Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday…

Denise Rivera looked over the lip of her coffee mug to see Chris Tanner standing at the doorway to her office. She frowned. Chris decided he liked her smile better.

"I thought you had the day off?"

"I do, but I came in to make a request." He toyed with a PDA, nervously tossing it up and down in his right hand. He had always used one, finding the standard memory in the police-issued cell phones inadequate for both his work and private life.

"Denied. Since you're here, I have a case for you."

"How'd you know what I was going to ask?" It was his turn to frown.

"You're here on Saturday, on your day off, so you're going to either ask for time off or ask for a raise. Considering that even you aren't so stupid to ask for a raise outside of the union, I concluded that it's extra time off. Have you been talking with Ka Wah Fong again?"

"How'd you know that?"

This time his captain smiled.

"Ka Wah tried his conspiracy theory out on me first, you know. I told him he was full of shit. And so are you, if you believe it."

"Well, he's not. And I'm not. I believe it. I think you should hear what I have to say."

Chris filled her in about what he had learned in conversations with Jay and Kalidas. The story seemed to change Denise's opinion about the case. But she was still doubtful.