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.