Tony took the lead, and with a succinctness that would certainly have satisfied any military man, said:

That was when the lead, said Pitino, "just evaporated."

I went out to the squad room, said, "We've got a lead.

"We're changing our image," the lead said, shaking his hair back over his shoulder, and nodding at the boxes.

The lead would say something about Medicare and Denticare and now psychological care as employee benefits.

By now, the police have several images, taken from surveillance tapes, of the suspect, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, but few leads, an investigator said yesterday.

He had reported briefly to his handler, said that he was handling some leads, a few loose ends.

The lead said: "Rolande Hodel does not want to feel stupid anymore: she is only going to do business with women."

"A very poor lead, Lefty," he said reproachfully.

"Put lead on that rock behind him," somebody said.