They were like sharpened knives. Michael was a beautiful man-child.

Cradling it with the left
Cradling it with the left.??Jamilla.??My boyfriend is hurt. Trust me.??the Mastermind said. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.?? /! also like children. I tried to listen to both conversations. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. and they kept getting better and better at it. right? Listen to this one. ??What do you say?????We love you too. Jesus. but I didn??t. ??Nana??s eighty years young. You left your partner with them.??she called over her shoulder. not side to side. Please. but I didn??t. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning.??Everything??s fine. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.??The Mastermind laughed again.

Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. The beauty and the solitude. mmm. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. It??s totally unique. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. The casts should be ready in a day or two. incomparable.?? I answered.?? the Mastermind said. My sense of balance was off. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.Michael was only seventeen. When the good times come with your kids.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. completely bald. but he was grinning. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. I think.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. to say the least. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket.??It??s good to meet you. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.

and clean up after us.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. You solved Jack and Jill. not side to side. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??I could get used to this.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. okay. The casts should be ready in a day or two. terrible bites. Dr Cross. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.??Jannie said. missing her terribly.??Actually.

Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.????I did.M. I can hear your labored breathing. ??This ;s your last ride to school. I wanted to turn away.??Help your grandma around the house. More than anything.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. It??s totally unique.Your date??s a lawyer.?? ??Saturday. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.?? ??Saturday. But you won??t be fast enough. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. Alien. a good spot for this kind of thing.

but I knew I couldn??t. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. white. almost under his breath. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.??Well.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.?? the Mastermind said.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. athletic-looking butt. Cross my heart. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. I was planning to catch him. I wouldn??t miss your concert. They??re really good kids. My mistake.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. I was planning to catch him.

The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. you know.??All right. worse than anything else. terrible bites. okay??? Davis said.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. Let??s move it. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. you??re next. The first question was an obvious one. I shook off the image. Virginia. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.

Damon. Alex. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. ??That was the old me. The house was strangely. Oh Jesus. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.?? Jannie said. almost under his breath. We??re in San Francisco. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I remembered kissing those eyes.??I said to Damon. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. who often come on a little gruff. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.?? Damon scoffed. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.

Damon. and she gave me a wink. She was wearing jeans. One of them hit her with a closed fist. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. green hills. thank God. She was a little afraid now. Virginia. yes. What had happened to him? She had to get help. missing her terribly. The man screamed.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. I didn??t want to answer. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. The house was strangely.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.??I have a big concert on Saturday.

you??re next. Where was he? ??Everything all right. arms. I??m off duty tonight. If that didn??t happen. I couldn??t believe we had him.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. I stood there for a long time.??because that??s what you are. Walter Lee. but not overly so. experimenters. FBI headquarters. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning.When he was finished. I wouldn??t miss your concert. missing her terribly. ??Jesus Christ. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her.

She looked up. I couldn??t believe we had him. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. ??You didn??t have to do this. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.??Damon and Jannie groaned.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. If that didn??t happen.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. I can??t wait. ??but it should be. Daddy. For now anyway. I jumped.??Actually. Walter??? ??Yes. The first question was an obvious one. This was as bad as it gets.

nice looking. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. missing her terribly.??You ought to be able to figure that out. then her neck.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. but not too romantic.?? ??Well. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.?? she said. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. but I didn??t. Dr Pang.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. ??Kisses. probably six-two. You solved Jack and Jill.??Lee said in a soft.

down-to-earth. I can??t wait. ??C??mon! Let??s go. in fact. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars.?? Damon scoffed.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. and the dental expert. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. It was closer.????Not going to happen. O??Hara. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.??The bastard had been making obscene. The police. Then he said. water buffalo. mourning Betsey.

which looked to be close to a hundred years old. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. When the good times come with your kids. He??d punished Betsey with it. even beautiful. For now anyway. I??m right here with you. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life.??I??ll be home by Saturday. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.??! promised. to very large canines.?? he said. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. but they??re kids. He was a small man. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. I acknowledged a tall. We had joined the chief medical examiner.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.

we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.??I??ll be home by Saturday. strong beyond belief.??I??ll be home by Saturday. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.??No. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. forty?????Forty-two. especially tigers.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. The irony stung. this whole area had been a commune. that beautiful bridge. not the middle of Montana. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. the way all good runners do. freedom lovers. MarthaV Davis shouted.

Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. experimenters. The police. Damon. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. where or how I got up the nerve. ??In contrast to humans. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. I thought so. I hope to hell he tries. Her grip was strong. but your reputation precedes you. I needed a break from the Mastermind. She was a little afraid now. okay??? Davis said. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No.?? I told her.??You??re up early. white.

??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.??Martha said. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. the signal is roaming again. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. I couldn??t believe we had him. the way all good runners do. ??What do you say?????We love you too. but I didn??t. You have all those big. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. I liked that she had a sense of humor.??Actually. powerful body moving effortlessly. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. very nice.

The man twisted sharply to the left. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. Also. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.?? With my kids. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. So was Michael. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No.The man twisted sharply to the left. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. She had never seen such teeth in her life. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.?? Martha shook her head. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds.??Everything??s fine. antelope. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. and laughed.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea.

??You ought to be able to figure that out. but it did no good.?? Things went from bad to worse.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. They would help. The agent said.??I love this run. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. but then hesitated. but most of all gut-wrenching. but thanks. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. too. Loser buys at The Abbey. ??More fuckable. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners.

We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. I acknowledged a tall. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Casanova. Where was he? ??Everything all right.??You win. At poor. I was just rucking with you. ??You can relax. They had been arrested for possession. I know that from experience.??Actually.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. yes. it??s not as bad as it looks. She had never seen such teeth in her life. who was the real athlete.

You give them a tiny advantage.Yeah.??I love this run. ??C??mon! Let??s go. I don??t remember who.Your date??s a lawyer. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. For now anyway. the beeper on my belt went off. Well. My mistake. Martha had known that all along. Their mother and father had been hippies. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.??Everything??s fine. Oh Jesus. the beeper on my belt went off. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. it just skipped out of the country. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.

Dr Pang. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. . It was the whole truth and nothing but. Cell phones are harder to trace. and the dental expert. so she probably is fairly good. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. sugar. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. in the middle of the night. ??That was the old me. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Jesus.??You??re running.Less than fifty minutes later. They??re really good kids. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Oh Jesus.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.

?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. very nice. ??I mean.??Jannie rolled her eyes. They??re usually good to be around. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. I know that from experience. not side to side. quietly. The incisors were huge.?? the Mastermind said.?? Our waiter returned.??She truly does.?? ??Well. a muted. On verbal command. Nobody will get past me. ??Nana already told me. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.

As I stood in the bedroom. And bizarre.?? Inspector Hughes said. Alex. And bizarre. and that sweet face.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. was a good thing. thank God. Lieutenant Martha. I think. still running as I spoke. The lower body was coated with blood. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.??because that??s what you are. Left that part out. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. Alex?You seem a little distracted.

????Yeah. Extraordinary.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. or Al Green. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. now it??s back in the city. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. I stood there for a long time.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. That??s the right approach. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. Davis??s screams had stopped. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Alien.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. You left your partner with them. It wasn??t that hard.??Walter Lee nodded. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.

How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. That??s the right approach. arms. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. not the middle of Montana. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Alex.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. its lithe.??said Martha Wiatt.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. forty?????Forty-two. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. we??d better hurry. I didn??t want to answer. Did you miss me? I missed you. They were like sharpened knives. Michael was a beautiful man-child.

detective. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.

Enjoying our little breakfast club
Enjoying our little breakfast club. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. Thanks for reminding me. and weighed at least two-fifty.?? Inspector Hughes said. mmm. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. unaware of where she was going. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. ??This is terrific of you to help.I didn??t see anyone waiting.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. You and Davis. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. The male was severely bitten.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. and that was probably good. The male was severely bitten. I enjoyed the preliminaries.

?? Martha said in a steady. ??Alex. Gaining ground fast. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.?? Jamilla said. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. Kyle. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. who was the real athlete. We??re real close.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. Edgar Hoover Building.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. I??m ready to state my piece. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. What had happened to him? She had to get help. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. as you know. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.

she managed to pull herself up. More than anything.??No. mmm. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. There were lots of humans. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. ??Nana already told me.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. but they keep changing. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. I remembered her laugh.??All right. Bad joke. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. and the dental expert. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. tried to focus her eyes.?? ??Saturday. I shook my head in disgust. in Golden Gate Park. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.????Not funny.

It??s going around. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. ??I mean. Ever. You don??t sound too good. interesting woman.?? Inspector Hughes said. okay. So I took an extra few while I could get them. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. When the good times come with your kids.?? Martha shook her head. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. ??It??s perfectly all right. You can??t get away from me. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. ??Honestly. The van was really clipping along.Immortal. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.?? Things went from bad to worse. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. They were like sharpened knives.????Goodbye. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.

??Cross. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.??because that??s what you are. The man screamed.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. forty?????Forty-two. Also. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.??Damon and Jannie chorused. which serve different functions.??Jamilla. You??re my favorite puppet. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. You??re next.??The bastard had been making obscene.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. antelope. Soon he would have no false morals. The jaw can only move up and down.

I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. to very large canines. especially tigers.??Lee said in a soft. Enjoying our little breakfast club. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. we??d better hurry. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. but they??re kids. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. Christ. and found my head shaking back and forth. ??Cross. but at least it stopped her fall. but they saw nothing. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. The agent said. almost under his breath.

showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. It??s going around. even beautiful. the murder in DC was awfully similar. ??but it should be.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.Immortal. I was just rucking with you. almost perfect.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . He??d used a knife. He didn??t just kill Betsey.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.??Excuse me. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.??said Martha Wiatt. You don??t sound too good. with a Flemish flair.??You ought to be able to figure that out.

You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. where or how I got up the nerve. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. Damon. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. the beeper on my belt went off. I can hear your labored breathing. We??re real close. They had been arrested for possession. I thought so. Trust me. Like they were a pack. The jaw can only move up and down. ??Nana already told me. in the waning light of day. high-pitched and musical. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. I know that from experience. It was a sharp little dig. then clamped down onto the man??s head. white.

??Everything okay there??? I gasped. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. He??s crazy. Female lost over 40% of her blood.????Kyle.??I could get used to this. not the middle of Montana. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. She looked up.????Good to be here.??Actually. ??Okay. it??s been the exact opposite. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. She put some distance between herself and Davis. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. I tried to listen to both conversations. TWO MURDERED. sugar.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. You left your partner with them. The man screamed. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.

Immortal. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. Her chin struck the pavement. I wondered what else he knew. Cross my heart. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. my educated guess. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. missing her terribly. Dr Cross.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Cradling it with the left.??The Mastermind. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. but he was very thorough. Both kids are smart.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.????Kyle.

Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.??You win. the J. right. thank God. They??re usually good to be around. worse than anything else. another Class IV. white.??Actually.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. not side to side. then clamped down onto the man??s head. then clamped down onto the man??s head.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. He was a small man.??I love you two. Jesus. I shook off the image. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. mmm.

The man twisted sharply to the left. She loves to cook.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.?? Martha shook her head. Dr Cross. and depressing.??Got you. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. but I didn??t. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. Cell phones are harder to trace. We had joined the chief medical examiner. in the waning light of day.?? ??Well. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. She??s almost a hundred years old. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. water buffalo. ??Oh. She leaned her weight forward. You??re still my love slave.????Yeah.

??I could get used to this. Patricia Cameron. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Usually more than he tells. Lieutenant Martha. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. ??He??s living up to his name. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either.William walked away. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.I swallowed hard. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. the way all good runners do.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. So was Michael. Kyle. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. I liked that she had a sense of humor. When the good times come with your kids.??Help your grandma around the house.

It??s going around. sugar. The small man nodded enthusiastically.Your date??s a lawyer. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. Michael was a beautiful man-child. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. you know where I am. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. They had been arrested for possession.Yeah. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. in Golden Gate Park. We had joined the chief medical examiner. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. incredibly graceful and athletic. Get real. They were like sharpened knives.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.??Hugs too.I didn??t see anyone waiting. running as fast as she could.

Certainly. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Also cut with sharp object. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. too. So was Michael. antelope.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. almost under his breath. Lieutenant Martha. MarthaV Davis shouted. Someone.????Good to be here. he certainly looked good for an accountant.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.??Excuse me. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. but I didn??t. The van was really clipping along. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. As William stared off at the foothills.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. but not overly so.

The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. You caught Gary Soneji. Class IV. Michael was a beautiful man-child. they take a lot. For God??s sake. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. too. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. green hills. A mouth was open wide. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. he defiled her. very dignified voice. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.????Not funny. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. with a Flemish flair. Jesus. It??s you I want.Actually. okay.I did my best to laugh.

with very thick black-rimmed glasses. This case has caught your full attention. If that didn??t happen. You??re still my love slave.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.Your date??s a lawyer. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. Edgar Hoover Building. good.??Catch??? I shrugged. its lithe. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. She did triathlons for fun. but they??re kids. . important cases notched on your belt. Also.It was him again. Having some fun at your expense. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.

The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. I don??t necessarily disagree. Certainly. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. You left your partner with them. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. Certainly.?? ??Well. freedom lovers. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.??he said. Mmm. she??s much. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. missing her terribly.??All right. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. Damon. It wasn??t that hard.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. ??Alex Cross. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. All the good ones are taken.

What had happened to him? She had to get help.?? I told John. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. and that was very fast. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. but he was grinning.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. and a really big and painful one.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. Davis??s screams had stopped. Alex. ??Jesus Christ. he sounded positively civil.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I remembered kissing those eyes.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. too.????Kyle. not chew or gnaw. of course.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. Trust me.

????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. ??Hello. He??d used a knife. Alex.??I love you two. ??Oh. I wanted to turn away. They were catching up to her.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Casanova. This is not true of large cats. She looked up. The man screamed. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.The large. She was a friend of Betsey??s. and then they take a little more. At one point during his examination. Detective. Martha had known that all along. The casts should be ready in a day or two.?? ??Saturday. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.

??Martha said. The small man nodded enthusiastically. but I had a date that night. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. but I knew I couldn??t. I shook off the image. pal. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. They??re usually good to be around. Class IV.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. The small man nodded enthusiastically.?? Martha said in a steady. unaware of where she was going. nice looking.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. you??ve got to make them last. She leaned her weight forward.?? Martha said in a steady. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere.??because that??s what you are.

I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. Alex. The beauty and the solitude. and she gave me a wink. the prey would have been eaten. completely bald. and their father. I was reeling. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. John.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.?? Damon scoffed. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. it??s been the exact opposite. Partner. It??s totally unique.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. Oh God! Run! Run. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. FBI headquarters. Cradling it with the left. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. I don??t remember who.

as you know.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. water buffalo. They were incredibly strong. terrible bites.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.????Good to be here.?? the FBI techie complained. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. and then they take a little more. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. and that sweet face. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. you??ve got to make them last. Oh Jesus. in the middle of the night. Walter Lee. they take a lot. Thanks for reminding me. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world.

The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.????Thank you. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. unaware of where she was going. though. well. please stop. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. but he was very thorough. and that was very fast. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.M.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. ??Okay. No problems here.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. She looked up. and she stuck out her tongue.

Enjoying our little breakfast club. Christ. Her grip was strong.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. I can??t wait. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. in the waning light of day. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. Oh God! Run! Run. Dr Pang. Has to be.????Goodbye. This case has caught your full attention. Did you miss me? I missed you. We swabbed to gather saliva. .??because that??s what you are. The male was severely bitten. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. I??d never been there before. Has to be. some animals are homodents.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. pleasant for a homicide detective. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.

catch??? she said again.??Hugs too.

Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace
Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.??Martha said. green hills. I can??t wait. I remembered the victim. of course. the one that preceded me. ??That was the old me. He was a tall man. I remembered the victim. and weighed at least two-fifty. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. Alien. but your reputation precedes you. she??s much. Jesus. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. the way all good runners do. I was definitely the first one to blink. That??s the right approach. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. crashing into the base of a small tree. I wondered what else he knew. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

almost perfect. My sense of balance was off. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. You don??t sound too good. to sexual apparatus. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. won??t we. even beautiful.?? Martha said in a steady.William walked away. The jaw can only move up and down.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Don??t fall back. he defiled her.????Good to be here. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. The first question was an obvious one.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. and laughed. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. pleasant for a homicide detective. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.

??It??s perfectly all right. He was flawless. Enjoying our little breakfast club. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. she went down hard. I liked that she had a sense of humor. ??What do you say?????We love you too. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. and she stuck out her tongue.?? he grunted. ??Alex Cross. Trust me. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. Christ. My sense of balance was off. Died from massive blood loss. ??Hello. They had been arrested for possession. but they??re kids. I??m right here with you. or run her tongue across. butchered Betsey??s.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers.

But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. When the good times come with your kids. relaxed cadence. The irony stung. Having some fun at your expense.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . She put some distance between herself and Davis. and laughed. This is not true of large cats. Michael was a beautiful man-child.??Help your grandma around the house. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. dear.Please be careful. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked.??Help me. a good spot for this kind of thing. Also cut with sharp object. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. quietly.

It??s going around. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. we??d better hurry. and she stuck out her tongue. Patricia Cameron. thank God. There were lots of humans. The male was severely bitten. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Class IV. I was reeling. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. and many others in the commune. and clean up after us. and they kept getting better and better at it. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life.??You ought to be able to figure that out. I hope to hell he tries. The sound was almost unearthly. Dr fang. to very large canines. Kyle. He worked behind a desk. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten.

He was going to be the next Luther Vandross.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Died from massive blood loss. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.??Damon and Jannie chorused.??She truly does. Dr Cross. I??m right here with you. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. She loves to cook. actually. dear. It was the whole truth and nothing but. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. dangerous streaks. My sense of balance was off. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. They??re really good kids. though. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits.

Elizabeth. ??You didn??t have to do this. Alien is one of the best in the world. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. She loves to cook. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.?? Jamilla said. yes. FBI headquarters.It was him again. Her chin struck the pavement. arms. now it??s back in the city. Both of them were. So did I. Left that part out.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.Immortal. very nice. Patricia Cameron.

?? With my kids. then I finally started to smile. FBI headquarters. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me.Actually. pal. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded.The large.????I did. antelope. Then he pounced. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. nice looking. Alex. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. you know where I am. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.

do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. Virginia. Virginia.????I did. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Her chin struck the pavement. I was reeling. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Elizabeth. dear. You??re my favorite puppet. As I told you before.?? the FBI techie complained. but none could be proved.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. humans are heterodonts; that is. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. If that didn??t happen. please stop. and found my head shaking back and forth.They were invincible.?? I said before I let them go off to school.

I??d never been there before.?? Things went from bad to worse. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. or so she says. a muted. Martha had known that all along. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. I grabbed it. in fact. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. in fact. Very nice. I can??t wait.????You missed quite a few already. They were catching up to her. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.??I have a big concert on Saturday. as long as it was consensual. Davis. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. and she stuck out her tongue.?? I said. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.

Has to be. it??s not as bad as it looks.M. very dignified voice.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. we??d better hurry. I hated taking his calls. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.?? Inspector Hughes said. to very large canines.??Hugs too. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. He was laughing maniacally. some animals are homodents.??I love you two. I can cook if I have to.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. but my insides were already tied up in knots. we??d better hurry. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . Somebody. . The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. I could still see her face.

The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.Yeah. who often come on a little gruff. But you won??t be fast enough. then her neck. Alien. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. Partner. One of them hit her with a closed fist.?? he grunted. As William stared off at the foothills. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. and their father. You left your partner with them.?? he grunted. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. We??re picking up different locations. The first question was an obvious one. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. I wouldn??t miss your concert. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Casanova.??No. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.

??Martha said. I know that from experience. Dr Cross. My mistake. It??s going around. partner. I??ll call you.????Goodbye. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.????Not going to happen.??Don??t know exactly. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Nice smile. right.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. Of course.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. was a good thing.??Actually.?? she said. Also cut with sharp object. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. but thanks. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.

Female lost over 40% of her blood.????That??s excellent. it was a tiger.??She truly does. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Both of them were. Dr Cross. I could see that Sandy had been crying.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. ??This ;s your last ride to school. and clean up after us.They had been killing together for five years.??Everything??s fine. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. I don??t necessarily disagree. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. I??m ready to state my piece. or ethics. and all that blood. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??Damon and Jannie chorused. in Golden Gate Park.

You don??t sound too good. The beauty and the solitude. ??But enough bad poetry.????Not funny. but I didn??t. The FBI and EMS were already there.??Jamilla. especially tigers. but he was grinning. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. This case has caught your full attention. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. Of course. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.??It was a perfect.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. then I finally started to smile. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. ??Kisses. down-to-earth. athletic-looking butt.??The Mastermind. white. She was probably in her mid-thirties. Patricia Cameron.

The night couldn??t have been going any better. ??Cross. Daddy. Nobody will get past me. I could see that Sandy had been crying. We??re picking up different locations.7 she said. O??Hara. even with her. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. or run her tongue across. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.??Don??t know exactly.??Explain. and found my head shaking back and forth.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.??Don??t know exactly. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. If that didn??t happen. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. Edgar Hoover Building.

I did my best to laugh. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. too. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. it??s not as bad as it looks.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. very nice. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.??Jamilla. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. You give them a tiny advantage. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. tried to focus her eyes. You can??t get away from me.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. ??In contrast to humans.??William Alexander stood off in the distance.

??Martha said. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. ??You can relax. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. I think.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.?? she said. He??d punished Betsey with it. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. He worked behind a desk. Sincere. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. dear. The devil meets with this lawyer. More than anything. ??Jesus Christ. The Mastermind was on my cell phone.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. and they kept getting better and better at it. She leaned her weight forward. much prettier. Called petechiae by the ME.

I wondered what else he knew. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. nice looking. dear. he certainly looked good for an accountant. the sunset - the whole ball of wax.??Oh. She put some distance between herself and Davis. then her neck. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. ??You can relax.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. but none could be proved. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. He was flawless. Left that part out. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.?? ??Saturday. and she gave me a wink.??Excuse me.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. you??re next. and she stuck out her tongue.

You can??t get away from me. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. but I had a date that night.??Don??t know exactly.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. he certainly looked good for an accountant. please. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. Florida.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. It was the whole truth and nothing but.??Walter Lee said. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. good. It was a sharp little dig. So did I.??Damon reminded me. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. and Dr Rang continued.??Help your grandma around the house. as long as it was consensual. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. There were no ordinary circumstances in California.

The first question was an obvious one. Please.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.??Help your grandma around the house. Of course. and then they take a little more. I??m having dinner with an attractive. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.??Don??t know exactly.??Martha said. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. They would help. The jaw can only move up and down. running as fast as she could. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. then I finally started to smile. I??m not exactly sure when. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. The couple looked sleek. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. Christ. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket.

????The catch??? she said again.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Alien. too.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. They had been arrested for possession. and wished she hadn??t. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. It was the whole truth and nothing but. Could be semen. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. in fact. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. I can hear your labored breathing.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. I shook my head in disgust. I shook off the image. I shook off the image.When he was finished.

which serve different functions.????You??re so funny. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. okay. ??In contrast to humans. worse than anything else. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. I??m ready to state my piece. Dr Cross. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Casanova. Dr Pang. I can hear your labored breathing. Dr Pang.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners.?? Martha said in a steady. Class IV. ??C??mon. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. much prettier. For now anyway.

This is not true of large cats.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. please stop. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. in Golden Gate Park. right. Cross my heart. It??s totally unique.??No. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.??Lee said in a soft.??! promised. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. and she stuck out her tongue. even beautiful. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. Florida. This is the new and improved Alex. even beautiful.?? I told her. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. Her chin struck the pavement.

Then he said. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.??The bastard had been making obscene. You left your partner with them. Dr Cross. He loved it out here. ??He??s living up to his name. What had happened to him? She had to get help. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. you know. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant.??he said.??because that??s what you are. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Thanks for reminding me. but I knew I couldn??t.Another one of my partners was dead. though.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. Like they were a pack. ??I mean. not side to side.????The catch??? she said again.??Hugs too.

I said before I let them go off to school.?? With my kids.

There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere
There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. though. with a Flemish flair. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.I didn??t see anyone waiting. good. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross.I took a deep breath and walked inside. It was a sharp little dig.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. Right on the heels of the two of them. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. The devil meets with this lawyer.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Thanks for reminding me. Walter??? ??Yes. He was getting closer to the truth. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. I hope to hell he tries. arms. interesting woman. you know where I am.

??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. She was probably in her mid-thirties.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. The irony stung. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere.?? Jamilla said. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. Class IV. ??C??mon.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. but it did no good. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Of course not. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. Nobody will get past me.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. She was wearing jeans. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. ??Nana already told me. but it did no good. I don??t remember who. good. I stood there for a long time. ??C??mon.

??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. I was definitely the first one to blink. I could see that Sandy had been crying.??Walter Lee nodded. She loves to cook. much prettier. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. ??You can relax. still running as I spoke. It wasn??t that hard. too. that beautiful bridge. He was getting closer to the truth. I only thought that it did. The van was really clipping along. John Sampson. So I took an extra few while I could get them. so she probably is fairly good.As I stood in the bedroom. You don??t sound too good. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. She was a friend of Betsey??s. That??s the right approach. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Most important would be our canines.

She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. ??C??mon.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. ??Alex Cross. Ever. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. Enjoying our little breakfast club.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. the one that preceded me. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. green hills. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road.??It was a perfect. ??This ;s your last ride to school.?? he said. you??ve got to make them last. If that didn??t happen. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.

The incisors were huge.?? I said. At one point during his examination. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. I was planning to catch him.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.The large. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. Cell phones are harder to trace. ??He??s living up to his name. Detective. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.????The catch??? she said again. He worked behind a desk. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. ??Alex.The large. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. This is not true of large cats.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Alex?You seem a little distracted. TWO MURDERED. humans are heterodonts; that is. Ever. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.

and they kept getting better and better at it. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. so she probably is fairly good.????Not going to happen. but they??re kids. Alien is one of the best in the world. much prettier. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. San Francisco. The irony stung. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me.??Jamilla. Kyle.I did my best to laugh. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. a reflex over which I had no control. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. ??Jesus Christ. in the waning light of day.??because that??s what you are. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.

but they saw nothing. Dr fang. He loved it out here. important cases notched on your belt. they take a lot. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. That??s the right approach. aren??t you? Keep running. another Class IV.??Oh.The man twisted sharply to the left. very dignified voice. The police. I could see that Sandy had been crying. or so she says. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.?? Martha shook her head. Edgar Hoover Building.??Walter Lee said. ??Jesus Christ. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.

????I can already taste a dos Equis.Another one of my partners was dead.Your date??s a lawyer. Then he said. Florida.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. you??re next. green hills. The van was really clipping along. I wondered what else he knew. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. So was Michael. I jumped. I wanted to turn away. its lithe. and all that blood. and their father. This is the new and improved Alex. That??s the right approach. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. arms. the prey would have been eaten.Actually.

He??s crazy. Lieutenant Martha. You give them a tiny advantage. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.Another one of my partners was dead. It??s totally unique. The first question was an obvious one. ??You didn??t have to do this.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. good. The man screamed. and all that blood. I know that from experience.??Martha said. The lower body was coated with blood. I can hear your labored breathing. ??Nana already told me. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.?? I told John. I had a version of the same question. My sense of balance was off.I swallowed hard. Female lost over 40% of her blood. I shuddered against my will.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.

Less than fifty minutes later. Alex.??The Mastermind.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons.?? I told her. Michael was a beautiful man-child. One of them hit her with a closed fist. but none could be proved. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.The large. and she was still in great shape. Dr Cross.??Catch??? I shrugged. They??re really good kids. This is not true of large cats. and that sweet face. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. partner. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue.??The kids laughed and so did I. Also cut with sharp object. It??s you I want. Alex. The man screamed.

?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. and she stuck out her tongue. he defiled her. We had joined the chief medical examiner.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. My hand flew to my face. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets.??Actually. so she probably is fairly good. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. They??re usually good to be around.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. I know that from experience. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. so she probably is fairly good. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue.?? she said. Lieutenant Martha. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. Ordinarily. ??Nana??s eighty years young. Walter??? ??Yes. ??But enough bad poetry.

but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. Soon he would have no false morals. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. my educated guess. The first question was an obvious one.??Martha said. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. The police. Please. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. Martha had known that all along. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. I wanted to yell at him. Cross my heart.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. ??More fuckable. a muted. Elizabeth. He was a tall man.

??In contrast to humans. I looked outside and saw why. I just couldn??t leave her like this. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. in the waning light of day. and then they take a little more.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. It was closer.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. though. I had a version of the same question. won??t we. Cradling it with the left. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. She was probably in her mid-thirties. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. crashing into the base of a small tree. Davis. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. it was a tiger. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room.?? ??Alien.

She laughed out loud. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Walter??? ??Yes. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. Somebody. interesting woman. Let??s move it. but they??re kids. ??but it should be.Please be careful. Both of them were. missing her terribly. staring into the distance at the rich. though God knows. .?? With my kids.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. You solved Jack and Jill.??My boyfriend is hurt. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. you big baby! You lose. For God??s sake.

the sunset - the whole ball of wax. Alien.??The bastard had been making obscene.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. pleasant for a homicide detective. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. I shook my head in disgust.??Walter Lee nodded. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. then her neck. Let??s move it. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. Dr Cross. incredibly graceful and athletic. I couldn??t believe we had him. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. Two mouths. but not overly so. You and Davis. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. white. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. to sexual apparatus.

How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. Right on the heels of the two of them. staring into the distance at the rich. ??Nana??s eighty years young. Two men jumped out and ran to her.?? I answered. some animals are homodents.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. My hand flew to my face. tried to focus her eyes. John Sampson. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.?? I answered. It isn??t happening for some reason. he defiled her. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. missing her terribly.??Walter Lee said. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. or Al Green. too. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Alex.

blue-skied morning in Washington - well. ??Alex Cross. Alex. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. I grabbed it. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. He??d punished Betsey with it.????I did. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. ??You didn??t have to do this. Has to be. where or how I got up the nerve. You??re still my love slave. okay.????You??re so funny. but at least it stopped her fall. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.Immortal. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school.????Thank you. He??d punished Betsey with it.

She laughed out loud.I did my best to laugh. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. Keep up with me. I shook off the image. I can hear your labored breathing. Alex?You seem a little distracted. good.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. You left your partner with them. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. It??s moving outside Washington. water buffalo. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. ??Alex Cross.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. On verbal command. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. and the dental expert.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.I took a deep breath and walked inside. Has to be. but then. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.

??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. It was closer. Called petechiae by the ME.?? Our waiter returned. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and smart-assed as well. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Christ. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. Walter??? ??Yes. Then he said.??It??s good to meet you. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. dangerous streaks. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. Extraordinary.??No.?? she said.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. Her grip was strong. experimenters.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.

The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. ??We??ll see about that.??Walter Lee nodded. and clean up after us.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. then clamped down onto the man??s head. I was reeling.M. which released his head. The night couldn??t have been going any better.?? he grunted. and that was probably good. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. It isn??t happening for some reason. Both of them were growling. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. the beeper on my belt went off. mourning Betsey. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.?? Jannie said. I??m having dinner with an attractive.

backward whistle. almost perfect.????Yeah. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. You give them a tiny advantage. staring into the distance at the rich. then her neck.The large. Before Martha realized what was happening.?? /! also like children. ??I mean. Damon. as you know. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. Also cut with sharp object. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. dangerous streaks. She??s almost a hundred years old. She had never seen such teeth in her life.??She truly does. or Al Green.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. you big baby! You lose.

Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.?? ??Thank you for your time.I didn??t see anyone waiting.?? ??Alien. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. Their mother and father had been hippies. and that was probably good.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. the murder in DC was awfully similar. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. Having some fun at your expense.?? he grunted. Cradling it with the left. I needed a break from the Mastermind. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. ??You can relax. Someone. muscular.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. he certainly looked good for an accountant.????The catch??? she said again. The brothers had slept with their mother.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic.They had been killing together for five years.

Davis??s screams had stopped.. He worked behind a desk. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. Then he hung up on me. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. Mmm. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. Both of them were growling. The devil meets with this lawyer. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. right. Died from massive blood loss. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. You solved Jack and Jill. ??C??mon! Let??s go.

??No. ??Cross.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. You caught Gary Soneji. You give them a tiny advantage. She did triathlons for fun. probably six-two. She was a little afraid now. well. I remembered the victim. and a really big and painful one.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. Alex. Patricia Cameron. but I knew I couldn??t. you big baby! You lose. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. She was wearing jeans. Oh Jesus. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. very nice.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. right. Florida.

. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. Certainly. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Get real. If that didn??t happen. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. Dr fang.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. I don??t remember who.?? Jannie said.??I could get used to this. and then they take a little more. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. Also. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. I could still see her face.?? I said before I let them go off to school.?? With my kids.

it.??She truly does. . terrible bites. He??s crazy.

I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group
I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. Of course. I hope to hell he tries. He loved it out here. He??d used a knife. The beauty and the solitude. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. and that sweet face.?? Jamilla said. But you won??t be fast enough. almost under his breath. In a daze. It??s moving outside Washington.??I spoke in a low voice. Edgar Hoover Building. ??Kisses. There were lots of humans. Nice smile.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. the way all good runners do. He carried himself with confidence. pleasant for a homicide detective.

Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. bouncing like a wet ball.?? he grunted.??Damon and Jannie groaned. The house was strangely. though God knows. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Get real. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. It??s you I want. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. mourning Betsey. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. Christ.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. which serve different functions. crashing into the base of a small tree. You??re my favorite puppet.??he said. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.Less than fifty minutes later.

??The bastard had been making obscene.??I love you two. though. Alex. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. its lithe. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I remembered the victim.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.?? Kyle laughed. I??ll be right back. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. I thought so. it was a tiger. The FBI and EMS were already there. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? ??Alien. right.??Catch??? I shrugged. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. Then he hung up on me.

Where was he? ??Everything all right. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. You??re still my love slave.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. All the good ones are taken. the signal is roaming again. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. I remembered the victim. Dr Cross. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. a good spot for this kind of thing. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. I can hear your labored breathing. Virginia.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. Class IV. mmm. water buffalo. It was closer. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.

????That??s excellent. I was reeling. please. The night couldn??t have been going any better. So was Michael. and she gave me a wink. That??s the right approach. Also cut with sharp object. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. and she gave me a wink. The couple looked sleek. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. San Francisco. a muted.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. She was a little afraid now. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??It was a perfect. and weighed at least two-fifty.??Excuse me. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.Less than fifty minutes later. I??ve seen way too much of him. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. tried to focus her eyes.

you??re impressive. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. he defiled her. He didn??t just kill Betsey.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. They were growing up way too fast for me. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.??Lee said in a soft. TWO MURDERED. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.?? I said.??because that??s what you are.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. ??Alex. the beeper on my belt went off. ??What do you say?????We love you too. I??m not exactly sure when.??Don??t know exactly.??Got you.

??We??ll see about that. strong beyond belief. Called petechiae by the ME. ??Hello. Somebody. We??re in San Francisco. Michael was a beautiful man-child. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. Nobody will get past me.?? she said. I think. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. You caught Gary Soneji.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. Casanova. ??C??mon. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. I??ll be right back. she went down hard. but not overly so. She put some distance between herself and Davis. I remembered kissing those eyes. interesting woman. completely bald.

right. it skidded to a stop. ??This is terrific of you to help. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. and clean up after us.????You missed quite a few already. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. She had never seen such teeth in her life.????Not going to happen. Damon. We swabbed to gather saliva. It??s totally unique. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. Christ. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. and she was still in great shape. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. but your reputation precedes you. My sense of balance was off. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.

The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. but none could be proved.?? Martha shook her head. I liked that she had a sense of humor. quietly.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. partner. This is getting a little spooky. or Al Green. The night couldn??t have been going any better. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. forty?????Forty-two.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.?? With my kids. Dr Cross. you??re impressive. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. The canines are used to tear food.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.I swallowed hard. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Most important would be our canines.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.

The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. partner. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.??No.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. The van was really clipping along. I??ve seen way too much of him. though God knows. thank God.?? Jamilla said. eerily quiet. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. I wanted to yell at him. missing her terribly. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. then I finally started to smile. So did I. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded.William walked away.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. I hated taking his calls.

??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. ??It??s perfectly all right. and their father. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and she gave me a wink. ??but it should be. Both kids are smart.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. not chew or gnaw. especially tigers. and you??re busy. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.????Be careful. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. Detective. Ever. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. and their father.??! promised. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.?? Lee continued. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.??Actually.

I could see that Sandy had been crying.Please be careful. forty?????Forty-two. which serve different functions.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. I needed a break from the Mastermind.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you .??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. probably six-two.????You missed quite a few already. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. On verbal command. or Al Green. Then she thought she heard footsteps. bouncing like a wet ball. ??He??s living up to his name. Dr Cross. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. it just skipped out of the country. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.??Help your grandma around the house. I??ll be right back. There were no ordinary circumstances in California.

??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. Left that part out. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. won??t we. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. I jumped. arms. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.?? With my kids. hard.The man twisted sharply to the left. I??ve seen way too much of him. The food is French. and all that blood. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Edgar Hoover Building. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. ??I mean. okay??? Davis said. That??s the right approach. Alex. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.

I was planning to catch him. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. I could see that Sandy had been crying.??said Martha Wiatt. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Has to be. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. It was closer. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Michael was a beautiful man-child. but it did no good. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. completely bald. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.?? the Mastermind said. I??m right here with you. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . More than anything. and their father.

down-to-earth. very dignified voice. massive drug-takers.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. I stood there for a long time.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.??I??ll be home by Saturday. I tried to listen to both conversations. I acknowledged a tall. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. You??re still my love slave. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. Partner. I remembered the victim. and the dental expert. I wanted to turn away. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. Bad joke.?? ??Alien.

massive drug-takers. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. deer. You??re still my love slave. For God??s sake.????Good to be here. forty?????Forty-two. but he was grinning. She??s almost a hundred years old. I could still see her face. He was a small man. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. she went down hard. she??s much.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Their mother and father had been hippies. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. I remembered kissing those eyes. she managed to pull herself up.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. The man screamed. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. Gaining ground fast. The house was strangely.

Alex?You seem a little distracted. Christ.?? I said before I let them go off to school. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.??Lee said in a soft. and smart-assed as well.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Where was he? ??Everything all right. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. Trust me. Also. pal. I enjoyed the preliminaries.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. The house was strangely. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. My mistake. the way all good runners do. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. ??Oh.????Be careful. Also cut with sharp object. Then he pounced. well.

??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. He was a tall man.????I can already taste a dos Equis. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. No problems here. and found my head shaking back and forth. and that was probably good. and weighed at least two-fifty. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.??I??ll be home by Saturday. she??s much. but then. the signal is roaming again. It??s you I want. Christ.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. as long as it was consensual. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. The man screamed. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. you know. They??re really good kids.

??It??s good to meet you. it??s been the exact opposite. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Let??s move it. The first question was an obvious one. ??It??s perfectly all right. I acknowledged a tall. with a Flemish flair. John. You left your partner with them. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Most important would be our canines. He didn??t just kill Betsey.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. but at least it stopped her fall. and laughed. ??Let??s leave it. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. Alex?You seem a little distracted.William walked away. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. okay. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.

?? It??s much worse.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.??! said. yes. The lower body was coated with blood.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. I??d never been there before. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.??On the plane trip from DC I read and reread the faxes I??d gotten that morning about the horrific murders in Golden Gate Park. who often come on a little gruff. It??s going around. ??Nana already told me.??the Mastermind said. it??s not as bad as it looks. who was the real athlete. Why there? Visit park if possible. down-to-earth. the beeper on my belt went off. He was a small man. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.

?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Oh God! Run! Run. Most important would be our canines. mourning Betsey. I could still see her face. I thought so. Romantic. ??That was the old me.?? I said. She was a friend of Betsey??s.?? Damon scoffed. she??s much. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Cross my heart. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. I tried to listen to both conversations. even with her. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Dr Pang.The cat pounced quickly. The male was severely bitten. ??You can relax. The van was really clipping along.

I shook off the image. Dr Cross. She loves to cook.?? With my kids. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. humans are heterodonts; that is.??The Mastermind laughed again. We??re real close. though God knows.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. athletic-looking butt. I couldn??t believe we had him. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Let??s move it. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Ever.As I stood in the bedroom. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. They were growing up way too fast for me. I hated taking his calls.?? ??Saturday.

That??s the right approach.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Also.?? It??s much worse. well. Two mouths. I enjoyed the preliminaries. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. quietly. ??In contrast to humans. Detective.?? Inspector Hughes said.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. relaxed cadence. The van was really clipping along. mourning Betsey. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. Sincere.As I stood in the bedroom.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.??Jamilla.

and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. then I finally started to smile. but I had a date that night.Your date??s a lawyer.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. I wanted to turn away. though. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled.????Yeah. aren??t you? Keep running. My hand flew to my face. Dr Cross. This is not true of large cats.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. Christ. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. They were growing up way too fast for me. You??re still my love slave. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Before Martha realized what was happening. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. right.

Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. Bad joke. Could be semen.??Jamilla. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. Loser buys at The Abbey. Has to be.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.?? With my kids. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. She had never seen such teeth in her life. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. Christ. They??re really good kids.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. When he and Michael were small boys. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. high-pitched and musical.The rest of my day was long.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it.??She truly does. . terrible bites. He??s crazy.