"LIEUTENANT," someone called from across the room,

"Chief Tracchio on the phone."

"Told ya," Cappy said, grinning.

I picked up, waiting to be reamed out for leaving the crime scene early. Tracchio was a glorified bean counter. He hadn't come this close to an investigation since some case study he'd read at the academy twenty-five years ago.

"Lindsay, it's Cindy." I'd been expecting to hear the Chief; her voice surprised me. "Don't get cranky. It was the only way I could get through."

"Not exactly a good time," I said. "I thought you were that asshole Tracchio, about to nail me to the wall."

"Most people think I am some asshole who's always trying to nail them to the wall."

"This one signs my checks," I said, taking a semi relaxed breath for the first time all day.

Cindy Thomas was part of my inner circle, along with Claire and Jill. She also happened to work for the Chronicle and was one of the top crime reporters in the city.

"Jesus, Linds, I just heard. I'm in an all-day yoga clinic. In the middle of a `downward dog' when my phone rings. What, I sneak out for a couple of hours and you decide now's the time to be a hero? You all right?"

"Other than my lungs feeling like they've been lit with lighter fluid... No, I'm okay," I said. "There's not much I can tell you on this now."

"I'm not calling about the crime scene, Lindsay. I was call-ing about you."

"I'm okay," I said again. I did............