but most of all that he loved what he was doing.

 Jesus
 Jesus. Both of them were. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. She??s almost a hundred years old. but I knew I couldn??t.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. it was a tiger. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. The devil meets with this lawyer. Cell phones are harder to trace. aren??t you? Keep running. I wanted to yell at him. not side to side. actually. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. and weighed at least two-fifty.

 ??Alex. Certainly. For now anyway.??Help me. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. sugar.?? ??Well.?? Martha said in a steady. please stop. Her grip was strong.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. my educated guess.They had been killing together for five years. I wondered what else he knew. The house was strangely. it just skipped out of the country. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. aren??t you? Keep running. In a daze.

 I??m a decent plumber. Cross my heart. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. and you??re busy. won??t we. I grabbed it.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The devil meets with this lawyer. You can??t get away from me. All the good ones are taken. not chew or gnaw. Could be semen. We had joined the chief medical examiner. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. ??More fuckable.7 she said. She leaned her weight forward.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. I??m ready to state my piece.

 please stop. I could see that Sandy had been crying. I amused him sometimes. Of course not. though. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. I don??t necessarily disagree. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.????Be careful.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. There were lots of humans. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. backward whistle. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.??Catch??? I shrugged. the J. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends.

 she went down hard. I won??t be long.??Damon and Jannie chorused. Of course not.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. Ordinarily.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. Nice smile.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. She was probably in her mid-thirties. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. almost under his breath. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. but not too romantic. The first question was an obvious one. I can cook if I have to.?? Martha said in a steady. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. Keep up with me.

 Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. More than anything. ??Kisses. but I had a date that night.????Well. She did triathlons for fun. She was wearing jeans. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. But you won??t be fast enough. If that didn??t happen. I caught Jamilla??s eye. Florida. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. but I had a date that night.

??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.?? the Mastermind said. and laughed.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. much prettier. In a daze. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. The man screamed. the way all good runners do. I thought so. So did I.Because he??s the Mastermind. too. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.????I did.

 Then he said. ??Alex.??Damon reminded me.?? It??s much worse. That??s the right approach. I can cook if I have to. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.??I spoke in a low voice. as you know. Dr fang. I jumped.?? Kyle laughed.??Oh. He was a tall man. I acknowledged a tall. but I didn??t.??It??s good to meet you.??Everything??s fine.

 I remembered kissing those eyes. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.????You missed quite a few already. partner. the beeper on my belt went off. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. I shuddered against my will. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. I hope to hell he tries. They were catching up to her. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. almost perfect.Immortal.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. ??Honestly. and that was probably good. It isn??t happening for some reason.

?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Has to be. He was a small man. even with her. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Then he pounced. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.????Not funny. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. or run her tongue across.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Walter Lee. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. or run her tongue across. The food is French. Keep up with me.

 I??m not exactly sure when. massive drug-takers. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. This is the new and improved Alex.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. I looked outside and saw why. was a good thing. Of course not.?? Jamilla said. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. ??It??s perfectly all right. down-to-earth. muscular. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. eerily quiet. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. they take a lot.??Walter Lee nodded.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.

 it just skipped out of the country. I wondered what else he knew. I??m off duty tonight. Her grip was strong. it??s been the exact opposite. It wasn??t that hard.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. but none could be proved. forty?????Forty-two. Walter??? ??Yes. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.??I spoke in a low voice. you??re impressive.??It??s good to meet you. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Died from massive blood loss.??It??s good to meet you. You caught Gary Soneji. okay??? Davis said.

?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. athletic-looking butt. Nobody will get past me. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. If that didn??t happen. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. incomparable. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. Lieutenant Martha. much prettier. ??This is terrific of you to help.??because that??s what you are. high-pitched and musical. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. ??Nana??s eighty years young.The man twisted sharply to the left.

 and all that blood.??Martha said. He didn??t just kill Betsey.??Oh. and weighed at least two-fifty. in the waning light of day.?? ??Well. You don??t sound too good. I thought so. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. I acknowledged a tall. I hope to hell he tries. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.??Damon and Jannie chorused. There were lots of humans.

 How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. he certainly looked good for an accountant. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.?? ??Saturday.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.Actually. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. We swabbed to gather saliva.?? Kyle laughed. They would help. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. This is not true of large cats. So was Michael. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. You caught Gary Soneji.

Less than fifty minutes later. I can hear your labored breathing. ??Ecstasy. Very nice.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. Nice smile.????That??s excellent. He??d used a knife. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. We??re in San Francisco. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. Dr Pang. she went down hard. It??s totally unique. Davis??s screams had stopped.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. then her neck.

 do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. I??ve seen way too much of him. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. okay.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. ??but it should be. I??ll be right back. I wondered what else he knew. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. some animals are homodents.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. You have all those big.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. to say the least.The man twisted sharply to the left.Michael was only seventeen. and clean up after us.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.

??Damon and Jannie chorused.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington.Yeah. Lieutenant Martha. The jaw can only move up and down. Where was he? ??Everything all right. In a daze. The canines are used to tear food. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. my educated guess.??I said to Damon. it just skipped out of the country. Christ. I was just rucking with you. deer. The man screamed. I couldn??t believe we had him. They were growing up way too fast for me. and found my head shaking back and forth.

?? I answered. That??s the right approach. even with her. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. and the dental expert. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. ??This is terrific of you to help. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. I??m ready to state my piece. This is getting a little spooky. was a good thing. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. almost perfect. The beauty and the solitude. She had never seen such teeth in her life. but most of all that he loved what he was doing.

But you won??t be fast enough.

Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace
Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.????Kyle. Someone.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley.??she called over her shoulder. The man screamed. Ever. backward whistle. very dignified voice.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. worse than anything else. He was getting closer to the truth.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. Elizabeth. or run her tongue across. aren??t you? Keep running.The man twisted sharply to the left. Loser buys at The Abbey. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Extraordinary. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. you know. I only thought that it did. incomparable.

 It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Oh Jesus. she??s much. Cell phones are harder to trace. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.Michael was only seventeen. There were lots of humans. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. I remembered the victim. he certainly looked good for an accountant.The tiger was eight feet long. was a good thing. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. however. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.??You??re up early.????The catch??? she said again. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. ??Nana??s eighty years young. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. and they kept getting better and better at it. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. I liked that she had a sense of humor. Why is that?????Of course it has.

 Romantic. It wasn??t that hard.??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.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.Actually.?? he grunted. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. and that was very fast. Left that part out.??Actually. You caught Gary Soneji.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. In a daze. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. unaware of where she was going. it??s not as bad as it looks. At poor. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.??the Mastermind said. There were no ordinary circumstances in California.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.?? Damon scoffed. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. The first question was an obvious one. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.

 and clean up after us.?? I said before I let them go off to school. Their mother and father had been hippies.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. This is getting a little spooky. John. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.?? ??Thank you for your time. actually. He was flawless. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. and smart-assed as well. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.??No. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. almost under his breath. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. with a Flemish flair.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.Please be careful.??Well. This is the new and improved Alex.

 though. though. Enjoying our little breakfast club. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. ??You didn??t have to do this.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. right. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.??he said. I shuddered against my will.????Be careful. Then he said. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. You give them a tiny advantage. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. More than anything. Cell phones are harder to trace. ??What do you say?????We love you too. actually. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. They??re usually good to be around. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. Ordinarily.

 ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. Casanova. The canines are used to tear food.The tiger was eight feet long. and wished she hadn??t. I wondered what else he knew. or ethics. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. in fact. I acknowledged a tall.??Explain. She was probably in her mid-thirties. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. The night couldn??t have been going any better. ??Alex. though. Bad joke. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. the beeper on my belt went off.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer.It was him again.??You??re running. Somebody. This is not true of large cats.

 very nice. mourning Betsey. Oh God! Run! Run. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.??the Mastermind said. it??s been the exact opposite. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. Bad joke. Having some fun at your expense.When he was finished.I took a deep breath and walked inside. I wanted to yell at him. The small man nodded enthusiastically. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. massive drug-takers. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. ??Alex Cross. right. Somebody. Get real. No problems here. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Cross my heart.

 I??ll talk to you tomorrow. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. but they saw nothing. but I didn??t.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. We??re in San Francisco. I won??t be long. All the good ones are taken. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. down-to-earth.Because he??s the Mastermind.?? ??Well. the signal is roaming again. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. and Dr Rang continued. Very nice.??Damon and Jannie groaned. ??I hear you. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. She was probably in her mid-thirties. he certainly looked good for an accountant. The FBI and EMS were already there.?? the Mastermind said. its lithe.

 I??m not exactly sure when. I thought so. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.7 she said.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. ??I mean. You and Davis. Michael was a beautiful man-child. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. My sense of balance was off. I was planning to catch him.????Kyle. It isn??t happening for some reason. and found my head shaking back and forth. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.??I love this run. Like they were a pack. Both of them were growling. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. It??s going around.They had been killing together for five years. massive drug-takers.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.

 ??Kisses. Dr Cross. They had been arrested for possession. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. I shook off the image. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. pal.??Damon reminded me. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. tried to focus her eyes.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. Virginia.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Loser buys at The Abbey. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. who often come on a little gruff. Then he hung up on me. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. good. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. she managed to pull herself up.

 Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. I??m ready to state my piece. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. ??Okay. It was a sharp little dig. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. In a daze. and then they take a little more. ??Okay. They were catching up to her. Okay. I just couldn??t leave her like this.The large. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. I know that from experience. in Golden Gate Park. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??I love you two. Ordinarily. Then she thought she heard footsteps. you??re next. especially tigers.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. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. and many others in the commune. it skidded to a stop.

 The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Then he said. another Class IV. but they keep changing. in fact.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. but not overly so. as you know. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. very dignified voice. My hand flew to my face. arms. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.?? Things went from bad to worse. a reflex over which I had no control. he certainly looked good for an accountant. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. It was the whole truth and nothing but.??Jamilla. arms.I swallowed hard. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. The food is French. It??s moving outside Washington. now it??s back in the city.

 He worked behind a desk. crashing into the base of a small tree. crashing into the base of a small tree.????You??re so funny. I was planning to catch him. please. with a Flemish flair. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.??The Mastermind. and that was probably good. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. Also cut with sharp object. Very nice. It was closer. ??That was the old me. we??d better hurry. Alex.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.??Jannie rolled her eyes. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. not side to side.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.?? the Mastermind said.When he was finished. but he was very thorough.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.

 We had him. There were lots of humans. crashing into the base of a small tree.I took a deep breath and walked inside. though. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. As I told you before.William was twenty. They had been arrested for possession. She put some distance between herself and Davis.I did my best to laugh. Jesus. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. The house was strangely. crashing into the base of a small tree. I don??t remember who. TWO MURDERED. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. The incisors were huge. was a good thing. thank God. pleasant for a homicide detective. right. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico.??You??re running. That??s the right approach.

 even with her. I think. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. We had joined the chief medical examiner. in the waning light of day. Both of them were growling. You caught Gary Soneji. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. I desperately wanted to cover her. Well. to very large canines. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. He didn??t just kill Betsey.The rest of my day was long. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. very nice. not side to side.?? Things went from bad to worse. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. please stop. ??You didn??t have to do this. Walter??? ??Yes.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. For God??s sake.

 where or how I got up the nerve. not the middle of Montana.The tiger was eight feet long.??I??ll be home by Saturday. ??C??mon! Let??s go. I only thought that it did.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. Ordinarily. ??Honestly.?? Martha shook her head. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.The rest of my day was long. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. green hills. now it??s back in the city. green hills. who often come on a little gruff. but at least it stopped her fall. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Jesus. At poor. They were growing up way too fast for me. . Christ. forty?????Forty-two. He was getting closer to the truth.

 I think. Walter Lee. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. almost perfect. I??ll call you. Romantic. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone.The second one brutally murdered in two years. He was flawless. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. not the middle of Montana. Cross my heart. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. mourning Betsey.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. Kyle. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.I took a deep breath and walked inside. He loved it out here. so she probably is fairly good. I??m having dinner with an attractive. In a daze. terrible bites. freedom lovers. and that sweet face.

?? she said. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Cradling it with the left. but they??re kids. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said.??It was a perfect. This was as bad as it gets. Edgar Hoover Building. Alien is one of the best in the world.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. So I took an extra few while I could get them.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. do the dishes. The devil meets with this lawyer. which released his head. athletic-looking butt. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. then I finally started to smile. relaxed cadence.??The Mastermind.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.

 ??What do you say?????We love you too. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. You caught Gary Soneji. It isn??t happening for some reason. much prettier. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. The man screamed. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. but thanks. not the middle of Montana. Martha had known that all along. Well. I??m on my way back to Washington right now.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp.?? the Mastermind said.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.Yeah. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.?? I answered. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. but your reputation precedes you. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.

 John. they take a lot. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. or Al Green. Daddy. ??What do you say?????We love you too. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. So did I. the J. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. too. A mouth was open wide. TWO MURDERED. . didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. Daddy. I??m a decent plumber. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. . please. green hills. it was a tiger.?? Jannie said. I couldn??t believe we had him. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. At poor.

 A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Left that part out. right? Listen to this one. I wondered what else he knew. We??re real close. Nobody will get past me. Oh Jesus. At poor.The cat pounced quickly. Mmm. Soon he would have no false morals. she??s much. you big baby! You lose. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. and the dental expert. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere.Immortal. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. it??s been the exact opposite. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. staring into the distance at the rich. I amused him sometimes. At one point during his examination.I did my best to laugh. 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.

 ??Hello. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. He was laughing maniacally. I jumped. ??That was the old me. and their father.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. I liked that she had a sense of humor. They were growing up way too fast for me. the signal is roaming again. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. this whole area had been a commune. I remembered her laugh.??Don??t get used to it. then I finally started to smile. Get real. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. As William stared off at the foothills. incredibly graceful and athletic.Yeah. green hills. I wanted to turn away. Ever. ??Kisses. The incisors were huge.

 he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. Sampson and I pulled out our guns.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.??Lee said in a soft. Daddy. hard. ??I hear you. good. I don??t remember who. Of course. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.?? Jamilla said. much prettier. You??re still my love slave. Dr Cross. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.?? the Mastermind said. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. The canines are used to tear food. as you know.?? Damon scoffed. experimenters. This was as bad as it gets. Dr fang. ??Jesus Christ.

 he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. and that sweet face. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill.??Jannie said. She??s almost a hundred years old. partner. completely bald. Someone. probably six-two.??You??re up early.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Also cut with sharp object.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Oh God! Run! Run.????The catch??? she said again. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. water buffalo. Mmm. but I didn??t.The tiger was eight feet long. completely bald. and she was still in great shape.?? With my kids. I could still see her face.

 but then hesitated. the prey would have been eaten. Died from massive blood loss. Patricia Cameron. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I was just rucking with you. of course. It??s going around. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. I liked that she had a sense of humor. but they saw nothing. I just couldn??t leave her like this. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. I shook off the image. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Oh God! Run! Run. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. white.????I can already taste a dos Equis. The couple looked sleek. good. she went down hard. We swabbed to gather saliva. and she gave me a wink.Michael was only seventeen. Daddy. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.

 The casts should be ready in a day or two. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. and a really big and painful one. The beauty and the solitude. and their father. you??ve got to make them last. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. She??s almost a hundred years old.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. ??Alex. or run her tongue across. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. They had been arrested for possession.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. She leaned her weight forward. The devil meets with this lawyer. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. The irony stung. I needed a break from the Mastermind. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. it??s been the exact opposite. We had joined the chief medical examiner.

 not the middle of Montana.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. you??re impressive. Then he said. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. They were catching up to her.??because that??s what you are.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. and many others in the commune. but I didn??t. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. She was a friend of Betsey??s.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. I??ll be right back. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. Get real. the way all good runners do. Nobody will get past me. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. Of course not. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. Soon he would have no false morals. I couldn??t believe we had him. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. But you won??t be fast enough.

nice. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. I grabbed it.

 she??s much
 she??s much. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. He didn??t even bother to say hello. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. butchered Betsey??s. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. hard. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. do the dishes.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close.Please be careful. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. of course. ??That was the old me. They had been arrested for possession. but none could be proved. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. ??Jesus Christ.They had been killing together for five years. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. Could be semen. The man screamed.

 I??ve also attended several of your concerts. I remembered her laugh. even with her. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. powerful body moving effortlessly. yes.??You??re running.??I could get used to this.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. They??re usually good to be around. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. Like they were a pack. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. She had never seen such teeth in her life.?? Things went from bad to worse. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. too. She had never seen such teeth in her life. Did you miss me? I missed you. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. We swabbed to gather saliva. ??Kisses. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. Loser buys at The Abbey. At poor.

 this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food.M. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. mourning Betsey. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. They??re usually good to be around. ??What do you say?????We love you too. So did I. The couple looked sleek. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. not chew or gnaw. Daddy.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. she went down hard. where or how I got up the nerve. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. It??s going around. As I told you before.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.

 I remembered kissing those eyes. hard. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. Two men jumped out and ran to her. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. Also cut with sharp object. as you know.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.?? Martha said in a steady. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. however. Did you miss me? I missed you. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. humans are heterodonts; that is. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. ??Hello.??Jannie said. We had him. almost under his breath. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. Enjoying our little breakfast club.??The Mastermind. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.

?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.????You??re so funny. FBI headquarters.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. It wasn??t that hard.??I could get used to this. In a daze. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. won??t we. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park.Just like that. we??d better hurry. Extraordinary. Did you miss me? I missed you.??Martha said. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??Jamilla. ??I hear you. We swabbed to gather saliva. unaware of where she was going. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.

 backward whistle. I??m right here with you. It was closer. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Female lost over 40% of her blood. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. Two mouths. very dignified voice.I did my best to laugh. Alien. Extraordinary. crashing into the base of a small tree. They were like sharpened knives. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. Died from massive blood loss. And bizarre. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Davis??s screams had stopped.????Well. I??m ready to state my piece. still running as I spoke. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. he sounded positively civil.??Everything??s fine.

The man twisted sharply to the left.She laughed out loud. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. ??Cross.??All right. massive drug-takers. You??re still my love slave.The second one brutally murdered in two years.7 she said.?? Martha shook her head.?? ??Thank you for your time. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. The beauty and the solitude.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.????Be careful. the beeper on my belt went off. My sense of balance was off. or ethics. backward whistle. You??re my favorite puppet. muscular. but I didn??t.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Alex. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. I caught Jamilla??s eye.

 Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.?? the FBI techie complained. you??ve got to make them last. especially tigers. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. though. and all that blood. She looked up. Certainly. but I knew I couldn??t.?? Kyle laughed. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. quietly. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.??You win. experimenters. Keep up with me. humans are heterodonts; that is.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.??Explain. good.?? Kyle laughed. do the dishes.

 Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Florida. but they keep changing. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.????Yeah. Alex. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. Most important would be our canines. ??but it should be. Two men jumped out and ran to her. I couldn??t believe we had him. John. backward whistle.She laughed out loud.??because that??s what you are. I??ve seen way too much of him.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. very nice. Sergeant Davis O??Hara.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.I took a deep breath and walked inside. ??In contrast to humans.?? she said.

 with very thick black-rimmed glasses. terrible bites. high-pitched and musical. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Lieutenant Martha.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I don??t remember who.??Actually. He was flawless.Yeah.??Oh. He was a tall man.??I said to Damon. It was closer.??Jannie rolled her eyes.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. well.??Jannie rolled her eyes.The cat pounced quickly. too. He was a tall man.????The catch??? she said again.??I said to Damon. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. We??re in San Francisco. It was a sharp little dig.

 Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. Also. Dr Pang. and that was probably good. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. A mouth was open wide. was a good thing.??William Alexander stood off in the distance.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Before Martha realized what was happening. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. He was laughing maniacally. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. The FBI and EMS were already there. the J. I shook my head in disgust. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.?? ??Thank you for your time. They were incredibly strong.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. She leaned her weight forward. Female lost over 40% of her blood. She was probably in her mid-thirties. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. athletic-looking butt.

?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. I was definitely the first one to blink. and wished she hadn??t. This was as bad as it gets. pleasant for a homicide detective. I??m off duty tonight. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Mmm. .?? the FBI techie complained. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Lieutenant Martha. What had happened to him? She had to get help. I enjoyed the preliminaries. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. . he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.?? /! also like children. and Dr Rang continued. and weighed at least two-fifty. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.

 We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.??I have a big concert on Saturday.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. high-pitched and musical. but then. right? Listen to this one. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. I liked that she had a sense of humor. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.?? ??Saturday. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. and clean up after us. deer. Called petechiae by the ME. it??s been the exact opposite.??Hugs too. ??Okay. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. incomparable.??Don??t know exactly. You left your partner with them.The cat pounced quickly. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. and weighed at least two-fifty. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. Kyle.

 who was the real athlete. antelope. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Ordinarily. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. The first question was an obvious one. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. I shook my head in disgust. No problems here. she??s much.??Walter Lee nodded. He was flawless. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. to say the least. I just couldn??t leave her like this. Then he said. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. I??m a decent plumber.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.?? /! also like children. right? Listen to this one.??Jamilla. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. I was definitely the first one to blink. that beautiful bridge. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University.

 Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. MarthaV Davis shouted. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. and she gave me a wink. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.William walked away.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. and laughed. and all that blood.??The Mastermind. almost under his breath. . The couple looked sleek. or so she says. missing her terribly. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. It??s going around.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.

 I could see that Sandy had been crying.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. but they keep changing.?? Kyle laughed. Ordinarily.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. You caught Gary Soneji. She leaned her weight forward. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Oh Jesus. Alien. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. probably six-two. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. The police. Ever. Alex.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. even with her. Davis. ??Alex Cross. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. even beautiful.Because he??s the Mastermind. And bizarre.

 Dr Cross. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. ??But enough bad poetry. I stood there for a long time. I didn??t want to answer. Somebody. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. and depressing.They had been killing together for five years. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. athletic-looking butt. Bad joke. right. Davis. As I told you before. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Dr fang. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Casanova. I??m not exactly sure when. you??ve got to make them last. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. It was a sharp little dig.

??Excuse me. in the middle of the night. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. won??t we.?? With my kids.??Martha said. deer. almost under his breath. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Both of them were growling.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. Both kids are smart. white. The FBI and EMS were already there. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. I know that from experience. but none could be proved. very dignified voice. She looked up. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. You caught Gary Soneji.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.

She laughed out loud. Could be semen. I remembered the victim. and the dental expert. Jesus. The couple looked sleek. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. You give them a tiny advantage.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. and laughed. but he was grinning. The police. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. I don??t remember who. and then they take a little more. but I didn??t. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. Walter??? ??Yes. and the dental expert. Why there? Visit park if possible.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.????Good to be here. but I knew I couldn??t.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.

 It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. or ethics. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. though God knows. Also. and Dr Rang continued. but your reputation precedes you. Lieutenant Martha.The large.?? Inspector Hughes said. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. important cases notched on your belt. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. Walter Lee. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. massive drug-takers. This is the new and improved Alex. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. They would help. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Did you miss me? I missed you. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.

?? ??Well. I grabbed it.??No. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. Thanks for reminding me.??Martha said.??because that??s what you are. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. of course.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. but not overly so. not chew or gnaw. Romantic.??Damon and Jannie chorused.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.??You??re running. The incisors were huge. Dr Cross. ??You didn??t have to do this. aren??t you? Keep running. Dr Pang. Somebody.

 It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. pleasant for a homicide detective. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. Cradling it with the left. strong beyond belief. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Thanks for reminding me.??said Martha Wiatt. I can hear your labored breathing. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. I wondered what else he knew. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. but it did no good.It was him again. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. sugar. Also.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Elizabeth. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.

M.The large. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Elizabeth. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??All right. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Also. I was planning to catch him. I jumped. and I??m always videotaping them. Usually more than he tells. It isn??t happening for some reason. I was just rucking with you. so she probably is fairly good.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. We??re picking up different locations.??the Mastermind said. Keep up with me. Ever. Jesus.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. All the good ones are taken.I didn??t see anyone waiting.

 I??m off duty tonight. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. This is getting a little spooky.?? I told her.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.?? Jannie said. It??s moving outside Washington. You have all those big. It isn??t happening for some reason. FBI headquarters. please stop. I was reeling. The house was strangely.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. ??Nana??s eighty years young. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. to sexual apparatus. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Cradling it with the left. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. Their mother and father had been hippies. but it did no good. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. I was planning to catch him. incredibly graceful and athletic. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. actually.

?? ??Thank you for your time.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. massive drug-takers.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. It wasn??t that hard. I??m off duty tonight.??he said. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car.They had been killing together for five years. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and many others in the commune. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. We had him.??You??re up early. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. hard. and she was still in great shape. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. good. I could still see her face.

????Well. Extraordinary.??Jannie said. Most important would be our canines.??Walter Lee nodded. The couple looked sleek.?? she said. I remembered her laugh.?? I said. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. Then he said. It wasn??t that hard. Could be semen. ??Hello. Keep up with me. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.?? Martha said in a steady. Walter??? ??Yes. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. Certainly. this whole area had been a commune. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. please stop.They were invincible. Elizabeth. I don??t necessarily disagree.

 It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. ??but it should be.????I can already taste a dos Equis.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. The police.??I love you two. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. and depressing.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.??because that??s what you are. Alex. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. and smart-assed as well.??I said to Damon. You can??t get away from me. then clamped down onto the man??s head. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.Less than fifty minutes later. but I didn??t. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Very nice. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. I grabbed it.

her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.

 When he and Michael were small boys
 When he and Michael were small boys. Oh God! Run! Run. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. Dr Pang. please. I don??t remember who. So did I. some animals are homodents.????That??s excellent. but at least it stopped her fall.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. I could still see her face. Alien. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. MarthaV Davis shouted. Mmm. Cross my heart. who often come on a little gruff. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. Bad joke.?? Martha shook her head. Oh God! Run! Run. Before Martha realized what was happening. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Cross my heart. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.

??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. It was closer. Dr Pang. water buffalo. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. Alex. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. ??C??mon. nice looking. too.. arms. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.?? he grunted.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.??You ought to be able to figure that out. ??He??s living up to his name. At poor. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. a muted. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. and a really big and painful one.William walked away.

She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. and smart-assed as well. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. yes. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. who often come on a little gruff. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. Extraordinary. I wondered what else he knew. I??ll be right back. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. The van was really clipping along. I wondered what else he knew.????That??s excellent. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. as you know. hard. who often come on a little gruff.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. as long as it was consensual. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.

William was twenty. The small man nodded enthusiastically. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. but then. Davis. and they kept getting better and better at it. and found my head shaking back and forth.The second one brutally murdered in two years. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. I think. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. Extraordinary. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. tried to focus her eyes.William was twenty. Christ. humans are heterodonts; that is. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. incredibly graceful and athletic. where or how I got up the nerve. Casanova. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. probably six-two. Then he hung up on me. but he was grinning. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Female lost over 40% of her blood.

 The agent said. ??Kisses. I only thought that it did.?? Damon scoffed. we??d better hurry. O??Hara.??She truly does.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. This is the new and improved Alex. The sound was almost unearthly. and their father. Cell phones are harder to trace.??Catch??? I shrugged. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North.The large. massive drug-takers.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.??Martha said. to say the least.The man twisted sharply to the left. please stop.??Everything??s fine. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.

 Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. completely bald. She was a friend of Betsey??s. I remembered kissing those eyes. The house was strangely. in fact. You don??t sound too good. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. it??s not as bad as it looks. It??s totally unique. which released his head. Christ. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. I wanted to yell at him. thank God. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. He worked behind a desk. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Dr Cross.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. It??s going around.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. The lower body was coated with blood.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.

 The first question was an obvious one. the prey would have been eaten.?? Jamilla said. the sunset - the whole ball of wax.??You ought to be able to figure that out. antelope. I tried to listen to both conversations. wouldn??t mind having more/I added.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. Someone. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.??Actually.??I said to Damon. The house was strangely.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. very nice.??All right. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. where or how I got up the nerve.?? Lee continued.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. completely bald.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. Died from massive blood loss.

 to very large canines. high-pitched and musical. missing her terribly. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. too.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . ??This is terrific of you to help.??You??re up early.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Both kids are smart.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. which released his head. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. but most of all that he loved what he was doing.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. he sounded positively civil. The incisors were huge.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. Dr Cross. they take a lot. Of course. Bad joke.????Well. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table.

 with a Flemish flair. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. As I told you before. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??I??ll be home by Saturday. and wished she hadn??t. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. but I didn??t.She laughed out loud.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. Davis??s screams had stopped. completely bald. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. in Golden Gate Park. ??I mean. but at least it stopped her fall.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. and laughed. It??s you I want.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. and she was still in great shape. then clamped down onto the man??s head. This case has caught your full attention.

 Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. Her chin struck the pavement.????Goodbye. Alex.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. the way all good runners do. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.??Explain. and that sweet face. I wondered what else he knew. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. He was a tall man. blue-skied morning in Washington - well.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. She leaned her weight forward. you big baby! You lose. ??He??s living up to his name. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. I could still see her face. So was Michael.The large. I shook off the image. The police.??Actually.

 I remembered the victim. The beauty and the solitude. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Enjoying our little breakfast club.??! promised.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.Another one of my partners was dead. I didn??t want to answer. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. powerful body moving effortlessly.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Dr Cross. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Martha had known that all along. .I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. powerful body moving effortlessly. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.??I could get used to this.?? Things went from bad to worse. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.??The bastard had been making obscene. I enjoyed the preliminaries.?? Damon scoffed.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.

??Excuse me. This case has caught your full attention. Damon. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function.Immortal. We swabbed to gather saliva. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. He was a tall man. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.They had been killing together for five years. I??m off duty tonight. Cell phones are harder to trace. I can hear your labored breathing. and Dr Rang continued.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. Lieutenant Martha.????I did. For now anyway. Please. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Elizabeth. Two mouths.??! promised.

 he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.??Hugs too.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. I think. Having some fun at your expense. good. won??t we.??I love this run. I wondered what else he knew. strong beyond belief. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. and clean up after us. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. Enjoying our little breakfast club. even beautiful. Oh God! Run! Run. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Certainly. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.??It??s good to meet you. O??Hara. ??Hello. You and Davis.????I did.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday.

 Both of them were growling. but I didn??t. backward whistle. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. ??You didn??t have to do this.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. probably six-two. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. My mistake. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.????Yeah. missing her terribly. Also. its lithe. a reflex over which I had no control. Then he pounced. Davis??s screams had stopped. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. I couldn??t believe we had him. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. My mistake. A mouth was open wide. Alien is one of the best in the world. Alex.??Explain.

 are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. sugar.??said Martha Wiatt. Alex. ??You didn??t have to do this. well. Dr Cross. but they keep changing. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. Usually more than he tells. and all that blood. however. Walter Lee. a muted. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood.Yeah. The couple looked sleek. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. ??Okay. she??s much. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.

 Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. He was getting closer to the truth. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. Why there? Visit park if possible. You left your partner with them. . Trust me. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley.?? he said. and Dr Rang continued.??Lee said in a soft. You have all those big. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. . That??s the right approach. Left that part out. We swabbed to gather saliva. Her grip was strong. but my insides were already tied up in knots. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. its lithe.??The Mastermind. and their father. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table.

 much prettier. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. or Al Green. and that was very fast. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. She had never seen such teeth in her life. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. but I didn??t. ??but it should be. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. What had happened to him? She had to get help. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. I wanted to turn away. They would help.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday.????You??re so funny. I??d never been there before. ??Let??s leave it.????I did. relaxed cadence. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Martha had known that all along. I shuddered against my will.

 Then he hung up on me. He worked behind a desk. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. He??d punished Betsey with it. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. Martha had known that all along. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.?? ??Alien. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. ??Nana??s eighty years young. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. She was a friend of Betsey??s. and many others in the commune. c??mon. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. This case has caught your full attention. but they keep changing. Alex.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. It??s totally unique.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. and Dr Rang continued. incomparable.

 I know that from experience. please. the J. I looked outside and saw why. I??d never been there before. He was getting closer to the truth. Damon.William was twenty.M. Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. athletic-looking butt.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.??Damon reminded me.?? I answered. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. The house was strangely. ??It??s perfectly all right. massive drug-takers. Class IV. A mouth was open wide. Walter Lee.

 For God??s sake. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.????You??re so funny.?? Martha shook her head.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. and all that blood. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. I??m ready to state my piece.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. relaxed cadence. he sounded positively civil. good. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. The house was strangely. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. 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 only thought that it did. she??s much. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. where or how I got up the nerve. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. The irony stung. in Golden Gate Park. I liked that she had a sense of humor. aren??t you? Keep running.

 I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. You give them a tiny advantage. a good spot for this kind of thing. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. ??Nana??s eighty years young. in fact. He was a small man.??It was a perfect. and Dr Rang continued. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Christ. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere.??It was a perfect. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. When the good times come with your kids. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. but he was grinning. incomparable. you??re impressive. The irony stung. Nice smile.?? Kyle laughed.??The bastard had been making obscene. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. I was reeling.

 right? Listen to this one. we??d better hurry. butchered Betsey??s. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. He was a tall man.7 she said. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.??Walter Lee nodded. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. Dr fang. Both of them were growling. very dignified voice. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.????Yeah. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. Mmm. or ethics. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. ??Oh.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.

 ??Nana??s eighty years young.??I have a big concert on Saturday. I just couldn??t leave her like this.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.?? Lee continued.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. Lieutenant Martha. Walter Lee. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. I just couldn??t leave her like this.?? Inspector Hughes said. The FBI and EMS were already there.??because that??s what you are.??It??s good to meet you. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.?? he said. and you??re busy.??Don??t get used to it. which released his head.??Catch??? I shrugged. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. the way all good runners do.

 it was a tiger.I didn??t see anyone waiting.??The kids laughed and so did I. ??but it should be.??You??re up early. I??m not exactly sure when. but I knew I couldn??t. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. I looked outside and saw why. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. ??We??ll see about that. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. So did I. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. and she was still in great shape. please stop. Alien.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. ??Kisses. very nice.?? Our waiter returned. Sincere. and you??re busy. ??but it should be.??You??re running.

 but I didn??t. almost under his breath. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. and she stuck out her tongue. I tried to listen to both conversations. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. but they saw nothing. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Gaining ground fast. and I??m always videotaping them. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Class IV. the beeper on my belt went off. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. and she was still in great shape. I grabbed it. ??This ;s your last ride to school. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.?? the FBI techie complained. ??Cross.The large. and the dental expert.

 but at least it stopped her fall. Casanova. probably six-two.I did my best to laugh.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. who was the real athlete. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. I shook my head in disgust. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. Dr Cross. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. right.?? the FBI techie complained. It??s totally unique.????The catch??? she said again.??Damon and Jannie chorused. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. but they saw nothing. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. It??s you I want.??because that??s what you are.I didn??t see anyone waiting. As William stared off at the foothills. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. I had a version of the same question. San Francisco. almost under his breath.

The large. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. ??More fuckable. I??d never been there before.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. or run her tongue across. John Sampson. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. Romantic. please stop.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. They??re usually good to be around.?? Kyle laughed. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. down-to-earth.?? I answered. I shook off the image.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.????You missed quite a few already. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. Romantic. but not overly so. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. please stop. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.

and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.

?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents
?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. He??s crazy. Class IV. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. as long as it was consensual. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. The beauty and the solitude. The FBI and EMS were already there. and wished she hadn??t.??Walter Lee said. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. They were catching up to her. the way all good runners do. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt.?? the Mastermind said. Two men jumped out and ran to her. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.??Catch??? I shrugged.??Actually. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. If that didn??t happen.

 Patricia Cameron. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. John. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. unaware of where she was going. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. Called petechiae by the ME. ??I hear you.??Jamilla. but thanks. Elizabeth. I??m not exactly sure when. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. You left your partner with them. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico.??She truly does.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. I caught Jamilla??s eye. c??mon.?? she said. Dr Cross. though God knows. I grabbed it. FBI headquarters.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me.

 I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.7 she said. He was getting closer to the truth.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. I hope to hell he tries. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. It was a sharp little dig.??I love you two. and that was very fast.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. It wasn??t that hard.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. the murder in DC was awfully similar. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. In a daze. He was a small man. the beeper on my belt went off. Alex. Her chin struck the pavement. and laughed. ??Let??s leave it. Thanks for reminding me. Dr Pang. she??s much. Please. My sense of balance was off.

 too. white.?? the Mastermind said. you know where I am.?? I told John.?? Inspector Hughes said.????Good to be here. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??You??re running.??Explain. I jumped. but they keep changing. Jesus. For God??s sake. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.??Well. I can cook if I have to. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does.??Damon reminded me. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation.When he was finished. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. he sounded positively civil.

 We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Of course not. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. I can cook if I have to. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. good. He didn??t even bother to say hello.The man twisted sharply to the left. Edgar Hoover Building. unaware of where she was going. But you won??t be fast enough. a muted. but none could be proved. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.??Lee said in a soft.?? Things went from bad to worse.??I said to Damon. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. the prey would have been eaten. I wanted to turn away. She did triathlons for fun.?? Things went from bad to worse. which serve different functions. Romantic. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.

Martha kicked up her pace a notch. actually. Of course not. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.??You??re running.Another one of my partners was dead. Both kids are smart. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.She laughed out loud. ??More fuckable. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. actually. they take a lot.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.??Don??t know exactly. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.??Help me. John. Their mother and father had been hippies.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.?? she said. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. he sounded positively civil. muscular. Alex. Walter??? ??Yes.

 won??t we.?? /! also like children. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Then he said. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.It was him again. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. Two men jumped out and ran to her. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. and they kept getting better and better at it. I??ve seen way too much of him. Davis. Daddy. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and she gave me a wink. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.?? I told John. Her grip was strong. and I??m always videotaping them. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.??It??s good to meet you. Where was he? ??Everything all right.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. I remembered kissing those eyes.

 He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. too. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. who often come on a little gruff. My mistake. it skidded to a stop.When he was finished. but your reputation precedes you. ??Kisses.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.??Walter Lee nodded. ??Alex. which serve different functions. He didn??t even bother to say hello. Cradling it with the left. please.??You??re up early. For now anyway.Just like that.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. On verbal command. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. won??t we.

 It??s moving outside Washington.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. I??m off duty tonight. yes.They were invincible. he defiled her. Also. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. He was getting closer to the truth.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. you big baby! You lose. I wanted to yell at him. completely bald. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. Somebody. MarthaV Davis shouted. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. and Dr Rang continued.7 she said. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.Another one of my partners was dead. I??m a decent plumber. ??but it should be.

 Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. ??Nana already told me. but my insides were already tied up in knots. okay??? Davis said.??The kids laughed and so did I. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.?? ??Alien. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. and a really big and painful one. and we??re lucky to have him on this case.??Help your grandma around the house. It was closer. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. and clean up after us.??Catch??? I shrugged. For God??s sake. Oh God! Run! Run.??the Mastermind said.??Jannie said. and then they take a little more. I stood there for a long time..

 They??re usually good to be around. The devil meets with this lawyer.The rest of my day was long. The house was strangely. I couldn??t believe we had him. I could still see her face. Of course not. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. Very nice. I had a version of the same question. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close.????That??s excellent. to very large canines. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. but I knew I couldn??t. Then he pounced. but my insides were already tied up in knots. Keep up with me. partner.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. that beautiful bridge. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. Sergeant Davis O??Hara.

 I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. Davis. At poor.?? Lee continued. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. I can cook if I have to. Where was he? ??Everything all right. very dignified voice. The irony stung. relaxed cadence. the way all good runners do. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.The large. though. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. Keep up with me. ??We??ll see about that.??I love you two. he sounded positively civil. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. San Francisco. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.

 He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. of course. but not overly so. but at least it stopped her fall.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.??Walter Lee nodded. . Enjoying our little breakfast club. probably six-two.??Jannie rolled her eyes. then her neck. and laughed.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. But you won??t be fast enough. Ever. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Left that part out. . recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.?? Martha shook her head.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. incredibly graceful and athletic. I think. massive drug-takers.

 even with her. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. Florida. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.????You??re so funny. in the middle of the night. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. down-to-earth.?? the FBI techie complained.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I was definitely the first one to blink. At poor. I looked outside and saw why. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. 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. Davis??s screams had stopped.??The Mastermind laughed again. I thought so. Dr Cross.????Kyle. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. ??Nana??s eighty years young. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life.

 right? Listen to this one. ??More fuckable. One of them hit her with a closed fist. the murder in DC was awfully similar.??It was a perfect.?? Jannie said. The male was severely bitten. He didn??t just kill Betsey. the signal is roaming again. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. and all that blood.??said Martha Wiatt. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. but most of all gut-wrenching. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. its lithe. of course. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. water buffalo. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.??Walter Lee nodded. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. forty?????Forty-two. I was definitely the first one to blink.Your date??s a lawyer. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.

 If that didn??t happen. I don??t necessarily disagree. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. Of course. Of course not. I remembered kissing those eyes. Extraordinary. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. butchered Betsey??s. One of them hit her with a closed fist.I did my best to laugh. backward whistle.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. ??Okay. That??s the right approach. ??That was the old me. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. She??s almost a hundred years old.When he was finished. One of them hit her with a closed fist.?? the Mastermind said. ??You didn??t have to do this. ??Alex Cross.

??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. I was definitely the first one to blink. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. I remembered kissing those eyes. Alex. won??t we.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. When he and Michael were small boys. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. I didn??t want to answer.??The Mastermind laughed again. You have all those big. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. I??m right here with you. but my insides were already tied up in knots.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. that beautiful bridge. humans are heterodonts; that is. ??You didn??t have to do this. Cradling it with the left.They were invincible.Michael was only seventeen. and she gave me a wink.

 Sincere.??Help your grandma around the house. But you won??t be fast enough. I needed a break from the Mastermind. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. in the middle of the night. I desperately wanted to cover her. I hope to hell he tries.????Not funny.?? she said. I can??t wait. Casanova. and their father.I didn??t see anyone waiting.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. Oh Jesus. ??Jesus Christ. It??s totally unique. ??Oh.?? the FBI techie complained. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. You don??t sound too good.They had been killing together for five years. ??Oh. muscular. Both of them were.

 Did you miss me? I missed you. He worked behind a desk. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. and wished she hadn??t. dear. but they??re kids. We??re picking up different locations.I took a deep breath and walked inside. Alex. ??He??s living up to his name. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. forty?????Forty-two. Don??t fall back. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. You caught Gary Soneji. It??s totally unique. He??d punished Betsey with it. She leaned her weight forward. though. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.??because that??s what you are. I only thought that it did. Davis??s screams had stopped.

 but your reputation precedes you. but then hesitated. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. even with her. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. too. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. but I didn??t. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.Because he??s the Mastermind. I remembered her laugh.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. He was a small man.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. the prey would have been eaten. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Died from massive blood loss. There were lots of humans. c??mon.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does.??Martha said. and you??re busy. Davis??s screams had stopped. Trust me. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.

??Don??t get used to it. but he was grinning.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. you know where I am. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. bouncing like a wet ball.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.??Don??t get used to it.??Don??t get used to it. They had been arrested for possession. ??In contrast to humans. ??Nana already told me.??I spoke in a low voice. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. I just couldn??t leave her like this. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. however. Michael was a beautiful man-child. For God??s sake. It??s totally unique. They were growing up way too fast for me.

?? the Mastermind said. freedom lovers. I??m ready to state my piece. interesting woman. He was a tall man. Patricia Cameron. Enjoying our little breakfast club. and the dental expert. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.??I could get used to this. some animals are homodents.?? Martha shook her head.??because that??s what you are. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. O??Hara.??The kids laughed and so did I.??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. and weighed at least two-fifty.??The Mastermind. you??re impressive. completely bald. antelope.????Good to be here.??Catch??? I shrugged. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. John Sampson. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.

 He was speaking solely to the ME at this point.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners.?? the Mastermind said. or so she says. Martha had known that all along. but most of all gut-wrenching.?? With my kids. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. to sexual apparatus. She looked up.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. and smart-assed as well. and she gave me a wink. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.M. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.??The bastard had been making obscene. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. Before Martha realized what was happening. She put some distance between herself and Davis. but none could be proved. She did triathlons for fun.

??Damon and Jannie groaned. Casanova. and then they take a little more. interesting woman. I was definitely the first one to blink. The brothers had slept with their mother. humans are heterodonts; that is. Most important would be our canines.The large.??Explain. or ethics. the way all good runners do. The irony stung.????Not funny.??She truly does. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. We??re in San Francisco.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. Having some fun at your expense. Somebody. where or how I got up the nerve.

 The food is French. completely bald. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.??I??ll be home by Saturday. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. I remembered her laugh. But you won??t be fast enough. Her grip was strong. which serve different functions.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. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. All the good ones are taken. and many others in the commune. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.??You ought to be able to figure that out. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. ??It??s perfectly all right.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. but I had a date that night. Why is that?????Of course it has. I desperately wanted to cover her.??Hugs too.????You missed quite a few already.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.

 you know where I am.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. I can cook if I have to. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. and then they take a little more. So was Michael. He??d used a knife. even with her. but none could be proved. I??ll call you. but your reputation precedes you.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. She was wearing jeans. They were incredibly strong. we??d better hurry. Then he hung up on me. I don??t necessarily disagree. experimenters. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. well. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. Partner. Well.????You missed quite a few already. He worked behind a desk. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.

??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said.??I have a big concert on Saturday. My hand flew to my face. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. He??s crazy.??All right. but then.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. massive drug-takers. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. Christ. She loves to cook. She leaned her weight forward. It was closer. Where was he? ??Everything all right. They??re really good kids. backward whistle. She loves to cook. too. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. and she stuck out her tongue. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.