Street Dreams By Faye Kellerman

When LAPD Officer Cindy Decker finds a newborn in a restaurant dumpster, the hunt for the baby girl's mother is on. The detective assigned to the case is less than determined, though, so Cindy decides to overstep her bounds and hotdog it as an "unpaid" detective on her own time. Searching in the Hollywood district is a dangerous game of hide and seek. Fortunately her parents, Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, have just returned from a vacation in Munich, and while Rina looks into the mystery surrounding her grandmother's death in Germany, Peter provides Cindy with guidance and tips. Armed with advice from her father and medical information from a handsome male nurse, Cindy finds a likely candidate for Baby Girl Doe's mother-a young, retarded woman in the care of her older sister. But locating her is only half the battle. The father is missing and could be a victim of foul play. With the case's focus suddenly shifting from Missing Persons to Homicide, Cindy needs even more help than before. Who better to turn to than her father? But can they work as unofficial partners without personal issues getting in the way? Cindy and Decker traverse twisted alleys and unknown places, but the bumpiest avenue will prove to be the Decker road to mutual respect and understanding.