Vicki gasped. Steptoe was cursing and fighting the agents, his expression showing the same malevolence it had the night he'd shot Morty to death, then turned the gun on her. She peered out the tiny porthole of the van, deriving great satisfaction in seeing him dragged down the front walk, kicking and screaming, and into a waiting squad car.

"Woohooo!" Vicki turned to the right, by habit, but Reheema wasn't there. As a civilian, she hadn't been permitted to come, and Vicki had barely had a chance to say good-bye to her, and thanks, before she'd put her in the elevator.

Wouldn't have got him without you, Lady Tiger, Vicki thought as she watched the squad car drive off, with its siren blaring.

Vicki wasn't completely surprised to find the press conference as carefully staged, timed, and coordinated as the drug bust.

U.S. Attorney Strauss, Chief Bale, brass from ATF, FBI, Philly police, and finally Dan and Vicki stood at the front of the room, in the glare of klieglights and at least forty-five still cameras and videocameras. Strauss took the podium precisely at 12:10, arranged to give the local networks the time to broadcast the warehouse fire du jour, then cut to the press conference.

Strauss cleared his throat. "My office today is announcing that a major victory has been won in Project Clean Shopping to keep the city of Philadelphia free of violent crime. Today, we have arrested and captured one William Toner, the individual who, as part of a drug conspiracy, is charged with the murder of two drug dealers and five other innocent citizens in front of Toys ‘R' Us the other day."

Photos snapped, motor drives whirred, and there was even applause.

"In addition, as part of the same master raid, we have today arrested one Jay Steptoe for the murder of ATF Special Agent Robert Morton, whom you may recall was shot down last week in the line of duty."

There was applause at that, and Vicki looked down.

"Here are the charges, and the defendants, in summary," Strauss continued, and Vicki didn't listen to the rest, not after the part about Morty. She was thinking about what Bale had said, about the force of law, and how in the end, it had prevailed. The office would have to try the case against Steptoe and she would have to make sure they won, and something told her that she would, for Morty.

"Finally," Strauss concluded, "it is very important at this time for me to give credit for his fine investigative and supervisor efforts in connection with this matter, which, as you can imagine, was a Herculean task." Strauss paused, and the silence made Vicki look up, bringing her out of her reverie.

"I would like to publicly thank Chief Howard Bale, Section Chief, for his unwavering commitment both to justice and to the safety of our citizens in this highly dangerous and vitally crucial area of law enforcement. Chief Bale?" Grinning, Strauss extended his long arm, like a game show host, at Bale. The audience clapped, and Vicki joined them spontaneously, and Dan followed suit so she wouldn't look stupid. She would have to thank him later, in bed.

Bale took the podium and said a few words, then the ATF and FBI brass, and finally the mayor, the police commissioner, the deputy mayor, and the president of the chamber of commerce, who invited everybody to come out and shop, shop, shop in safety. The press conference finally ended, and Vicki couldn't help but wonder if Reheema had been watching TV and what she thought of the show.

Which reminded Vicki that she still had some unfinished business.

THIRTY-NINE

Vicki lay with her head happily nestled on Dan's warm chest, at home, in the quiet dark of the bedroom she was coming to think of as theirs. She knew the thought was premature, but it was hard to think clearly after really terrific sex with a man she loved, under a white baffle comforter, with a calico cat curled into a variegated ball at the foot of the bed. Especially when you've left work early to make love. Vicki considered making hooky sex her new hobby.

The late afternoon sun, which had been outside the bedroom window when they had come home, had long gone, swept away by the frosty blue blast of a winter sky. It had to be six o'clock, or later. Vicki focused dreamily on the blue square over the half curtains, but couldn't tell if it would be cloudy again. As a little girl, she used to watch for the stars before sleep, imagining them in winter as hard as diamonds, fired by the cold of heaven.

"So that was my reward?" Dan asked, his voice soft and deep.

"Yes. I'm a fan of positive reinforcement. Lucky you."

"In that case, it'll have to do."

"Very funny. " Vicki pinched Dan's side, and he squirmed.

"I'm still mad at you, though."

"Aw. Don't start all over again."

"I am. You've been rewarded, too, by my fabulous sexual prowess, but you should be punished."

"Spank me."

"I'm not kidding. Going into my briefcase? Stealing my papers? Staking out dangerous felons? Lying to me, day after day?"

"I'm sorry I lied to you."

"You even acted like you hadn't seen that photo of Toner, when you took it!"

Vicki winced. "I'm sorry about that, too."

"What about the other things?"

"I'm not sorry about them."

"You should be!" Dan didn't sound like he was smiling, and it was killing her postcoital stargazing.

"Look, I won't make a habit of it, but I got the guy who killed Morty and I'm proud of that. And aren't you happy we got Toner?"

"You and Reheema could have been arrested, too! She's the one who got you into this."

"No, she didn't," Vicki said, defensive. "If anything, I got her into it."

"I don't like her. The woman is hostile."

"I like her. Hostility is part of her charm."

After a minute, Dan said, "Vick?"

"What?"

"Your behavior was really inappropriate."

Vicki smiled. "You sound like the school principal."

"Maybe because I am. Or at least, I will be."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not supposed to say."

"Tell me. What's going on?" Vicki lifted her head and looked up at Dan, and in the semidarkness, his lips were curving into a mysterious smile.

"Well, some promotions are in the wings. It's unofficial now, but they're going to announce it on Monday, to the office and the press."

"Announce what?" Vicki shifted excitedly onto her elbow, and Dan was already propping himself up on a pillow.

"I'm going to be the new chief."

"You! Congratulations!" Vicki's heart filled and she reached for Dan, and he hugged her back warmly.

"Isn't that amazing?"

"It's great!"

"I get a raise, too, three grand." Dan grinned. "There's a transition period. The promotion becomes effective a month from next week."

"What's happening to Bale?"

"He's gonna be the new U.S. Attorney."

"Wow! No wonder Strauss thanked him at the conference."

Dan nodded. "Strauss told me he's setting up the press."

"And Strauss is going to be what?"

"He's about to be nominated to the Third Circuit. They've been talking about it behind the scenes for months."

"You're kidding! I had heard that was what he wanted."

"Yeah, and with the bust today, he was told it's been put on the front burner and he'll be confirmed with no problem. I think he's heading for the Supremes, but I don't know."

"Well, good for him. Dan, jeez! You, chief?" Vicki began to process the news. "Wait, does that mean I'm sleeping with my boss?"

"Honestly, yes. If we keep this up." Dan's smile faded, and Vicki felt a note of worry.

"What do you mean, if? Of course we'll keep it up. We love each other."

"I'm not saying I want to give you up. I just got you."

"Me, too. I mean, me, neither!" Vicki was too tired to think. She hadn't slept in twenty-odd hours. Her eyelids felt suddenly leaden, but it could have been a stress reaction. "We can keep these things separate. Love and work, you need both."