"You said you knew my father. Not many people're still around who did. I just wanted to ask you about him."

"The Sixteenth Avenue Club?"

"Nope. Don't want to know about that."

Snyder said, "He was lucky he got away."

"Sometimes you dodge the bullet."

"At least he cleaned up his act later. Heard he never got into any trouble after that."

"You said you worked with him. He didn't talk much about his job. I always wondered what it was like back then. Thought I'd write down a few things."

"For his grandkids?"

"Something like that."

Reluctantly Snyder said, "We never were partners."

"But you knew him."

A hesitation. "Yeah."

"Just tell me: What was the story on that commander…the crazy one? I always wanted to know the scoop."

"Whichcrazy one?" Snyder scoffed. "There were plenty."

"The one who sent the tactical team to the wrong apartment?"

"Oh. Caruthers?"

"I think that was him. Dad was one of the portables holding off the hostage-taker until ESU found the right place."

"Yeah, yeah. I was on that. What an asshole, Caruthers. The putz…Thank God nobody was hurt. Oh, and that was the same day he forgot the batteries in his bullhorn… One other thing about him: He'd send his boots out to be polished. He'd have the rookies do it, you know. And he'd tip 'em, like, a nickel. I mean, tipping uniforms is weird to start. But then five goddamn cents?"

The TV volume came down a few bars. Snyder laughed. "Hey, you wanta hear one story?"

"You bet."

"Well, your dad and me and a bunch of us, off duty, were going to the Garden, see a fight or game or something. And this kid comes up with a zip gun-you know what that is?"

She did. She said she didn't.

"Like a homemade gun. Holds a single twenty-two shell. And this poor fuck mugs us, you can believe it. He sticks us up right in the middle of Three-four Street. We're handing over wallets. Then your dad drops his billfold, accidental on purpose, you know what I'm saying? And the kid bends down to pick it up. When he stands up he shits-he's staring right into the muzzles of our pieces, four Smitties, cocked and ready to unload. The look on that kid's face…He said, 'Guess it ain't my day.' Is that classic or what? 'Guess it ain't my day.' Man, we laughed all night about that… " His face broke into a smile. "Oh, and one other thing…"

As he talked, Sachs nodded and encouraged him. In reality she knew many of these stories. Herman Sachs wasn't the least reluctant to talk to his daughter about his job. They'd spend hours in the garage, working on a transmission or fuel pump, while stories of a cop's life on the streets reeled past-planting the seeds for her own future.

But of course she wasn't here to learn family history. No, this was simply an officer-needs-assistance call, a 10-13 of the heart. Sachs had decided that former detective Art Snyder wasn't going down. If his supposed friends didn't want to see him because he'd helped nail the St. James crew, then she'd set him up with plenty of cops who would: herself, Sellitto, Rhyme and Ron Pulaski, Fred Dellray, Roland Bell, Nancy Simpson, Frank Rettig, a dozen others.

She asked him more questions and he replied-sometimes eagerly, sometimes with irritation, sometimes distracted, but always giving her something. A couple of times Snyder rose and refilled his mug with liquor and frequently he'd glance at his watch and then at her, his meaning clear: Don't you have someplace else to be?

But she just sat back comfortably in the Barcalounger, asked her questions and even told a few war stories of her own. Amelia Sachs wasn't going anywhere; she had all the time in the world.

Authors are only as good as the friends and fellow professionals around them, and I'm extremely fortunate to be surrounded by a truly wonderful ensemble: Will and Tina Anderson, Alex Bonham, Louise Burke, Robby Burroughs, Britt Carlson, Jane Davis, Julie Reece Deaver, John Gilstrap, Cathy Gleason, Jamie Hodder-Williams, Kate Howard, Emma Longhurst, Diana Mackay, Joshua Martino, Carolyn Mays, Tara Parsons, Seba Pezzani, Carolyn Reidy, Ornella Robbiati, David Rosenthal, Marysue Rucci, Deborah Schneider, Vivienne Schuster, Brigitte Smith, Kevin Smith and Alexis Taines.

Special gratitude, as always, to Madelyn Warcholik.

Those interested in the subject of watchmaking and watch collecting will enjoy Michael Korda's compact and lyrical Marking Time.

Former journalist, folksinger and attorney Jeffery Deaver's novels have appeared on a number of best-seller lists around the world, including The New York Times,the Timesof London and the Los Angeles Times.His books are sold in 150 countries and are translated into thirty-five languages. The author of twenty-one novels, he's been awarded the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association, is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen Reader's Award for Best Short Story of the Year and is a winner of the British Thumping Good Read Award. He's been nominated for six Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America, an Anthony Award and a Gumshoe Award. His book A Maiden's Gravewas made into an HBO movie staring James Garner and Marlee Matlin, and his novel The Bone Collectorwas a feature release from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. His most recent books are The Twelfth Card, Garden of Beasts, The Vanished Manand Twisted: Collected Stories.And, yes, the rumors are true, he did appear as a corrupt reporter on his favorite soap opera, As The World Turns.Readers can visit his website at www.jefferydeaver.com.