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PROLOGUE

KA-BOOM

ONE

IT WAS AN ugly Monday just after noon There had been no sign of sun so far, just a thick fog that had put the blocks to traffic around the Golden Gate I was behind the wheel of the squad car, and Inspector Rich Conklin, my partner of many years, was in the seat beside me when Claire called my cell phone

Claire Washburn is my closest friend, and also San Francisco’s Chief Medical Examiner This call was strictly business

“Lindsay,” Claire shouted over the braying of car horns “I’ve got two DBs in a single-car s at If you and Richie are in the neighborhood, I could use another opinion”

She gave me her location, and I told her we’d be there as soon as weather and traffic permitted I repeated to Rich what Claire had said and turned the car around

My partner is suy, and on this particular day, he was pretty happy with himself

He said, “Claire wants us to look at a traffic fatality?”

“She doubts it’s an accident”

I followed Lincoln through the Presidio and past the Crissy Field Overlook toward the bridge as Conklin called Brady and told hi Claire’s call He phoned Claire and said ere about eightmy advice on his romantic dilemma

“It’s Tina’s birthday We’ve been together for two et her that means ‘I like you a lot so far’?”

This line of conversation was tricky Rich is like a younger brother to irlfriend Cindy isfroiven up hope that she and Richie could get back together

To tell the truth, I was hoping for that, too

I kepton Lincoln, a two-laner flanked by historic buildings on the left and a parking lot on the right for visitors to the bridge We drove slowly past the nifty old houses on Pilots’ Row and then hit a wall of traffic

“Looks like we’re walking,” I said

I braked on the shoulder, turned on the flashers, grabbed my Windbreaker, and locked up Then my partner and I started up the incline Richie didn’t miss a beat

“So I was thinking I’d get her a pair of earrings Or does the ring in earring send too e?”