"That's the last thing I have," Herbert replied. "The local police are still pulling body parts and pieces of yacht from the bay and trying to ID the people. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. We're also monitoring commercial and private broadcasts in case the perps have something to say."

"You wrote that the yacht blew up midship," Hood said.

"That's what two eyewitnesses onshore said," Herbert replied. "There hasn't been any official word yet."

"And there isn't likely to be," Hood said. "Spain doesn't like to share its internal matters. Does the midship location mean anything?"

Herbert nodded. "The blast was nowhere near the engines, which means we're almost certainly looking at sabotage. The timing may also be significant. The explosion occurred soon after Martha was shot."

"So the two events could be related," Hood said.

"We're looking into it," Herbert replied.

"Starting where?"

Hood was pushing more than usual, but that wasn't surprising. Herbert had felt that way after Beirut. Apart from wanting the killer found and punished, it was important to keep one's mind active. The only other option was to stop, mourn, and have to deal with the guilt.

"The attack on Martha does adhere to the modus operandi of the Homeland and Freedom group," Herbert said. "In February of 1997 they killed a Spanish Supreme Court judge, Justice Emperador. Shot him in the head at the front door of his building."

"How does that tie in to Martha?"

"Judge Emperador heard labor law cases," Herbert said. "He had nothing to do with terrorists or political activism."

"I don't follow."

Herbert folded his hands on his waist and answered patiently. "In Spain, as in many countries, judges involved in terrorist matters are given bodyguards. Real bodyguards, not just for show. So Homeland and Freedom typically goes after friends and associates in order to make a point to the principals. That's been their pattern in a half-dozen shootings since 1995, when they tried to murder King Juan Carlos, Crown Prince Pelipe, and Prime Minister Aznar. The failure of that operation had a chilling effect."

"No more direct frontal assaults," Hood said.

"Right. And no more prime targets. Just attacks on the secondaries to rattle the support structure."

Two other people had arrived as Herbert was speaking.

"We'll talk about all this in a minute," Hood said. He took a swallow of water and rose as staff psychologist Liz Gordon and somber-looking press officer Ann Farris walked in. Herbert saw Ann's eyes catch Hood's for a moment. It was an open secret along the executive corridors of Op-Center that the young divorcee was more than fond of her married boss. Because Hood was so unreadable-a talent he had apparently developed as mayor of Los Angeles-no one was quite sure how Hood felt about Ann. However, it was known that the long hours he spent at Op-Center had put a strain on his relationship with his wife, Sharon. And Ann was attractive and attentive.