CRIME: The Bomb Plot

At 2:34 p.m. one day last week, one of the most extraordinary extortion plots in criminal history exploded—literally—in Portland's big (twelve stories), crowded Meier & Frank department store. Just after 2 o'clock a woman had thrust through the credit window an envelope addressed to the store's president, Aaron Frank, and left. Inside the envelope was a note warning that in the block-square building were planted two bombs, the first set to explode "by the time you receive this message." As Frank was reading the note on the twelfth floor, an explosion rocked the third floor, shattering windows and injuring...