MY FIRST CALL was to Claire.

We had about an hour. That was all we had before this grotesque, seemingly random murder became headlines around the world as the second killing in a vicious terror spree. I needed to know how Bengosian had died, and fast.

The second call was to Tracchio. It was still before five

A.M. The night duty officer patched me through. "It's Lindsay Boxer," I said. "You said to make sure you knew the minute something went on." "Yeah," I heard him grunt, fumbling around with the phone. "I'm at the Clift Hotel. I think we just found the motive for the Lightower bombing."

I could visualize him bolting upright in his pajamas, knocking his glasses onto the floor. "One of those X/L part-ners finally come clean? It was money, wasn't it?"

"No," I said, shaking my head, "war."

After I hung up with the Chief, I looked around Bengo-sian's hotel room. No blood, no sign of a struggle. A half-filled c............