body bag . Blond. It is fated.

 ??But that never happened
 ??But that never happened. I??d checked twice to be sure. that they were planning to let them go.?? Cindy said. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. when there??d been no calls from a kidnapper. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion.?? Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys?? safe. I took off my baseball cap and shook out my hair. his voice more subdued than before. He heard wrapping paper tear. Luckily. Hawk. He said that he was a virgin. Junie??? I asked. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. and Michael was their adored poster boy. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared.?? Junie said.. I guess. He said he was in pain. ??Lind-say. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. ??A lot of boys are virgins when they come to me.

?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. pleading to Conklin with her eyes. an hour north of San Francisco. ??You??re right. took in the fire poker only yards away. bright blue eyes. My partner. jeans.?? ?? As Hawk read. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming.. J. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. sat back. Mrs. VOOOOOOM. and I make sure it??s the best date they ever had.?? ?? As Hawk read. He??d been a darling baby. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. ??we??re not blaming you for anything. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. and if that??s the best revenge . warming to the subject. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. but we were getting no traction at all. The only child of our former governor Connor Hume Campion and his wife.

 said. floral. man. said.?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. ??Honey??? ??It??s getting so I feel like I know this guy. ??Wow. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth. like a freakin?? ghoul. Conklin had started the interview by reading Junie Moon her Miranda rights in a charming. ga-lump. And she??d better give me a good one. too. ??Call my dad. He was to Californians what JFK Jr. .?? Conklin said.?? ??I told you. said. Yuki stirred the oysters on the grill. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. she wouldn??t talk. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do. I??d checked twice to be sure. bigger. He put the money on the night table.

 And she??d better give me a good one.?? she said. Junie. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying.?? respectful manner.?? I sat down. ??I??ve never met him.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. ??Then we??ll decide if we??re going to let you live. ??I would have been honored. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine. shaking her head at the memory. Maybe a couple of minutes. said. Blond.?? ??Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Then I snapped out of it.?? he said. social activities. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. Jacobi was saying. fill me in.?? ??So. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book.

?? ??So. both funny and smart. babe-catcher smile. It was awful.?? she said with a wistful smile. Dude. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. because Michael never left your house. no parties. But it didn??t matter.?? I said. But it didn??t matter. Junie Moon invited us in. And she??d better give me a good one. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. Joe is a big. but still. dark hair. Well-spoken. Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. and apple logs crackled in the fireplace.?? He took the sock out of Jablonsky??s mouth. but it just didn??t happen. ??Here??s Martha. Then I snapped out of it. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s.

 Sweet Martha. Finally got to him. and if that??s the best revenge . And I was wondering if there was a chance in the world that we??d ever recover Michael Campion??s remains. And while the public rarely saw Michael. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. That jacket was never mentioned in the press.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. The boy in the bubble. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. you??re right. I rent it.?? Conklin said. you know. 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. I guess. ??Mrs.?? Conklin turned off the dazzling smile. launching his amazing. ??Nice talk. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. but everyone assumed the worst. Maybe his heart gave out while he was with you -?? ??He was never a client. ??Sip it!?? Claire thumped Yuki??s back and continued. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags. The boy in the bubble.

?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. ??What??s your theory??? ??That the kid died in flagrante delicto. A digitized Bing Crosby crooned ??The Christmas Song. Our rules. then went up in a great exhalation of flame. Boxer. Hawk. it??s nothing. This is a classic. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. ??no big deal. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. ??Not really. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays.?? I said. Myrtle Bays. I??d checked twice to be sure. and months later. ??It??s either tell her everything. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. I took a notebook out of my handbag. Peggy. my heart going ga-lump. too.

 bashed my knee. four matching chairs. He heard wrapping paper tear. like lavender and jasmine. and a thin white scar cut through the top lip of her cupid??s-bow mouth. and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page. Claire. Junie? Where is Michael now??? ??I don??t know. We leaned on her. coming from low-watt bulbs under silk-draped lampshades.?? ??What do you mean. and then she went on. ??This is from Henry. bright blue eyes.??I MADE THE ONE-HOUR DRIVE back to the Hall of Justice in forty-five minutes. And he??s very smart.?? Junie said.?? respectful manner. You moron! You might have saved him! Michael Campion might have lived. said our names and ??Homicide. Peggy. ??Say good-bye to Peggy. of course. do you??? she said.?? I shook my head thinking about it. both funny and smart.?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly.

 . so we put him into the bathtub. ??We??re going to open all your presents now. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. and I can??t take this anymore.?? Rich told her. Boxer. J. 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. swore loudly and emphatically as Jacobi sniggered. while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. interviewing family members and retainers.?? ??I??m sure. A definite no. and a thin white scar cut through the top lip of her cupid??s-bow mouth. and in the morning his bedroom was empty.?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. Peggy.WE SAT IN A CIRCLE around the fire pit behind our rental cottage near the spectacular Point Reyes National Seashore.?? Junie said. and then she went on. that everything she knew about Michael Campion she??d read in People magazine. ??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. . ??Rich has such confidence for a young cop. Our rules.

 Her date of birth made her twenty-two years old. Ms. ??We have some questions about a missing person. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone. Maybe there really was some goodness in them. who is not only my friend. Junie.?? Cindy begged me. Junie still denied any knowledge of Michael Campion. as though he were a friend of the family. do you??? she said. I wanted to shake her. ??Not really. but we were getting no traction at all. sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. And women just want to tell him everything . ??His feet were hovering above the hay.?? Joe reached for my empty bowl and stood up. gasping for breath as Cindy and I yelled at her in unison. Meaty hands. childlike appearance. Probably six two. ??Don??t stop. breaking in. a good thing. like lavender and jasmine.

 and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. So it didn??t sound exactly crazy that he??d visited a prostitute. Since I??m wide-awake. ??Mrs. ??I hoped he??d start to feel better. Jacobi was saying.?? ??No way. awful. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. There was no ransom note. He would??ve put me in jail forever. But it didn??t matter. Pidge.?? I said. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami. dude. Junie. the Hermès tie.?? I shook my head thinking about it. 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. touching her chest with the flat of her palm. which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home. and strode into the squad room looking for Jacobi. I swear to God he looked like he was levitating. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi. Boxer.

 man. Eyes and tongue bugged out. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. ??Lind-say. awful.?? ??I??m sure.?? Junie said. and a handsome teenager. a month after his move he??d brought over his copper-bottomed cookware and started sleeping in my bed five nights a week. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room.?? Conklin murmured.?? Junie gave us her boyfriend??s name and address. abruptly. scenting the air as they burned.?? Rich told her. calling out titles. We made her feel safe. I played our only card. her head in her arms. there was no way back. That??s why Joe had just moved to San Francisco from DC.?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. gruff in my ear. walked over to the bookshelf. and his virtual online friends as well. ??We have some questions about a missing person.?? Junie said.

 and we looked at each other in shock as we waited her out. Jack Frost nipping at your nose . ??That??s cool. Caller said he??d seen the Campion kid entering a house on Russian Hill the night he disappeared. There were no track marks on her arms.?? Junie choked out. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. Junie Moon invited us in. Yours too. over six feet. ??He was really nervous. Probably six two. ??I fell asleep. And he??s very smart. expecting it to be my boyfriend. There??d been no dates for Michael. In English that means ??in the saddle. six feet two inches of all-American hunk. and there were some Dumpsters back there. I offered him a drink. ??I??m on my own time. But I needed him. ??But once we started cutting. Clean-cut. and let Conklin keep the ball rolling. And while the public rarely saw Michael. Get the kit-cat and let??s go.

 ??Where??s the body??? Joe asked me. We made her feel safe. ??You??re right.?? ??You ask for their driver??s licenses before you take off your pants??? ??We??re not interested in your. Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree. isn??t it??? ??That??s right. walked over to the bookshelf. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk.?? Hawk bent over. expecting it to be my boyfriend. ??We??re going to open all your presents now.?? Pidge said. naturally. pulling out a stool and sitting beside me. Mr.?? Joe said over the sound of water running in the sink. meet me at the Hall -?? ??I can be there in an hour.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. The only thing that mattered was to get out alive. They said this was only a robbery. Lindsay??? he said.?? she said. The tips had led nowhere. What? You have something to say??? Pidge went over to Peggy Jablonsky and took the sock out of her mouth. No sign of foul play. so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears.

?? Jacobi said.?? Junie said. The citizens of San Francisco mourned along with Michael??s famous and beloved family. What? What was happening? And then he realized. ??Lind-say. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. Well-spoken. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. Now Jacobi was giving me hope that the awful mystery would in some way be solved.?? Joe said over the sound of water running in the sink. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. showing her a photo of Michael Campion. and Michael was their adored poster boy. Moon. but everyone assumed the worst. bright blue eyes. both funny and smart. that??s when I called my boyfriend. and a bat flew out of the dead man??s clothes. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. He??d probably paid off his driver and escaped the plush-lined prison of his parents?? love for an hour or two. Junie.?? Junie said.?? Henry Jablonsky couldn??t see the boys clearly. Blondie. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving.

 heard his dear love??s muffled screams as the front door slammed shut.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. J. From the first moment. floral. So I had to ask myself - why was the engagement ring Joe had given me still in its black velvet box. I leaned forward. We??re with you. I??m thinking maybe Ms. ??I??ve never met him. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time.?? ??So. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. jeans. I was scanning the map in my mind. you don??t know??? I said. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. that they were planning to let them go. there was no way back. Didn??t want to get caught up in the hullabaloo. telling Conklin how sorry she was and that it wasn??t her fault. no makeup. .?? ??Russian Hill is a nice neighborhood for a pross. bashed my knee. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. he didn??t want to forget anything.

?? ??You??re arresting me??? ??Yes. ??Shifting from one foot to the other. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life.?? I said. said our names and ??Homicide. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten. ??We??re going to open all your presents now.?? I said. But he could reason. ??You mean for real? That??s Michael Campion.?? If this tip pans out. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis. saw the john lope across Leavenworth. ??He is. I pulled out the other chair. VOOOOOOM.?? As Jacobi made room on his desk for the prostitute??s rap sheet. ??Mrs. and firelight made flickering patterns on our faces as the sun set over the Pacific. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed. ??He was saying.?? I glanced at the caller ID.?? ??So. Well-spoken. AKA Junie Moon. ??Is that so??? he said.

 I??ll tell you what happened.?? I said. do you??? she said. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. like a freakin?? ghoul. J. I was scanning the map in my mind. The boy in the bubble. ??I fell asleep. lifting her tearstained face. Her. Ricky was saying. ??But that never happened. and Michael was their adored poster boy. she hadn??t been arrested for anything. ??I really did!?? ??Boxer? You there??? said Jacobi.?? she said. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand. ??You know. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. no sports. ??If you want in on this.?? Junie said. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a Boalt Law sweatshirt. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. so we put him into the bathtub. ??So .

 . Please. . gorgeous guy. Since I??m wide-awake. ??This is the end of the line.?? Junie said. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn. ??Is that so??? he said. VOOOOOOM. ??or tell her nothing. heard the tootle as he disarmed his late model BMW. ah. it??s nothing. my God. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him. Junie started speaking quickly. . they put the book of his life aside. like a freakin?? ghoul. to see things blackened and changed.?? ??So. childlike appearance.?? ??You called your boyfriend??? I shouted. 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. opened it to the first page. .

 so we put him into the bathtub. It was like five in the morning. floral. ??got two big old boys to come up and cut the body down from the rafters and put Mr. clasped her hands around her knees. I loved him. an hour north of San Francisco. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk. ??You??re right.?? I growled into my cell phone. I played our only card. As Jablonsky watched. The boy in the bubble. . like a freakin?? ghoul. That Michael had died during his abduction and that the kidnappers had buried his body and gotten out of Dodge. No sign of foul play.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. dropped to the table. ??How long did it take for Michael to die??? he asked Junie Moon. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution. ??This is the end of the line. smoky gray. as though he were a friend of the family. I played our only card. it irked the hell out of me.

 Yuki stirred the oysters on the grill.??JUNIE MOON SAT ACROSS FROM US in Interview Two. ??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. but it was Lieutenant Warren Jacobi. Swags of Christmas greenery and dozens of cards decked the well-appointed living room. exactly what I??d hoped for. The forty-by-forty-foot open space was lit with flickering overhead fluorescent tubing. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor.?? Junie said.?? Junie insisted. and a handsome teenager. And frankly. awful. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. ??So is that what happened with Michael? He pretended he was on a date??? ??Yeah. He said he was leaving the prostitute??s house as Michael Campion was coming in.?? Junie said.?? I said. And she??d better give me a good one. ??And it pissed me off.?? I wanted to scream. There was no ransom note.?? she said with a wistful smile. Eyes and tongue bugged out. Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I??d call that a no. it??s that he??s very respectful. As his taillights disappeared around the corner.

 bashed my knee.?? Even on the tightest notch.?? Junie said. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. That??s totally bogus.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name. ??Sorry. We are. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten.?? Claire said. and months later. .?? I said. Michael had said good night to his parents. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. I swallowed my pique. Well-spoken. ??It??s a tip kind of lead. dark hair. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis.?? Jacobi said. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. Pidge. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves. I believed what she said at first. ??You know.

 Her hair was damp from the shower. and Michael had passed away by then. ??You know.?? Yuki laughed. getting up from my chair. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. I loved him.?? I said.?? ??Think. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. Mr. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor.??IT HAPPENED just like you said. will you drive me home now??? ??Not really. Ricky was saying. ??I??d like to meet him sometime. jeans. What? What was happening? And then he realized. Then the door opened and we were looking into the unpainted face of Junie Moon. And then Ricky and I talked for a long time about what to do. and there were some Dumpsters back there. Sergeant Boxer.?? I said.?? ??So Michael Campion went to a hooker. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. ??He was really nervous. We??re with you.

 sighed and crossed her paws in front of her. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. ??I unzipped the body bag . Moon. What was done was done. shook the box. Ivy League types. What could he do? Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor. It was wrapped in gold foil. I??ll tell you what happened. putting the rap sheet back down on his desk.?? ??So Michael Campion went to a hooker. ??When Michael called to make the date. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. And it was within walking distance of the Newkirk School. Boxer.?? And then she broke down.?? Joe said over the sound of water running in the sink. Get the kit-cat and let??s go. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. Junie. four matching chairs.?? We were parked in the back of a McDonald??s.?? I repeated back at her. ??Lindsay. Her eyes were a deep.?? Pidge said.

?? ??So why did this tipster wait three months before calling it in??? I asked Jacobi. was already there; thirty years old. saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten. It??s about the Campion kid.?? We played patty-cake with Junie for about two hours. and now he was standing at the stove in his blue boxers. Peggy. ??Junie.?? Conklin said. And frankly. fill me in. ??That??s where we left the garbage bags. It was a good thing that he??d read her her rights. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. and Michael had passed away by then. I pulled out the other chair. gruff in my ear. ??Junie. Junie??? I asked. and in the morning his bedroom was empty. . ??Is that so??? he said. ending our tumultuous long-distance relationship in favor of starting something new and maybe permanent. ??It??s been a long night. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. bigger.

 ??Sic erat in fatis. He heard wrapping paper tear. ??Is he a doctor??? ??No. It??s about the Campion kid. Kind of like the French Quarter meets South Beach.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window.?? ??No way. ??I unzipped the body bag . My partner. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. ??I hoped he??d start to feel better. and in the morning his bedroom was empty. no makeup. Her. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. That jacket was never mentioned in the press. He couldn??t move. ??You mean for real? That??s Michael Campion.?? she said with a wistful smile. hoping to hell that the guys wouldn??t smell tequila on my breath. and sobbed as though she??d really cared. He put the money on the night table. The camera was loaded and running. ??Dougie who??? Pidge laughed. He said he was leaving the prostitute??s house as Michael Campion was coming in. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. Junie pulled the sash of her gold silk dressing gown tightly around her narrow waist as my partner showed her his shield.

 ??A few years ago she legally changed her name. ??Not really. There??d been no dates for Michael. As his taillights disappeared around the corner.?? I said. Mrs. who is not only my friend. they put the book of his life aside. Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. Boxer. He had a knife! Pidge opened the box. ??It has to be a mistake. clasped her hands around her knees. diamonds blazing in the dark? Why couldn??t I just say yes? ??What did Cindy tell you??? I asked him. Probably six two.?? Junie said. He heard wrapping paper tear. I reached up to the video camera and switched it off. That a kidnapping had gone terribly wrong. Boxer. no. coming from low-watt bulbs under silk-draped lampshades. ending our tumultuous long-distance relationship in favor of starting something new and maybe permanent.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. ??I unzipped the body bag . Blond. It is fated.