"Wow."

"And all you wanted was a party list and lunch."

He looked at her across the table and the twenty years, saw the girl he'd loved and the woman she'd become. She stood and came over to him, put her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against his face. McMichael felt like he was being sucked down a big smooth tunnel, straight backward in time, body spinning in the rifled groove of the years.

He stood.

"McMike, did you completely stop thinking about me?"

"No." McMichael smiled and pulled on his jacket.

"Do me a favor? Forgive me for being eighteen once in my life?"

"I did that a long time ago."

"Then reconsider me. And don't be a stranger."

He tried to see her as a beautiful woman in a brown dress in a warm room in the rain. It was easy.

"Okay."

She closed the door behind him but he didn't hear it lock.

McMichael and Hector walked into Homicide Captain Don Rawlings's office at three that afternoon. McMichael closed the door without asking permission, then sat down and watched the black clouds blowing into the window.

Rawlings was sixty, tall and soft-spoken, though his temper was feared. McMichael liked him and trusted him and wanted to have his job someday, many years from now, when he was good enough to do it.

Rawlings listened to his tale of Victor Braga, new Fords, TJ and two law enforcement men running narcotics into the country.

Rawlings listened, back straight, eyes expressionless, hands folded on the desk. "So you never saw what was in the bags?"

"Wasn't tamales," said Hector.

"No," said the captain. "What's your guess on weight?"

"Fifty pounds each," said Hector. "Times three."

"Axelgaard Two didn't think it was suspicious when you two guys came through right behind his brother and Victor Braga?"

"McMichael made up a quick tale about a robbery and a witness with a Tijuana address," said Hector. "I think he bought it."

Rawlings nodded. "Wasn't Jimmy Thigpen working for Pete Braga?"

So much for Jimmy's head start, thought McMichael. "Yes," he said.

"The same thing, right, allegedly transporting cars down to Mexico for leather upholstery?"

McMichael nodded.

"Was Jimmy in on this?" asked the captain.

"Neck deep," said McMichael.

"You talked to him four hours ago. What did he say?"

"He said he made a big mistake."

"He said he was 'just about as stupid as a guy could get,' " said Rawlings.

"Exactly," said McMichael. "I didn't know the yard was miked."

"It isn't," said the captain.

McMichael squared himself in the chair.

"Internal Affairs knew Jimmy was moonlighting," said Rawlings. "But they didn't know he was running drugs. Who else was in on this with him- who else from San Diego PD?"

"I don't think anyone was," said McMichael.

"That was a little risky, offering Thigpen a deal," said Rawlings.

It's like he was fucking there, thought McMichael. "I thought it was worth the trade, for information on Pete."

Rawlings offered a very minor nod. "Keep this to yourselves, gentlemen. Absolutely to yourselves. I'm unhappy with it, and heads will roll. Basically, good job."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir."

"McMichael, that line you said you'd never cross- you tiptoed right up to it with Thigpen."

"I know."

"I've nudged it myself, once or twice."

"Then I feel a little bit less like an ass, sir."

"Has your old man really been drunk for forty years?"

"Longer, I think."

"The deputy reads lips. A few of them do. They bring them in for special visits like yours."

Just after five they were standing in the lobby of Grothke, Steiner & Grothke, explaining to Sharona Saddler that they wanted to talk to Henry Grothke, Sr.

"Impossible," she said. "He's not seeing anyone at the current time."

"He's sitting in there looking at us," said Hector. "He can see us just fine."

"You're not clients."

Old Grothke gazed at them through the glass wall of his office, then smiled and waved.

Henry Jr. came flapping down the hallway, sleeves rolled up, frowning, a pencil in his hand. "The pestilential detectives are back. Now what do you want?"

"We want to talk to your father," said Hector.

"I've absolutely had it," said Junior. "I will not allow you to disrupt our business anymore. I've gone out of my way to help you. And you barge in here with no warning and no appointment and make even more demands on our time? I demand that you leave immediately."

"We just want a few minutes," said McMichael.

"Sharona, call security."

Sharona already had the phone to her ear and her fingers on the keypad.

"We're going," said McMichael.

"Plan B," said Hector, as they got into the elevator.

They stood under an awning on State Street and watched the rain pour down. Old Grothke's van and driver- as cased by Hector on Monday evening- pulled up at five-thirty. The driver parked in the loading zone and flipped the handicapped placard onto the dash. He ran around the van and into the Bay Towers entrance.

Eight minutes later the driver pushed Old Grothke out onto the sidewalk under the awning, using the big wheels to prod McMichael and Hector out of the way.

"Handicap, man- you blind?"

"We can see fine," said Hector.

"Don't you go nowhere, Hankie Baby. Derek'll be right back."

Grothke looked up at McMichael with burdened blue eyes that showed no sign of recognition.

Derek set the wheelchair brake and hunched through the rain to the driver's seat of the van. Once inside he slammed the door shut. A moment later McMichael saw the back door of the van roll up, then a ramp slide out and lower to the street.

"Derek is disrespectful," said Grothke to no one in particular. "But a helluva good driver."

Derek hustled back, kicked up the wheelchair brake and raced Old Grothke through the raindrops to the ramp. While he got the chair locked into place Hector climbed into the driver's seat.

The driver had just activated the ramp when McMichael jumped onto it and badged him.

"McMichael, Homicide," he said. "Get back up front and sit in the passenger side."

"What the-"

"Am I going to have a problem with you?"

A big shake of his head, a big smile. "I don't ever have trouble with the police."

"Then get on it."

Derek jumped to the pavement and scrambled around the van. When the ramp clunked into place, McMichael hit a blue button to retract it. As the ramp groaned backward Old Grothke's head jiggled and raindrops rolled down his thin white face.

The interior had seats along both sides but none in the middle. The floor carpet had been replaced with plywood to accommodate wheelchairs. A moment later the back door rolled down.

"Is this a robbery?" asked Grothke, eyes wide.

"Relax, sir," said McMichael. "We're the cops you talked to last week. Remember? Vultures in the ice cream?"

Grothke's face locked into seriousness. McMichael saw the battle going on behind his eyes. Then, illumination, like sunlight through clouds. "Detective McMichael! Of course I remember."

McMichael poked his head into the driver's cab. Derek was in the passenger seat, saying something to Hector about applying to SDPD back in 'ninety-two but his back was bad and he had this one thing on his record.

"Go stand outside," said Hector. "Distribute your weight on both feet equally. Save that back."

"It's raining out there, man."

"Then go inside, dumbass."

When Hector had locked the driver out he climbed back and sat down across from Grothke.

"That driver's kind of rude," he said.