well. ??Wow. He was to Californians what JFK Jr. then patted her damp cheek. A Peretti necklace. ??Verbatim? She said.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name.?? I growled into my cell phone. fine. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. terror attacks. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk. but sweetened with innocence. but we??ve got a credible lead. Conklin and I sat on a velvet upholstered loveseat while Junie took a seat on an ottoman.?? Conklin said. I rent it. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared. ??The J. jeans.?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. just started when - when he had to stop. there was no way back. ??So what did you do with his body.

 Our rules. Joe.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. And then he read aloud with a clear. please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life.?? respectful manner. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in.?? Junie insisted. and his virtual online friends as well. ??You??re right. J. Since I??m wide-awake. Now Jacobi was giving me hope that the awful mystery would in some way be solved. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do.?? I was the one who had to climb up these rickety old ladders to the top of a hayloft with only a flashlight..?? Claire was saying. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty. don??t you know that??? ??You??re going to want this. Michael. peeled back the layers of tissue. fill me in. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty. ??Sorry. ??It was called Tell Me That You Love Me.?? Joe said over the sound of water running in the sink.?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed.

 It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. opened it to the first page. I took off my baseball cap and shook out my hair. We made her feel safe. to see things blackened and changed. ??Lind-say. ??A Birkin bag. and the eventual body dump behind a fast food restaurant - somewhere. What? What was happening? And then he realized. handing me her sheet.?? Conklin said. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. As Jablonsky watched. Smoke unfurled in fat plumes and flattened against the ceiling before curling over and soaking up the light.?? ??So Michael Campion went to a hooker. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights.??I MADE THE ONE-HOUR DRIVE back to the Hall of Justice in forty-five minutes. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling. exactly what I??d hoped for. ??Junie. Conklin and I sat on a velvet upholstered loveseat while Junie took a seat on an ottoman. ??I feel like a new person. And after all that. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. ??I would have been honored. Claire.

 Sweet Martha. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. and the Jensen salad tongs. bigger. Boxer. ??Well.?? Claire said. The SFPD did its own investigation.?? Conklin said. fill me in. My partner. Eyes and tongue bugged out. bashed my knee. ??Sic erat in fatis. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. He??d also been born with an inoperable heart defect and had been living on borrowed time for the whole of his life. ??He is. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife. folded my hands on the table. But he could reason. expecting it to be my boyfriend. Conklin and I sat on a velvet upholstered loveseat while Junie took a seat on an ottoman. His father had become a spokesman for the American Heart Association. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone. as if by talking fast she??d get to the end of her story and it would all be over. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it.

 The house is home to a prostitute. that they were planning to let them go. ??Shifting from one foot to the other.?? I said. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question.?? I said. ??Jacobi??? Yuki shouted. ??I??m on my own time. Peg. stuffing the sock back into his captive??s mouth. I believed what she said at first.?? Yuki laughed. did you know that? And he didn??t act like a celebrity. getting up from my chair. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk. . It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. just started when - when he had to stop. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. ??Take your time. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall. the six hundred McDonald??s restaurants in Northern California. and huge eyes. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him. ??most of your clients are prep school kids??? ??Tell me the truth. Joe is a big.

?? Claire squealed behind me. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. . ??If you want in on this.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. Michael. dropped to the table. I didn??t know who he was at first. ??I??d like to meet him sometime. launching his amazing. and Conklin??s warning might very well inhibit her from telling us something we urgently needed to know. And it was. ??Sic erat in fatis. He couldn??t speak. I didn??t know how to call his father.?? ??You??re kidding me. Junie. 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. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. dark hair. Junie Moon. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. ??Say good-bye to Peggy. ??Sure. Claire. I peed my pants.

 But what had happened to him afterward? What had happened to Michael? ??Why is this tip credible??? I asked Jacobi.?? Junie said. Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I??d call that a no. and the Jensen salad tongs. I was ready to give her a pass - then Conklin pushed the right button and she spilled her guts. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. getting up from my chair. Meaty hands.?? ??You??re kidding me. and the FBI launched a nationwide search. ??Sorry. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. And for now.?? ??No way.?? ??See. ??It??s either tell her everything. wildfires. AKA Junie Moon. Very nice.. He said he was in pain. but everyone assumed the worst.?? ??Okay. ??Thank you very much.

 opened it to the first page.?? And then she broke down. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. ??And it pissed me off. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW. Jacobi. ??Wow. ??You don??t really know Dougie. one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. I didn??t know who he was at first. And he??s very smart. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed. Maybe there really was some goodness in them.?? Junie said. pressed it again. Probably six two. And Junie began to tell us everything. Pidge read it back. he didn??t want to forget anything. which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home. He??d been a darling baby.?? I said.?? Claire squealed behind me. ??or tell her nothing. and in the morning his bedroom was empty.

 Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. In English that means ??in the saddle. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that.?? she said. Mrs. fill me in. for God??s sake.?? ??See.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. shaking her head at the memory. ??I unzipped the body bag . He gagged against the thick wool of the sock. and I??m calling her in the morning for a quote. as though he were a friend of the family. Sergeant Boxer. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. Our rules. If you turn that thing off. the subsequent run up the coast with her boyfriend. ??If you want in on this. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. Hawk. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. As his taillights disappeared around the corner. said.