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fifth largest law enforcement agency in the country. To put that in perspective, the FBI is the fourth largest. There are almost ten thousand officers serving the city of Los Angeles, not to mention three thousand civilians, including Gwen. You don’t just walk in off the street to see the chief. Most LA cops retire never having had a personal audience with the chief.
    Gwen motioned us into an office, and Chief Ehrlich came out from behind his desk to greet us. “Officer Gideon,” he said, shaking my hand. “And my four-legged friend Sirius,” he added, bending down and offering his hand. This time Sirius only sniffed at it, and a bit suspiciously at that. It was probably the “four-legged friend” comment.
    “Please sit,” Ehrlich said.
    The chair I planted myself in would have been acceptable to royalty. Ehrlich took a seat behind his desk, crossed his hands and smiled for us. He was good about making eye contact and didn’t seem distracted by the scarring on my face.
    “I am glad to see you are both doing so well,” he said.
    “Thank you, sir.”
    He knew why I was there, but was still going to make me ask. No one doubted the chief’s smarts, but he was only eighteen months into his job and the rank and file hadn’t yet made up their minds about him. Ehrlich had come from outside the ranks of the LAPD. Because he had a number of eclectic interests and degrees in subjects other than law enforcement, the media liked to refer to him as a Renaissance man. His nickname was “the Professor.” His proponents said the nickname referred to his time teaching at Columbia University; his critics said it reflected Ehrlich’s tendency to lecture and be pedantic.
    “The last time we talked was last April at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, sir,” I said. “On that occasion you said that when I was ready to come back to the force, you would see to a placement of my choosing.”
    The chief offered the barest nod. If I hadn’t been looking for it, I might not have even seen it.
    “The doctors have cleared me to come back,” I said. “Unfortunately for Sirius, his injuries are such that he is no longer fit for K-9 duty, and he is now officially retired. Without him as a partner, I don’t want to return to Metropolitan K-9.”
    I took a deep breath and tried to forget the view into myself that I’d experienced that morning. The vision that came after my fire dream wasn’t infallible, or at least I didn’t want to think so.
    “What I’d like to be is a detective,” I said, “with a placement in Robbery-Homicide Division. I want Homicide Special.”
    Ehrlich twisted his fingers into steeples and took a few moments before answering. “If you get your wish, have you considered the ramifications?”
    Only seventy-six detectives are attached to Homicide Special. Because those detectives work on all the high-profile cases, it’s a job everyone wants. “I know it will ruffle feathers.”
    “It will do more than that. There’s going to be a lot of talk about how the fix was in. Experienced detectives that have beenwaiting for placement on Homicide Special are sure to raise a stink. It’s unlikely anyone at RHD will greet you with open arms.”
    “I can live without the hugs,” I said. “I paid for the position with my pound of flesh.”
    “I won’t argue with that, but walking into a hornet’s nest doesn’t sound like the best way to start off in a job.”
    “Is that your way of telling me it’s not going to happen?”
    “If you’re set on Homicide Special, then I’ll start the ball rolling. I think there is a better option for you, though, a position that I believe is suited to your skills, needs, and desires.”
    “Vice?” I asked. My self-imposed muzzle hadn’t lasted very long.
    Ehrlich chuckled, or at least made the attempt, and then asked, “Why did you go into K-9?”
    “I like dogs.”
    “From what I understand you like autonomy even more than you like dogs.”
    If he thought I was going to