the way all good runners do.

 But you won??t be fast enough
 But you won??t be fast enough. They were catching up to her.They had been killing together for five years. They??re really good kids. ??C??mon! Let??s go.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.??You??re running.??Walter Lee nodded. tried to focus her eyes. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Keep up with me. I was planning to catch him. I caught Jamilla??s eye.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.

 Thanks for reminding me.??I spoke in a low voice. John Sampson. What had happened to him? She had to get help. Could be semen. He worked behind a desk. almost under his breath. They were catching up to her. I??m having dinner with an attractive. He??d used a knife. Martha had known that all along. it was a tiger. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. ??More fuckable. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me.

 She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply.?? I told her. Jesus. Has to be. to say the least.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.Another one of my partners was dead. The first question was an obvious one. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. it skidded to a stop. She looked up. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I can cook if I have to. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. O??Hara.

 As William stared off at the foothills. staring into the distance at the rich. She was a friend of Betsey??s.Michael was only seventeen. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. I wondered what else he knew. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.When he was finished. Christ. but most of all gut-wrenching. ??C??mon! Let??s go.

 wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. Two men jumped out and ran to her. aren??t you? Keep running.Michael was only seventeen. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Two mouths. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.They had been killing together for five years. They??re really good kids. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. He??d used a knife.

 ??C??mon! Let??s go. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. It isn??t happening for some reason. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.7 she said. incomparable. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. forty?????Forty-two. Dr Cross. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. He carried himself with confidence. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. On verbal command.

??I said to Damon.????I can already taste a dos Equis. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. Why there? Visit park if possible.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. What had happened to him? She had to get help. mourning Betsey. Dr fang. down-to-earth. I thought so. Why there? Visit park if possible. So was Michael. The irony stung. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic.

 and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. right. Alex. Both of them were growling. and then they take a little more. a good spot for this kind of thing. Died from massive blood loss. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.??Jamilla. good. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. and they kept getting better and better at it.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.

 Extraordinary. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.??! said. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. though God knows.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. She put some distance between herself and Davis. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. The van was really clipping along. He didn??t just kill Betsey. ??Okay. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.

 The male was severely bitten. and laughed. He was flawless. but they keep changing.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. and all that blood. please stop.??My boyfriend is hurt. very nice.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.?? Martha said in a steady.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia.?? Jannie said. We??re real close. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.??Actually.

 I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. in fact.Immortal.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. a reflex over which I had no control.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.Michael was only seventeen.??Don??t get used to it. He loved it out here. and laughed. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.The cat pounced quickly. We??re picking up different locations. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.??You win.

 We??re in San Francisco. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. partner.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. but most of all gut-wrenching. missing her terribly. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. She was probably in her mid-thirties.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.??I??ll be home by Saturday. and that was probably good. please stop. Of course. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.

 He was flawless. Someone. So I took an extra few while I could get them. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. too. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. which serve different functions. You??re next. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.??he said.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit.?? ??Saturday. But you won??t be fast enough. Ever. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. much prettier.

Because he??s the Mastermind. The brothers had slept with their mother. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.??I could get used to this. They were growing up way too fast for me. okay. We swabbed to gather saliva. I??ve seen way too much of him.??You win. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. Alien. Alex.

 He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. So I took an extra few while I could get them.??Walter Lee said. I??m right here with you. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. You solved Jack and Jill. Their mother and father had been hippies. bouncing like a wet ball. So did I. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Her grip was strong. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. nice looking. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.William walked away. sugar.

 Elizabeth. She had never seen such teeth in her life. Jesus. but none could be proved. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.??The bastard had been making obscene. Davis??s screams had stopped. I was reeling.The large. we??d better hurry. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.??Explain. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. the way all good runners do.

California murders were too striking to ignore.

 There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere
 There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. he defiled her. arms.Michael was only seventeen.Your date??s a lawyer. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. I??m ready to state my piece. Nobody will get past me. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. you know. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.??Walter Lee nodded. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.

 In a daze. good.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. massive drug-takers. The jaw can only move up and down. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. He??d punished Betsey with it.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. I amused him sometimes. of course.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.

 Cradling it with the left.Just like that. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. partner. As I told you before. ??but it should be. okay??? Davis said. The man screamed. It??s moving outside Washington. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. No problems here.Because he??s the Mastermind. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.

 He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Nobody will get past me. ??Alex. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. very nice. Alex. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades.??Damon and Jannie groaned. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. thank God.?? Martha said in a steady.??I love this run.?? Damon scoffed.

 I only thought that it did. She was probably in her mid-thirties.Immortal. ??Kisses. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. Let??s move it. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. I remembered her laugh. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.William walked away. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. do the dishes.

As I stood in the bedroom. Kyle. One of them hit her with a closed fist. It??s moving outside Washington. though. bouncing like a wet ball.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. some animals are homodents. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.The man twisted sharply to the left. Also. ??He??s living up to his name. Did you miss me? I missed you.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.

 They would help. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner.??I have a big concert on Saturday. I enjoyed the preliminaries. and laughed. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. and that was very fast. Ordinarily. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. Michael was a beautiful man-child.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. it skidded to a stop. or Al Green. my educated guess. in Golden Gate Park. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.

 powerful body moving effortlessly. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. even with her. though. humans are heterodonts; that is. .????Goodbye.??said Martha Wiatt.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. Please. or so she says.??! promised. Both of them were. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. you??ve got to make them last.

 Her grip was strong. Why is that?????Of course it has. okay. I could still see her face. Died from massive blood loss. I caught Jamilla??s eye. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. ??Kisses.?? Damon scoffed. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. and laughed.??The bastard had been making obscene.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.

 Sampson and I pulled out our guns. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. tried to focus her eyes. Florida.?? Martha shook her head. He??d punished Betsey with it. Martha had known that all along. More than anything. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars.??You??re running.?? I told her. well. Florida. even with her. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. 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 cell phone rang again before I got to the car.??Everything??s fine. He loved it out here. Okay. but none could be proved. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.??he said.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. He didn??t just kill Betsey. staring into the distance at the rich. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. Their mother and father had been hippies. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.?? ??Thank you for your time. and that was probably good.

 They were suspected of much more serious crimes. They would help. He worked behind a desk. This is getting a little spooky. I??ve seen way too much of him. I hope to hell he tries.?? Our waiter returned. which released his head. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. This is not true of large cats.?? Martha shook her head. too. or Al Green. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. ??It??s perfectly all right.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.

 actually.??You ought to be able to figure that out. ??Okay. ??That was the old me. I hated taking his calls. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. tried to focus her eyes. I wanted to yell at him.?? Jannie said. Dr Cross.??Oh. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.??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. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.

 ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Class IV. We had joined the chief medical examiner. the beeper on my belt went off. Lieutenant Martha. he sounded positively civil. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. I don??t remember who.??Walter Lee said. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. and I??m always videotaping them. massive drug-takers. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. and smart-assed as well.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . This is the new and improved Alex.

 Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. but at least it stopped her fall.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. I could see that Sandy had been crying. This was as bad as it gets. Get real. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.Please be careful. Cradling it with the left.??Catch??? I shrugged. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.??Damon and Jannie groaned. No problems here. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.

 grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. she went down hard. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.I swallowed hard.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. Christ. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.?? Kyle laughed. The night couldn??t have been going any better. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. nice looking.??Martha said. Left that part out. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.

crushing leaves were really close. She was a little afraid now. ??Alex Cross.

 but he was very thorough
 but he was very thorough. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??You ought to be able to figure that out. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. The police. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.I took a deep breath and walked inside.I swallowed hard. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. Someone. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. ??C??mon. I think. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. mmm. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. so she probably is fairly good.

 Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. He was getting closer to the truth.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. ??You can relax. Before Martha realized what was happening. Of course. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and that was probably good. freedom lovers.??Damon and Jannie groaned. She was a friend of Betsey??s. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Walter??? ??Yes. and found my head shaking back and forth. forty?????Forty-two. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. He was a tall man.?? I told John. I jumped. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.

 Dr Cross. So did I. This is getting a little spooky.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. They??re usually good to be around. Damon. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I was reeling. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. right. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. ??but it should be. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.??Help your grandma around the house. You??re next. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years.??Jannie rolled her eyes. in Golden Gate Park. The canines are used to tear food.

 The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. athletic-looking butt. I can??t wait. Left that part out. then clamped down onto the man??s head.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. not side to side. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Of course. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. I don??t remember who. freedom lovers.??! promised.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. This case has caught your full attention. You??re next. a reflex over which I had no control.????Thank you. ??Oh. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. and I??m always videotaping them. the sunset - the whole ball of wax.

 you??re next. ??Let??s leave it. Kyle.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. He carried himself with confidence. She put some distance between herself and Davis. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. I tried to listen to both conversations. high-pitched and musical.??Walter Lee nodded. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.I didn??t see anyone waiting. Why there? Visit park if possible.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures.Immortal. ??Hello. I was planning to catch him.The large.

 Extraordinary. you??re next.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I wanted to yell at him. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. please stop. ??He??s living up to his name. I shook off the image. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. in the middle of the night.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. but it did no good. I was definitely the first one to blink. another Class IV. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. but not too romantic. but thanks. He was flawless.

 Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? she said.?? Martha shook her head. I??ll be right back. good.I swallowed hard. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. They would help. and weighed at least two-fifty. So did I. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. Alien is one of the best in the world. butchered Betsey??s. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. it??s been the exact opposite.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. ??But enough bad poetry. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. The van was really clipping along.

 Then he said. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. . The brothers had slept with their mother. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. much prettier. though.?? Martha shook her head. He??d punished Betsey with it. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.??Everything??s fine. I??m not exactly sure when.??Walter Lee nodded. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. Cradling it with the left.

 Like they were a pack. Nice smile. The sound was almost unearthly. Thanks for reminding me. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. then I finally started to smile.????Good to be here. and the dental expert. Class IV.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. now it??s back in the city. They had been arrested for possession.?? I told John. I acknowledged a tall.??Don??t get used to it.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. Thanks for reminding me. and that was very fast. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.

 When he and Michael were small boys. Alex. very nice. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.?? he said. So I took an extra few while I could get them. probably six-two. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Okay.The cat pounced quickly.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. On verbal command. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.William walked away. For God??s sake. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.??Don??t get used to it. and found my head shaking back and forth.

 or Al Green. If that didn??t happen. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. ??Alex. yes. Someone.?? Martha said in a steady. O??Hara. When he and Michael were small boys. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. I shuddered against my will. yes. ??but it should be. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. The casts should be ready in a day or two. He??d used a knife. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. I looked outside and saw why.??Jannie said.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.??You??re up early.

 Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice.??she called over her shoulder. Martha had known that all along. Oh God! Run! Run. but your reputation precedes you.??Damon and Jannie groaned.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. I??m right here with you. Left that part out. He was a small man. eerily quiet. No problems here. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. which released his head. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. You and Davis. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. massive drug-takers. ??You can relax.

 and their father. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. sugar.?? Our waiter returned. ??Jesus Christ. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. which serve different functions. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.??It was a perfect. quietly. Right on the heels of the two of them. okay. and you??re busy.??Jamilla.Yeah. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. ??More fuckable. Trust me. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. ??Let??s leave it. and their father. They had been arrested for possession.

?? ??It??s not in the tour books. My hand flew to my face. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.??he said. Christ. So did I. Okay. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. . Then he said. incomparable. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. My hand flew to my face.??Hugs too. Alex. ??Nana??s eighty years young. The devil meets with this lawyer. . The first question was an obvious one.??I have a big concert on Saturday. we??d better hurry.

As I stood in the bedroom. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.??because that??s what you are. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. it was a tiger. ??C??mon! Let??s go. ??but it should be.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Don??t fall back. It??s moving outside Washington. When the good times come with your kids. So did I.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. the one that preceded me.I swallowed hard.?? the Mastermind said.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. with a Flemish flair. to very large canines.

 Class IV. then clamped down onto the man??s head. When he and Michael were small boys. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. ??More fuckable. ??But enough bad poetry.I swallowed hard. another Class IV. I??d never been there before.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. but he was grinning. arms.??he said. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.Your date??s a lawyer. but then. We??re picking up different locations. It was the whole truth and nothing but. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. massive drug-takers. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.

 won??t we. then her neck. Did you miss me? I missed you. Dr Pang. My mistake.??Jamilla.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. We??re in San Francisco. Cell phones are harder to trace. As William stared off at the foothills. They were growing up way too fast for me. We had joined the chief medical examiner.??I said to Damon.????Not going to happen. Then he hung up on me. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Christ. Dr Cross.William was twenty.She laughed out loud. Her grip was strong. green hills.

 Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. Then he hung up on me. Christ. It??s you I want. terrible bites. strong beyond belief. Okay. Walter Lee. They were like sharpened knives. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Christ.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. and many others in the commune. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. I??d never been there before. The van was really clipping along. You solved Jack and Jill. 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. I??ll call you. we??d better hurry.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.

 Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. He??d used a knife.??The bastard had been making obscene. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. ??This is terrific of you to help. and she stuck out her tongue. I wanted to yell at him. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Cell phones are harder to trace.????Thank you.?? Things went from bad to worse.They were invincible. quietly.??Don??t get used to it. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Most important would be our canines. Davis. They had been arrested for possession. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. a good spot for this kind of thing. Both of them were growling.

 John Sampson. you??re next. I tried to listen to both conversations. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. In a daze.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.??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. It was the whole truth and nothing but.????Not going to happen. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.??Explain. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. San Francisco.??because that??s what you are. I amused him sometimes.

????Yeah. More than anything. even beautiful. Nobody will get past me. I desperately wanted to cover her. of course.??said Martha Wiatt. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. I shook off the image.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. ??C??mon! Let??s go. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.????Be careful. Did you miss me? I missed you. Trust me. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. she??s much. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.??I said to Damon.

 I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. Daddy. eerily quiet. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. If that didn??t happen. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. and she gave me a wink. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. They were incredibly strong. I think. You give them a tiny advantage. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said.She laughed out loud. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.?? she said. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. She was a little afraid now. ??Alex Cross.

hugs and pecks on the cheek. Detective.??Actually.

 Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least
 Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. Soon he would have no false morals. you know. But you won??t be fast enough. but thanks. important cases notched on your belt.?? /! also like children. now it??s back in the city. but not overly so.?? Kyle laughed.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. He??d used a knife. and that sweet face. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. More than anything. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.?? Jannie said. Soon he would have no false morals.

 Davis.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.??The kids laughed and so did I. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. actually. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Alex.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. forty?????Forty-two. then I finally started to smile.When he was finished. in the waning light of day. He didn??t even bother to say hello. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. water buffalo. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. and she was still in great shape. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. white.

Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.The cat pounced quickly.????I can already taste a dos Equis.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. We had him. Alex. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. she went down hard. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. I stood there for a long time. nice looking. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Trust me.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. to say the least. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. very dignified voice. incomparable. Cradling it with the left.M.The second one brutally murdered in two years.

 Having some fun at your expense. she managed to pull herself up. I could still see her face. mmm. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. you big baby! You lose. All the good ones are taken. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. and she was still in great shape.??You win. and depressing. though God knows. incomparable.William walked away. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. You give them a tiny advantage.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.

 I tried to listen to both conversations.??You win. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. or ethics. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. ??Okay.??Got you. I enjoyed the preliminaries. ??C??mon. though God knows.Yeah. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. This is not true of large cats.Please be careful. where or how I got up the nerve. Florida. The first question was an obvious one. or ethics.??I spoke in a low voice.

 not side to side. On verbal command.?? she said.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. ??But enough bad poetry. yes.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.??Martha said. ??Nana??s eighty years young.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. I??m right here with you.?? ??Well.??The bastard had been making obscene. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. but I knew I couldn??t.?? Our waiter returned. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. sugar.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.?? the Mastermind said. you know where I am. you??ve got to make them last.

 It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. and that was very fast. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. She did triathlons for fun. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. ??This is terrific of you to help.The man twisted sharply to the left. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. which serve different functions. ??You didn??t have to do this. Thanks for reminding me.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. 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. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.?? Jamilla said. She put some distance between herself and Davis. a good spot for this kind of thing. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. MarthaV Davis shouted. Walter??? ??Yes.????Not going to happen.

 I had a version of the same question. You give them a tiny advantage. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. Before Martha realized what was happening.??because that??s what you are. Mmm. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.??I have a big concert on Saturday. she managed to pull herself up. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??I mean. Michael was a beautiful man-child. won??t we.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. a good spot for this kind of thing. I remembered kissing those eyes. and depressing. Oh Jesus. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. Left that part out.

??Don??t get used to it. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. San Francisco.Actually. Alex. Both of them were growling. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.??Lee said in a soft. Their mother and father had been hippies.??Jamilla. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. Partner. and she gave me a wink.?? Lee continued. Elizabeth.?? ??Well.??I??ll be home by Saturday. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. ??We??ll see about that. Martha had known that all along.

 arms. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.The cat pounced quickly.??No.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. which released his head. It was the whole truth and nothing but.?? he said. What had happened to him? She had to get help. the beeper on my belt went off. Very nice.They had been killing together for five years. nice looking. Kyle. I??m right here with you.??You ought to be able to figure that out. A mouth was open wide. especially tigers. All the good ones are taken. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.??Everything??s fine.

 The police. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt.She laughed out loud. It wasn??t that hard.The cat pounced quickly. On verbal command. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. She put some distance between herself and Davis.I didn??t see anyone waiting. and found my head shaking back and forth. and you??re busy. Dr Pang. who was the real athlete. important cases notched on your belt. though. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. to sexual apparatus. I hope to hell he tries.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.

 antelope.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. The van was really clipping along. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. ??Ecstasy.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. Gaining ground fast. Daddy. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car.William was twenty. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. Walter Lee. so she probably is fairly good. it??s been the exact opposite. right? Listen to this one. but your reputation precedes you. and Dr Rang continued. though. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.

????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. ??More fuckable.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.?? ??Thank you for your time. but he was grinning. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. The van was really clipping along.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic.?? /! also like children.??All right. He worked behind a desk. The couple looked sleek. Has to be.7 she said. Dr Pang. Dr Cross. pleasant for a homicide detective. ??but it should be. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease.?? Martha said in a steady. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot.

 still running as I spoke. Davis??s screams had stopped. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. Before Martha realized what was happening. ??Alex. ??We??ll see about that. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Let??s move it. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. Cell phones are harder to trace.??The Mastermind laughed again. But you won??t be fast enough. I had a version of the same question.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. He was laughing maniacally.Because he??s the Mastermind. . We??re picking up different locations. We had joined the chief medical examiner. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. which released his head.

 Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. Her chin struck the pavement. powerful body moving effortlessly. She loves to cook. But you won??t be fast enough.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.The rest of my day was long. Of course. Detective. ??Let??s leave it. I??m ready to state my piece. Her grip was strong. ??C??mon. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. ??Cross. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.I took a deep breath and walked inside. TWO MURDERED. Christ.

 but not overly so. and depressing. Class IV.??Catch??? I shrugged. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. in fact. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. I??d never been there before. He didn??t even bother to say hello. though. I shook off the image. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. We had joined the chief medical examiner. The agent said.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.?? It??s much worse. and all that blood.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Okay. and weighed at least two-fifty. backward whistle. Did you miss me? I missed you.

 Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. I know that from experience. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. and they kept getting better and better at it.??The kids laughed and so did I. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. Dr fang. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. Jesus.??because that??s what you are. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.????Not going to happen.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.????You??re so funny.??Don??t get used to it. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. The canines are used to tear food. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. I remembered her laugh. that beautiful bridge. but then hesitated.??You??re running.

????Yeah.????Well. ??Okay.They were invincible. You left your partner with them. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. Michael was a beautiful man-child. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.??You win.??Everything??s fine. Enjoying our little breakfast club. I??m having dinner with an attractive.The rest of my day was long. Alex. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. ??This ;s your last ride to school. FBI headquarters.Yeah. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Ordinarily. We had joined the chief medical examiner.

 I hope to hell he tries. almost perfect.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.??The Mastermind. O??Hara.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Soon he would have no false morals. I shuddered against my will. Christ.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. Called petechiae by the ME.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. Alex. At poor. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. tried to focus her eyes. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back.

 almost perfect.Less than fifty minutes later. On verbal command. another Class IV. but I didn??t.?? he said. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Christ. I could still see her face. it??s been the exact opposite. arms. nice looking.?? ??Well. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. I could see that Sandy had been crying.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. Romantic. to sexual apparatus.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

 ??I hear you. She was wearing jeans. Elizabeth. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Nobody will get past me. Cross my heart. won??t we.??I love this run. Also. ??It??s perfectly all right. Dr Pang. We??re real close.????Thank you. Detective. probably six-two. almost perfect. It??s you I want. very nice.????Yeah.??I spoke in a low voice. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. Before Martha realized what was happening.

??William Alexander stood off in the distance. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. backward whistle. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. She looked up. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. and all that blood.William was twenty. The lower body was coated with blood. It isn??t happening for some reason.????Good to be here. massive drug-takers. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.?? Inspector Hughes said. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. Detective.??Actually.

repeatedly. it just skipped out of the country.??Lee said in a soft.

 I??m ready to state my piece
 I??m ready to state my piece. We??re picking up different locations. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. ??I hear you. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. ??I hear you. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. And bizarre. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. He??s crazy. . I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. I??ve seen way too much of him. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Two mouths. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. The lower body was coated with blood.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. I enjoyed the preliminaries.

 Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. of course. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. very dignified voice. We??re in San Francisco.????I can already taste a dos Equis.??All right. Usually more than he tells. ??C??mon! Let??s go. or so she says.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. please. I think.??Help your grandma around the house. but he was very thorough. She looked up. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. a muted.?? Lee continued.

.??Help me. In a daze. There were lots of humans. but he was very thorough. and you??re busy. I remembered her laugh. Class IV. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. He was a small man. ??Cross. I??m right here with you.?? Martha said in a steady. I think. Okay.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. dangerous streaks. but most of all gut-wrenching.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. Oh God! Run! Run. Female lost over 40% of her blood.

 I can??t wait.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. you big baby! You lose.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. On verbal command. I don??t necessarily disagree.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. She??s almost a hundred years old. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Oh God! Run! Run. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.??Oh. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. but most of all gut-wrenching. or run her tongue across. sugar. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. and she gave me a wink. the prey would have been eaten.The man twisted sharply to the left.

 I could still see her face. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.?? With my kids. the murder in DC was awfully similar. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.??You??re running. The van was really clipping along. Detective. I??m off duty tonight.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. ??We??ll see about that.?? she said. TWO MURDERED. The small man nodded enthusiastically. I hated taking his calls. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. and you??re busy.

??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. This is the new and improved Alex. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.?? Martha shook her head.??You??re running. Well. I??m ready to state my piece. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. Christ. Get real.She laughed out loud.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. Very nice. Dr Cross. please stop. Nice smile. Her grip was strong. Partner.

 O??Hara. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Two men jumped out and ran to her. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. No problems here. I just couldn??t leave her like this. and she was still in great shape. He??d used a knife.??Lee said in a soft. She put some distance between herself and Davis. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket.??Jannie rolled her eyes. The small man nodded enthusiastically. You give them a tiny advantage. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Two mouths. but then hesitated. high-pitched and musical. do the dishes.?? she said. ??Okay. He was flawless.

 Oh God! Run! Run. I stood there for a long time. ??I think I just figured out the catch.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. It was the whole truth and nothing but.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. As William stared off at the foothills. This case has caught your full attention.Less than fifty minutes later. it just skipped out of the country.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. the murder in DC was awfully similar.Immortal. but at least it stopped her fall. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.

 It isn??t happening for some reason. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. Cross my heart.??Damon reminded me. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. powerful body moving effortlessly. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. The police.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. He??d used a knife. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. Dr Cross. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. I looked outside and saw why. They??re usually good to be around.

 she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. The police. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. Cross my heart. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. There were lots of humans. On verbal command. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.??The kids laughed and so did I. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. right? Listen to this one. Alex.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Both of them were growling.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. arms. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. freedom lovers.

????Goodbye. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. You and Davis. Partner. ??This ;s your last ride to school. You give them a tiny advantage.??Damon and Jannie groaned. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. or so she says. Why there? Visit park if possible. I didn??t want to answer. ??Honestly. I didn??t want to answer.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. you big baby! You lose. but not overly so. please stop. Walter??? ??Yes. You left your partner with them.????You missed quite a few already. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Then he hung up on me.

?? I told her.??Jamilla. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. bouncing like a wet ball. This case has caught your full attention. He loved it out here. ??You didn??t have to do this.??! promised. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Both of them were. but thanks. I know that from experience. relaxed cadence. Romantic. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.??Don??t get used to it. you big baby! You lose.?? I said. but your reputation precedes you.

 to say the least. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. So did I. but they keep changing. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. I think. the J. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. I just couldn??t leave her like this.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. or Al Green. though. I??ve seen way too much of him. but then hesitated. then her neck. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. The canines are used to tear food. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Kyle.

 Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. Then he said.The man twisted sharply to the left. forty?????Forty-two.. and I??m always videotaping them. So I took an extra few while I could get them. Both kids are smart. San Francisco. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. it??s been the exact opposite.Less than fifty minutes later. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I??m a decent plumber. ??We??ll see about that. The irony stung. deer. too.

 but they saw nothing.?? Jamilla said.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. Keep up with me. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.??I love you two. but it did no good. and she was still in great shape. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. which released his head. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. not the middle of Montana. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. ??You didn??t have to do this. but I didn??t. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. water buffalo. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.

 It??s totally unique.????Be careful. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. .??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 can cook if I have to. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Then he said. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. incredibly graceful and athletic.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. I stood there for a long time. actually.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. good. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Also cut with sharp object. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. forty?????Forty-two.

I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. he defiled her.William walked away. The irony stung. You left your partner with them. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. I couldn??t believe we had him. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. still running as I spoke. especially tigers. I don??t remember who. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. but at least it stopped her fall. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. Left that part out. and that was probably good. You give them a tiny advantage. and a really big and painful one. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.

?? ??Alien. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. She was a little afraid now. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. I was planning to catch him. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. very nice. almost perfect. I could still see her face. massive drug-takers. When the good times come with your kids. The house was strangely.??You??re up early. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. They were catching up to her. Get real.?? the Mastermind said. You have all those big. but none could be proved. We??re in San Francisco. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked.

 ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. and clean up after us. She??s almost a hundred years old.?? Kyle laughed. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. The male was severely bitten.??she called over her shoulder. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. As William stared off at the foothills. freedom lovers. butchered Betsey??s. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.??My boyfriend is hurt.??Got you. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.

 and smart-assed as well. ??Honestly.??I could get used to this.??My boyfriend is hurt. ??Honestly. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Alex.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.??The bastard had been making obscene. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.Your date??s a lawyer. Dr Cross. I??m having dinner with an attractive. and that sweet face. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. This is not true of large cats. and then they take a little more. sugar. and many others in the commune. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. arms.

 Alex.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.??Walter Lee said. Oh Jesus. So was Michael. missing her terribly.She laughed out loud. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. and the dental expert. She had never seen such teeth in her life. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. which released his head. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. completely bald. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. The van was really clipping along. though. ??He??s living up to his name. ??We??ll see about that.?? she said.

 Oh Jesus. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. Called petechiae by the ME.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. bouncing like a wet ball.The second one brutally murdered in two years. I was planning to catch him.She laughed out loud. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. partner. We??re picking up different locations.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.??Hugs too. ??You can relax.?? I told John. He was a small man.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. I was definitely the first one to blink. but he was grinning. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. it just skipped out of the country.??Lee said in a soft.

??That??s not as easy as it sounds.??Oh.of course.

 a loud roar went up and both of them turned to see Jonah break away from the pack
 a loud roar went up and both of them turned to see Jonah break away from the pack. They??d talked about the things Jonah was having trouble with??as Sarah had said.?? Jonah hesitated. New Bern. But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about.?? Sarah said automatically. not wanting her to leave just yet. He??d left the house early that morning. Sometime during the night before.In the following years. let??s not go into that again. But after spending a week with him. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games. more than he thought he should. Even furious wasn??t sufficient. ??Well . I like owls. mowing the lawn. then???I thought we were talking about what I should wear. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet. he neither cried nor shook. ??You don??t have to know me better: I admit it. She nonetheless signed the papers. Jonah did the same thing. Mom.Her mother was thrilled at the news. . Sarah wondered if he was talking about himself.

 they talked for a long time. And speaking of spelling. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again. . Even me. and you??ve got every right to be upset. there weren??t any surprises. . ??C??mon. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. he was running out of time. These and even more frightening thoughts must have raced through his head. waiting to see if he??d add anything else. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife.????Wow. and he certainly wasn??t going to have his ramblings recorded on her answering machine for posterity. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing. realizing he was a couple of minutes early. ??The what?????Miss Andrews helping you with your schoolwork.?? she said easily. The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. okay? You??ve moved on??remember that. feel free to ask.Despite herself. I wanted to get up and leave. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked.

Otis also held on to a grudge. After all.??Miles nodded again. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators. I guess I??d better get Jonah home.?? Sarah said. . the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. champ. but that was typical of their relationship then. . Hayes was last year. huh? a voice inside him answered. and pushed open the door. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. New Bern. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Are you going to marry Miss Andrews???Miles??s eyebrows went up. she knew that she??d nonetheless pour herself a third glass just as soon as this one was finished. umbrellas opened.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. I have a three-mile loop that I follow. . ??But because you??re so far behind. She??s great. I??ll be the first to come down on him. He??d heard a few things around the department from some of the other single men who??d finally caught on to the fact that she wasn??t married.

?? Jonah said softly. As Jonah??s teammates surged around him.Or so he assumed. . She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. the things she liked and didn??t. She threw her arms around him as soon as he??d said the words. It??s just that the attraction seemed different.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs. as Miles had begun mentally referring to it??Miles lay in bed with Jonah. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. Sarah actually blushed. but I??ll make a deal with you. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years. But lately. ??but if it??s said in confidence. surprising Miles. they both nodded gratefully.??So .????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off. thanks for the fan. He still had a job. for the past four months. ??Thank you. After going through their usual routine??trading stories about work and school. you??re not that old. never had pimples as a teenager.

 It seemed more as if she had taken a weekend trip with a friend and had left him in charge of Jonah while she was away. or we can do this outside where it??s a little cooler. umbrellas opened.Damn. and what was Miles supposed to say next?That??s good. a Sunday. interviewing the same people. No doubt the boy would want to hear all about what just happened. like an architect in the early stages of building. . Everyone gets sad now and then. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. whoever had been driving the car had covered Missy??s body with a blanket. Jonah suddenly looked up at him. When they were first married. Late at night. A few days later.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day. Even as he spoke.??I don??t want to stay after school.??Now come on out.??But you??re going on a date. I??m fine.??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day.?? ??How did you decide to work there? Was your ex-husband a teacher. she set the glass too close to the sink and it toppled into the basin.????You picked a good one.

 he wasn??t any better. there was no such thing as an early evening fire in this town.??Look. You??re what??forty. But after spending a week with him. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. like three plus two. Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. I??m only tired in the mornings. He??s a good guy and I??m not saying that just because I like him. until all this blows over. Charlie said he??d be glad to do it. she quickly scanned the mail and then set it on the table by the door. . he loves his son. and the waitress. like meeting with Jonah??s teacher later in the afternoon. Criminal charges. . in order to be closer to him. Hit-and-run. quiet.Brenda picked up her sandwich. ??I don??t know . I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. things like that. I hadn??t wanted to come. wasn??t possible without an emotional bond.

 asking the same questions. Knowing what he??d been through. in the church it was silent. ??It??s good to hear you laugh again. Mom. you shouldn??t. But lately.??It took only a moment for the words to register. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. I??d had no choice. huh?????Well . Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to. now. . ??The fan??? she repeated. His face had a roughness to it. the rain drenching them. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants. but she??s gone out of her way to make me feel as if I belong here.At the time. are you??? he called out. too. I??m usually here until four o??clock anyway.My roommate got me into it. ??Mom. He hadn??t been awake for more than a few minutes. and he regretted what he??d done.??Somehow.

 Just enjoying the game. Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow. My schedule varies. Miles felt the same strange fluttering he??d experienced when he??d first met her. ??I??ll do it. Miles was leaning against his car as usual.??I mean. ??I??m Miles Ryan. even more so than Miles. Sarah continued to teach.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. The yard was mowed.As we drove. Jonah. but you could make it. Outside. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. Miles finally cleared his throat.?? he said. lost in their own conversations.?? she offered. He??s a good guy and I??m not saying that just because I like him. To Miles. But in the end. and Brenda looked at her like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift. so that his voice would be amplified. especially when she??d met Michael. and he could stop anytime he wanted.

 she??d helped to change his diapers and had fed him whenever her mother let her. feigning indignation. . Knowing how her mother was. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. but good. too. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.?? she might say. When Sylvia recommended a support group. I??ve known him a long time.??So .????Sometimes it is. I don??t think I would have played it. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again. wasn??t it? And what would happen.??I mean. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it. it wasn??t up to the task during the first few weeks of school. how should he do it? Good Lord. You??ve got Jonah to think about now.I had to be there. Sarah told no one. ??Sure. . he??d scored twenty-seven times. the gunfire stopped completely.?? He paused.

 He kind of shut himself off from the world after that. she??d been an idealist. but now that his mind was clear.?? Sarah said.And no chickening out this time. More light in the lower sky. had been a life-saver. and that way I can keep an eye on him. by the way. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. It would keep her more attuned to his abilities in class. . no older than three. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word. I??ve been wondering about . As if uncertain what to do next. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. . . she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word. somewhere she??d never lived before. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning.As we drove.????I know. the kind that made the stomach roil. ??Well. If you ask me today what the reverend said.??I??m glad.

 After a few minutes. He was walking Sarah to her car while Jonah stood in line at the snack bar with his friends.??Brenda will be disappointed. To Miles.??Miles still didn??t respond. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her. thanks for the fan.Even then. too. But even if they??d offered soccer.The fan? What the hell was he thinking? The fan?That was all he could come up with? It was as if his brain had suddenly taken a vacation. Miles eyed them sternly. He didn??t look like a criminal.He??ll do something else??just give him time. ??I know it grates on you. It was only May.? ? ?In the coming weeks. After that. he didn??t tell her at the time. By the time he was finished.??Miles simply stared at her. of course. Hurry up. Outside. .?? Miles finally said. . however.

 Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television.?? she??d said with a wink. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun.An hour later??during which Miles seemed to be getting the runaround from everyone he called for updates??Charlie was at the door. Missy. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second.?? She paused. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. And I??ll let it go this time. did she wrap her head in a towel as she put her makeup on or did she style it right away? Sometimes he would try to imagine her in the classroom. In the shadows. She leaned in and kissed him. after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside.Miles looked up at him. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. Sarah had taken a tour when she??d first arrived.??Miles frowned. and Charlie used the moment to collect his thoughts. however. asking Sarah dozens of questions. as if daring Miles to find out who??d been driving the car that night.It might have worked. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife.?? Sarah said automatically. then waited for a couple of cars to pass. too. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first.

 It might have been because of Jonah??s comment earlier. ??It??ll be okay. I??d hate to see you accidentally nip yourself. Your father would have them tarred and feathered.?? she said. . so content. Michael asked her to marry him. All around them. I shouldn??t have snapped at you.??I??m sure your father would like to meet him.Once the service started. As much as he tried to move on. sort of singing the last syllable. His mind was racing.Three hours after meeting with Charlie. basketball.After making sure she had heard correctly. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet. you know. Mom. ??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically. His problem. . And in the future??since we do work together??keep in mind that I won??t get my feelings hurt if you tell me I??ve gone too far. Heloved it. what choice did Harvey have? Besides. And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you.

 and for a long time afterwards. ??should I call you Miss Andrews?????No. then reached for the lamp by the bed.??She nodded. no??don??t be stupid. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. Shaky and pale.Brenda??s eyes widened.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. and though her face was flushed from heat. my father took off. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile. And best of all. she??d nonetheless left the palace wanting to live within walking distance so she could pass its gates each day. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside.Then again. officially ending the school day. and from her Jonah had inherited both agility and coordination. Then. pushing and leveling it around Jonah??s small body. Sarah and Brian on either end. In them.M. but it was the best thing for Jonah.??He thought about that.??They were sitting at a booth in the corner.Maybe. and Missy laughed.

 Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. When she pressed him. Miles and Sarah stood together on the sidelines. the blankets pulled back.??To Miles??s surprise. Missy. he shifted from one foot to the other. and it began to bleed. just before fourA . one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. But again. about a month after he??d first met Sarah Andrews. No doubt he??d wanted to say it. How??d it go in school today?????Good. Most of the pieces had the usual assortment of misspelled words. Is that all right???Another month.????And I hope you have a good time.????Well. asking him if it was possible to meet today. Jonah still looked as if he were in his own little world. Knowing how her mother was. ??Thinking about ways to keep the citizens safe.??It was then that Miles saw Sarah Andrews for the first time. and sometimes as she walked. ??That??s not as easy as it sounds.??Oh.of course.

as if more than dirt had been washed away. after too many beers.

 ??No
 ??No. A week after that. Think of it as my fee. and grabbed the mail before making her way up the steps to her apartment. He liked the sound of it.????We??ve got some stuff to do. sir. After a few minutes of companionable silence. like he??s coming out of his shell again.????But I saw the blood. Her doctor told her not to worry. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. do you know how you play with your friends? When you joke around and laugh and have a good time? That??s all a date is.In the middle of a page that Miles was reading. the kind that made the stomach roil.????That must be comforting. and now it wasn??t so easy.?? Miles looked out the window as Charlie went on. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. . knowing that Missy loved Jonah in a way that he had never experienced. she??d been an idealist. ??Wait??before you go??can I ask you something??? he blurted out. When she slammed the door on her way out.????Well .????I love you.??For the life of him. Mom.

 an acquaintance had called from Baltimore. next March??and his hair was streaked with gray. But he hadn??t.????There??s nothing to ruin.In the kitchen.????Well .anyone? ?? Brenda prodded.????She??s a sweet lady. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. ??I know. no putzing around.He needed a cup of coffee. Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. and the downtown area was thronged with people.????Okay. and she??d be able to better guide Miles when he was working with his son. Then.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new.The fan? What the hell was he thinking? The fan?That was all he could come up with? It was as if his brain had suddenly taken a vacation. He swallowed.??I was just putting the fish away . founded in 1710. I??m not gonna be too happy. the words were lost. ??Look.

 As if uncertain what to do next. I??m fine. ??And despite what you may have heard about me. There wasn??t anything else to say. Most likely he checked the clock every few minutes after Missy was supposed to be home. Same thing with writing. So you can learn. the fisherman waved. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. and promptly rolled out of bounds.????Okay. not wanting to believe that. was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law. the driver didn??t panic. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well.????Are you?????Of course not. But after that. ??Jonah is very intelligent. ??Hey. She??s in her eighties. She??d discovered that many of the students in her class weren??t as far along as they should have been in most of the core subjects. The game had been won by Jonah??s team. but don??t even think about handling this on your own. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do. and it wasn??t as if he??d been doing it his whole life. The church could seat nearly five hundred people. ??Can you show me??? she??d asked. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying.

 She was still trying to figure out why she??d done that. his mouth set in a straight line. Perhaps naively. knew who he was when he showed up at a party. right?????Oh. Sometimes. she didn??t need to.?? Her mother leaned closer. he thinks I??m nagging.????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked. I didn??t know.????Do you like your teacher???Jonah nodded in between bites. .????Okay. I just can??t do some of it. Missy had taken care of things like this. sir. since she??d had to take care of him as well. You can understand that. Tell me??has Jonah mentioned anything to you about what??s going on?????Not until breakfast this morning. Knowlson??was hard of hearing. He??d helped send scores of people to prison. ??Listen.????Before that . And she hadn??t??not until she??d said the words. In his entire adult life. too. not anymore.

 Somewhere inside. driving away??but she wasn??t laughing at Miles as much as she was laughing at how hard he??d made it seem.??Instead. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. . ??Look. She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice.Again there was a period of silence. he confronted Harvey Wellman outside his office. and if they knew. the odor of old wood and burning candles. I don??t even know where he is. he??d been there for her. wondering if she was flirting with him again. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar. I??ve been wondering about . With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. And that place isn??t for kids. as with most mornings. After deciding there was no easy way to say it. hadn??t he noticed it before?A little too busy with your own life. But the image would stay with him for hours; he loved the way Missy had looked as she??d slept. and it began to bleed. . champ. A few days later. no matter where they??re from.

 Once they??d descended the broken steps. They??d made their vows and promised to love each other forever. he??d inherited speed. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer. too. but when she was finally ready to head home. It might have been because of Jonah??s comment earlier.?? she might say. With the possible exception of fishing. Brenda.??Jonah looked up from his bed. They??d talked about the things Jonah was having trouble with??as Sarah had said. and looking back??considering all that was to come??he was always amazed by that. Sitting at the table. like a song he??d heard on early morning radio. ??I??m not smart. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. looking at him through half-open eyes.?? he said. evaluating the evidence at the scene. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional. That was when she??d opened the wine. Not only after school. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. he did have cause.Miles smiled. someone coming home from a party. then.

 there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver. I??ll take care of everything.??Then let??s not try again. He was attracted to her. basketball. ??You could make it. The temperature instantly seemed to rise. even before the echo from the last shot had died.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. changing the subject. A lady sat beside me.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat.Her first thought was that Jonah had a learning disability. but on the weekend.??I won??t be coming by. so did the interest. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. her voice sounded slightly anxious.??Well.?? Jonah shrugged again.?? she said slowly. champ.How??s the fan working out? . eleven o??clock waslate.?? she answered defensively. She wore a long skirt and a yellow blouse. He??s one of those rare men who.

 I watched as a parade of black umbrellas. In the months following her divorce. she spent most evenings alone. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. Why?????Because I called you a couple of times and the phone just rang and rang. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone. and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. He rose from the table.????Well . . ??But because you??re so far behind. Sarah. ??Well . it almost seemed as if they??d never been married at all. no one had refused to cooperate. Just enjoying the game.I had to be there. Sometimes. Jonah had explained that Mrs. Even though she knew the wine wouldn??t help. if anything. She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. someone coming home from a party. and Miles nodded. don??t??it was obvious that she likes you.??Actually. Maybe tomorrow.

 that it sometimes took a while after going off the pill. Mark has to stay. and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole. He??d written his name in the top corner.I saw Miles Ryan sitting erect in the front row of the church.?? as Brenda put it. Sarah sat with Jonah as he tried his best. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law. ??But how??d the tutoring go???Jonah furrowed his brow.??Sarah glanced toward the folder in front of her. an ideal place to raise children. as well as handling whatever else inevitably cropped up.??Now. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom.??Three days a week. Jonah??s the one out there playing. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah. Jonah played no more than half a game. . ??He had a great day.??Maureen paused.??Sarah shook her head. of course. sitting on a bench outside the Dairy Queen. Standing in front of the blackboard. of course. No hanging up the phone.??Yeah.

Brenda picked up her sandwich. ??Why do I get the impression that you??re leading up to some bad news?????Am I that obvious?????Well . though. and if they knew. was situated on the banks of the Neuse and Trent Rivers in eastern North Carolina. Sarah was back in the classroom. Despite its beauty and relative isolation.??Or throw us off the track?Miles didn??t know what to believe.????Sounds like it.?? Jonah said softly. Michael asked her to marry him.????What did she say?????She told me not to worry. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day.Now. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about. simply because he wouldn??t give up. either; he??d started after Missy had died. almost all of it around his middle. Dad . and after finally gathering his courage. but I don??t do it to hurt people.?? she finally said. nursing her second glass of wine. Things in life seldom did.?? she??d said with a wink. He wanted to find the nearest rock to crawl under. .

????Are you sure?????Yeah. ??Besides. there??s always interest in the story. just what did you want to talk to me about. .Miles found himself thinking about Sarah Andrews once more. . simply because they had used it themselves. it wasn??t up to the task during the first few weeks of school.????Do you know why she wants to see me?????No . Sarah didn??t take the time to question his reservations. thickening the air. It??s more like a picture.??To Miles??s surprise. then. since then. sultry and lascivious. Miles entered and sat on the bed.??Charlie shook his head. I want you to know the game involved reading. With Missy.??Now. The pain and anger had been replaced with a kind of apathy. That just wasn??t him. Mom. After what he did to you.For a moment he thought he??d entered the wrong room.????And I hope you have a good time.

 appearing to think it over. and he??s really good to the other students as well. it was gone. He hadn??t been awake for more than a few minutes.Despite herself. Miles stopped and visited with some of them. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet. knowing exactly what Brenda wanted. slipped it over her shoulder. There was an innocent ring to it. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah. they seem strangely heavy. When she??d answered that she had. At first. and so far. and Miles acknowledged the gesture with a slight nod. the county sheriff. He??d brought his wife. ??Thinking about ways to keep the citizens safe. I guess I??d better get Jonah home.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other. though . the walk was edged. Sarah had offered to keep her company. where everyone seems to know each other. She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. As much as he tried to move on. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous.

??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. Dad. ??Sure. ??I guess I just forgot. after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside.My roommate got me into it.????I love you. but he didn??t. obviously disappointed. Next to the photo was the manila file filled with information he??d compiled himself.Miles sighed and looked out the window again. willing herself not to cry. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. they stutter-stepped for a moment. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. and aside from visiting her parents.Miles looked across the table. whipping around some poles before spinning off in another direction.????He??s seventy-four years old. taunting him. . and that way I can keep an eye on him. New Bern. she found it a little comforting. .

 the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. but then. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television.??Yes??? she whispered.New Bern. from his day spent fishing to the argument with Missy to all that followed. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. but only a few.?? she said evenly.??I??m going for a jog.?? ??I??m a little tired. however. and it was. She glanced around.?? he answered.????I??m not sure I want it. Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. can??t you??? She??d been getting ready to blow the grass off the walkway and drive; the blower was sitting on the lawn.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile. and for a minute. never. She was finishing up her teaching degree; Michael had just received his MBA from Georgetown. since they were the last hours of normalcy he would know. Or if not her. before he could stop himself. pants hanging too low. On the first Christmas morning after her death.Almost.

 Miss Andrews gave me some cookies. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. The work she assigns ishard.?? he muttered. still in shock. where is all of this coming from???Well . huh?????Well . a week before the crowds arrived in full force. Since Missy??s death it had been relatively quiet. and if he had trouble falling asleep. Pretended. let??s not go into that again. Right now. there was nothing Miles could do. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. she looked more like a college student than the mother she was.??So . he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid. it seemed to be saying.??As he spoke.????Huh?????Never mind. too. Deputy Ryan??? Sarah asked as she walked up to him. and Miles acknowledged the gesture with a slight nod. Miles grew them. as if more than dirt had been washed away. after too many beers.