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.