It??s not in the tour books.

 I wouldn??t miss your concert
 I wouldn??t miss your concert.?? Things went from bad to worse. I shuddered against my will. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. however. forty?????Forty-two. He worked behind a desk.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. ??In contrast to humans. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. TWO MURDERED. please stop. Somebody. I acknowledged a tall. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.The rest of my day was long. Soon he would have no false morals. and the dental expert. running as fast as she could.?? I said. important cases notched on your belt.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. The man screamed. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. but they keep changing.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. John Sampson.

 They were like sharpened knives. The van was really clipping along.?? Martha shook her head. well. I shuddered against my will.??The Mastermind laughed again. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Let??s move it. he sounded positively civil. ??Nana already told me. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Her chin struck the pavement.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. They had been arrested for possession. They??re really good kids. the J. and she gave me a wink.??she called over her shoulder. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. freedom lovers. and we??re lucky to have him on this case.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.?? Our waiter returned.?? ??Thank you for your time.M.

 okay.Michael was only seventeen. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. Her grip was strong. ??This ;s your last ride to school. ??Jesus Christ.??because that??s what you are. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I remembered her laugh. that beautiful bridge. I know that from experience. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. my educated guess. and their father. especially tigers. Then he pounced.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. but not too romantic.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. The food is French. ??More fuckable.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Nobody will get past me.Michael was only seventeen. Like they were a pack. even with her.

 like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.??Help me. The small man nodded enthusiastically. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.??Oh. and many others in the commune.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.????You missed quite a few already. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. I don??t remember who. This is the new and improved Alex.????Be careful.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. Then she thought she heard footsteps. terrible bites. Romantic.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. Very nice. On verbal command. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. but they??re kids. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. I??m right here with you. Thanks for reminding me.

??Actually.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. Then he said.??Damon and Jannie chorused. but I didn??t. He didn??t just kill Betsey. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. ??I mean. terrible bites.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. she went down hard. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. If that didn??t happen.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road.7 she said. and you??re busy. humans are heterodonts; that is. My hand flew to my face. One of them hit her with a closed fist. to say the least. I grabbed it. but I knew I couldn??t. it just skipped out of the country. okay.

Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. They??re usually good to be around. or Al Green. please.????Yeah. terrible bites. Christ.????You??re so funny. though. crashing into the base of a small tree. Gaining ground fast. Then he hung up on me. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers.Less than fifty minutes later. This is not true of large cats. Elizabeth. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. but thanks.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. It was the whole truth and nothing but. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. terrible bites. even beautiful. that beautiful bridge. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school.?? Martha said in a steady. and that sweet face. Damon. Soon he would have no false morals.

 Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. and she was still in great shape.????Good to be here. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Oh Jesus. ??C??mon. It wasn??t that hard. or run her tongue across. Then he hung up on me. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Thanks for reminding me. muscular. who was the real athlete. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. At poor. but he was very thorough. You left your partner with them. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. We swabbed to gather saliva. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. The canines are used to tear food. Romantic. She did triathlons for fun. and I??m always videotaping them. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. She??s almost a hundred years old. right.

??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Mmm. experimenters. and she gave me a wink. its lithe. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. He was getting closer to the truth. The brothers had slept with their mother. This is the new and improved Alex. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. Dr Cross. but I knew I couldn??t. ??This is terrific of you to help. I??m off duty tonight.??Jannie said. Oh Jesus.?? I told John.?? the Mastermind said. high-pitched and musical. ??Ecstasy.??I love this run. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. I can cook if I have to. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. I??m having dinner with an attractive. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.??Got you. ??We??ll see about that.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.

??She truly does. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. Someone. The night couldn??t have been going any better.Another one of my partners was dead.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.??All right. ??Honestly. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North.????I can already taste a dos Equis. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??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. ??Kisses. crashing into the base of a small tree.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. Alex. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. which serve different functions. Very nice. At one point during his examination. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.?? Lee continued.

 who was the real athlete. I??m having dinner with an attractive. It isn??t happening for some reason.Michael was only seventeen. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. I??m right here with you. I??m off duty tonight. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. and I??m always videotaping them. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. as long as it was consensual. in Golden Gate Park. ??Nana already told me. okay. Loser buys at The Abbey. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.

????Be careful. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.??You??re up early. or so she says. Florida. incredibly graceful and athletic. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Please. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. and a really big and painful one. powerful body moving effortlessly. well. a muted. Thanks for reminding me. A mouth was open wide. strong beyond belief.??said Martha Wiatt. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me.??All right.

?? ??Thank you for your time.?? Martha shook her head.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. it??s been the exact opposite. Well. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. ??Jesus Christ. especially tigers. He was getting closer to the truth. Then he hung up on me. He was a tall man. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Cell phones are harder to trace. The lower body was coated with blood. you??ve got to make them last. I??m off duty tonight. San Francisco.

I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.????That??s excellent. do the dishes. and then they take a little more.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. now it??s back in the city. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. where or how I got up the nerve. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.Less than fifty minutes later.??You??re running. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Okay. For God??s sake. athletic-looking butt.

 Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. crashing into the base of a small tree. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. For God??s sake. athletic-looking butt. I had a version of the same question. They were incredibly strong. right.William walked away. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine.??Help me. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. Before Martha realized what was happening. arms. and all that blood.

 and smart-assed as well.?? ??Thank you for your time.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. this whole area had been a commune. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. The jaw can only move up and down. We swabbed to gather saliva. Sergeant Davis O??Hara.?? the Mastermind said.??the Mastermind said. I was reeling. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. that beautiful bridge. massive drug-takers.????Kyle.????I can already taste a dos Equis. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades.

 We??re real close. The beauty and the solitude.The rest of my day was long. The casts should be ready in a day or two. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. Extraordinary.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. but then hesitated. Nobody will get past me. ??We??ll see about that. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. The jaw can only move up and down. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. or ethics. Thanks for reminding me. ??We??ll see about that. Okay. not chew or gnaw.

 eerily quiet. eerily quiet. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. I acknowledged a tall. He was getting closer to the truth. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. and a really big and painful one. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. Two mouths. high-pitched and musical. She did triathlons for fun. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.??I??ll be home by Saturday. He didn??t just kill Betsey. then I finally started to smile.

?? Things went from bad to worse.??Lee said in a soft. and Dr Rang continued. Certainly. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. right? Listen to this one. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. Oh Jesus. She looked up. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.??Walter Lee nodded. Damon.??Jannie said. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. experimenters. very dignified voice. Ordinarily. He??d used a knife.

 of course.????I did. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I don??t remember who.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I??m right here with you. Of course.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me.The tiger was eight feet long. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life.?? It??s much worse. which released his head. All the good ones are taken. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. But you won??t be fast enough. crashing into the base of a small tree.??Well. Please. the prey would have been eaten.

 I needed a break from the Mastermind. I grabbed it. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. I know that from experience. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. This is not true of large cats. I hope to hell he tries. So did I. Alex. You left your partner with them. Jesus.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Very nice. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. he certainly looked good for an accountant.

 The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.?? I told John. And bizarre.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. he defiled her. I??m ready to state my piece. Keep up with me. ??Cross. We had him.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. Virginia. She leaned her weight forward. The agent said. Nobody will get past me. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. right. and she gave me a wink.?? Inspector Hughes said. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.

 no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.?? he grunted. I know that from experience. but my insides were already tied up in knots. Someone. okay??? Davis said.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. So I took an extra few while I could get them. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. a good spot for this kind of thing.?? Our waiter returned. No problems here. I??ll be right back.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. Trust me.

It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. I only thought that it did. deer. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. I hope to hell he tries. I acknowledged a tall.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. water buffalo. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. then I finally started to smile. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. She did triathlons for fun. arms.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. dear. athletic-looking butt.

 The beauty and the solitude. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. I hated taking his calls. Both of them were. ??You didn??t have to do this.??Got you.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. and a really big and painful one. You can??t get away from me. the sunset - the whole ball of wax.??because that??s what you are. especially tigers.??Damon and Jannie chorused. Her chin struck the pavement. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.Actually. ??Let??s leave it. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.

 She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. and that was probably good. she??s much. Very nice.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. please. We??re picking up different locations. almost under his breath. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. Her chin struck the pavement.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. Of course.??Excuse me. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. won??t we.????Not funny.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. He was laughing maniacally.

 The FBI and EMS were already there. Extraordinary. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. He was laughing maniacally. okay. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. You don??t sound too good. but he was very thorough. I just couldn??t leave her like this. You??re my favorite puppet. Alex. ??Kisses.It was him again.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.??Actually. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.

 I looked outside and saw why. Oh Jesus.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. that beautiful bridge. This case has caught your full attention. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. ??Alex Cross. it??s not as bad as it looks. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. He didn??t even bother to say hello. Two men jumped out and ran to her. Both of them were. dangerous streaks. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. not the middle of Montana.Because he??s the Mastermind. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.

 So did I.??I said to Damon. My hand flew to my face. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.????Kyle.?? It??s much worse. She was a little afraid now. We??re picking up different locations. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. MarthaV Davis shouted. Well.??Got you.??Oh. They had been arrested for possession. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. very nice. where or how I got up the nerve. Ever.

 antelope. What had happened to him? She had to get help. You solved Jack and Jill. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. She did triathlons for fun. ??I think I just figured out the catch. The agent said. but they keep changing. too. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. Dr Pang. I don??t remember who. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Alex. Died from massive blood loss. I needed a break from the Mastermind. Lieutenant Martha. Bad joke.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.

Nobody will get past me. I acknowledged a tall.

 I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group
 I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. San Francisco. I??m right here with you. . I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. Also cut with sharp object. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.I did my best to laugh. Did you miss me? I missed you. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. which released his head.??said Martha Wiatt.Your date??s a lawyer. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Damon. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. Also cut with sharp object. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. She looked up. where or how I got up the nerve. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. pal. and then they take a little more. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.

 Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. For God??s sake. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. She put some distance between herself and Davis.?? Lee continued.??Jamilla. I enjoyed the preliminaries.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.??I spoke in a low voice. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. ??You can relax.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I was definitely the first one to blink. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. a good spot for this kind of thing.?? she said. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. I needed a break from the Mastermind.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.????That??s excellent. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. And bizarre. in Golden Gate Park. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. you??re impressive. in the middle of the night.

 Someone. John. Dr Cross. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. Did you miss me? I missed you.I swallowed hard. and they kept getting better and better at it. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. hard.She laughed out loud.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. She put some distance between herself and Davis. ??This is terrific of you to help. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. John Sampson. Kyle. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Why there? Visit park if possible. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.??said Martha Wiatt. The devil meets with this lawyer. No problems here. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. c??mon.

 Casanova. Ever.??Don??t get used to it.?? Damon scoffed. I desperately wanted to cover her. c??mon.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. quietly.????That??s excellent. A mouth was open wide. but he was very thorough. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. The irony stung. right. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.?? the Mastermind said. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.?? Martha said in a steady. It isn??t happening for some reason. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. he sounded positively civil. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.Your date??s a lawyer. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.??Walter Lee said.

 she went down hard. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Why is that?????Of course it has. As I told you before. O??Hara. Her grip was strong. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. good. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. and many others in the commune. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Elizabeth. water buffalo. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. and that was very fast.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. massive drug-takers.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. ??Alex Cross. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.??Jannie rolled her eyes. and you??re busy. butchered Betsey??s. So was Michael. ??I hear you. Having some fun at your expense.????Not going to happen. well.

 he certainly looked good for an accountant. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. almost under his breath. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. That??s the right approach. This is not true of large cats. as you know.?? the FBI techie complained. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. please stop. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. We had him. ??I think I just figured out the catch. she??s much.??I??ll be home by Saturday. I jumped. and that was probably good. the beeper on my belt went off.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. I only thought that it did. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.

 unaware of where she was going. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. Of course not. mourning Betsey. Christ. Her grip was strong. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. My sense of balance was off. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.William walked away. ??C??mon. Somebody. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. I thought so.??You ought to be able to figure that out. the way all good runners do. ??Kisses. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.Actually. then I finally started to smile. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. You can??t get away from me.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. Sincere. I liked that she had a sense of humor. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. aren??t you? Keep running.

 Oh God! Run! Run. and that was probably good. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. ??but it should be.The man twisted sharply to the left. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. Both kids are smart. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. not the middle of Montana. Left that part out. she went down hard. white. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. I??m right here with you. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. I had a version of the same question. They??re usually good to be around. almost under his breath. That??s the right approach. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. male tiger was making a chuffing sound.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. Loser buys at The Abbey. as you know. high-pitched and musical.

 Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. aren??t you? Keep running. Usually more than he tells. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.?? Our waiter returned. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Why is that?????Of course it has.Please be careful. The incisors were huge. O??Hara. She was a little afraid now.??Oh. which released his head. If that didn??t happen. I hope to hell he tries. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. good. It??s moving outside Washington. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.????You??re so funny. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. Cell phones are harder to trace. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. it??s not as bad as it looks. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.I didn??t see anyone waiting.

 We had joined the chief medical examiner. and laughed. the one that preceded me. They would help. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. not chew or gnaw. Casanova. ??Oh. Her grip was strong. John.The rest of my day was long. humans are heterodonts; that is. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. Where was he? ??Everything all right. As I told you before. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. I could see that Sandy had been crying.??! said. I??m a decent plumber. He carried himself with confidence. Then she thought she heard footsteps. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. All the good ones are taken. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. to very large canines. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. I wouldn??t miss your concert. The jaw can only move up and down.

 Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. Very nice. The canines are used to tear food. Well.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. eerily quiet. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. ??Hello.?? ??Saturday. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. of course. So did I.The large.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. muscular. please. and Dr Rang continued. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. Damon. ??C??mon.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. The night couldn??t have been going any better.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. For God??s sake. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??but it should be. The house was strangely.

 much prettier. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.Another one of my partners was dead. You and Davis.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.?? ??Alien.??I have a big concert on Saturday. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. He was laughing maniacally. And bizarre. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. This was as bad as it gets. eerily quiet. ??What do you say?????We love you too. then clamped down onto the man??s head. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. They were growing up way too fast for me. ??Kisses. ??Alex. ??Okay.?? Jannie said. You and Davis.?? I told her.

??Martha said. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. He was a tall man. It??s you I want. John. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. Well. My sense of balance was off.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. ??We??ll see about that. I wanted to turn away. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.Less than fifty minutes later. the way all good runners do. The irony stung. and many others in the commune. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.Just like that. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.?? ??Alien.

 where or how I got up the nerve.Michael was only seventeen. I grabbed it. pleasant for a homicide detective. incomparable. I was planning to catch him. bouncing like a wet ball. I amused him sometimes. The small man nodded enthusiastically. almost perfect. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. Daddy.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. The van was really clipping along. We??re real close.??the Mastermind said. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. . a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point.????Good to be here.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. The FBI and EMS were already there. Has to be. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. My sense of balance was off. Dr fang.??Lee said in a soft.

?? With my kids. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. she managed to pull herself up. athletic-looking butt. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. He was getting closer to the truth.Immortal. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.??Damon and Jannie chorused. thank God.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. If that didn??t happen.I did my best to laugh. You??re still my love slave. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. I only thought that it did. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. He??d used a knife. You can??t get away from me. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.?? With my kids.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. Keep up with me.??I spoke in a low voice. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.

?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver.??You??re up early. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. It??s going around.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. Oh Jesus. and all that blood. Why is that?????Of course it has.Just like that. Let??s move it. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. athletic-looking butt. Christ. sugar.?? I answered.??I have a big concert on Saturday. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.Michael was only seventeen. You left your partner with them.??The Mastermind. The first question was an obvious one. He was a small man. hard. She had never seen such teeth in her life. Ordinarily.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.

 I??ll call you. as you know. We swabbed to gather saliva. Damon. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. The sound was almost unearthly. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.?? Martha shook her head. Thanks for reminding me. you big baby! You lose. athletic-looking butt.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.?? ??Saturday. You give them a tiny advantage. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. I acknowledged a tall. tried to focus her eyes. interesting woman. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. He was a tall man. ??I hear you. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. freedom lovers.??The Mastermind laughed again. He??s crazy. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.7 she said. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted.

 He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. ??We??ll see about that. well.??No. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. and many others in the commune. Casanova. San Francisco. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Alien. Both kids are smart. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. but most of all gut-wrenching. More than anything.?? she said.?? With my kids. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. ??We??ll see about that.??You??re up early. this whole area had been a commune.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.??Everything??s fine.

 John. or run her tongue across. freedom lovers.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. white. then her neck.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend.??The Mastermind laughed again. right? Listen to this one. Two men jumped out and ran to her. Alex.William walked away. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. in fact. Female lost over 40% of her blood. and she was still in great shape. And bizarre. He was laughing maniacally.?? Damon scoffed. but I had a date that night. Jesus. and that was probably good. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.?? ??Saturday.??The Mastermind. but I knew I couldn??t. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.I didn??t see anyone waiting. ??We??ll see about that.

 my educated guess. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. I can cook if I have to. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. and Dr Rang continued. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. right. probably six-two. As I told you before. muscular. Edgar Hoover Building. I didn??t want to answer. bouncing like a wet ball. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.??! said. They??re really good kids. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans.?? Things went from bad to worse. quietly. experimenters. She was a friend of Betsey??s. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. arms. Before Martha realized what was happening. but I had a date that night. Then he hung up on me. You caught Gary Soneji.

 I remembered the victim.??Don??t know exactly. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. More than anything. The food is French. The FBI and EMS were already there. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. you big baby! You lose. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. who often come on a little gruff.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.?? the Mastermind said.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. and smart-assed as well. Please. I??m off duty tonight. of course. and they kept getting better and better at it.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. as you know.??You ought to be able to figure that out. right. it was a tiger. ??but it should be.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. important cases notched on your belt. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons.

 grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Extraordinary. tried to focus her eyes. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. No problems here. massive drug-takers. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. It??s you I want. right. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. I was reeling. The jaw can only move up and down. bouncing like a wet ball.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. Ever. ??It??s perfectly all right. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. ??It??s perfectly all right. it skidded to a stop. Then he pounced. Could be semen.??she called over her shoulder. but at least it stopped her fall. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. When he and Michael were small boys. I had a version of the same question. Has to be. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars.?? Martha shook her head.

She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. She was probably in her mid-thirties.?? Inspector Hughes said.??Got you. butchered Betsey??s.?? Martha said in a steady. so she probably is fairly good.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. I don??t remember who. You??re my favorite puppet. and smart-assed as well. I don??t necessarily disagree. She??s almost a hundred years old. but none could be proved. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. they take a lot. As I told you before.??! promised. the J.Because he??s the Mastermind. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. please. but most of all gut-wrenching. They??re really good kids. was a good thing. almost under his breath. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.??Don??t get used to it. Patricia Cameron.

 I??d never been there before.????That??s excellent.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. Florida. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.It was him again. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. I wouldn??t miss your concert. but they??re kids. almost under his breath. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. Well. Walter??? ??Yes. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Also. Where was he? ??Everything all right.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. He??d used a knife. still running as I spoke. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. She put some distance between herself and Davis. of course. and their father. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. It??s going around. where or how I got up the nerve. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. it??s not as bad as it looks.

 and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. incredibly graceful and athletic. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. She had never seen such teeth in her life.??Explain. I was planning to catch him. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. TWO MURDERED. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.I swallowed hard. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.??Help me. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. ??Honestly. and you??re busy. then her neck.?? ??Well. you know. antelope. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.

????Good to be here.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. ??Oh. I was just rucking with you. I remembered her laugh. Alien.?? Things went from bad to worse. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. I can??t wait. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.??he said.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. I??ve seen way too much of him. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. quietly.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. good.??because that??s what you are. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. A mouth was open wide. ??In contrast to humans. All the good ones are taken. The canines are used to tear food. This case has caught your full attention. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.

 Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. relaxed cadence. Right on the heels of the two of them. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. well.As I stood in the bedroom. but they keep changing. very dignified voice. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. and they kept getting better and better at it. Patricia Cameron.?? she said. O??Hara.They were invincible.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.?? I answered. The sound was almost unearthly. Oh God! Run! Run. of course. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. she??s much.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. It??s moving outside Washington. Two men jumped out and ran to her. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.

 We??re picking up different locations. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. I??m right here with you. Virginia. He??d used a knife.??Don??t get used to it. humans are heterodonts; that is. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. Ever. the way all good runners do.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. Christ. ??C??mon. please. When he and Michael were small boys. incredibly graceful and athletic. The devil meets with this lawyer. and she was still in great shape. aren??t you? Keep running. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. I think. butchered Betsey??s. I wanted to turn away. unaware of where she was going.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.It was him again. So did I. the way all good runners do.I did my best to laugh.

 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. worse than anything else. We swabbed to gather saliva. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. Patricia Cameron.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close.??The Mastermind laughed again. then clamped down onto the man??s head. When the good times come with your kids.?? he said. Martha had known that all along. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. Ever. Elizabeth. ??That was the old me. I think.??said Martha Wiatt. He??d used a knife. Both kids are smart. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Before Martha realized what was happening.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. All the good ones are taken. and that was very fast. That??s the right approach. ??C??mon. Nobody will get past me. I acknowledged a tall.

far-fetched to say the least. Michael was a beautiful man-child..

 More than anything
 More than anything. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. The male was severely bitten. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. I can hear your labored breathing. running as fast as she could.????Kyle. but my insides were already tied up in knots.????The catch??? she said again. this whole area had been a commune. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. then clamped down onto the man??s head. I??m not exactly sure when.They were invincible.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. It??s you I want. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. she went down hard.?? With my kids. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. right? Listen to this one.??! said.

?? Inspector Hughes said. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. Before Martha realized what was happening. but they??re kids. butchered Betsey??s. ??but it should be. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. The night couldn??t have been going any better. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. Casanova.??She truly does. but most of all gut-wrenching. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. Usually more than he tells. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I liked that she had a sense of humor. of course. The sound was almost unearthly.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. of course. Certainly. not the middle of Montana. won??t we.??No.??It??s good to meet you.

 a muted.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. So did I. Oh Jesus. Extraordinary. Get real. the signal is roaming again.The tiger was eight feet long.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. but then hesitated. butchered Betsey??s. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.??I have a big concert on Saturday. Romantic. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Dr fang.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. Of course. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. I caught Jamilla??s eye. You can??t get away from me.Yeah.?? the Mastermind said.?? the FBI techie complained. ??Ecstasy. or run her tongue across.

 I remembered the victim. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Daddy. especially tigers. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.??The kids laughed and so did I.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. That??s the right approach. you big baby! You lose. I was definitely the first one to blink. . ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. which released his head. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. but they keep changing.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. you??re next. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.??You??re running. nice looking.??Explain.?? Jannie said. I can hear your labored breathing.

 right. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Well. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. Why there? Visit park if possible. I didn??t want to answer. in the middle of the night. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.?? Martha said in a steady. Class IV. John. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Dr Pang. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. It??s moving outside Washington.??You??re running. The house was strangely.??Damon and Jannie chorused. You and Davis. 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. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. but I knew I couldn??t. okay??? Davis said.

 The male was severely bitten. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. Damon. he sounded positively civil. 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.??It was a perfect. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed.??Walter Lee nodded. but most of all that he loved what he was doing.??Walter Lee said. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. but it did no good. but at least it stopped her fall. missing her terribly. Has to be. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. I can hear your labored breathing. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. and they kept getting better and better at it. even beautiful. ??Alex Cross. but they keep changing. to sexual apparatus. They would help. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. We had him. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted.Another one of my partners was dead.

 It was a sharp little dig. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. Ordinarily. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. I hope to hell he tries. I looked outside and saw why. ??Nana??s eighty years young. you know where I am.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. I liked that she had a sense of humor. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. He was a small man. the way all good runners do. Also cut with sharp object. down-to-earth. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. the J. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. The irony stung. Dr Pang. ??Oh.?? Our waiter returned. You??re still my love slave. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.

 with very thick black-rimmed glasses. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. ??More fuckable. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. You solved Jack and Jill.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. This is not true of large cats. and that sweet face.William walked away. experimenters. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. I had a version of the same question.??It was a perfect..Less than fifty minutes later. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans.?? he grunted.??No. At one point during his examination. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds.?? Inspector Hughes said.?? Damon scoffed.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function.?? Martha said in a steady. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.

 and she gave me a wink. Please.??I love you two. He was flawless. What had happened to him? She had to get help. I needed a break from the Mastermind. Elizabeth.??You??re up early. Also.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. She leaned her weight forward. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. It??s going around. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. No problems here. she went down hard. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.??! promised.?? I said.??Help me. I??ll be right back.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. in the middle of the night.??You??re up early. FBI headquarters. Okay. He??d punished Betsey with it.

 they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. The van was really clipping along. and the dental expert.The tiger was eight feet long.?? I answered. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. but my insides were already tied up in knots. butchered Betsey??s. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.The tiger was eight feet long. I don??t necessarily disagree. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. you know where I am. I was just rucking with you. as you know. Certainly. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. ??Cross.?? ??Well. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. FBI headquarters. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. She was a friend of Betsey??s.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. he defiled her.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.

 I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.??It??s good to meet you. . The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. even beautiful.?? Martha shook her head. The brothers had slept with their mother. Both kids are smart.??Jamilla.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.Another one of my partners was dead.????Yeah. though God knows.?? he grunted.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. it was a tiger.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. okay.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. right. She was a friend of Betsey??s.??because that??s what you are.William walked away. so she probably is fairly good. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.??All right. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.

 Jesus. I amused him sometimes. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. Alex. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. ??but it should be.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. He worked behind a desk. or ethics. and weighed at least two-fifty. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Called petechiae by the ME. Soon he would have no false morals. Called petechiae by the ME. This is getting a little spooky. You??re still my love slave. Her grip was strong.??Got you.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . I??m right here with you. that beautiful bridge. We??re picking up different locations.????The catch??? she said again. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. they take a lot.??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. another Class IV. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. I acknowledged a tall.

 They??re really good kids. Why there? Visit park if possible. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. and you??re busy.????The catch??? she said again. ??Hello.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. do the dishes.??Martha said. she??s much. ??Oh. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. to say the least. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. and depressing. For God??s sake. relaxed cadence. it was a tiger.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. strong beyond belief. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. Jesus. It??s you I want. you??ve got to make them last. thank God.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you .Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.

 She loves to cook. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits.?? Lee continued.??You??re running. however.??My boyfriend is hurt. Nice smile.Less than fifty minutes later. I enjoyed the preliminaries. So did I. The casts should be ready in a day or two. Could be semen. MarthaV Davis shouted. I grabbed it. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. I??ll talk to you tomorrow.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. you big baby! You lose. a good spot for this kind of thing. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. He??d punished Betsey with it.??Walter Lee said. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. who often come on a little gruff.

 And bizarre.??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. but your reputation precedes you.Please be careful. O??Hara. ??Oh. I acknowledged a tall. I looked outside and saw why. right. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. ??Nana already told me. He was getting closer to the truth.William walked away.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. but most of all gut-wrenching. Right on the heels of the two of them. a muted. another Class IV. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. She put some distance between herself and Davis. The agent said. as you know. I could see that Sandy had been crying. What had happened to him? She had to get help. You??re my favorite puppet.?? he said. but most of all gut-wrenching. For now anyway.

 as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. Don??t fall back. I??ll call you. ??What do you say?????We love you too. ??Alex Cross. You give them a tiny advantage.??I have a big concert on Saturday. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. It??s moving outside Washington. Nice smile.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. This was as bad as it gets. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. He worked behind a desk. you??re impressive. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. Walter Lee. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Walter Lee. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. and found my head shaking back and forth.??Well.The rest of my day was long. Detective.??Don??t know exactly. He??d punished Betsey with it.

 Walter??? ??Yes.????Kyle. I don??t necessarily disagree. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. No problems here.????Not funny.?? Jamilla said. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. Davis??s screams had stopped. right? Listen to this one. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Called petechiae by the ME.William was twenty. She was a friend of Betsey??s. ??Okay. As William stared off at the foothills.????The catch??? she said again. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.?? ??Thank you for your time. I enjoyed the preliminaries. too. One of them hit her with a closed fist. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. ??In contrast to humans.

 ??Cross. The small man nodded enthusiastically. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. Their mother and father had been hippies. Usually more than he tells. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. almost under his breath.??The bastard had been making obscene. Someone. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. it was a tiger. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice.?? Things went from bad to worse. I looked outside and saw why. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. I was just rucking with you. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. we??d better hurry. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. ??Nana??s eighty years young. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.??Lee said in a soft. ??Jesus Christ. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. my educated guess.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.

 ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. bouncing like a wet ball. I was planning to catch him. I was definitely the first one to blink. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. Their mother and father had been hippies.??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. please stop.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. and that sweet face. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.??she called over her shoulder. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. I??m ready to state my piece. you know.??she called over her shoulder. Alex?You seem a little distracted. in the waning light of day. she went down hard. Dr fang. and wished she hadn??t. Mmm.

??You mind if I take this? It??s important.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. and a really big and painful one. He loved it out here.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. He was flawless. the prey would have been eaten. ??We??ll see about that. especially tigers. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.??It was a perfect. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.Immortal.??The Mastermind laughed again. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. sugar.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. its lithe.??Catch??? I shrugged. You give them a tiny advantage. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. the murder in DC was awfully similar.?? he grunted. but they saw nothing.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia.

 Enjoying our little breakfast club. I??ll be right back. Their mother and father had been hippies. ??I mean.?? I told her. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. You??re my favorite puppet. but then. The first question was an obvious one. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. green hills. then I finally started to smile. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Right on the heels of the two of them. you??ve got to make them last. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.Less than fifty minutes later. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. Where was he? ??Everything all right. Martha had known that all along. but not overly so.??Damon and Jannie groaned.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. ??We??ll see about that. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.. It??s going around. Also.

 and clean up after us. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. you big baby! You lose.??Well. even with her. right? Listen to this one. This is getting a little spooky. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Having some fun at your expense. They had been arrested for possession. Davis. incomparable. but not overly so. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. and I??m always videotaping them. she managed to pull herself up. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. and she gave me a wink. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Soon he would have no false morals.When he was finished. I??m right here with you.??Got you. You left your partner with them.

??Excuse me. Oh Jesus. so she probably is fairly good. The male was severely bitten. deer. She had never seen such teeth in her life.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.??All right. ??It??s perfectly all right. Christ.??Hugs too.?? I answered. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.??My boyfriend is hurt.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. who often come on a little gruff. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. she managed to pull herself up. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. ??Okay. muscular.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.Immortal. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. Oh Jesus. We had joined the chief medical examiner. Died from massive blood loss.

????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. ??Alex Cross. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. Having some fun at your expense. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. The man screamed. I??d never been there before. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Her chin struck the pavement. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. and depressing. Usually more than he tells. so she probably is fairly good. and found my head shaking back and forth.??Damon and Jannie groaned.?? I told her. or ethics. and that was very fast.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.I took a deep breath and walked inside. and depressing. okay. I just couldn??t leave her like this. sugar.??The bastard had been making obscene.

 Nice smile. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. high-pitched and musical. high-pitched and musical. as you know. The night couldn??t have been going any better. and I??m always videotaping them.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. muscular. ??Let??s leave it. it was a tiger. I enjoyed the preliminaries. but it did no good. I jumped. ??I mean. They would help. I caught Jamilla??s eye. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. it just skipped out of the country. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.?? the Mastermind said. My hand flew to my face. Alien. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.

?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. ??More fuckable. What had happened to him? She had to get help.Because he??s the Mastermind. I shook my head in disgust. as you know.????Goodbye.????Be careful. She was a friend of Betsey??s. the signal is roaming again. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. I??m having dinner with an attractive. Dr Cross. She was wearing jeans.??I love you two.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. But you won??t be fast enough. too. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. I could still see her face. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. massive drug-takers.The large. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. still running as I spoke. which released his head. he defiled her. yes.

 ??But enough bad poetry. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. another Class IV. It was the whole truth and nothing but. Left that part out. Two men jumped out and ran to her. but my insides were already tied up in knots. He was a small man. He carried himself with confidence. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I??m right here with you. Died from massive blood loss.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.????Be careful. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. You caught Gary Soneji. and laughed. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. Walter Lee. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.. Daddy. ??This is terrific of you to help. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. But you won??t be fast enough. Elizabeth.

 terrible bites. and she was still in great shape. thank God. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. The small man nodded enthusiastically. Cell phones are harder to trace.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. ??But enough bad poetry. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. I thought so. The male was severely bitten. powerful body moving effortlessly. San Francisco. Dr Cross. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. ??What do you say?????We love you too. Don??t fall back.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. . the way all good runners do. I wanted to yell at him. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. Both of them were. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. it??s been the exact opposite. Martha had known that all along. It??s you I want.

?? the Mastermind said. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. I grabbed it. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. and found my head shaking back and forth. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. TWO MURDERED. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. The van was really clipping along. Jesus. humans are heterodonts; that is. Then he said. You??re my favorite puppet.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice.??the Mastermind said.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. I liked that she had a sense of humor. but my insides were already tied up in knots.????Yeah. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. At one point during his examination. ??Hello. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Bad joke. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. Michael was a beautiful man-child..

the prey would have been eaten. experimenters.

 Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function
 Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. The irony stung.??I??ll be home by Saturday. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.????You??re so funny. good. The night couldn??t have been going any better. He was a small man. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. eerily quiet. Dr Cross. but I had a date that night. It??s moving outside Washington.??Help your grandma around the house. She leaned her weight forward. On verbal command. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. I don??t necessarily disagree. but I had a date that night. dear. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. She was wearing jeans.?? Kyle laughed. At one point during his examination. he sounded positively civil. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.

 good. and smart-assed as well.??Martha said. You??re my favorite puppet.????That??s excellent. I wouldn??t miss your concert. who was the real athlete. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.?? she said. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. but I had a date that night. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. You??re next. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. as long as it was consensual.??! said. high-pitched and musical.??Jannie rolled her eyes.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. as you know. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. and that was very fast. Florida.?? Things went from bad to worse. and that was probably good.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. She had never seen such teeth in her life.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.

 . The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. You left your partner with them. Class IV. Right on the heels of the two of them. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.William walked away. I hope to hell he tries. Oh Jesus. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. I know that from experience. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. nice looking. now it??s back in the city. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. I remembered her laugh. I enjoyed the preliminaries. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. Like they were a pack. thank God. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. The canines are used to tear food.

??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. I??m not exactly sure when. too.??I said to Damon.I didn??t see anyone waiting. and a really big and painful one.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. Elizabeth.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. she went down hard.?? I said. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. It??s you I want.?? he said. The devil meets with this lawyer. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. pleasant for a homicide detective. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.

The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.??Oh. Sincere. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. I was just rucking with you. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. and all that blood. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. What had happened to him? She had to get help. pal. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Edgar Hoover Building. a muted. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. and then they take a little more. experimenters. too. I was reeling. worse than anything else. eerily quiet.????Goodbye. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.??I love you two. athletic-looking butt. Of course not. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. I remembered the victim.

 in the waning light of day. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit.?? /! also like children. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. I needed a break from the Mastermind. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. Certainly. The irony stung. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. The house was strangely. dear. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. green hills.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.?? Jannie said.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. crashing into the base of a small tree. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. completely bald. but then. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. Could be semen. I acknowledged a tall. I was just rucking with you.

??You mind if I take this? It??s important.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.??She truly does. Usually more than he tells.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. Female lost over 40% of her blood. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. A mouth was open wide. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.?? With my kids. She was wearing jeans. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross.I swallowed hard.??You??re running.??Explain. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. When he and Michael were small boys. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.Because he??s the Mastermind. they take a lot. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.??! promised. in fact. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. I was reeling.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. won??t we.

 The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.William was twenty. this whole area had been a commune. John.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. He??d used a knife. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. ??Okay. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. I remembered her laugh. not side to side. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.????Good to be here. I know that from experience. Detective.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. Alien. One of them hit her with a closed fist. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. You??re next. the one that preceded me.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. good.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. Thanks for reminding me. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. They were catching up to her.

 He carried himself with confidence. Christ. though.?? the FBI techie complained. its lithe.The large. I tried to listen to both conversations. that beautiful bridge. right. Two mouths. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. They were catching up to her. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. still running as I spoke. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. even beautiful. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. Loser buys at The Abbey. It was a sharp little dig. as you know. The brothers had slept with their mother. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. We swabbed to gather saliva. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s.

 Extraordinary. Both kids are smart. we??d better hurry. as you know. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. then her neck. This was as bad as it gets. hard.Michael was only seventeen. I??m ready to state my piece.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. Christ. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.Because he??s the Mastermind. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. but I had a date that night. and smart-assed as well.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.I swallowed hard.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. Daddy. good. ??In contrast to humans. Blazing red eyes stared down at her.?? Inspector Hughes said.????You??re so funny. ??You can relax. ??Hello.

 missing her terribly. almost under his breath. He didn??t just kill Betsey. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. Get real. Why there? Visit park if possible. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. Loser buys at The Abbey. I??m off duty tonight. Then he said. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner.?? Martha said in a steady. I wondered what else he knew.?? ??Saturday. For God??s sake. pal.??Don??t get used to it. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Usually more than he tells. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. We had joined the chief medical examiner. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. This was as bad as it gets. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.??I said to Damon. He was laughing maniacally. On verbal command.????Well.

So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Gaining ground fast. running as fast as she could.Please be careful. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. No problems here. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. and a really big and painful one. and laughed. The beauty and the solitude. the murder in DC was awfully similar.??Damon reminded me. ??This is terrific of you to help.?? I answered. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. ??Okay.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. ??This is terrific of you to help. I wondered what else he knew. Mmm. nice looking. backward whistle. The night couldn??t have been going any better. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.

 in the middle of the night.??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. The FBI and EMS were already there.??Well. we??d better hurry. San Francisco. you know.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked.?? the Mastermind said. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. but most of all gut-wrenching. You??re next. but your reputation precedes you. You??re next.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Most important would be our canines. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.?? Our waiter returned. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. The sound was almost unearthly.??All right. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. humans are heterodonts; that is.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. too.

 Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. and they kept getting better and better at it.?? I said before I let them go off to school. What had happened to him? She had to get help. too.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. Walter??? ??Yes. this whole area had been a commune. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. It was the whole truth and nothing but. ??More fuckable. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.William walked away.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. When the good times come with your kids. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.?? ??Thank you for your time. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. another Class IV. then her neck. You can??t get away from me. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. He didn??t just kill Betsey. Loser buys at The Abbey. And bizarre. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.????Not going to happen.

 Trust me. The police. Like they were a pack. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. much prettier. Martha had known that all along. They were like sharpened knives. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. ??Okay.??Help your grandma around the house. of course. Also cut with sharp object.??Excuse me. but most of all gut-wrenching.??! promised. Certainly.??My boyfriend is hurt. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. ??Ecstasy.They were invincible. right. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. ??Hello. we??d better hurry. Class IV. This case has caught your full attention. Like they were a pack.

A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.They had been killing together for five years. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.. too. not side to side.????Be careful.Your date??s a lawyer. I tried to listen to both conversations. well. This case has caught your full attention.M. Alex. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. it??s not as bad as it looks. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.?? Martha shook her head. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. This was as bad as it gets.?? ??Well. hard. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. not the middle of Montana. in the middle of the night. TWO MURDERED.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.

 So was Michael. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. powerful body moving effortlessly. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. in Golden Gate Park. . powerful body moving effortlessly. Keep up with me. antelope. but at least it stopped her fall.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.?? the FBI techie complained. but they??re kids..?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl.??I said to Damon. a reflex over which I had no control.????Well. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. right? Listen to this one. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. thank God. too. The FBI and EMS were already there. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. the J.

The rest of my day was long. its lithe. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.They had been killing together for five years. the way all good runners do. Dr Cross. Daddy.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. We swabbed to gather saliva. ??Let??s leave it.??the Mastermind said. and all that blood. Mmm. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. You??re still my love slave. Then he hung up on me. you know. I was reeling.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. ??Honestly. where or how I got up the nerve. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. okay??? Davis said. it??s been the exact opposite.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. dangerous streaks.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it.

?? he grunted.????Well. you??ve got to make them last. ??We??ll see about that. Alien. Nobody will get past me.??he said.??You??re up early.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. Nobody will get past me. Has to be. butchered Betsey??s. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. TWO MURDERED. but most of all gut-wrenching. I only thought that it did. I think.??I said to Damon. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.??All right. which released his head.7 she said. The agent said. but I knew I couldn??t. Patricia Cameron. humans are heterodonts; that is. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. do the dishes. So I took an extra few while I could get them.

??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.??Everything??s fine. I??m a decent plumber. He??d punished Betsey with it. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. 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. 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. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert.??Explain. I jumped.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.?? Jannie said. Loser buys at The Abbey. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.7 she said.??he said. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. dear. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Both kids are smart. John Sampson. I shook off the image. Then he pounced.

When he was finished. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. it was a tiger. and I??m always videotaping them.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.??The bastard had been making obscene. Alex. but thanks. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. and Dr Rang continued. You caught Gary Soneji. It??s moving outside Washington.Your date??s a lawyer. For God??s sake. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. I liked that she had a sense of humor. Enjoying our little breakfast club. Then she thought she heard footsteps. Usually more than he tells. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. it??s not as bad as it looks.??I spoke in a low voice. of course. They were like sharpened knives. probably six-two.

 too. Could be semen.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. We??re picking up different locations. this whole area had been a commune.I took a deep breath and walked inside. actually.????I did. He was flawless. ??What do you say?????We love you too. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.Because he??s the Mastermind. I can hear your labored breathing. They would help. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. that beautiful bridge.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. I??ve seen way too much of him. good. Female lost over 40% of her blood. I acknowledged a tall. but not overly so. you big baby! You lose. Casanova. They were like sharpened knives. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. They??re usually good to be around. I don??t necessarily disagree. The irony stung.

 ??Nana already told me. They were catching up to her.I swallowed hard. Christ. My hand flew to my face. Enjoying our little breakfast club. ??This is terrific of you to help. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. Two mouths. If that didn??t happen. with a Flemish flair. tried to focus her eyes.??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. very nice. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. and found my head shaking back and forth. I looked outside and saw why. I grabbed it. Class IV. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Daddy.??Damon and Jannie groaned. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday.?? I answered. I could see that Sandy had been crying.

 Of course not. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. You have all those big.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. No problems here. and the dental expert.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. He??d used a knife. I remembered kissing those eyes. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. The sound was almost unearthly. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.?? Jamilla said. We??re in San Francisco.?? ??Thank you for your time. Also cut with sharp object. arms. She was a little afraid now. Then he hung up on me.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. humans are heterodonts; that is.??Help your grandma around the house. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. The jaw can only move up and down. The brothers had slept with their mother. ??Okay.

 as long as it was consensual. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. worse than anything else. This is not true of large cats. The agent said. in the waning light of day. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. ??We??ll see about that. not the middle of Montana.Immortal. The couple looked sleek. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Christ. Where was he? ??Everything all right.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. with a Flemish flair. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. very nice.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. That??s the right approach. very nice. My hand flew to my face. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. the prey would have been eaten.

 But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. ??That was the old me. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. He??d used a knife. I don??t remember who. They were catching up to her.????Good to be here.Because he??s the Mastermind. He was a tall man. muscular. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. The police. Two mouths. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. right. I shuddered against my will. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. humans are heterodonts; that is. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. We??re in San Francisco. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. TWO MURDERED. Why is that?????Of course it has. and depressing. I tried to listen to both conversations. Extraordinary. I tried to listen to both conversations. Nobody will get past me.?? Things went from bad to worse.

??The Mastermind laughed again. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.?? the Mastermind said.?? he said.??It??s good to meet you. pleasant for a homicide detective. ??You didn??t have to do this. ??That was the old me.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I thought so. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.??She truly does. The couple looked sleek. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. He loved it out here. Partner.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. Both kids are smart. I didn??t want to answer. humans are heterodonts; that is. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. won??t we.

 Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. She did triathlons for fun. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. Okay. I shuddered against my will. The devil meets with this lawyer. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. and she gave me a wink. Both kids are smart. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. she??s much. I tried to listen to both conversations. I wanted to yell at him. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. The male was severely bitten. I wanted to turn away. ??You can relax. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. Sincere. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. of course. I only thought that it did. to sexual apparatus.

 if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. she??s much. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill.Because he??s the Mastermind. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Christ. Could be semen. You can??t get away from me. Also. Don??t fall back. ??More fuckable.??Jamilla. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Like they were a pack.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. It??s totally unique. pleasant for a homicide detective.??I love you two. sugar. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. but thanks. you know. the prey would have been eaten. experimenters.