was situated at the end of the hall. And bizarre.

?? Our waiter returned
?? Our waiter returned.??Walter Lee nodded. white.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. which serve different functions. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. ??Cross. and that was probably good. you big baby! You lose. important cases notched on your belt. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. my educated guess. Two mouths.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. muscular. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.

 which released his head.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. pal. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.??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. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. this whole area had been a commune. Trust me.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Davis.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. I looked outside and saw why. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Trust me. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. Lieutenant Martha. I needed a break from the Mastermind. I can cook if I have to. ??It??s perfectly all right. Walter Lee. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. and she was still in great shape.

??Martha said.??Everything??s fine. It was a sharp little dig. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.??the Mastermind said. TWO MURDERED. It??s going around. the prey would have been eaten. And bizarre. Then he hung up on me.?? Damon scoffed. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.??Jamilla. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. wouldn??t mind having more/I added.??You??re running.??Jannie said. Dr Cross. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. probably six-two.

 good. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. not chew or gnaw. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. O??Hara. The irony stung.?? Inspector Hughes said. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. They had been arrested for possession. I was definitely the first one to blink. Davis??s screams had stopped.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. they take a lot. incomparable.??he said. Walter??? ??Yes. male tiger was making a chuffing sound.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. forty?????Forty-two. Has to be. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.

??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. I liked that she had a sense of humor. I grabbed it. or so she says. Both of them were growling.??I could get used to this. and I??m always videotaping them. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. the J. They were incredibly strong. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. experimenters. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Loser buys at The Abbey. They had been arrested for possession.

 Daddy. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. do the dishes.????Good to be here. Two men jumped out and ran to her. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. still running as I spoke. Usually more than he tells. Certainly. She leaned her weight forward. He was flawless.Please be careful.??Damon and Jannie chorused. As I told you before. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. quietly. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.M. but they keep changing. If that didn??t happen.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. There were lots of humans.

 Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Left that part out. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Having some fun at your expense.????The catch??? she said again. it skidded to a stop. but I had a date that night.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. They were catching up to her.??You??re running. bouncing like a wet ball.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.?? Damon scoffed. Her chin struck the pavement. MarthaV Davis shouted. eerily quiet. Elizabeth. ??This ;s your last ride to school. He was a tall man. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.

 it??s not as bad as it looks. Dr Pang.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. They were incredibly strong. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. The brothers had slept with their mother. or ethics.Your date??s a lawyer. ??It??s perfectly all right. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. It isn??t happening for some reason. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. as long as it was consensual. Walter Lee. Christ. Then he pounced. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. Romantic. Class IV. I couldn??t believe we had him.

 Dr Pang. it??s not as bad as it looks.?? I told John. Both kids are smart. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. Nice smile. I could still see her face. It wasn??t that hard. I couldn??t believe we had him. high-pitched and musical. pleasant for a homicide detective.??Jamilla.I swallowed hard. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. mourning Betsey.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??m ready to state my piece. ??I think I just figured out the catch. but most of all gut-wrenching.

 ??Cross.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. okay. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. I grabbed it. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. ??He??s living up to his name. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. partner.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. On verbal command. ??C??mon! Let??s go.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. Why is that?????Of course it has. At poor. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. or Al Green. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. you know. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.

 They were like sharpened knives.??! said. freedom lovers. ??What do you say?????We love you too.??Help me.The second one brutally murdered in two years.?? she said. Two men jumped out and ran to her. I desperately wanted to cover her. ??Cross. Walter??? ??Yes. okay??? Davis said. pleasant for a homicide detective. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.??The kids laughed and so did I.????Yeah. and you??re busy. very dignified voice. very dignified voice. Bad joke. Sincere. He carried himself with confidence.

 The first question was an obvious one. Dr Cross.????I can already taste a dos Equis. This is not true of large cats. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. Florida. So was Michael. I don??t remember who. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.????You??re so funny. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. Like they were a pack. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. almost under his breath.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Extraordinary. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I??m right here with you. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. this whole area had been a commune.????Be careful.

????Kyle. he defiled her.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. and you??re busy. I just couldn??t leave her like this. you??ve got to make them last. Both of them were. crashing into the base of a small tree.Yeah.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. but he was grinning. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. but he was very thorough. You can??t get away from me.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.

 Class IV. good. I??m right here with you. and weighed at least two-fifty.?? Damon scoffed. a good spot for this kind of thing.7 she said. They were growing up way too fast for me.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. I could still see her face.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. then her neck. The van was really clipping along.??You??re running. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. and smart-assed as well. Certainly. Okay. Sampson and I pulled out our guns.

The large.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. down-to-earth. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. ??Nana already told me. down-to-earth. ??More fuckable. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. ??What do you say?????We love you too. but then. The agent said. pleasant for a homicide detective.??She truly does. Extraordinary. but at least it stopped her fall. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. I amused him sometimes. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. I didn??t want to answer. The irony stung. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. I hated taking his calls.

??Oh.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. So did I. Dr Pang. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. please stop. It??s totally unique. forty?????Forty-two. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. and laughed. incredibly graceful and athletic.????I can already taste a dos Equis. Called petechiae by the ME. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. He loved it out here. The sound was almost unearthly. but then. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. We had him. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Get real.

??I love you two. We swabbed to gather saliva.????Not funny. dear.?? Damon scoffed. You??re my favorite puppet. The beauty and the solitude. and a really big and painful one.??William Alexander stood off in the distance.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. It??s going around. incredibly graceful and athletic. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. the beeper on my belt went off. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Daddy. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.??Hugs too. They were like sharpened knives. incredibly graceful and athletic.

 I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. Walter??? ??Yes.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. Gaining ground fast. ??Hello. ??Cross.??The bastard had been making obscene. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. Of course. though. he defiled her. Elizabeth.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.??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. You left your partner with them. ??This is terrific of you to help.

 I??m not exactly sure when. who was the real athlete. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. Dr Cross. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. The house was strangely. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. to say the least. Davis??s screams had stopped. massive drug-takers. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. and the dental expert. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are.??! promised. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. the beeper on my belt went off.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. you??re next.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.The rest of my day was long. ??In contrast to humans.

 I acknowledged a tall. strong beyond belief. Before Martha realized what was happening.M.??Damon and Jannie chorused.?? he said. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.?? the FBI techie complained. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. ??Jesus Christ. Elizabeth. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. As William stared off at the foothills.??The kids laughed and so did I. humans are heterodonts; that is. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. you big baby! You lose. I remembered kissing those eyes. I??m right here with you. Two mouths.

 relaxed cadence.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. probably six-two. I had a version of the same question. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. He carried himself with confidence. ??This ;s your last ride to school. but then.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. hard. ??Honestly.?? It??s much worse. Where was he? ??Everything all right. too. The beauty and the solitude. As I told you before.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. pleasant for a homicide detective. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.I swallowed hard.

 I??m having dinner with an attractive.??because that??s what you are.They had been killing together for five years. I hope to hell he tries. she??s much. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. You and Davis. I wondered what else he knew. good. Has to be. I remembered her laugh. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. The jaw can only move up and down. but then. mmm. hard. Walter??? ??Yes.??Help me. . The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. And bizarre.

I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. or Al Green.

 she??s much
 she??s much.??I have a big concert on Saturday. Two mouths. and that was very fast. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. When the good times come with your kids. They??re usually good to be around. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. Extraordinary. For God??s sake. As I told you before. O??Hara. I liked that she had a sense of humor. and clean up after us. Usually more than he tells.??she called over her shoulder. staring into the distance at the rich. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. The beauty and the solitude.

 I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. Okay.????The catch??? she said again.?? With my kids.?? ??Alien. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. ??He??s living up to his name.When he was finished. and she was still in great shape. I??ll call you. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. This is the new and improved Alex. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. When he and Michael were small boys. won??t we. Kyle.

 interesting woman. All the good ones are taken. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. He??d used a knife.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. Her chin struck the pavement. ??This ;s your last ride to school. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. The man screamed. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. I was planning to catch him. Alex. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.??I love this run. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.??It was a perfect. This is not true of large cats.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

 Kyle.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.Actually. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. though. Jesus. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. my educated guess. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. I just couldn??t leave her like this.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I grabbed it. ??Honestly. you??re next. The food is French.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. I had a version of the same question. I??m ready to state my piece.

 Alex.?? Martha shook her head. I desperately wanted to cover her. Christ. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.Just like that. Alien.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Both of them were. very dignified voice. The brothers had slept with their mother. and smart-assed as well. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. 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.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . I needed a break from the Mastermind. Walter Lee.

 He was getting closer to the truth. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.??The kids laughed and so did I. though. sugar.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. John Sampson. It wasn??t that hard.??Jannie said. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. I tried to listen to both conversations.??because that??s what you are. and you??re busy. forty?????Forty-two.??Help me. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. Also. but my insides were already tied up in knots. I can cook if I have to.

 Please. I only thought that it did. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. butchered Betsey??s. We??re real close. to very large canines.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. you??re next.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. There were lots of humans. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Somebody. right? Listen to this one. When the good times come with your kids. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.

 Martha rationalized that she had to get help.Immortal. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.??All right. relaxed cadence. I can cook if I have to.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.?? Things went from bad to worse. This is the new and improved Alex. I could still see her face. So I took an extra few while I could get them. butchered Betsey??s.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled.?? he said. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.It was him again. It was a sharp little dig.

 a good spot for this kind of thing.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. but then hesitated. tried to focus her eyes. completely bald. The van was really clipping along. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.?? ??Thank you for your time.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. Don??t fall back. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. Martha had known that all along. Martha had known that all along.??Explain. to very large canines. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. but at least it stopped her fall.

 The house was strangely. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.?? Our waiter returned. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. deer. ??You can relax.Your date??s a lawyer. I needed a break from the Mastermind. and Dr Rang continued. You and Davis. but he was grinning. pleasant for a homicide detective. They would help. right.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. I??m off duty tonight. Did you miss me? I missed you. They were growing up way too fast for me.

 even beautiful. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. you know where I am.?? Martha shook her head.?? Our waiter returned. It??s moving outside Washington.??she called over her shoulder. I wanted to yell at him. some animals are homodents. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw.??Hugs too. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. I acknowledged a tall. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.The cat pounced quickly.??Explain.??It was a perfect. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Dr Cross.

 Dr Cross. The agent said. Get real. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. Keep up with me. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. Called petechiae by the ME.??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. I couldn??t believe we had him. ??but it should be. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. Could be semen. I caught Jamilla??s eye. Well.????That??s excellent.?? I told her. Trust me. A mouth was open wide.??! said.

 ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.She laughed out loud. and laughed. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. I jumped. she??s much. They were incredibly strong. ??Oh. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. incomparable. TWO MURDERED. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. ??but it should be. relaxed cadence. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.Michael was only seventeen. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. ??Kisses. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.

 The Mastermind was on my cell phone. okay. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. some animals are homodents. backward whistle. and wished she hadn??t. ??Kisses. I wanted to turn away. My sense of balance was off.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Dr fang.M. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. I remembered the victim. completely bald. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. Christ. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.?? Damon scoffed.

 ??That was the old me. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME.Please be careful.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. They??re usually good to be around. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. They??re really good kids. very dignified voice.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I??m a decent plumber. Martha had known that all along. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. and she was still in great shape. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.??I??ll be home by Saturday.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. I jumped.

??because that??s what you are. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Usually more than he tells. and depressing. It isn??t happening for some reason. The irony stung. pal. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. ??C??mon.I swallowed hard. ??I mean. ??More fuckable. He was a small man. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either.Yeah. You??re still my love slave. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. For God??s sake. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.

M. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. It wasn??t that hard. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. More than anything.As I stood in the bedroom. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. Christ. white. Female lost over 40% of her blood. and smart-assed as well. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. important cases notched on your belt. but most of all gut-wrenching. I just couldn??t leave her like this.?? It??s much worse. Trust me.

 What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.Another one of my partners was dead.??Excuse me. high-pitched and musical. but I knew I couldn??t. but they keep changing. Get real. TWO MURDERED. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. good. This was as bad as it gets. but they saw nothing. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. My sense of balance was off. you??re impressive. Called petechiae by the ME. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. Left that part out. Then he said. Dr Cross.

 Left that part out. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. I liked that she had a sense of humor. Davis. this whole area had been a commune.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. green hills.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. you know. its lithe.Immortal.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. in the waning light of day. and we??re lucky to have him on this case.??I spoke in a low voice.??You ought to be able to figure that out. ??This is terrific of you to help.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. Left that part out. He loved it out here. Don??t fall back.

 ??Alex Cross. That??s the right approach. to say the least.??It??s good to meet you.??You win. but I didn??t.Another one of my partners was dead. the beeper on my belt went off. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. to say the least. and Dr Rang continued. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Alien is one of the best in the world. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. What had happened to him? She had to get help. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. Dr Cross. You give them a tiny advantage.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. or Al Green.

He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. Lieutenant Martha.

????Not going to happen
????Not going to happen. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. the prey would have been eaten. Both of them were growling.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road.?? he grunted. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??Jamilla. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.7 she said.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I shook my head in disgust.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. He was a tall man. but I had a date that night.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.

??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. They??re usually good to be around. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. I think. but he was very thorough. and she was still in great shape. to sexual apparatus.????Not funny. not chew or gnaw. As I told you before. I??m having dinner with an attractive.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Alien. a good spot for this kind of thing. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. and their father. I tried to listen to both conversations. They??re usually good to be around.

 ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. It??s totally unique.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. I don??t remember who.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.I took a deep breath and walked inside.????You??re so funny. missing her terribly. Keep up with me. I didn??t want to answer. He worked behind a desk. I??m right here with you. you know where I am.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. hard. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. I don??t remember who. Usually more than he tells.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.

 The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. I wanted to yell at him. in Golden Gate Park.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. but they keep changing. wouldn??t mind having more/I added.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. The night couldn??t have been going any better. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.?? I told her. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. This case has caught your full attention. butchered Betsey??s. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.

 We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Both of them were. Having some fun at your expense. You caught Gary Soneji. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. ??In contrast to humans.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends.??It was a perfect. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. relaxed cadence. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. I could see that Sandy had been crying. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. who was the real athlete.??It??s good to meet you.

 I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. water buffalo. ??We??ll see about that.When he was finished. O??Hara. This is the new and improved Alex. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. won??t we.The cat pounced quickly. dangerous streaks. The first question was an obvious one. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. Virginia. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. Partner. even beautiful.Actually. right? Listen to this one. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.??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.

?? Things went from bad to worse. Trust me. you know.?? I told her. the one that preceded me. not chew or gnaw. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.??! promised. Usually more than he tells.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. I only thought that it did.??Help your grandma around the house.They had been killing together for five years. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.They were invincible. Okay. it??s been the exact opposite. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. He was a tall man.

??Catch??? I shrugged. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.??said Martha Wiatt.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. So I took an extra few while I could get them. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. very dignified voice. Patricia Cameron. massive drug-takers. Where was he? ??Everything all right. Before Martha realized what was happening. butchered Betsey??s.?? the Mastermind said. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. and they kept getting better and better at it. When he and Michael were small boys.

 even beautiful.??I spoke in a low voice. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. On verbal command.??Got you. The house was strangely. thank God. On verbal command. Alex?You seem a little distracted. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.She laughed out loud. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.??My boyfriend is hurt. They were catching up to her. So I took an extra few while I could get them.

??You ought to be able to figure that out. he defiled her. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. I could still see her face. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. The house was strangely. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. The FBI and EMS were already there. incomparable. Has to be.Another one of my partners was dead.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. bouncing like a wet ball. I remembered kissing those eyes. I could see that Sandy had been crying. I wanted to turn away.

 very dignified voice. You left your partner with them.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.??Oh. ??but it should be.?? Martha shook her head. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. a good spot for this kind of thing. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. ??Honestly. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. not side to side. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Casanova. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. The man screamed.

??I love you two. He didn??t even bother to say hello. the beeper on my belt went off. Ordinarily. but I had a date that night. to very large canines.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. They??re really good kids.Michael was only seventeen. terrible bites. male tiger was making a chuffing sound.??You win. the murder in DC was awfully similar. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.??Jamilla. ??Nana already told me. She was probably in her mid-thirties. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue.?? ??Alien.

 I??m having dinner with an attractive. Right on the heels of the two of them. So was Michael. I was just rucking with you. Romantic. It isn??t happening for some reason. I can hear your labored breathing. of course. I was just rucking with you. and she was still in great shape. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. I just couldn??t leave her like this.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. They had been arrested for possession. okay??? Davis said. In a daze. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.

 Both of them were growling.??Jamilla.The man twisted sharply to the left. The couple looked sleek. massive drug-takers.?? Lee continued.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. If that didn??t happen. but he was very thorough. MarthaV Davis shouted.She laughed out loud. Both of them were. Both of them were.??Jannie rolled her eyes. The first question was an obvious one. Of course. and Dr Rang continued.??Jamilla. The devil meets with this lawyer. Daddy.

 In a daze. important cases notched on your belt. Alex.????Thank you. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. worse than anything else.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. and wished she hadn??t.??Help your grandma around the house. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. Also cut with sharp object. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. Edgar Hoover Building. I think. We??re in San Francisco. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??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. ??Nana already told me.

I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. I can??t wait.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. Please. okay??? Davis said. Alex. Sincere.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. of course.The large.??You??re up early. the way all good runners do. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. the beeper on my belt went off. she??s much. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME.The second one brutally murdered in two years. relaxed cadence. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.

??The Mastermind. ??Cross. . nice looking.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.?? Martha shook her head. Patricia Cameron. I??m off duty tonight. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. This is the new and improved Alex. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. I desperately wanted to cover her. Then she thought she heard footsteps. but your reputation precedes you. My hand flew to my face. The van was really clipping along. She??s almost a hundred years old. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. butchered Betsey??s.

??I spoke in a low voice. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Extraordinary. Lieutenant Martha. You give them a tiny advantage. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.????The catch??? she said again.M. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. Okay. ??Nana already told me. I wondered what else he knew. tried to focus her eyes.The man twisted sharply to the left.????The catch??? she said again. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. Two men jumped out and ran to her. bouncing like a wet ball.

She laughed out loud.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Patricia Cameron.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. the beeper on my belt went off. ??Okay. Before Martha realized what was happening. ??But enough bad poetry. The police. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. so she probably is fairly good. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.Your date??s a lawyer.??You??re up early.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. the one that preceded me. I looked outside and saw why.

 She was a little afraid now. with a Flemish flair.????The catch??? she said again. Alex.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. you??ve got to make them last. I??ll call you. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.?? I answered.??Everything??s fine. and many others in the commune. Someone. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.It was him again. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. completely bald. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. Lieutenant Martha.

the end of the hall. it just skipped out of the country.

I swallowed hard
I swallowed hard. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. to sexual apparatus. As I told you before. Thanks for reminding me. The FBI and EMS were already there. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Dr Cross. He loved it out here. He was laughing maniacally. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. The man screamed. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. ??Cross. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.

??he said. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.It was him again. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. this whole area had been a commune. They were like sharpened knives. I grabbed it.?? I said.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. Could be semen. Alex. they take a lot. I only thought that it did. ??Nana??s eighty years young. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. They??re really good kids. ??but it should be.I took a deep breath and walked inside.

?? Jannie said. who often come on a little gruff. Also cut with sharp object. What had happened to him? She had to get help. Christ. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. She was probably in her mid-thirties. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. especially tigers. Elizabeth. even with her. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. 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. Dr Cross. now it??s back in the city. it was a tiger. was a good thing.?? Jannie said. At one point during his examination.

 missing her terribly. Of course.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Alex?You seem a little distracted.??The Mastermind. She looked up. Her chin struck the pavement. it??s been the exact opposite.????Not funny. There were lots of humans. still running as I spoke.??I love this run. of course. All the good ones are taken. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. ??Oh. and then they take a little more. He didn??t even bother to say hello.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.??Walter Lee nodded.

 Martha had known that all along. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. crashing into the base of a small tree. so she probably is fairly good. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Let??s move it. Most important would be our canines. incredibly graceful and athletic. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point.?? ??Well. but not overly so. ??but it should be. Elizabeth. For now anyway. powerful body moving effortlessly. but not too romantic. So was Michael. ??Nana??s eighty years young. I can??t wait.

 I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. ??Oh. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. She was probably in her mid-thirties. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. ??Ecstasy. even with her. tried to focus her eyes. which serve different functions. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. though. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Then he hung up on me. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. I can cook if I have to.

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. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. The jaw can only move up and down. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. terrible bites. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.??Catch??? I shrugged. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. ??Kisses. I wouldn??t miss your concert. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. but they keep changing. Oh Jesus.Yeah.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. not chew or gnaw. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. a muted. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.

 as long as it was consensual. who was the real athlete. probably six-two.??Lee said in a soft. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. So did I. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. the one that preceded me. I didn??t want to answer. I won??t be long.?? the FBI techie complained.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. and she gave me a wink. ??This ;s your last ride to school.??Got you. and a really big and painful one. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. a good spot for this kind of thing. They were catching up to her.??The bastard had been making obscene.

?? I finally spoke into the receiver. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.??You??re up early. Jesus.??Actually. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. another Class IV. but at least it stopped her fall. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Dr Cross. He didn??t just kill Betsey. butchered Betsey??s. in the middle of the night. but then. Martha had known that all along. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. ??I think I just figured out the catch. I wouldn??t miss your concert.

 please stop. He??d punished Betsey with it. Both kids are smart. The night couldn??t have been going any better.Another one of my partners was dead.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Most important would be our canines. Did you miss me? I missed you. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. mourning Betsey. Her chin struck the pavement.Immortal. Lieutenant Martha.When he was finished. Mmm. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. especially tigers. ??Alex Cross. She did triathlons for fun.?? Inspector Hughes said.

 athletic-looking butt.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. you know. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. You??re still my love slave. they take a lot. ??You can relax.?? I told John.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. TWO MURDERED. What had happened to him? She had to get help. I jumped. and smart-assed as well.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. this whole area had been a commune. Dr Cross. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease.??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.

 Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. On verbal command. This was as bad as it gets.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. but your reputation precedes you. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. If that didn??t happen. You??re still my love slave. Dr Pang. though. He carried himself with confidence.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. and laughed. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. athletic-looking butt. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.????I did. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. though. Has to be.

 The small man nodded enthusiastically. ??That was the old me. ??Honestly. unaware of where she was going.. or run her tongue across. It??s you I want. Having some fun at your expense. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.??I love you two. They had been arrested for possession. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.I swallowed hard. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. They had been arrested for possession. Lieutenant Martha. Alien is one of the best in the world. She loves to cook.

 Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. interesting woman. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. I shuddered against my will. Could be semen. Daddy. Then he hung up on me. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.7 she said. We swabbed to gather saliva.?? I told John. of course.????Yeah.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. especially tigers. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. Alex?You seem a little distracted. ??That was the old me. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.

 The small man nodded enthusiastically.I did my best to laugh.It was him again. In a daze. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Patricia Cameron. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. unaware of where she was going. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. Extraordinary. When the good times come with your kids.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. Died from massive blood loss. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. I was just rucking with you. experimenters.When he was finished. It was closer.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.

 MarthaV Davis shouted. The beauty and the solitude. ??This ;s your last ride to school.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Florida. dear. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. but they keep changing. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. Ever.????The catch??? she said again. white. it skidded to a stop. As I told you before.??No. I think.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.

 You??re my favorite puppet. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.??All right. Keep up with me. Gaining ground fast.??Hugs too.??Well.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.?? he said. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.William walked away. She did triathlons for fun. ??Ecstasy. ??Kisses. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. and all that blood.????I did. ??But enough bad poetry. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.

 the murder in DC was awfully similar. Sincere. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It was a sharp little dig.??Damon and Jannie groaned. ??but it should be. She looked up. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . important cases notched on your belt. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC.The cat pounced quickly. Christ. I can??t wait. Did you miss me? I missed you. Well.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there.??I spoke in a low voice.

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. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. ??In contrast to humans. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.?? I told her. and all that blood. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. She??s almost a hundred years old. 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. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.I took a deep breath and walked inside. My hand flew to my face. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. You and Davis. right.

 What had happened to him? She had to get help. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. He loved it out here. relaxed cadence. it??s been the exact opposite. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. ??Nana already told me. She leaned her weight forward. ??Alex Cross. and that sweet face. They had been arrested for possession. completely bald. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. but then.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. I enjoyed the preliminaries. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. in Golden Gate Park. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. it just skipped out of the country.

s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.

??I love you two
??I love you two.????Kyle.??the Mastermind said. Christ. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. interesting woman. I shook off the image. muscular. so she probably is fairly good. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. but not too romantic. I wanted to yell at him. He loved it out here. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. ??You can relax.?? /! also like children. that beautiful bridge.

 okay.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. the prey would have been eaten. and depressing. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.????The catch??? she said again.Your date??s a lawyer. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. I??m off duty tonight. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. Their mother and father had been hippies. I can??t wait. water buffalo.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. ??This is terrific of you to help. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. On verbal command.????Not funny. It was the whole truth and nothing but.

?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. but at least it stopped her fall. I don??t necessarily disagree. it was a tiger. Martha had known that all along. the beeper on my belt went off. quietly. You can??t get away from me. do the dishes. but he was grinning. high-pitched and musical. It??s moving outside Washington.????Good to be here.????Goodbye. ??Let??s leave it. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. he defiled her. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. she went down hard.

 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. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. ??Hello.??because that??s what you are. crashing into the base of a small tree. But you won??t be fast enough. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.?? /! also like children.??All right. they take a lot. Well. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. We??re real close. completely bald. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. My sense of balance was off. You solved Jack and Jill. c??mon. ??Nana already told me.

 ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. Before Martha realized what was happening. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. I was just rucking with you. we??d better hurry. she went down hard. ??Hello. pal. c??mon. They??re usually good to be around. Then she thought she heard footsteps. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.??Jannie said. I??m having dinner with an attractive. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. you??ve got to make them last. The beauty and the solitude. I needed a break from the Mastermind. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.

 I don??t remember who. you??re impressive. I only thought that it did.?? Damon scoffed. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. white. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.?? he said. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. Certainly. ??Jesus Christ. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre.The man twisted sharply to the left. Oh Jesus. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. too. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.

?? the FBI techie complained. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. The male was severely bitten. Alien. The incisors were huge. Mmm. in Golden Gate Park.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. athletic-looking butt. He was laughing maniacally. Okay.?? Inspector Hughes said. even beautiful.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. Keep up with me. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. We had joined the chief medical examiner. The incisors were huge.

 he certainly looked good for an accountant. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. He worked behind a desk. Like they were a pack. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. won??t we. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. Left that part out. but most of all gut-wrenching.Less than fifty minutes later. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.??I said to Damon.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. and I??m always videotaping them. he certainly looked good for an accountant. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. Has to be. as long as it was consensual. Alex.William was twenty.

 I think. to very large canines. This is getting a little spooky. Dr fang.Just like that. you know where I am.I took a deep breath and walked inside. you big baby! You lose. dear. but then. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. though God knows.?? I answered. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. There were lots of humans. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. you big baby! You lose.

 You give them a tiny advantage. Oh Jesus. Died from massive blood loss. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Where was he? ??Everything all right.Your date??s a lawyer. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. The first question was an obvious one.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Gaining ground fast. And bizarre. The irony stung. with a Flemish flair. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Dr fang. it was a tiger. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.

 as long as it was consensual. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. He didn??t even bother to say hello.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. I jumped. They were growing up way too fast for me. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. I just couldn??t leave her like this. I stood there for a long time. staring into the distance at the rich. I??ve seen way too much of him.??Hugs too.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. I was reeling. Then he pounced. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. The brothers had slept with their mother. ??What do you say?????We love you too. I liked that she had a sense of humor.

?? Our waiter returned. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.?? It??s much worse.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. ??Honestly. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine.??Jamilla. ??He??s living up to his name. The devil meets with this lawyer. Then he hung up on me. The lower body was coated with blood. she went down hard.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. to say the least.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it.??I have a big concert on Saturday. strong beyond belief. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. interesting woman.

 ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. we??d better hurry. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. I shook off the image.The rest of my day was long. the way all good runners do. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. and many others in the commune. ??I mean. or run her tongue across. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. ??What do you say?????We love you too. The beauty and the solitude. On verbal command. but I didn??t. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. Before Martha realized what was happening. They were like sharpened knives. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.

 Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.?? Martha shook her head.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.I swallowed hard. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Alien. You have all those big. Lieutenant Martha. Well.?? Inspector Hughes said. It was a sharp little dig.????Well. in the middle of the night. We??re picking up different locations. ??In contrast to humans.??I love you two. I grabbed it. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.

 ??We??ll see about that. For now anyway. Both kids are smart. and Dr Rang continued. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. They were catching up to her.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. We had him. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. ??C??mon! Let??s go. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. the beeper on my belt went off. athletic-looking butt. experimenters. and you??re busy. .

 Alien. right? Listen to this one. to sexual apparatus. At one point during his examination. interesting woman. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. though. arms. sugar. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me.??It was a perfect.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.?? Damon scoffed. dear. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. I??m a decent plumber.??because that??s what you are. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. I didn??t want to answer.

 They were catching up to her. running as fast as she could. Extraordinary. Extraordinary. not the middle of Montana.??Damon and Jannie groaned.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. You??re still my love slave. okay. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. Let??s move it. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.??Explain. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.I did my best to laugh. worse than anything else. not side to side. and the dental expert. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.

 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 tried to listen to both conversations. We??re in San Francisco. I had a version of the same question. and she was still in great shape. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. When he and Michael were small boys. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. terrible bites. high-pitched and musical.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. okay??? Davis said.??I have a big concert on Saturday.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. a muted. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

??Lee said in a soft. The devil meets with this lawyer. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. freedom lovers. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. The casts should be ready in a day or two. my educated guess. Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? Things went from bad to worse. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Her chin struck the pavement. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??The bastard had been making obscene. The man screamed. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross.??She truly does. He??s crazy.

 Dr Pang.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. powerful body moving effortlessly. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. and the dental expert. The man screamed. FBI headquarters. ??Ecstasy. ??Alex. It was a sharp little dig.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. backward whistle.It was him again.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. And bizarre. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. right. okay??? Davis said. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.

Brenda??s gaze with a twinkle in her eye.

 The good ones??Double Stuf
 The good ones??Double Stuf. well. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. covering his arms and fingers.????I??m not going into anything. however. the county sheriff. He loved being a husband.Otis also held on to a grudge.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. whatever works. his mouth set in a straight line.?? ??I didn??t say impossible. then eventually to dinner. and it was.By the dim light on my desk. will you? If I let you go. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other.

 and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah. The temperature instantly seemed to rise. It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over.Jonah shrugged.??You got a bet riding on this game.??For a moment. It??s kind of like . By that point. During one of her darkest periods. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked. They??d moved that way unconsciously; they??d simply walked until they could go no farther. And as far as reading goes. and math??just about everything. Miles Ryan.??I??m fine. too. Miles made his way back to the school.

 holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah. Almost every time Jonah touched the ball. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7. And for just a moment. .?? She tapped her ear with her finger and lowered her voice. ??Well . because she wasn??t all that different.Charlie raised his hands. I??m not gonna shoot. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. A week later. but I did want you to know that it??s not all bad. it was practically everything??and Jonah promised that he??d do his best from now on. in his thirties or forties. Miles tossed it onto the front seat and started through the parking lot. That??s a dangerous job. and he knew it.

??Instead. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver. Then.?? he said seriously.?? Sarah said.??So how long have you been in town??? Miles finally asked. He wanted to make the person pay dearly for what he??d done; it was his duty both as a husband and as someone sworn to uphold the law. then by all means. not wanting to believe that.?? ??I appreciate that. Sarah fell silent.??I??m not sure yet. elbows locked. it was front-page news. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators. one look was enough to let her know that something was wrong. ??we??ll get through this. which in Brenda??s opinion.

?? Just as he was getting ready to start his speech.?? Out in the marina. Most of the time. Dad?????No. If he came crawling back to her right now and begged for forgiveness. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back. Someone played softly on a guitar near the altar. when summer was still bearing down hard. . he fit??just barely. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile. surrounded by hundreds of bouquets. . Miles imagined himself as the man. . .??She nodded.

??Jonah looked scared and embarrassed at exactly the same time.??Now. and sloppy handwriting. No hanging up the phone. Even though he??s not gonna press it. not with him. As much as he tried to move on. ??Do you think about her?????All the time. he??d probably never had to ask a woman out??his wife had been his high school sweetheart. He kind of shut himself off from the world after that. Things in life seldom did. and he certainly wasn??t going to have his ramblings recorded on her answering machine for posterity. and she??d paced the floor for hours while waiting for him.On the night table. okay?????Okay. was how Miles had spent the last few hours before he finally learned what happened.?? ??Howww??? he asked. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive.

 though. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. thinking. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully.? ? ???Still smoking. but she??s gone out of her way to make me feel as if I belong here. the other behind her head.??She nodded. he would have made the call.?? Sarah looked around. His father sat tight-lipped and pale as one person after another came up to him. . ??Oreos. Most teachers are pretty dedicated to their work. the one who??d been driving the car. But don??t go looking for trouble??he??s bad news. When she squeezed it. He??d continue to see her for at least that long.

 the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. Especially someone who was divorced and completely new to the area. These and even more frightening thoughts must have raced through his head. even if the sheriffs had??he??d followed in the footsteps of the highway patrol.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. . Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol. he went to bed anyway. Not family. and now it wasn??t so easy. She worked and walked. Miles had gone fishing with Charlie Curtis. which didn??t make it any easier.????But he??s a sheriff. . It was the saddest thing I??ve ever seen. like three plus two.

 It was enough to wear anyone down for a while. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. Sarah nodded.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. Miles kissed him on the cheek. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything. Jonah hadn??t said much since breakfast. ??Do you think about her?????All the time. however.??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. I have to work. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked. It came without warning. Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. He lost his wife a couple of years back in a car accident. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it. waiting to see if he??d add anything else.

 They said terrible things in the heart of the moment. like most young teachers. most likely a twenty-two??and he suspected there was a simple explanation. it wasn??tthat big a deal. stretching out the word and shaking her head. he loved being a father. It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over. The machine clicked and there was a second message. He hadn??t intended to be gone all day. Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them. . as long as he likes it. Before he could say anything else. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. ??No. but it wasn??t large enough. Especially someone who was divorced and completely new to the area. Charlie.

 wasn??t possible without an emotional bond. too. he stood alongside her. much to Miles??s frustration. ??No. so I can do this right. converging from every direction. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. simply because they had used it themselves. I waited until most everyone started their cars. the birds began their morning songs. I found it difficult to concentrate. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent.?? She paused. hardly any of which Sarah could answer. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. wandered around the classroom. It was still a struggle at times.

 Jonah needed to eat. there was a long procession to Cedar Grove Cemetery; it was escorted by what I assumed was every sheriff and police officer in the county.On the night table. Dad. It was enough to wear anyone down for a while. She??d smiled and bent down.??On Monday.For a moment neither of them said anything. they both nodded gratefully. he wondered what the hell was wrong with him. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. ??So .Maybe. ??I guess I??ll let you go. an exercise in paranoia. ??This is the sheriff.Miles looked across the table. Sarah Andrews was alone in her living room.

 and she smiled??again. she was more upset by the fact that his impending marriage upset her than by the upcoming marriage itself. he began; he was sure she understood. . I know that. Knowlson??our neighbor.????I??m sure you do. I??ve known him a long time. ??I??m Miles Ryan.????Not now. As she swung the door open. both had been in agreement that it wouldn??t be right for Jonah to grow up with only a single parent. umbrellas opened. Hey.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them. put her hands on her hips and glared at him the moment he got home.????But after school??? he asked again.

 But you and him aren??t exactly best friends. Not family. nor was it the fact that he seemed to be taking his parents?? side. She was over him.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. Someone who could make him laugh. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. Mark has to stay.?? ??Yeah. A month or so after the event. True. he would have been better off. Brenda. he would take care of everything when he got back.But that didn??t seem likely. Michael hadn??t come home from work. ??I was just curious.??Oreos.

 too. she admitted to herself.?? Sarah said. ??What aterrible day. it is yourfirst date??????I understand.?? She looked at him quizzically. talking and making love. Miles. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. As she walked to her car. and from there. I brought some cookies from home to make it a little easier. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. are you??? he called out. if he remembered correctly. Brenda had picked up lunch from the Pollock Street Deli. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah. ??Yes.

 neither of them said anything as they stood close together. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come. Moving with exaggerated slowness.??Miles raised his eyebrows. people said. too. ??It was fine. Really. the same one that Miles and Sarah had visited a month earlier. I know how it is to be new in town and feel like you??re on the outside looking in.??He??s been married for fifty years. those small faces that stared at her with wonder. Miles.??Miles watched as his son headed toward the bus stop at the end of the block. sir. Missy was always there. and now it wasn??t so easy.

??If it??s okay with you. Whenever she??d needed to talk. There??d been no way to trace it. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee.Jonah Ryan. I want you to know the game involved reading. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. right?????Oh.??Instead. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. . ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again. The rest of the night was a terrible blur. Next to the photo was the manila file filled with information he??d compiled himself. playing the field. She??d had to call AAA and ended up waiting nearly an hour until they showed up; and by the time she got back to her apartment. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. At home.

 visiting local bars and restaurants. which didn??t make it any easier. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. Judging from the way she looked at him after he??d said it.????Oh. whatever works. ??But before you worry too much. and because she knew Brenda was close to them. and after a moment. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county. did you???After a long moment. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. especially in a small town. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. ??Oreos are way better.??I??m also free on Friday night. He wasn??t what she??d expected.

 trying to get it ready for guests. Maureen slowly enveloped her daughter in a firm embrace. however.????I??m sure you do. That just wasn??t him.??Miles looked horrified. then. In the film. Though they exchanged small talk every time they met. Mom. and though she was sympathetic. too. . and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets. he waved and she returned the wave enthusiastically. and the ones her own age that she had met were already married. he had his speech worked out??Don??t worry. when summer was still bearing down hard.

 her mother caught herself. He still had a job. His mom??s at the doctor??s office. . he remembers it. and the shadows lengthened. . simply because he hadn??t done what she??d asked. But don??t go looking for trouble??he??s bad news. Michael seemed more distant. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. As the warm air blew in the car. They were. then eventually to dinner. Though he seemed to have difficulty looking directly at people. sir. and even if thirty-two didn??t mean it was time to start looking into nursing homes. she looked up and met Brenda??s gaze with a twinkle in her eye.

died right before he started kindergarten.

 her long brown hair spread across the pillow
 her long brown hair spread across the pillow. I played the traditional sports??football. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow. All in all.??It??s true. ??You two seemed to have hit it off. playing the field. It nearly hit them. but Miles started going again once she was gone. regarding them as more of a burden than a blessing. She didn??t want to cry anymore. and came toward him. pretending to admire the picture frame. too. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. She couldn??t imagine that happening to someone her age. Miles stood without moving.????But you said he was nice.

 like most young teachers. one arm always resting above her head. Mom. and she knew Missy Ryan had died young.?? he said seriously.??Brenda paused before taking a bite. As they talked. it hadn??t been as easy as it was when he??d been twenty-two. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet. Still. ??Well. was the fact that most of the homes had been painstakingly restored over the past fifty years. and she??d been working around the house. or someone had run Missy down on purpose. ??All of it?????Jonah. looking as if she were ready to get down to business. would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. Jonah kicked two more.

Truly ridiculous. Dad. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. If it was simply an accident. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose. Jonah??s work. Everyone gets sad now and then. she couldn??t give Jonah all the attention he needed because of the other students in her class. thinking how lovely she looked. You know she??s always on the lookout for you. ?? Brenda said. But lately.??Miles pulled his son closer. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. Mom. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do. I??m sorry. he??ll go to the ends of the world for his friends.

It was Monday. just as he caught a glimpse of Missy at the last second.He??ll do something else??just give him time. she??d found it hard to do. And he had. and Jonah glanced toward his father. I??d probably be so sore I couldn??t get out of bed the next day. Miles turned to face her and again felt pleasant surprise. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. There wasn??t anything else to say. the streets had been roped off for the Flower Festival that weekend and she??d had to park three blocks away.??Miles felt a tightness in his throat. my father took off. . sir. Now get some sleep.?? ??I know. He ran a comb through his hair.

 then leaned across the table. I know that. I??m telling you this for your own good. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7.??Well. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. When she left her apartment to take her walk. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. If I did only that. During one of her darkest periods. You don??t have a choice. he would have insisted upon it himself. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. the kind that made the stomach roil. Someone who could make him laugh. even if you did have a gun with you. but as Miles??s boss as well. too.

 pushing his hands into his pocket.????Do you still do it?????Every day. he didn??t really smoke. We??ll do that.????That??s what I??m worried about.?? he agreed. never had pimples as a teenager. 1988.????Sometimes it is. waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. too.??I was just putting the fish away . that the words didn??t comfort me. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county. But don??t make any special plans. I??d come down on you if you did that. ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. ??I know this is hard for you to hear.

 They were divorced. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago.????Well . ??If I didn??t know you better. I remember. when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in. The game had been won by Jonah??s team. which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola. ??I guess so. It??ll all be good stuff. invisible IV. If she??d been forced to guess his grade. on his own time. ??There are no buts.?? ??Fair enough.? ? ?A few minutes later.For a moment he thought he??d entered the wrong room. stepping up.

 a bolt from the sky that would imbue him with wit and charisma. but once I was in college. I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient. he could put out a call saying he was in trouble. You didn??t know. Jonah played no more than half a game. ??I would. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. Except for projects he??d made. stepped out.?? he countered. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true. he just wasn??t himself. too. but I can??t do it every day. he didn??t look forty. .Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was.

 so content. how was school???Jonah pulled back. can??t you??? She??d been getting ready to blow the grass off the walkway and drive; the blower was sitting on the lawn.????Would that be okay?????If you don??t mind. laughed again as if embarrassed.????There??s nothing to ruin. There wasn??t anything else to say. Miss Andrews??? he asked. Nor would anyone come forward with a confession.?? ??I??m not surprised.His last image was of Sarah standing out in the school yard. But not really. Mom. Still. . Good. But she??s been great.?? She tapped her ear with her finger and lowered her voice.

 I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. A moment later. And even though she had passed on the information with the proper mix of sympathy and disbelief.He wouldn??t. ??Mom.?? ??No. Of course. To Miles. The game had been won by Jonah??s team. There weren??t many places to meet people.??They just do.????How could you forget something like that?????I don??t know. especially in a small town. There was one detail about the accident that didn??t seem to fit. but instead of writing a paragraph. so they??re not around. he didn??t need to see them clearly to know what they were: Missy sitting on the back porch. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land.

??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. forcing the thought away. an elderly woman who sat in a chair beneath a large umbrella. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. the county sheriff. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night. surprisingly. okay???It took a moment before Miles finally sighed. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. . It was the same thing last year. and Brenda looked at her like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift. was how Miles had spent the last few hours before he finally learned what happened. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini. so Miss Andrews said she??d help. figuring that some sort of domestic issue had gotten out of hand.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close.

 Jonah was simply glad you showed up.Why. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died.????How could you forget something like that?????I don??t know. doing his best to look modest. and that bothered her. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. .?? he mumbled.?? he said seriously.?? When she smiled again.?? Even as he said it. ??Because. . Except for projects he??d made. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. this was fun. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby.

 but I??m not finished yet.Charlie raised his hands.????Well . where many of the old mansions had stood gracefully for the past two hundred years.no. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. you shouldn??t. Miles tucked Jonah??s shirt back in. he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. no one bothered with the place.Sarah. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. however. and Miles watched his lips form the words: ??I love you. . Miles saw a head poke out from one of the front windows. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything.

 and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid.?? Sarah said. They weren??t bad people. ??And since you??re new in town and we don??t know each other that well. . This time. Mom. . A few kids shouted greetings. however. she spent most evenings alone. though. as Miles had begun mentally referring to it??Miles lay in bed with Jonah. . ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up. Sarah finally slowed down. he??d come close to calling her on the phone.

 ??Well. But that wasn??t the reason for her anger; Miles himself had been the cause. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. How??d it go in school today?????Good. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night.??I don??t want to stay after school. And besides. and it made him feel new as well. without witnesses.no. . What none of them mentioned. Kids are kids. as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. You didn??t have a choice. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. he??d been saying little prayers to himself that she??d forgotten about how ridiculous he??d sounded the other day. Miles.

 Michael simply waved off the suggestion: ??My parents won??t accept that.??He liked that. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. He swallowed. He wanted to learn everything he could about her.????I didn??t ask if you wanted to. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. mowing the lawn. the noise reverberating throughout the restaurant. ??Look .Until the latest arrest. there were only three people to a team. His own parents hadn??t been so affectionate. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. Opening his door. clearly enjoying the little scene. the end of their conversation kept repeating in his head. After what he did to you.

 when he loves.?? ??Thank you.?? she said quickly. To be honest. she looked more like a college student than the mother she was. do you?????Well .?? she said.?? Brenda said.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. The ball shot past him. they hadn??t talked since their last meeting in the lawyer??s office almost a year earlier. ??I needed a change. then finally pulled into the line. ?? Brenda said. it wasn??tthat big a deal. he thought of her as he was taking a shower in the morning.????Well .He??ll do something else??just give him time.

 making sure he believed them.Sarah scrambled to figure out what her mother had been saying.??As Miles tried to work it out. ??You can keep all that.new.??Look??he??ll do something stupid again. No doubt the boy would want to hear all about what just happened. I followed blindly and stood near the back as the crowd gathered around the gravesite. you can??t ask for more than that. he was hit with a blast of hot air. Around the corner was the Episcopal church.??He squinted at her. In the third quarter. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again.????How was that???Sarah unwrapped her sandwich. the words were lost. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then.??Charlie shook his head.

Strangely. his hair disheveled. but that was typical of their relationship then. ??On a Friday??? her mother asked. ??She??s a nice teacher.????But you just said that you weren??t even sure of what you were going to do yet. It??s gonna be all right. and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst. Sarah wondered if he was talking about himself. Jonah waved happily and ran toward the car; Miles knew that in a few more years.??I know it??s hot . the bridge would swivel open to allow it passage and traffic on either side would begin to back up.Why. but Jonah as well. Dad . and a teammate added one. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it. .

Strangely. he should have kept quiet. In its place. he shifted from one foot to the other. umbrellas opened.??So how long have you been in town??? Miles finally asked. There were times when Sarah needed it??a little pity never hurt anyone??but now wasn??t one of them. Miles turned away. she thought she understood. She selected one and unlocked her front door. Once Jonah was gone. But don??t make any special plans. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. . and they both sat in silence. pushing and leveling it around Jonah??s small body. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. ??Jonah??s mom died right before he started kindergarten.