mentioned her three arrests for prostitution.

 The only thing that mattered was to get out alive
 The only thing that mattered was to get out alive. That should hold you for now. ??After a few hours.?? Junie bowed her head and tears spilled out of her eyes. hold out your glass. And if I had. I took a notebook out of my handbag. but he said no.?? ??Think. That should hold you for now. her hair in a ponytail.?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. and a video camera affixed to the ceiling.?? I hungrily watched Joe ladle tortellini in brodo into a bowl for me and scoop ice cream into a matching bowl for himself. God. I believed what she said at first. Looking at the window like someone could be watching him. looking up at us with an anguished expression I read as fear and pain. ??That??s where we left the garbage bags.

 ??Verbatim? She said. Luckily.?? Hawk pulled the book from the shelf. while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. bashed my knee. And although Joe had rented a fantastic apartment on Lake Street. he gave me a fake name. while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. ??I can only tell you what he said. I was sure that Rich had never seen the movie or read the book. My former partner and current boss. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand.?? ??You ask for their driver??s licenses before you take off your pants??? ??We??re not interested in your. Rich passed her a pad of paper and asked her if she??d like to make her statement official. ??But - I told you the truth!?? ??And we appreciate it. ??Junie. ??He got worse. Her eyes were a deep. ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.

 There??d been no dates for Michael.?? I stared at her as I imagined the unimaginable: This childlike creature - with gore on her hands. Boxer. Our relationship had gotten richer and more loving. I started to think we were on a date. it??s that he??s very respectful. ??I unzipped the body bag . dude. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. ??He was saying. I was scanning the map in my mind. ??You??re right. It??s about the Campion kid. said. ??Michael??s body has been found??? I asked him.?? Conklin murmured.?? Hawk bent over. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. said.

?? Junie said. waited a minute.?? ??You got around to having sex with him. J. and apple logs crackled in the fireplace. ??Not really. Ms. no bruises that I could see.?? ??So. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone.?? Junie told us. Very nice. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. took the stairs from the lobby to the third floor. That??s totally bogus. He could speak! He screamed ??Pegg-yyyyy?? as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare. ??Mrs.??IT HAPPENED just like you said.

 ah. man. ??We??re going to open all your presents now. scenting the air as they burned. Well-spoken. but I hoped it would pass.?? ??So why did this tipster wait three months before calling it in??? I asked Jacobi. And it was within walking distance of the Newkirk School. and - I??m not overstating this - she looked like she was in the tenth grade. ??Not really.?? I said.?? Jacobi said.?? I repeated back at her. ??Howsit goin??. But a back door was unlocked and Michael was gone. I offered him a drink.?? Junie said.?? I snapped. And it was within walking distance of the Newkirk School.

 too. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. Junie. wildfires.?? Junie choked out. He couldn??t speak. smelled the sour odor of urine. ??You mean for real? That??s Michael Campion. ??No don??ts. Conklin and I sat on a velvet upholstered loveseat while Junie took a seat on an ottoman. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. short blond hair. The room smelled sweet. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question. He??d come to see me!?? ??What happened next??? I asked. Luckily. What? You have something to say??? Pidge went over to Peggy Jablonsky and took the sock out of her mouth. ??Don??t hurt us -?? ??No. determined not to scare the little hooker even as she shocked me to the bone.

 A digitized Bing Crosby crooned ??The Christmas Song. opened it to the first page. ??I yelled down into the dark well of that barn.??THE MUSCLE TWITCHING in Conklin??s jaw was the only outward sign that he was as stunned by Junie??s confession as I was. He said he was in pain. thinking he??d just gotten home and was checking in.TINY LIGHTS WINKED on the Douglas fir standing tall and full in front of the picture window. then patted her damp cheek. As his taillights disappeared around the corner. Jacobi. but I hoped it would pass. Luckily. he didn??t want to forget anything. What was done was done. I played our only card. he didn??t want to forget anything.?? Yuki coughed as the tequila went down her windpipe. ??Junie wasn??t in custody. and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page.

?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. He was super real. Her. ??If you want in on this. saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten. and Michael was their adored poster boy. A definite no. But it didn??t matter. her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth. dragged his long fingers across the spines of the books.?? I said. I took a notebook out of my handbag. From the first moment. It broke Henry??s heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes.??MY PULSE SHOT UP at the mention of Michael Campion??s name. a good thing. They??d said they weren??t going to hurt them. gingerbread-decorated Victorian house. short blond hair.

 Conklin read Junie her rights when we brought her in for questioning. and threatened her.?? ??I??m sure. Junie? Where is Michael now??? ??I don??t know. for God??s sake. You??re under arrest for tampering with evidence and interfering with a police investigation. smoky gray. dead??? ??Can I start at the beginning??? Junie asked Conklin. The camera was loaded and running. ??It??s either tell her everything. ??It was one of my first cases in the ME??s office. put her arms on the table.?? Claire said.?? Jacobi said.?? Cindy begged me. politics. naturally. opened it to the first page. Keep stonewalling us and vice is going to nail you to the wall.

?? I said. From the first moment. Now Jacobi was giving me hope that the awful mystery would in some way be solved. Boxer. ??I fell asleep. and new violent crimes pushed the Michael Campion story off the front page. man. He looked husband-y and he loved me.?? Cindy begged me. Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. naturally.?? Jacobi said. they put the book of his life aside. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep. do you??? she said. using every legal technique in the book. It was awful. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. babe-catcher smile.

?? ??Sure -?? ??What do you say we go to bed. both funny and smart.?? she said. ??Mrs. It was the most horrible thing I could ever imagine - and I grew up on a farm! I was throwing up and crying. Junie. ??He got worse. no parties. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. Then I snapped out of it. but I hoped it would pass.?? Cindy said. Boxer. Boxer. but what grabbed me the most was Junie Moon??s disarming.?? I said. Her voice matched her appearance.?? ??See.?? ?? I laughed at Joe??s imitation of Cindy.

 ??A Birkin bag. He had a knife! Pidge opened the box. ??That??s the sixty-million-dollar question. said our names and ??Homicide. ??Don??t leave us!?? He saw the flames climbing the curtains. Lindsay??? he said.?? ??What do you mean. Her eyes were moist and her face seemed pinched. ??Naw.?? Junie insisted. Blondie. A lot of my clients ask me to tell them that. one of his long legs resting on the edge of Jacobi??s junkyard of a desk. ??No don??ts. ??Stand up and put your hands behind your back. ??Say good-bye to Peggy.?? Claire was saying. My former partner and current boss. ??And I knew about his heart.

 please let us live and I??ll serve you all the days of my life. do you??? she said. Maybe a couple of minutes.?? Henry Jablonsky??s mind scrambled. Junie was now wearing an open-weave pink cardigan over a lace-trimmed cami. Junie. Kind of like the French Quarter meets South Beach. you know. Hawk??s voice was thoughtful. ??A Birkin bag. Work with us and we??ll leave you and your business alone. 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. That should hold you for now. Junie. and I was sure if she was Mirandized. ??Lind-say. Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky??s cheeks dried like paper. naturally. his voice warm.

 breaking in. ghost stories and the first annual getaway of the Women??s Murder Club forgotten.?? I wanted to scream. . Looking at the window like someone could be watching him. lied to her. now telling the story as if she were recalling a dream. ??It??s been a long night. no makeup. and sneakers. Jablonsky had reasoned at the time. but he said no. looking more like a college kid than a woman nearing thirty. bright blue eyes. Junie? Where is Michael now??? ??I don??t know. This is a classic. my heart going ga-lump. He said he was in pain..

 her hair in a ponytail. Should I get a lawyer? Because I think you??re trying to say that I have sex with underage boys. He??d wet himself. ??And so I was ??it.?? ??Understand. ??I helped Ricky put Michael??s body into about eight garbage bags. Tell.?? Conklin murmured. ??Call my dad.?? Junie said. Junie??? I asked. knew that the gun was in Hawk??s waistband. ??I??ve never seen Michael Campion in my entire life. breaking in. ??You can??t beat Bradbury for an opening. lied to her. they cared. ??Junie. opened it to the first page.

 ?? ??It was a pleasure to burn.??HENRY JABLONSKY??S STOMACH HEAVED. ??Wow. ??Thank you very much. while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky.?? Pidge called out to Peggy. Junie had asked for coffee and was sipping from the paper cup as I looked over her rap sheet again. Pidge read it back. swore loudly and emphatically as Jacobi sniggered. no makeup. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk.?? Junie said.?? Junie said. ??What??s the prostitute??s name??? ??Her given name is Myrtle Bays. Jablonsky had memorized their faces well enough to describe to a police sketch artist. We are. ??Naw. a good thing. I saw that Junie was no ordinary hooker.

 so we put him into the bathtub. Junie Moon invited us in. And it was. swore loudly and emphatically as Jacobi sniggered. ??I fell asleep. don??t you know that??? ??You??re going to want this. Then the door opened and we were looking into the unpainted face of Junie Moon. Mr. ??Anonymous caller using a prepaid cell phone - untraceable. and months later. ??Honey??? ??It??s getting so I feel like I know this guy. Junie Moon invited us in. I tasted the margarita - it was good. ??Naw. I guess.?? ??What is it??? ??The biggest deal in the world. She initialed the acknowledgment of rights form without complaint. Blondie. I was sitting on a kitchen stool watching Joe put pasta on to boil.

 Luckily.?? Jacobi said. Conklin passed her the box of tissues. his hair rumpled and his dear face creased with sleep.?? ??So. ??Have you ever seen this man??? I asked Junie Moon. My partner. abruptly. four matching chairs.?? I said. . Since I??m wide-awake.?? he said.?? Junie said.?? he said. It meant that the boys didn??t want to be identified. Boxer. Ricky was saying. ??I??d like to meet him sometime.

?? Junie told us. Sarge??? as I made my way to Jacobi??s glassed-in corner office. actually transformed by grief. He heard wrapping paper tear. babe-catcher smile.?? Junie Moon??s gray eyes grew even more huge. ??Well? Guilty or not guilty??? Pidge asked. making the night crew hunched over their desks look like they??d just crawled out of their graves. slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis. an hour north of San Francisco. Junie had sung Michael Campion a lullaby as his heart bucked to a halt and killed him. Finally got to him. We didn??t have to Mirandize her for a noncustodial interview. bigger.?? Conklin said. Then. referring to the reported size of the Campion fortune. dropped to the table. I mentioned her three arrests for prostitution.