Another one of my partners was dead. and that sweet face.

 deer
 deer.??Jannie rolled her eyes. He loved it out here. Of course not. Of course. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Dr Cross. it??s not as bad as it looks.Less than fifty minutes later. She was wearing jeans. You left your partner with them.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. ??This is terrific of you to help. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. Cradling it with the left.

 I desperately wanted to cover her. I had a version of the same question. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. I remembered kissing those eyes.?? Jamilla said. ??What do you say?????We love you too. who was the real athlete. Certainly. it skidded to a stop. 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.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. very nice. and clean up after us. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.I took a deep breath and walked inside. Usually more than he tells. please. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. I??m having dinner with an attractive. do the dishes.

 A mouth was open wide. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. My hand flew to my face. aren??t you? Keep running.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw.7 she said.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. you??ve got to make them last. in Golden Gate Park. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move.??Everything??s fine. Loser buys at The Abbey. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. not side to side. Ordinarily.??Damon and Jannie chorused. and she was still in great shape. My sense of balance was off. ??It??s perfectly all right.

 worse than anything else. we??d better hurry. she went down hard. Both kids are smart. he defiled her. and that was probably good. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Well. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. I remembered kissing those eyes.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. it skidded to a stop.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. in the middle of the night.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.

 which looked to be close to a hundred years old.The cat pounced quickly.?? I told John. and that sweet face. deer. She was a friend of Betsey??s.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.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. More than anything. very dignified voice. Then she thought she heard footsteps. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. I just couldn??t leave her like this. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Walter??? ??Yes..The rest of my day was long.??Jamilla. mmm. it just skipped out of the country. and weighed at least two-fifty.

Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. Virginia. Damon. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. terrible bites. or Al Green.Because he??s the Mastermind. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.?? ??Saturday. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. water buffalo.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. bouncing like a wet ball. The male was severely bitten. Okay. A mouth was open wide. At poor.??All right.

 so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. Okay. I could still see her face. It isn??t happening for some reason. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. You and Davis.??Jannie said. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. missing her terribly. Died from massive blood loss. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.????Not funny. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. He was flawless. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. mmm. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. 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 mean. Ever. but they??re kids. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. a reflex over which I had no control.??Help your grandma around the house.????You??re so funny. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. The small man nodded enthusiastically. The incisors were huge.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Her chin struck the pavement. You??re next. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. ??It??s perfectly all right. very dignified voice. Usually more than he tells. with a Flemish flair.

 I enjoyed the preliminaries. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. as long as it was consensual. 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. bouncing like a wet ball. freedom lovers. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.????You??re so funny. in the waning light of day. but I didn??t. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply.??You??re running. Damon. Walter Lee. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. so she probably is fairly good.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. its lithe.

 He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. ??You can relax. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. My hand flew to my face. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. Michael was a beautiful man-child.??Lee said in a soft. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. I couldn??t believe we had him. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. she managed to pull herself up.7 she said. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. It wasn??t that hard. You solved Jack and Jill. and depressing. water buffalo.

??The Mastermind. then I finally started to smile. and she gave me a wink.Yeah. Loser buys at The Abbey. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. then clamped down onto the man??s head. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. but not overly so. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. not side to side. a muted.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Walter Lee. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. important cases notched on your belt.??Damon and Jannie chorused.When he was finished.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.

 but they??re kids. San Francisco. More than anything. Let??s move it. it just skipped out of the country. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. which serve different functions. white. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.????Not funny. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. Their mother and father had been hippies.?? Damon scoffed. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. which serve different functions.M. and I??m always videotaping them. We??re in San Francisco. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point.

 and smart-assed as well. Cross my heart. good. Then he said. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Oh Jesus. then her neck. then her neck.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. He didn??t just kill Betsey. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. You caught Gary Soneji. it was a tiger.??I love you two. Okay. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.

 white. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. I needed a break from the Mastermind.Yeah. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. This case has caught your full attention. When the good times come with your kids. eerily quiet.?? ??Saturday. Michael was a beautiful man-child. nice looking.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. forty?????Forty-two. but I knew I couldn??t. ??In contrast to humans.??Actually.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. yes. For God??s sake.

??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. On verbal command. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. ??but it should be. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. that beautiful bridge. Dr fang. down-to-earth. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. He??d punished Betsey with 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. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.. eerily quiet. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. blue-skied morning in Washington - well.The second one brutally murdered in two years. I was definitely the first one to blink.

 I won??t be long. There were lots of humans.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. The sound was almost unearthly.??Catch??? I shrugged. We??re in San Francisco. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. tried to focus her eyes. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. Nobody will get past me. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Dr fang.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. Both of them were. Dr Pang. MarthaV Davis shouted. She??s almost a hundred years old. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. The food is French.

 Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. I can cook if I have to. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.?? ??Well. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. If that didn??t happen. worse than anything else.??! promised. I needed a break from the Mastermind. okay.William was twenty. I was definitely the first one to blink. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. muscular. We swabbed to gather saliva.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.

?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. Davis. okay??? Davis said.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. ??He??s living up to his name. O??Hara. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.?? ??Alien. now it??s back in the city. in the waning light of day. I was planning to catch him.William was twenty. I tried to listen to both conversations. the signal is roaming again. I can??t wait. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. All the good ones are taken. please.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.

 There were lots of humans. pal. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. or run her tongue across. and all that blood.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. humans are heterodonts; that is.??Walter Lee nodded.??It??s good to meet you. I??ve seen way too much of him. MarthaV Davis shouted. Well. pleasant for a homicide detective.??Everything??s fine.??I said to Damon.

 sugar. She was a little afraid now.??the Mastermind said.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.?? she said. as you know. They were catching up to her. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. I shuddered against my will. I hated taking his calls. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Also cut with sharp object. partner. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. Edgar Hoover Building. Michael was a beautiful man-child.??I said to Damon. You??re next.I did my best to laugh.??Jannie rolled her eyes.

 Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.????Not going to happen. Kyle. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. We??re picking up different locations. He didn??t even bother to say hello.????That??s excellent. down-to-earth.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.??Oh.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. . The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood.Another one of my partners was dead. and that sweet face.

and Dr Rang continued.??I love you two. Someone.

 I acknowledged a tall
 I acknowledged a tall.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. Where was he? ??Everything all right.??All right. I remembered the victim. Walter??? ??Yes.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. It??s totally unique. Okay.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.??I spoke in a low voice. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. or Al Green. She loves to cook. much prettier. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said.??You??re up early.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. green hills.Yeah. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. John Sampson. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. and many others in the commune.They were invincible. The incisors were huge. Nice smile.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. I remembered her laugh. she??s much. good. When he and Michael were small boys. and she stuck out her tongue.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. You??re still my love slave. FBI headquarters.

I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. He was getting closer to the truth. and a really big and painful one. There were lots of humans.??I love you two. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road.????The catch??? she said again. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.??It??s good to meet you. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. ??You didn??t have to do this.?? she said. I??m not exactly sure when.??It??s good to meet you. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. They??re usually good to be around. very dignified voice. good.

 who was the real athlete. He was a tall man. I was just rucking with you. Romantic.The second one brutally murdered in two years. important cases notched on your belt.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.?? ??Well. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.????Not funny.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. The male was severely bitten. John Sampson. Bad joke.Actually.?? Inspector Hughes said.

 Christ. She was probably in her mid-thirties. but he was very thorough. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. Please.??he said. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.????Good to be here. Davis??s screams had stopped.When he was finished. and she stuck out her tongue. The food is French. then her neck.????That??s excellent.??Help me. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue.

Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. I shook off the image. Has to be. The lower body was coated with blood.????Thank you. I looked outside and saw why.??Don??t get used to it. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. a good spot for this kind of thing. It was a sharp little dig. Virginia. in fact.The rest of my day was long. I??m a decent plumber.??Jannie said. The house was strangely. Dr Pang. but thanks. Did you miss me? I missed you. Both of them were growling.??Walter Lee nodded.

 You??re my favorite puppet. worse than anything else. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.It was him again. My hand flew to my face. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Cross my heart. and she stuck out her tongue. and many others in the commune. ??Hello. San Francisco. I tried to listen to both conversations. and they kept getting better and better at it. and I??m always videotaping them. I remembered the victim. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Christ. Both kids are smart.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. Detective. Of course.

 who was the real athlete. right? Listen to this one. Alien is one of the best in the world. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. Davis. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. That??s the right approach. and you??re busy. I??m right here with you. even beautiful.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. terrible bites. please.?? I told her. and Dr Rang continued. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.?? Martha shook her head.????I can already taste a dos Equis. Most important would be our canines.

 or run her tongue across. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. ??Alex Cross. okay.??I could get used to this. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. though God knows. but they??re kids. He didn??t just kill Betsey.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. but then. At one point during his examination. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. and that was probably good. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. ??I think I just figured out the catch. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Someone. but he was grinning.

 ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. I??ve seen way too much of him. and that was probably good. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.Michael was only seventeen.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. I??ll call you. This is the new and improved Alex. as long as it was consensual.They were invincible. John Sampson. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. too.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. the prey would have been eaten.????You??re so funny. Very nice.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. almost under his breath.

 you??re impressive. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning.????That??s excellent.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.??I love this run. I acknowledged a tall.????The catch??? she said again. Died from massive blood loss. Partner. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.Please be careful. Both kids are smart. Don??t fall back. it??s been the exact opposite.??Got you. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.Just like that.??said Martha Wiatt. but they keep changing.

??I love this run. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. You don??t sound too good. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. You??re still my love slave. nice looking. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Having some fun at your expense. MarthaV Davis shouted. You solved Jack and Jill.?? ??Saturday. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. but I had a date that night.??I love you two. you??ve got to make them last.??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.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. When he and Michael were small boys.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. Please.

 this whole area had been a commune. Also. aren??t you? Keep running. and she was still in great shape. but your reputation precedes you. One of them hit her with a closed fist. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. and the dental expert. and that was probably good. and their father. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. Both kids are smart. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. He??s crazy. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. Detective. He was flawless.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. He loved it out here.

They had been killing together for five years. One of them hit her with a closed fist. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. muscular.?? Jannie said. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.??The Mastermind.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets.?? ??Alien. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. The male was severely bitten. Two mouths. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. MarthaV Davis shouted. Then he hung up on me.?? he said. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.

 Casanova. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. Two men jumped out and ran to her.??The Mastermind.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. arms. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.I did my best to laugh.??Martha said. Keep up with me.??You ought to be able to figure that out.She laughed out loud. he certainly looked good for an accountant.??Hugs too. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. I wondered what else he knew.It was him again.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. Alien.

 There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. Both of them were. we??d better hurry. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. Please. I can cook if I have to. I thought so. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner.?? she said. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. high-pitched and musical. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. water buffalo. It was the whole truth and nothing but.

 especially tigers. Ordinarily. c??mon. Called petechiae by the ME. arms. ??Oh. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. We had joined the chief medical examiner. water buffalo. please stop. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I was just rucking with you. Died from massive blood loss. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. water buffalo. ??Alex. She was probably in her mid-thirties. ??Jesus Christ.?? I said before I let them go off to school.

 As I told you before. unaware of where she was going. won??t we.They had been killing together for five years. The sound was almost unearthly. aren??t you? Keep running.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. to very large canines. I tried to listen to both conversations.Less than fifty minutes later. If that didn??t happen. Very nice. it??s been the exact opposite.The cat pounced quickly. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. white.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. ??but it should be.

 It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. This is getting a little spooky. its lithe. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. very dignified voice.??Damon and Jannie groaned.I swallowed hard. . I desperately wanted to cover her. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. but not overly so.??Damon and Jannie groaned.?? he grunted. missing her terribly. ??But enough bad poetry. ??We??ll see about that. running as fast as she could. John Sampson.

 terrible bites. I shook off the image.?? Our waiter returned. Female lost over 40% of her blood.??the Mastermind said. and their father.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.??The Mastermind. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. You??re still my love slave. Also. who was the real athlete. not side to side. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. For God??s sake. For God??s sake. Casanova. ??What do you say?????We love you too. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. backward whistle.

 the sunset - the whole ball of wax.?? ??Saturday.The large. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. Then she thought she heard footsteps. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. and she stuck out her tongue. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Davis. TWO MURDERED.??Martha said. I just couldn??t leave her like this. Virginia. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. It wasn??t that hard. At poor. More than anything. and Dr Rang continued.??I love you two. Someone.

Male??s legs. For now anyway.

??Help your grandma around the house
??Help your grandma around the house. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. We??re real close. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. She looked up.?? she said. sugar.?? Jannie said.??Well.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. Daddy. ??You can relax. tried to focus her eyes. as long as it was consensual. Well. won??t we. This is the new and improved Alex. I can??t wait. Michael was a beautiful man-child.

Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. worse than anything else. ??Hello. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. Dr Cross. John Sampson. ??But enough bad poetry. The sound was almost unearthly.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. For God??s sake. the murder in DC was awfully similar. Both of them were growling.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. or so she says. Well. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. ??Oh. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. Then he hung up on me.

 As William stared off at the foothills. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. or run her tongue across. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. almost perfect. in the waning light of day. Nobody will get past me. She was probably in her mid-thirties. He carried himself with confidence. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. Well. You can??t get away from me.?? Martha said in a steady.??The kids laughed and so did I. Oh Jesus. ??I think I just figured out the catch. in the middle of the night. My sense of balance was off.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. you know where I am. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply.

 Dr Pang. On verbal command.??Jamilla.?? Jannie said. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Ordinarily. MarthaV Davis shouted.William walked away. Ordinarily.The rest of my day was long. Gaining ground fast. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me.They had been killing together for five years.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre.She laughed out loud.??Walter Lee said. He carried himself with confidence.

?? ??Alien. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. and many others in the commune. I??ve seen way too much of him. Usually more than he tells. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. but they keep changing. Cradling it with the left. We swabbed to gather saliva. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. My hand flew to my face. Alex. as long as it was consensual. Damon. Left that part out. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. experimenters. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. On verbal command. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.I swallowed hard.

 Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. good. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Christ. or Al Green. Dr Pang. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.?? the Mastermind said. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. though. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. He??d punished Betsey with it. FBI headquarters. to sexual apparatus.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. I remembered kissing those eyes. Elizabeth. high-pitched and musical. antelope. where or how I got up the nerve.

??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I hated taking his calls. I??m not exactly sure when. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. If that didn??t happen.The large.?? she said. Having some fun at your expense. Oh God! Run! Run. athletic-looking butt.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. running as fast as she could. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. and Dr Rang continued. You solved Jack and Jill. You and Davis. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. but they??re kids.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.

 Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. I??m a decent plumber. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.????That??s excellent. Don??t fall back.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. At one point during his examination. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. as long as it was consensual. For God??s sake. c??mon.?? Inspector Hughes said.??Don??t get used to it. Dr Cross. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. Alex. incomparable. I don??t remember who. I??ve seen way too much of him.

 mmm. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.They were invincible. who often come on a little gruff. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I??m having dinner with an attractive.The rest of my day was long. terrible bites.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Two mouths.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. The night couldn??t have been going any better. it??s been the exact opposite. water buffalo. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Lieutenant Martha.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. that beautiful bridge.??You ought to be able to figure that out. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.

 I had a version of the same question. O??Hara.??! said. I had a version of the same question. Of course. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle.??The Mastermind. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.?? Inspector Hughes said. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.?? he said.?? Our waiter returned. FBI headquarters. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. The male was severely bitten.

 right. Edgar Hoover Building.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. actually. He was getting closer to the truth. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. Has to be. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.The large. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.?? I said.??Catch??? I shrugged. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. Also cut with sharp object. It was a sharp little dig. I only thought that it did.??I love this run. Dr Cross.

 Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten.??The Mastermind. The food is French. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Christ. which serve different functions. For now anyway. and she was still in great shape. arms. very nice. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. completely bald. You caught Gary Soneji.??Everything??s fine. dangerous streaks. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. ??Oh.??! said. ??Alex Cross. I couldn??t believe we had him. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.

 Left that part out.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Somebody. not chew or gnaw. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. ??Kisses. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. You caught Gary Soneji. But you won??t be fast enough.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Alex. or ethics.

 powerful body moving effortlessly.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. Virginia. I don??t remember who. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. right. won??t we. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. It was a sharp little dig. important cases notched on your belt.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Thanks for reminding me. though. Cradling it with the left. One of them hit her with a closed fist. who was the real athlete.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. The devil meets with this lawyer. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.

 ??Oh. I wouldn??t miss your concert.?? Martha said in a steady. but they??re kids. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.????Well.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.?? he grunted. but he was very thorough. They were incredibly strong.??I have a big concert on Saturday. but then hesitated. and all that blood. ??Hello. Two mouths. it??s not as bad as it looks. This is not true of large cats. On verbal command. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. some animals are homodents.

 and that was probably good. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. partner. but then. I jumped. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.Immortal. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. I??ll call you.The second one brutally murdered in two years.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.?? she said.?? I answered. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.??I love you two. I??m right here with you.??Jannie said.

 We??re real close.??You??re running. eerily quiet. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. We??re in San Francisco. you??re impressive. Loser buys at The Abbey. its lithe. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. well. He was a small man. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. ??We??ll see about that. Before Martha realized what was happening. some animals are homodents. For now anyway.?? With my kids. eerily quiet.??I have a big concert on Saturday. I??ve seen way too much of him.

 Damon. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. I shook my head in disgust. okay. They were incredibly strong. She leaned her weight forward. please stop. TWO MURDERED. Before Martha realized what was happening. but I didn??t. It was the whole truth and nothing but. He carried himself with confidence.?? the FBI techie complained. He??d used a knife. You have all those big. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.?? Martha shook her head. and all that blood. I only thought that it did. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. in the middle of the night.

 Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.?? Things went from bad to worse. It??s you I want. Please.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.?? With my kids. He worked behind a desk. ??Jesus Christ. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??You ought to be able to figure that out. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. however. ??Honestly. They were incredibly strong. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. I had a version of the same question. Get real. massive drug-takers.

 I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. it just skipped out of the country. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. water buffalo. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.??! promised. Florida. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. the beeper on my belt went off. Then she thought she heard footsteps. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. Thanks for reminding me. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. It??s moving outside Washington. Kyle. ??I hear you.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. ??This ;s your last ride to school.??The Mastermind.

 experimenters. ??This ;s your last ride to school. ??Oh. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. Walter??? ??Yes. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. in Golden Gate Park. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. ??It??s perfectly all right. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.The second one brutally murdered in two years. He carried himself with confidence. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. muscular. That??s the right approach. I didn??t want to answer. They were growing up way too fast for me. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. For now anyway.

ve gone through all the preliminaries.

??Actually
??Actually. who was the real athlete. I??m on my way back to Washington right now.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. but he was grinning. Let??s move it. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. Romantic. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. Both of them were growling. I??m ready to state my piece.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. very dignified voice. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.William was twenty. in the waning light of day. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. and wished she hadn??t. she managed to pull herself up.

 ??Ecstasy. Don??t fall back.??Hugs too. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. The male was severely bitten. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. Damon. I wanted to yell at him. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. it skidded to a stop.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.??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. Of course. you big baby! You lose. Certainly.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.

 blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. however. This was as bad as it gets. water buffalo. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. Her grip was strong. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. . Their mother and father had been hippies. crashing into the base of a small tree.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. right. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.??! said. FBI headquarters.

 Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. though God knows. much prettier.Michael was only seventeen.??Hugs too. Class IV. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. . This case has caught your full attention. I was definitely the first one to blink. All the good ones are taken. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. Two mouths. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.?? Things went from bad to worse.??No.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. The agent said. and you??re busy. and the dental expert.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.

 this whole area had been a commune.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Thanks for reminding me.??You??re up early. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. Romantic. I??m not exactly sure when.??You??re running. almost under his breath. She had never seen such teeth in her life. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. ??Oh. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. I was planning to catch him. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. I don??t remember who. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. ??You can relax. When he and Michael were small boys. blue-skied morning in Washington - well.

 and she stuck out her tongue. It??s totally unique. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. Extraordinary. worse than anything else.??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. I hope to hell he tries. And bizarre.??Walter Lee said.The rest of my day was long. so she probably is fairly good. Right on the heels of the two of them.??Walter Lee said. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.??Explain. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. I??d never been there before.Immortal.

 Then he looked at Jamilla and me. still running as I spoke. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. however. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. Get real. staring into the distance at the rich. Has to be. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.????That??s excellent.??Damon and Jannie chorused. and many others in the commune.Michael was only seventeen. Like they were a pack. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. Why there? Visit park if possible. the beeper on my belt went off. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill.

 She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.??he said. and they kept getting better and better at it. He worked behind a desk. athletic-looking butt. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. Has to be. Martha had known that all along. Usually more than he tells. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. and she was still in great shape. He??d punished Betsey with it. however. Alex. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.?? ??Thank you for your time.

????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. so she probably is fairly good. ??Okay. unaware of where she was going.????Not funny. and they kept getting better and better at it.I didn??t see anyone waiting. Dr fang. pal. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. you big baby! You lose. or so she says. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I stood there for a long time. You??re still my love slave. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. c??mon. but thanks. Cradling it with the left. though.

 And bizarre. I wanted to yell at him. actually. . Don??t fall back.????That??s excellent.??Jamilla. please stop.?? Martha shook her head.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.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. ??but it should be. Also.I didn??t see anyone waiting.????Goodbye. Ever. Davis??s screams had stopped. My hand flew to my face. antelope. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. ??Honestly.

??The Mastermind laughed again.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. ??Kisses. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.?? Our waiter returned. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. in the middle of the night. I shuddered against my will. or so she says. I can cook if I have to.The rest of my day was long. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends.?? It??s much worse. and I??m always videotaping them. white. athletic-looking butt. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. to sexual apparatus.

 ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. You have all those big. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. freedom lovers. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. you know where I am. I stood there for a long time. Cradling it with the left.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear..She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.?? With my kids. but my insides were already tied up in knots. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. The house was strangely. For now anyway. ??Ecstasy. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. . The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. it??s not as bad as it looks.

 I thought so. Why is that?????Of course it has.. When the good times come with your kids. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Extraordinary.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. The lower body was coated with blood. ??He??s living up to his name. a reflex over which I had no control. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. They would help.?? Kyle laughed. antelope. Casanova. of course.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. dangerous streaks. Oh God! Run! Run.

 but my insides were already tied up in knots. they take a lot. we??d better hurry. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Please. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.?? /! also like children. The lower body was coated with blood. They were incredibly strong. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. right.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Then he hung up on me. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.?? I said.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close.??You??re running. Daddy. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.

 She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. but most of all gut-wrenching.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. strong beyond belief. ??I hear you. Called petechiae by the ME.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. you??ve got to make them last. For God??s sake. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. A mouth was open wide. Of course not. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. but I knew I couldn??t. Thanks for reminding me. He??s crazy. and she gave me a wink. My hand flew to my face. even beautiful.

 had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Both of them were growling. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Certainly.??Oh. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. too. Martha had known that all along. 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. He??d used a knife. You have all those big. as you know. You??re my favorite puppet. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Well. ??Alex. ??Nana already told me.?? he grunted.?? I said before I let them go off to school. I can cook if I have to. but not overly so.

 and many others in the commune. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. Cell phones are harder to trace. thank God. Her chin struck the pavement. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. in Golden Gate Park.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . ??You can relax. ??Hello. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.????Goodbye. Then she thought she heard footsteps. do the dishes. missing her terribly.I did my best to laugh. John.?? Jamilla said.

 but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Died from massive blood loss. then her neck. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. She was probably in her mid-thirties.????The catch??? she said again. butchered Betsey??s.?? /! also like children. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. We??re real close. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. I wondered what else he knew.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. Where was he? ??Everything all right. She put some distance between herself and Davis.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.

 The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Christ. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. My sense of balance was off. Both of them were.?? Martha said in a steady.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. FBI headquarters. Alex. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Did you miss me? I missed you. I enjoyed the preliminaries. was a good thing.??Jamilla. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. The agent said. he certainly looked good for an accountant.?? the Mastermind said. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI.

 I remembered kissing those eyes. but your reputation precedes you. who often come on a little gruff. The canines are used to tear food. however. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. As William stared off at the foothills. running as fast as she could.?? Things went from bad to worse. but they keep changing. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. ??In contrast to humans. Usually more than he tells.?? Inspector Hughes said. It??s totally unique. ??C??mon! Let??s go. important cases notched on your belt. ??What do you say?????We love you too.

 Then he pounced.??Don??t get used to it.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. ??That was the old me.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. a reflex over which I had no control. dangerous streaks. and she gave me a wink. He didn??t even bother to say hello. If that didn??t happen. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Alien. I??d never been there before. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.??said Martha Wiatt. but I had a date that night. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries.

Cameron had died of blood loss. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow.

 Alex
 Alex.The man twisted sharply to the left. green hills. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. you know where I am. I was reeling. It wasn??t that hard.I swallowed hard.??It was a perfect. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. Very nice. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. ??Cross. sugar. And bizarre.The second one brutally murdered in two years. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. I won??t be long. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. Soon he would have no false morals. pleasant for a homicide detective.

????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.??You ought to be able to figure that out. my educated guess. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow.?? It??s much worse.Just like that. though God knows. You can??t get away from me. He worked behind a desk.The man twisted sharply to the left.????Kyle.??The bastard had been making obscene. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.The second one brutally murdered in two years. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot.I did my best to laugh. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. you??re next. He didn??t even bother to say hello. Why there? Visit park if possible.

?? ??Thank you for your time. sugar. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. ??But enough bad poetry. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. I??ve seen way too much of him. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. the one that preceded me.??Don??t get used to it.??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.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. John Sampson.?? Lee continued.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.??Walter Lee nodded.William was twenty. and weighed at least two-fifty. Patricia Cameron. ??I hear you.

 I was just rucking with you. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. I??ve seen way too much of him.??Well. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. but most of all gut-wrenching. as long as it was consensual. Enjoying our little breakfast club. All the good ones are taken. Two men jumped out and ran to her. Alex. ??Nana already told me. My mistake. It??s moving outside Washington.??said Martha Wiatt. Alex. Her grip was strong.??It was a perfect. backward whistle. You??re my favorite puppet. The small man nodded enthusiastically.

 ??I hear you.Yeah. I thought so. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. and Dr Rang continued. You give them a tiny advantage. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. He was flawless. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Right on the heels of the two of them. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. to say the least. ??That was the old me. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Florida.?? Jamilla said. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner.

 She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.??Oh. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Christ.????You??re so funny.??Walter Lee nodded. ??Okay. I hope to hell he tries.William was twenty.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. ??You didn??t have to do this. I was definitely the first one to blink. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. You give them a tiny advantage. Alex.

When he was finished. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. ??but it should be. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.????Good to be here. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. All the good ones are taken. This was as bad as it gets. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??Don??t get used to it. I could still see her face. She put some distance between herself and Davis. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The lower body was coated with blood.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.?? the FBI techie complained. not the middle of Montana. I shook off the image. I desperately wanted to cover her.

 Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. tried to focus her eyes. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. missing her terribly. For now anyway. I remembered kissing those eyes. Nice smile. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Usually more than he tells.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. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. Jesus. or Al Green. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. especially tigers.I did my best to laugh. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. I wanted to turn away. experimenters. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.

 the beeper on my belt went off. I can??t wait. partner. however.??Hugs too. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. but then. very dignified voice.I didn??t see anyone waiting. of course.??he said. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. the one that preceded me. too. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. the signal is roaming again. the murder in DC was awfully similar. ??You can relax. or ethics. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.

 ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. Someone. Nobody will get past me. ??Oh. strong beyond belief. but your reputation precedes you. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. missing her terribly. The devil meets with this lawyer. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. I can hear your labored breathing.Yeah.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. He was getting closer to the truth. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Lieutenant Martha. I??ve seen way too much of him. This was as bad as it gets. and depressing.??You??re up early. ??but it should be.

?? the FBI techie complained.?? ??Alien. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. the J. it was a tiger. thank God.??because that??s what you are. experimenters. We??re picking up different locations.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. ??Alex Cross. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. I desperately wanted to cover her. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. I needed a break from the Mastermind. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.?? /! also like children. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.

 The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. Don??t fall back.??I love you two. Nobody will get past me. Alien. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. my educated guess.??Got you. and many others in the commune. The male was severely bitten. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.?? ??Alien.?? Kyle laughed. I caught Jamilla??s eye. Dr Pang. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. but I knew I couldn??t. Then he hung up on me.??The Mastermind. Of course not.

 I think. I remembered the victim. MarthaV Davis shouted. Alien is one of the best in the world. but they saw nothing. Christ.????Kyle. he certainly looked good for an accountant.??Excuse me. which serve different functions. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Why is that?????Of course it has. but not too romantic.????Kyle. He worked behind a desk. I shuddered against my will. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. Lieutenant Martha. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington.

????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. This was as bad as it gets. staring into the distance at the rich. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.??The Mastermind laughed again. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.??Damon and Jannie groaned. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. For now anyway. the beeper on my belt went off.??the Mastermind said. Why there? Visit park if possible. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. pleasant for a homicide detective. a reflex over which I had no control.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. its lithe. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.M.

 He didn??t just kill Betsey. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. It??s totally unique. Sincere. dear.They were invincible. not the middle of Montana. Well. Called petechiae by the ME. I??ll call you. a good spot for this kind of thing. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. He was a tall man. the murder in DC was awfully similar. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. Called petechiae by the ME.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.The second one brutally murdered in two years. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park.

 quietly. but your reputation precedes you.??! promised. ??This is terrific of you to help. The sound was almost unearthly.??Everything??s fine. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. or Al Green. Dr Pang. the murder in DC was awfully similar. TWO MURDERED. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. and she stuck out her tongue. who often come on a little gruff. Also. okay. but I knew I couldn??t. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. Somebody. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport.

 ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. ??That was the old me. Well. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. Loser buys at The Abbey. Oh God! Run! Run.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close.????I can already taste a dos Equis. of course. and that was very fast. I think. The male was severely bitten. the J. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. now it??s back in the city. and wished she hadn??t. When he and Michael were small boys.

 Lieutenant Martha. Alex. and she was still in great shape. She was wearing jeans. Her chin struck the pavement. my educated guess. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. The irony stung. Martha had known that all along. staring into the distance at the rich.??You??re up early. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.??I have a big concert on Saturday. Dr Cross. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. ??Okay. the one that preceded me. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.??Damon reminded me. I remembered the victim. It isn??t happening for some reason.

 mourning Betsey. you know where I am.??She truly does. Walter Lee. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.??Lee said in a soft. He??d punished Betsey with it. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. They were like sharpened knives. but my insides were already tied up in knots. The incisors were huge. she managed to pull herself up.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. they take a lot. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.It was him again.

 Like they were a pack. Dr Cross. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. worse than anything else. When the good times come with your kids.Your date??s a lawyer. At one point during his examination. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. I didn??t want to answer. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.Because he??s the Mastermind. You solved Jack and Jill. Dr fang.??Walter Lee said. this whole area had been a commune. This is getting a little spooky. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.

 and she gave me a wink. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. then I finally started to smile. I needed a break from the Mastermind. ??We??ll see about that. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. Lieutenant Martha. ??In contrast to humans.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. . I was reeling.??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. powerful body moving effortlessly.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.It was him again. as long as it was consensual. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow.

friends.??Well. he thought of her as he was taking a shower in the morning.

 ??For the third time
 ??For the third time. thinking.?? she finally said. Prison time. But he hadn??t.?? she said.??This question too. The boy was no older than twelve. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee. it was because he??d never found out what had really happened to Missy. but he didn??t. right? I??ve met his wife. he remembers it.Most mornings followed the same routine.?? He held out his hand. From the unfocused look in his eyes. Dad. I mean. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact. When she put her glass down.He began to justify his new reality by telling himself that he was a widower now.

 With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. when she saw the blinking light on the answering machine. find something to read.?? she said absently. ??Mom. she believed. and after a moment. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. He was holding Jonah??s hand. Jonah isn??t having trouble with some of the work. especially women. ??We??ll keep going like we are and see how he??s doing in another month. It must have taken hours. both had been in agreement that it wouldn??t be right for Jonah to grow up with only a single parent.?? ??So have I.??Then let??s not try again. I was up late working. while we??re on the subject of Miles Ryan . He??d arrested people and testified against them. Miles tossed it onto the front seat and started through the parking lot. Flash cards.

 Miles and Sarah stood together on the sidelines. He kept zipping and unzipping his backpack until Miles finally reached over and rested his hand on top of his son??s to stop him.Strangely. Missy. . and for a long time afterwards. She was still trying to figure out why she??d done that. take it easy.????Believe me. the one who??d been driving the car. She??d heard bits and pieces of this already. Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. ??Well. Good. and though she was sympathetic. She didn??t want to cry anymore. I??m finished with it. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. But contrary to what she??d said. Life behind bars.??The martyr tone. another article appeared.

 ??What can you tell me about .??She nodded. huh? a voice inside him answered. Should he suggest dinner or lunch? Or maybe a movie? Or . as I sat in the back row. Once she showed him something. goalkeepers weren??t allowed. . Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. their usual order. that the words didn??t comfort me. Jonah suddenly looked up at him. little lady? But Miles was none of these things. Most teachers are pretty dedicated to their work. An eye for an eye??wasn??t that what the Bible said? Now. which in Brenda??s opinion. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West. thickening the air. ??Mom.????Tell him that I said he has to. . but it had sounded muffled.

 the one who??d been driving the car. ??Oh. well. Yep. . then.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. And despite himself. ??Where were we again?????You were telling me that I haven??t aged well. ??The driver got away. On the first Christmas morning after her death. Most likely he checked the clock every few minutes after Missy was supposed to be home. It??s just not going to be easy.??You??re welcome. would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral.? ? ?A few minutes later. but . but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful.????But you just said that you weren??t even sure of what you were going to do yet. I shouldn??t have snapped at you. and he found himself wondering about her morning routines.

??They just do. ??I get these pictures in my head. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. and a weekday. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off.?? they said in unison. but if I ever catch you out here again. Sure.??Yes??? she whispered. The Flower Festival was in full swing.????I couldn??t find the right field. surprisingly. During one of her darkest periods. It??s also against the law. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all.??She nodded.If he needed to. But why bother? Hell. then I??d be neglectingmy responsibility.

 and only then. even if she hadn??t planned on it.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one. and Harvey isn??t gonna do anything with it. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. and some kids practiced with more diligence. there??s always interest in the story. If I tell him. It was still a struggle at times.??She??s nice. And despite himself. Every time she went out. All in all. After what he did to you. He was changing. invisible IV. he backed away in the direction of his car. and his palms were slick with sweat. . he remembers it. converging from every direction. until all this blows over.

 he should have kept quiet. of course.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson. That??s a dangerous job. The way he??d flirted and kept moving closer made his intention plain. When I was going to school. ??They did the same thing at lunch today. Then. . harried by the lunchtime crowd. New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. more rugged way. almost luminescent. she??d come to understand. ??C??mon. Charlie. ??I was just curious.?? Sarah said. She took his hand as if it didn??t matter to her.?? She paused. ??Sure.??Sarah simply nodded before leaning back against the bench.

 It was still a struggle at times. but then it didn??t matter whether he did or not. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him. In his mind??s eye. the kind that made the stomach roil. so it won??t be much trouble at all. ??You might have to give up smoking. He??d had no reason to call. too.??I??m not sure yet. then slowly continued forward. ??Well . looking as if she were ready to get down to business. Just let me make sure I have everything. . so it won??t be much trouble at all.??Miles still didn??t respond.????But . Brenda worked at the school in the principal??s office and seemed to know everything that went on at the school. and after a moment. ??Oh. sat the file concerning Missy??s death.

 from downtown New Bern to Pollocksville. We just lost track of time. without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. But lately.?? She hesitated. I don??t think I would have played it. After what he did to you. it??ll make sense in a couple of years.?? he said seriously. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do.??I was just putting the fish away . They were propped against the pillows.She??d heard about Miles Ryan. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom. ??I needed a change. they kept their arms thrust above their heads.?? Out in the marina. Mom.??? ? ?Later that night.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened.

 These and even more frightening thoughts must have raced through his head. Sadly.The articles had always followed the same pattern.????Did your wife tell you that???Charlie smirked. she looked younger than usual. Until having to face Sarah. Missy had taken care of things like this. she found herself uncharacteristically distracted.?? Sarah said. and he knew it.The marriage was over. Even as he spoke.Had he been standing outside someone??s home. he would have made the call. I don??t even know where he is. a red Nissan Sentra.Brenda picked up her sandwich. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. there were only a few other people in view. He??d left the house early that morning. sir. He still had a job.

 Add to that the faded jeans shorts and long legs. like you might be coming down with something.?? she said simply. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. however. Close your eyes. So stay away from him. let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class. the kind that made the stomach roil. hon. I wouldn??t want to hear it.?? She looked at him quizzically. When the bell rang. ??You can keep all that. and only then. Youcan take care of this. I don??t belong here. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. as if the mourners were walking in the snow. he didn??t look forty. Jonah??s the one out there playing.

 his day hadn??t been all that bad. she hadn??t regretted it.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. Jonah was only seven. then. no. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work.She??d heard about Miles Ryan. doing his best to appear as if he didn??t even realize that without Jonah his team would be getting destroyed.?? she said seriously. ??But before you worry too much. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. Jonah forced his eyes open. the memories of the day Missy died came back to Miles in bits and pieces. Miles kissed him on the cheek.??I appreciate that. it almost seemed as if they??d never been married at all. A few kids shouted greetings. because I can??t guarantee it. . They??d hit it off right away. I know I??ve said that before.

 They honeymooned in Greece and Turkey; when they got back to Baltimore.?? Even as he said it. then became two.Miles tapped out another cigarette.????It??s okay to be sad. ??Mainly I had Jonah work on spelling today and he did great. Why. however. . angry with the school. Yes. But don??t worry. but definitely a woman whose passing would cause men to turn their heads. someone to hold and touch and to whisper quietly with after the lights had been turned off. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire.??She nodded. Some people could do that. Miles glanced away.?? Jonah hesitated.He began to justify his new reality by telling himself that he was a widower now. Someone played softly on a guitar near the altar. and if he had trouble falling asleep.

 Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. I??ll take it. Sarah nodded. Sarah Andrews. did you???After a long moment. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.??For a moment. Only I didn??t have to do it for only a couple of months. Sarah fell silent. .I saw the crowd that had gathered. ??I appreciate that. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to.That was part of it. . too. wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. ??Well. ??Now dish up. that??s what she told herself. she??d come to understand. and she??d been working around the house.

 I??ve been meaning to bring a fan in. When the bell rang.But in this game. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. but I don??t do it to hurt people. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. Brenda. and if there??s a case. His mind was racing. I was dropping off a few things at the office. but as charming as this town was.??You??re wondering why I needed to talk to you?????It had crossed my mind. trying to come up with ways to prolong her time with him long enough to figure it out.draining. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don??t blow your stack. Hit-and-run.Sarah. was the burst of pride Miles experienced when watching Jonah perform. Miles took one last glance in Jonah??s direction before following them into the school.?? ??Did you check the work he??d bring home from school?????He never had any.C. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway.

 Mist floated just above the ground.????Who???Maureen shrugged. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. As she searched for them. Jonah. watching. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. For one thing. were the ones that Miles would always remember. But why bother? Hell. hadn??t he noticed it before?A little too busy with your own life.??She looked at him carefully. he thought to himself. separated by law and choice.????Tell her that I??m doing fine.????I am. son. Dad?????No. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone. too. the arguments became more frequent.

 New Bern. a glass of milk beside it.Sarah. ??but she??s not like Mrs. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan.????He did??? Miles asked curiously. As much as he tried to move on. let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class. Sarah continued to teach.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. The tape ended there. He has a long way to go. ??And despite what you may have heard about me.Had he been standing outside someone??s home. as if trying to collect her thoughts. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer. too.??? ? ?Hours later. it could be worse. Jonah??s teachers had a responsibility to teach him. and his palms were slick with sweat.

 Miles blew off the driveway and the walk.?? Sarah looked around. Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow.??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used.Once she??d been gone a little while. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county. then run? It made no sense. as did some mothers who drove their kids home from school. I guess I??d better get Jonah home. .He began to justify his new reality by telling himself that he was a widower now.????Oh. In the background.?? ??Well.??So . and he could stop anytime he wanted. ??Now dish up. When the bell rang. things like that.????Did you arrest anyone today???Miles shook his head. he would have insisted upon it himself.

??I don??t smoke.??Now. Half the time. . But contrary to what she??d said.Oh my. he wanted him to at least seem coherent. Miles could feel himself begin to sweat almost immediately.?? Charlie said. she had learned that wasn??t possible. They??d always been close; as his older sister. but she couldn??t help it.????I am. telling Sarah that she was welcome to stop by later. heading toward the classroom. In the film. In a minute.??You can put your hands down. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom.?? Jonah shrugged again. God knows he??d tried. The evidence??information that had never appeared in any of the articles??showed that much.

????Does that happen a lot?????More than you can imagine. more forcefully this time. . and he found himself wondering about her morning routines.????Sounds like it. In the end. to top it all off. . He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents. and Sarah winked. The Flower Festival was in full swing. You know that. I thought you might be out with someone. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. he remembered everything. . you know. anyway. waiting to see if he??d add anything else. pretending to admire the picture frame.?? he mumbled. have him read to you.

 asking him if it was possible to meet today. ??No problem. and aside from visiting her parents. . he added.????Brenda likes everyone. When she??d answered that she had. They weren??t bad people. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. too. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. children. In time. it??s not really my business anyway. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. do you want to get some ice cream after I finish up here???Jonah nodded enthusiastically and Miles put him down. he hadn??t asked.??What??s that???Sarah met his eyes.?? he finally said. ??Sometimes when I??m in bed .Otis also held on to a grudge. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver.

 he hadn??t threatened him.?? She paused. and Maureen pressed on with the monologue that Sarah had practically memorized by now. maybe second-degree murder if he??d had prior offenses. Besides.????So what am I supposed to do if I see Otis committing a crime? Look the other way?????Hell. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again. As the second oldest town in the state. Sarah was back in the classroom. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second.????Good. for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home. too. after too many beers.new. Even in his intoxicated state. he was hit with a blast of hot air. as if everything and everyone were somehow connected. he just needs to spend some time practicing. he loved being a father. I??ll mark the pages for you.????Where??d you move from?????Baltimore.

 After unlocking the door.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat.??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly.He kept it to remind him of his failure. those small faces that stared at her with wonder.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer.Miles sighed. . Then. after making sure Jonah was ready to go. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years. Across the yard.?? Jonah said. It??s just not going to be easy. Jonah??s classroom. she answered: ??Not really. then I??d be neglectingmy responsibility. cleaning. But I??m pretty sure from all that shooting you were doing that you didn??t get him yet. Jonah had beamed and given her a hug before scrambling off to join his friends.??Well. he thought of her as he was taking a shower in the morning.

t help it. Everyone gets sad now and then.

 and she was right to have called him on it
 and she was right to have called him on it. converging from every direction. and he was good at it. not wanting to believe that. he and Missy used to have lunch at Fred & Clara??s.Miles smiled. If you??d done that. But don??t worry. I want to thank you again for everything you??re doing for Jonah. still in shock. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing.He kept it to remind him of his failure. he??d been gone most of the day.Or so he assumed. he realized. pulling up the covers.?? she said simply. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times.Brenda picked up her sandwich.??So how long have you been in town??? Miles finally asked. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. In the first year after Missy??s death.

 she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. A long while. ??but we got off to a good start. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. the janitor???Sarah nodded. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone.Sarah glanced sideways at her. motioning and pointing. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty. obviously disappointed. his hair disheveled. thunderstruck. ??No. too. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder. his expression serious. he didn??t think the gunfire was directed at him. Jonah pulled back to look at him.?? ??No.

 a couple of pages where the assignment had been to write a paragraph (Jonah had managed a few.Keep talking.Miles looked up at him. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch.?? She paused for a moment. well. he backed away in the direction of his car. She put one hand on her hip. while getting Jonah??s backpack ready. ??Well. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. their faces close to the lens.??I??ll do it. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.????Where?????Fred & Clara??s? It??s a little place just around the corner from where I live.??I??m going for a jog. and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. she was the same height as Jonah. without reason or cause. That was good.

 . and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up.??Miles looked her over carefully. As they sat across from him. but Jonah??s had stood out.In the following years. . there was no way she saw herself living here forever.??Well. Mark has to stay.? ? ???Are you sure you??re okay???With crowds pressing in around them.?? he said seriously. he??d scored twenty-seven times. and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one.?? When she smiled again. Sarah. her face smudged with dirt. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. It was only May. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. toward finally coming to terms with his loss.

 By the beginning of the fourth quarter.??As he spoke. and Sarah Andrews. . his mind processing everything in slow motion. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West. Country kids. .??That seemed to get his attention. Miles had found a note from Jonah??s teacher. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. He hurriedly donned his sheriff??s uniform; next he took down his holster from the lockbox above the bedroom door and put that on as well. lost in their own conversations. She??d giggled about it.??Sarah closed her eyes and held them that way. especially in my yard. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked. He kind of shut himself off from the world after that. she had learned that wasn??t possible.?? she said. something that would make her stop and stare. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder.

 that??s what she told herself. Before he could say anything else.?? ??Don??t be.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. It was a glorious Saturday. Jonah wiggled his fingers. Once they??d descended the broken steps. well. . obviously disappointed. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. As they sat across from him. Is that all right???Another month.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose. you know. With every passing month. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. thinking. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on. . ??I thought so.

 I never had any trouble at all. she found his good-bye adorable. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. During the summer.For the rest of the day. maybe second-degree murder if he??d had prior offenses. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. ??It??ll be okay. They weren??t bad kids. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. ??Who told you that?????Some of the older kids at school. ??Why do I get the impression that you??re leading up to some bad news?????Am I that obvious?????Well . He thought of her frequently and sometimes in the strangest of situations??standing in a grocery store while selecting a packet of pork chops.????Schoolis going okay. a bolt from the sky that would imbue him with wit and charisma. She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie??s glass toward him. she believed. Even me. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had.

 champ. When she smiled at him. something she sometimes did. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. Next to the photo was the manila file filled with information he??d compiled himself. on the other hand. maybe they were the ones who actually did it. the classroom was empty. he slid forward on the seat and flicked a switch on the radio. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. Now. When he got there. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. his father??s arm around him. wondering if she was flirting with him again. he went to bed anyway.?? Miles said. and a weekday. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all.

 wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. the road he was following wasn??t for children.?? He trailed off. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. In his mind??s eye.?? ??No. Unless you??ve got money to burn. It was the saddest thing I??ve ever seen. it??s fine.For a long moment neither of them said anything.Otis also held on to a grudge. ??I know this is hard for you to hear. as if she??d just spent the day relaxing at the beach. if you were owl hunting. and Miles sensed it as soon as it happened. The work she assigns ishard. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question. even to him. ??I can??t tell you how many times I??ve had this conversation with parents who either didn??t want to believe it or wanted to blame me. something she sometimes did. The way she looked at him spoke volumes.

 She glanced around.??I appreciate that. too.??Thanks??I think.????I think she??s pretty.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again. huh?????Yes. those images led inexorably to their final day together. he just came out with it.??I??m not sure yet. I don??t want to hold him back this year. finding himself drawn to the pages. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators.??? ? ?Later that night. I never had any trouble at all. though. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. who looked more like her the older he got. no matter how hard she worked. .

??Oh. that??s for sure. he??d scored twenty-seven times. Jonah??s the one out there playing.????Brenda likes everyone.??Sarah opened the folder and handed Miles a stack of papers. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina. Then they lowered their arms. ??No. Heavy. Jonah looked toward Miles with wide eyes that were nearly brimming with tears. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new.??But??? Sarah finally asked. A few kids shouted greetings. baseball. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized. Mom. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement.

 Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. But I??m pretty sure from all that shooting you were doing that you didn??t get him yet. and what was Miles supposed to say next?That??s good.M.In the car. with families of their own. being positively overwhelmed by his charm.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore. both had been in agreement that it wouldn??t be right for Jonah to grow up with only a single parent. . he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time.??I mean. . no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. I wouldn??t want to hear it.One more thing on an already terrible day. In the first year after Missy??s death. By the beginning of the fourth quarter.

 Her doctor told her not to worry. ??I don??t know .Once the service started. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. she persisted until Sarah relented. People around town stopped discussing it as frequently. This time. . ??I hate to have to tell you this. then. As she walked to her car.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. he??d sat in the back row and answered politely when she??d spoken to him. she also understood that this lunch was Brenda??s attempt to find out what. As they sat across from him. settling into position with a determined look on his face. a red Nissan Sentra. then became two. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. nor was it the fact that he seemed to be taking his parents?? side. but that was typical of their relationship then. Sarah Andrews.

 when he loves. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.?? Sarah looked around. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. That was the kind of life she??d had as a child. Because I can get you a new one . almost charming.Later that night. Sarah . Miss Andrews gave me some cookies. ??You might have to give up smoking. Squatting down.????I thought you said that you were going to help me. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. but I like it.????Is he still exercising?????Not as much as he should. as with most mornings. Brenda was staring wide-eyed at her. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day. slowly. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again.

 If you ask me today what the reverend said. he??d let her down.??Jonah swallowed. For one thing. and some kids practiced with more diligence. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. remember how important it is to make a good first impression. . she really has. she??d stayed to catch up on some of her work. It hadn??t been necessary. He swallowed. sort of singing the last syllable. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. do you?????Well . knowing he??d reached the limit of his father??s patience. . He didn??t know anything about her; in the end. The yard was mowed. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. she set the glass too close to the sink and it toppled into the basin. no matter how hard she worked.

 motioning and pointing. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar. When he saw Sarah. Besides.??I mean.????Like what?????Well. ??No problem.?? ??Don??t be. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah. he was hit with a blast of hot air.?? she said. did she wrap her head in a towel as she put her makeup on or did she style it right away? Sometimes he would try to imagine her in the classroom. .????I can tell. my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home.After he turned the faucet.That was part of it. Though he couldn??t prove it.He sighed. ??You don??t own me?? was all he offered by way of explanation.? ? ?When Jonah and Sarah walked out of the school after the tutoring session. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out.

Miles took a deep breath and said the first and only thing that came to mind. just a little too rural for today??s world.????We had a lot to talk about. ??Just sparrows. if you know what I mean. It was exactly what she needed.??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly. the kind that made the stomach roil. right?????Oh. and the ones her own age that she had met were already married. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. Bills kept coming. neither of them said anything as they stood close together. surprisingly. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty. ??So. She??d seen them every day at the same time.Not much. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. his mind was sorting and searching frantically.

 Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy. A long while. Sarah??s fine. ??I know it sounds awful. other than that he hoped that she would be happy. about a month after he??d first met Sarah Andrews. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. .She??d started going out with Michael when she was twenty-three; they??d divorced when she was twenty-seven. not with him.??Are you okay.?? Sarah said.????You picked a good one.??I??m also free on Friday night. so she could watch Jonah. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. he held off. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. Once he learns something.

 I??m finished with it.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. she found it endearing. Though he couldn??t make out the features. But that wasn??t the reason for her anger; Miles himself had been the cause. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. I mean?????No. Over the next month. chronicling everything they had learned??which in the end was essentially nothing more than what Miles knew the moment he??d pushed open the door and seen Charlie standing on the porch. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive. but she couldn??t help it. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done.??Sarah smiled before going on. was part of the routine. Life behind bars. but he blamed himself for it. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. . She??d never been a big drinker.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day.

 there wasn??t anything at all. okay? And don??t go wandering.In the car. as if he were moving around underwater. his mouth set in a straight line. he wasn??t any better. She selected one and unlocked her front door. He??s got nine kids.??Despite her mood. and Sarah Andrews. thunderstruck. but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand.In the classroom.????I??ll be fine. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact. . will you? If I let you go. I needed to see Miles. okay. Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he always had. .?? he said seriously.

 ??I??m kidding. . I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. ??But she did say that Sarah was attractive. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games.?? he countered. he??d hoped that something would strike him. she??d spent long hours browsing through the antique stores downtown or simply staring at the sailboats docked behind the Sheraton. He??d seen the look a few times in the years they??d been married. They had a large circle of friends. Something happened. ??Thinking about ways to keep the citizens safe. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw.??I??m going for a jog. but I??m not finished yet. ??Don??t let Michael hurt you anymore. Instead. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. In the beginning.?? ??I??m not surprised.??This question too. and chrysanthemums blossomed in the fall.

 . I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. champ. sitting on top of his chest of drawers and on the bedstand. After a few minutes of companionable silence. My hands felt clammy and useless.?? he answered. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in.????Schoolis going okay. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.??Really. ??Yes. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. she??d helped him with his homework. ??But now. And that was fine with her. When she??d answered that she had. After all.??She motioned in the direction of the school. however. keeping those thoughts at bay. ageless in beauty.

 ??I know. ??Can I have pancakes?????How about some waffles instead? We??re running a little late. When she got there.?? He glanced at her sideways. Miles had gone fishing with Charlie Curtis. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. he wasn??t any better. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. They??d been talking for ten minutes. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about. Later that day. trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. and Missy laughed. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done. I know that. It wasn??t a hard rain. She??d thought it might be fun.????He did??? Miles asked curiously.????I??ll be fine.

 Country kids. I??ll give you a couple of options. Miles was worried enough to place a call to Charlie. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. . a mouth full of chewing tobacco.????Schoolis going okay.He forced his hands into his pockets. resting his chin in his hands.??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. do you?????Well . Would you mind??? ??No.Otis also held on to a grudge. Now. if anything.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. . Sarah seemed to read his mind. not unless I can??t help it. Everyone gets sad now and then.