Private

She handed him Co

"You've got the victim's blood and tissue?" Sci asked.

"In the bag, along with her personal items. You'll see."

Sci opened the bag. Looked at the articles inside. He'd already started thinking about ru

"I'm on it," he said, and turned up the Sweeney Todd soundtrack to an almost deafening level.

Chapter 8

JUSTINE WALKED ACROSS the vast clipped lawn with its stu

She stripped down to her bra and panties, then quietly opened the gate to the te

She picked a racket off the bench and practiced her serve, powering balls over the net, taking out most of her frustration on the lime green hairballs.

Ten minutes into her workout she did a double take. She spun around and saw Bobby's silhouetted form standing at the fence, his fingers laced into the chain links.

"You okay, Justine? It's, like, five in the morning. What's going on, sweetie?"

"I'm working off my aggression so I don't act out," she said to Bobby, hauling back, grunting as she tossed up another ball and smacked it hard.

"Put the racket down and come over here. Please."

Justine did, walking through the gate into Bobby's arms. He held her for a good long few minutes, the feel of his strong hands on her back almost putting her into a trance.

Then Bobby said, "What would you like? Hot tub, breakfast, or bed?"

"All three-in that order."

Bobby took off his robe, draped it around Justine's shoulders, and walked with her toward the lanai. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"Apart from this murder being another freakin' tragedy?"

"Yes."

"Nothing I can tell you. Not yet."

"Let me put it this way, then, Justine. Have you got a new theory? Anything at all? Where are you on the case?"

Justine walked up the teak steps to the hot tub, dropped the robe and her underthings. Then she took Bobby's hand as she stepped into the steaming water.

She sat down on the seat and leaned back as his arm went around her. She closed her eyes and exhaled, letting the water do its work.

"You must have a theory," Bobby said.

"Here it is. The killer has multiple personality disorder." Justine sighed. "And every one of his personalities is psychopathic."

Chapter 9

MY DREAMS WEREN'T exactly identical, but they were all variations on the same disturbing theme. There was an explosion: sometimes a house blew up, or a car, or a helicopter. I was always carrying someone away from the fire toward safety: Da

I never made it out of the fire zone alive. Not once.

My cell phone vibrating on the night table woke me from this morning's nightmare, as it had done almost daily for about three years.

Already, I was swamped with dread, that sickening falling sensation that hits you before you even know why.

And then my brain caught up with my gut, and I knew if I didn't pick up the phone, it would ring again and again until I answered.

This was my real-life nightmare.

I opened the clamshell, put it to my ear.

"You're dead," he said.

The voice came through an electronic filter. I called it "he," but it could have been a she or even an it. Sometimes he called in the morning: a wake-up call. Sometimes he called in the middle of the night, or he might skip a day just to keep me off balance, which he, she, or it did.

Every time my cell phone rang, I was shocked by a fresh jolt of anxiety. When it was my hate caller, I sometimes asked, "What the fuck do you want?" Sometimes I tried reason and said calmly, "Just tell me what you want."

This morning when the voice said "You're dead," I said "Not yet."

I snapped the phone closed.

I'd narrowed the list of my enemies to about a hundred, maybe a hundred and ten.

Whoever my caller was, he reached me from pay phones. That's right. Pay phones. They're still in hotel lobbies and train stations and on just about every block in every city. Each year or so, I'd change my phone number, but I couldn't keep my cell phone number a secret. My staff, my friends, my clients at Private, all had to be able to reach me. Especially the clients. I was always there for them.

I wondered again who my death threat caller was.

Did I know him? Was he in my i

I wondered if the threat was even real.

Was he watching me, tailing me, pla

Of course I had called the cops, but they'd lost interest years ago. After all, I'd never been physically attacked, never even seen my tormentor.

And then my thoughts went to Shelby Cushman again.

I imagined the horror of her last moments and pressed my palms to my eyes. I wanted to remember Shelby alive. I'd once dated her. I used to spend late nights in grungy little improv theaters where she did stand-up, then leave with Shelby by the back door. We broke up because I was me-and Shelby was getting closer to forty. She wanted a family and kids. And so did Andy. To hear them tell it, they were in love from their first date.

Now Shelby was dead and Andy was bereft and alone, and soon to be a murder suspect in the eyes of the LAPD.

I sat up in bed. What the hell was this? Where was I?

The sheets were flowered; there was a fluffy rug beside the bed, and the walls were painted a leafy green. Okay, I got it. I was fine.

I was at Colleen Molloy's house.

It was a good place to be.

Chapter 10

I WALKED OUT of the bedroom. Colleen was sitting at the kitchen table, her back to me, her head bent over her laptop, studying for her citizenship exam. She'd already drained her mug of tea down to the dregs. Yep, this was a good place to be.

I moved her long, dark, very lovely braid aside and kissed the nape of her neck. She turned, closed her morning glory blue eyes, and lifted her face. I kissed her again. I loved kissing Colleen Molloy, never tired of it.

But did I love Colleen? Truly love her? Sometimes I was sure that I did. But then I wondered if I could love anyone, really love them. Or was I too self-centered, too bruised and battered by my father?

She said, "You could get another hour's beauty sleep, boy-o."

I took in the Irish lilt in her voice, the black Irish coloring, and how she smelled of rosewater.

"I'm going to be late for my power coffee with Chief Fescoe." I gave Colleen another kiss and took her mug to the sink. I rinsed it out with hot water and poured her a fresh "cuppa" from the teapot. I hadn't completely put the murder out of my mind. But I needed to.

"Watch that someone doesn't knock seven kinds of lightning out of you," she said.

"And why would they do that?"

"Because a' you standing there as naked as a miley goat, telling me you're leaving to go to work, work, work."

I laughed, and Colleen finally came into my arms, put her small hands on my ass. I wanted to try and go with it.

"I'm going to bar the door," she said, giving my cheeks a squeeze. "Seriously, Jack."

She'd gotten to me already. How did she do that? Zero to rock hard in five seconds.