Excerpt from A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

McCaleb nodded slightly and was uncomfortable with himself for doing it so readily.

"Leave the stuff," he said. "I'll call you when I can."

On the way to the door Winston looked about for Graciela but didn't see her.

"She's probably in with the baby," McCaleb said.

"Well, tell her I said good-bye."

"I will."

There was an awkward silence the rest of the way to the door. Finally, as McCaleb opened it, Winston spoke.

"So what's it like, Terry? Being a father."

"It's the best of times, it's the worst of times."

His stock answer. He then thought a moment and added something he had thought about but never said, not even to Graciela.

"It's like having a gun to your head all the time."

Winston looked confused and maybe even a little concerned.

"How so?"

"Because I know if anything ever happens to her, anything, then my life is over."

She nodded.

"I think I can understand that."

She went through the door. She looked rather silly as she left. A seasoned homicide detective riding away in a golf cart.

Copyright © 2001 Hieronymus, Inc. Excerpt used with permission from Time Warner Bookmark.