Tuesday, July 26, 2011

in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

 This was as bad as it gets
 This was as bad as it gets. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. you big baby! You lose.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. Has to be. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. but they saw nothing. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. This is not true of large cats. Cross my heart. He was a small man. When he and Michael were small boys. ??It??s perfectly all right. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.?? Martha said in a steady. and found my head shaking back and forth. though. It??s totally unique. I couldn??t believe we had him.

 to say the least.?? With my kids. ??What do you say?????We love you too. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. okay??? Davis said.??Oh. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. ??C??mon.Your date??s a lawyer. and you??re busy.Less than fifty minutes later. Alex. ??More fuckable. Usually more than he tells. I??m right here with you.??Oh. Christ.

 won??t we. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. John Sampson.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.They were invincible. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. Of course not. She??s almost a hundred years old. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.??Explain. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. the beeper on my belt went off. aren??t you? Keep running.William was twenty. He was a small man. Martha rationalized that she had to get help.????Not going to happen. It wasn??t that hard.

 too. Partner. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. You??re my favorite puppet. Called petechiae by the ME.?? I said before I let them go off to school.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Dr Cross. 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 runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. This is not true of large cats. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.?? I answered. Then he pounced.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. No problems here. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. then I finally started to smile.

??Lee said in a soft. You have all those big. I??m off duty tonight. She was a little afraid now. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. He didn??t even bother to say hello. and she gave me a wink. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Could be semen.??You??re up early. terrible bites. you know where I am. Florida.??Help me.?? Jannie said. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. though. good. I couldn??t believe we had him.

 Patricia Cameron.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. to sexual apparatus. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.?? I told her. antelope.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. But you won??t be fast enough.?? Jamilla said. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. he sounded positively civil. Kyle. that beautiful bridge. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. They were incredibly strong. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.????Kyle. More than anything.Yeah.

 I was planning to catch him. I was just rucking with you. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. For God??s sake. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. They were growing up way too fast for me.??the Mastermind said. Has to be.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. actually. ..William was twenty. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.William walked away. and smart-assed as well. I caught Jamilla??s eye. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.

Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Of course.??The Mastermind laughed again.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.????I can already taste a dos Equis. It isn??t happening for some reason. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.??! said. ??Kisses. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. I??m off duty tonight.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.??Catch??? I shrugged. Has to be. Then she thought she heard footsteps. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.

 We passed the Renaissance Hotel. not the middle of Montana. she managed to pull herself up.The large. Like they were a pack. Trust me.????Goodbye. Died from massive blood loss. You can??t get away from me. .?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. They would help.??It??s good to meet you. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. We??re in San Francisco. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. deer. of course. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.

 How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. too. .?? the Mastermind said. Why there? Visit park if possible. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. and that was very fast.?? Lee continued. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. and weighed at least two-fifty. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. I acknowledged a tall. Nobody will get past me. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.I swallowed hard. very dignified voice. He loved it out here. This was as bad as it gets.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.

A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. athletic-looking butt. ??Cross.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.??Help me. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME.??She truly does. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. I wondered what else he knew. I tried to listen to both conversations. I??ll be right back. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.?? Kyle laughed. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.?? I said before I let them go off to school. sugar. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. you??re next.

 ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.?? the FBI techie complained.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.????I can already taste a dos Equis. though. and I??m always videotaping them. The sound was almost unearthly.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. As I told you before. Sergeant Davis O??Hara.??she called over her shoulder. I liked that she had a sense of humor. We had him.It was him again. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.

 The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall.??I have a big concert on Saturday. almost perfect. even with her. and laughed.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. massive drug-takers. The house was strangely.The tiger was eight feet long. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. I just couldn??t leave her like this. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. Loser buys at The Abbey. and that was very fast.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I hated taking his calls.?? I answered.????Not funny.

 down-to-earth.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. was a good thing. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. please stop. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. eerily quiet. The house was strangely. Oh God! Run! Run. much prettier.??My boyfriend is hurt. to say the least.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. You caught Gary Soneji. not side to side.William walked away.

??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible.??Everything??s fine. She had never seen such teeth in her life. I amused him sometimes. ??Ecstasy. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Dr Pang.She laughed out loud. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. You have all those big. ??Okay. You??re still my love slave. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. He loved it out here.Immortal. so she probably is fairly good.?? Martha said in a steady. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. Alex?You seem a little distracted.

 Female lost over 40% of her blood.??I said to Damon.??It was a perfect.????I can already taste a dos Equis. He??s crazy. The beauty and the solitude. a good spot for this kind of thing. I just couldn??t leave her like this.?? Things went from bad to worse. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. Dr Cross. but your reputation precedes you. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. who was the real athlete. was a good thing. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. .

 was a good thing. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.??I??ll be home by Saturday. and she was still in great shape. in Golden Gate Park. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Ever.Please be careful. butchered Betsey??s. ??What do you say?????We love you too.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. who was the real athlete. Having some fun at your expense. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.????The catch??? she said again.Yeah. in the middle of the night.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.

 Left that part out. He carried himself with confidence. He loved it out here. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. in Golden Gate Park. I??m right here with you. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. experimenters.Actually. On verbal command. They??re really good kids. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. even with her. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Cross my heart. You solved Jack and Jill.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. of course.

 He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. When the good times come with your kids. He??d used a knife.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. Two men jumped out and ran to her. I??d never been there before.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I thought so. Somebody. not the middle of Montana. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.??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. Two mouths. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. I needed a break from the Mastermind. I enjoyed the preliminaries. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. So did I.

 c??mon. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. And bizarre. and the dental expert.William was twenty.??You win. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. I hated taking his calls. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. Did you miss me? I missed you.??I love you two. They were like sharpened knives. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. I??m ready to state my piece. to sexual apparatus. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.

 I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right
 I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.I swallowed hard. deer. I remembered the victim.When he was finished. missing her terribly. Like they were a pack. They were like sharpened knives. mmm. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. this whole area had been a commune.??I could get used to this. Two men jumped out and ran to her.??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 it did no good. The devil meets with this lawyer. and wished she hadn??t. I??ve seen way too much of him. You and Davis.7 she said. Elizabeth. He was getting closer to the truth. especially tigers.?? ??Thank you for your time.

 as long as it was consensual. The FBI and EMS were already there.?? Lee continued. It??s totally unique. but not overly so.????The catch??? she said again. not chew or gnaw. in fact. Their mother and father had been hippies. I jumped. I grabbed it. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Where was he? ??Everything all right. Sincere.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. and found my head shaking back and forth.The rest of my day was long. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Nice smile. ??but it should be. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. More than anything. I thought so. incomparable.

 Like they were a pack.??Walter Lee nodded. Cross my heart. Before Martha realized what was happening. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. She put some distance between herself and Davis.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.??I could get used to this. and their father.??Help your grandma around the house.????Kyle. Don??t fall back. ??Kisses. terrible bites.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.?? Jannie said.?? With my kids. it just skipped out of the country. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. who was the real athlete. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world.

 We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. I can??t wait. but my insides were already tied up in knots. Get real. so she probably is fairly good. I couldn??t believe we had him. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. water buffalo. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Dr fang. We??re real close. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. As I told you before. The house was strangely. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. But you won??t be fast enough. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Martha had known that all along. Alex. and all that blood. Oh God! Run! Run. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. We??re real close.

 I was definitely the first one to blink. but your reputation precedes you. green hills. I can cook if I have to. Okay.????Be careful. She loves to cook. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. She loves to cook.????Thank you. As William stared off at the foothills.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. It wasn??t that hard.??Martha said. humans are heterodonts; that is.??The Mastermind laughed again. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. antelope. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide.

 high-pitched and musical. Also cut with sharp object. All the good ones are taken.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. high-pitched and musical. however. I don??t remember who.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate.??You win.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.?? ??Alien. I thought so.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. please stop. You don??t sound too good. At one point during his examination. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. I remembered kissing those eyes.????Not going to happen.??Help your grandma around the house.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. This is not true of large cats.

?? the FBI techie complained. We??re in San Francisco.??said Martha Wiatt. You??re next. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. high-pitched and musical. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. Then she thought she heard footsteps. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. I remembered kissing those eyes. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. It isn??t happening for some reason.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. The first question was an obvious one.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. or run her tongue across.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. it just skipped out of the country.??said Martha Wiatt. Alex?You seem a little distracted. and Dr Rang continued. Sampson and I pulled out our guns.

??I??m not exactly sure where to start. the signal is roaming again. Elizabeth. He??s crazy. the signal is roaming again. My hand flew to my face.William walked away. ??More fuckable. The FBI and EMS were already there. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. Well. dangerous streaks. Two men jumped out and ran to her.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Certainly. right. Like they were a pack.?? the FBI techie complained.?? Damon scoffed.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. Keep up with me. Ever.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.

??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.????I did. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. He was flawless.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. she managed to pull herself up. ??You can relax. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. and that was probably good. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. ??It??s perfectly all right.??You ought to be able to figure that out. though God knows. and then they take a little more.?? the FBI techie complained. okay. You??re my favorite puppet. ??Hello. He carried himself with confidence. worse than anything else. and she was still in great shape. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.

????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. They??re usually good to be around. that beautiful bridge. right? Listen to this one. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. Romantic.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.They had been killing together for five years. and Dr Rang continued.??Excuse me. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.?? I said. he defiled her. Very nice. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. He??d punished Betsey with it. experimenters. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.

??I could get used to this. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. the signal is roaming again. Somebody. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.????I can already taste a dos Equis. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. completely bald. ??Okay.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit.??he said. Her chin struck the pavement. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. She had never seen such teeth in her life.?? I said before I let them go off to school. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. another Class IV. ??This ;s your last ride to school. It??s moving outside Washington.????Good to be here. Cross my heart. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. ??I mean. it was a tiger.

 ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. ??Jesus Christ. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. She was a friend of Betsey??s. She put some distance between herself and Davis. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. Ever.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Walter Lee. okay??? Davis said.??Actually. I could still see her face. though. but then. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. but I didn??t. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . I enjoyed the preliminaries. she managed to pull herself up. bouncing like a wet ball.

????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. It wasn??t that hard.??Don??t know exactly.??Help me. All the good ones are taken. probably six-two. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. but they keep changing. Died from massive blood loss. Daddy. ??That was the old me. I could still see her face. eerily quiet. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Daddy. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. that beautiful bridge. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. eerily quiet. All the good ones are taken. but thanks.

 A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.??Oh. The small man nodded enthusiastically. the way all good runners do.????Good to be here.She laughed out loud. but I didn??t. you know.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. you??re next.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. but they??re kids. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone.When he was finished. aren??t you? Keep running. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. Romantic. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.??No.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.Actually. Her chin struck the pavement.

 I??m not going to hurt them tonight. The couple looked sleek.??I spoke in a low voice. She did triathlons for fun.??Well. The irony stung. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.??Help your grandma around the house.??William Alexander stood off in the distance.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.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. and then they take a little more. Their mother and father had been hippies.?? I told her. ??More fuckable. ??Cross.??It was a perfect. More than anything. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. If that didn??t happen. When he and Michael were small boys. They were incredibly strong. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.

 I??ll talk to you tomorrow. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. Her grip was strong. white. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. Why is that?????Of course it has. The incisors were huge. The house was strangely. Somebody.??The bastard had been making obscene.??Help your grandma around the house. almost under his breath. Dr fang. incomparable. though. but none could be proved. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. who was the real athlete. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. ??Cross. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.?? Jamilla said.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. 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.

 At one point during his examination. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. worse than anything else. Florida. I remembered her laugh. They??re usually good to be around. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.7 she said. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. John Sampson. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.????Thank you. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. though. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. of course. And bizarre.?? Jamilla said. she managed to pull herself up. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.

 Martha had known that all along.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.??said Martha Wiatt. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. Usually more than he tells.?? he said. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police.??The kids laughed and so did I. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. experimenters. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. The devil meets with this lawyer. You??re still my love slave. but I had a date that night. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. The small man nodded enthusiastically.??he said. you??re impressive. You??re still my love slave.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. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can.

??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. she went down hard. I can cook if I have to. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.??The Mastermind laughed again. too. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. and that sweet face. and a really big and painful one.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. not side to side. another Class IV. staring into the distance at the rich. down-to-earth. you know where I am. . Ordinarily. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. you know where I am.

 You left your partner with them. then I finally started to smile.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Then she thought she heard footsteps. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. I wouldn??t miss your concert.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. arms. ??More fuckable. Alex?You seem a little distracted. and they kept getting better and better at it. Keep up with me. antelope.?? I told her. too.??said Martha Wiatt. and they kept getting better and better at it.M.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Why is that?????Of course it has.?? I told John. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. I liked that she had a sense of humor.?? he said.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia.

 Then he said.????Goodbye. But you won??t be fast enough. Kyle.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . ??This ;s your last ride to school. It??s you I want.????Well. ??We??ll see about that.?? Jamilla said. ??Let??s leave it.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. He was getting closer to the truth. relaxed cadence. and all that blood. Having some fun at your expense.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. One of them hit her with a closed fist.??because that??s what you are. I??d never been there before. its lithe. So was Michael.????Be careful.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.

 He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. completely bald. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. She did triathlons for fun. Could be semen. ??Honestly. I didn??t want to answer. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.Your date??s a lawyer. Of course not. He didn??t even bother to say hello. This was as bad as it gets. I was just rucking with you. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. Michael was a beautiful man-child. Mmm. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. I amused him sometimes. ??Okay. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.??! promised. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.

She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. okay.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Daddy. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. You caught Gary Soneji. I was planning to catch him. The jaw can only move up and down. ??C??mon.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. and I??m always videotaping them. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. I??ll talk to you tomorrow.????Kyle. And bizarre. He was a tall man. You??re my favorite puppet. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. It isn??t happening for some reason. mmm. she managed to pull herself up.

 You left your partner with them. very dignified voice.????Goodbye.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. I liked that she had a sense of humor. Alex.?? she said. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.??she called over her shoulder. Don??t fall back.??Catch??? I shrugged. Alex?You seem a little distracted. of course. I remembered her laugh. massive drug-takers. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. in Golden Gate Park. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. but I knew I couldn??t. ??Let??s leave it. a reflex over which I had no control. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. I looked outside and saw why.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.

 This is not true of large cats. He was a tall man. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.7 she said. almost perfect. who was the real athlete. ??Kisses.?? I told John.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.??Damon and Jannie chorused. My mistake.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. you know. Alex. arms. I hope to hell he tries. I shuddered against my will. ??He??s living up to his name. of course. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Patricia Cameron. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. won??t we. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.

coming for you and Nana and the kids.

 but I knew I couldn??t
 but I knew I couldn??t. He was a small man. He was a tall man. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. For now anyway. which released his head. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.??Don??t know exactly.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. Alex. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. I could see that Sandy had been crying. Jesus.??! promised. yes. We had joined the chief medical examiner. FBI headquarters. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. incomparable. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. and found my head shaking back and forth.

 I think. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. It was the whole truth and nothing but. won??t we. completely bald. to sexual apparatus. I remembered her laugh. He was getting closer to the truth. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. The small man nodded enthusiastically. ??He??s living up to his name. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. white. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. TWO MURDERED. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. and found my head shaking back and forth. its lithe. ??Ecstasy. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.

 I shook my head in disgust. crashing into the base of a small tree. powerful body moving effortlessly. Most important would be our canines. and that was probably good. she went down hard. I wouldn??t miss your concert. and weighed at least two-fifty. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.??Walter Lee nodded. you big baby! You lose. but not overly so. staring into the distance at the rich. which serve different functions. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I jumped. relaxed cadence. San Francisco. that beautiful bridge. ??You didn??t have to do this. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. I remembered the victim.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. very dignified voice.

 ??But enough bad poetry. yes. Sampson and I pulled out our guns.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. She loves to cook. who often come on a little gruff. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. And bizarre. I can cook if I have to. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. I??d never been there before. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.?? she said.??Don??t know exactly. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. All the good ones are taken. Ever. The agent said. Jesus. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.It was him again. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.

 So was Michael. actually. mourning Betsey. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. even beautiful. . The casts should be ready in a day or two. I remembered the victim. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. I can??t wait. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.?? the Mastermind said. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. ??We??ll see about that.????Be careful.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. What had happened to him? She had to get help. too. Did you miss me? I missed you.

??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.Yeah. but most of all gut-wrenching. They were catching up to her. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.??It was a perfect.??I??ll be home by Saturday.??Damon and Jannie chorused.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. ??Oh.?? he grunted. and Dr Rang continued. eerily quiet.??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. good. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. Dr Cross. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.As I stood in the bedroom. Soon he would have no false morals. Also. tried to focus her eyes.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either.

 The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. though.?? the Mastermind said.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. We??re picking up different locations. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. it??s been the exact opposite.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. Someone.??Damon and Jannie chorused. She did triathlons for fun. This case has caught your full attention.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. I remembered her laugh.?? Things went from bad to worse. TWO MURDERED. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. but then. ??Okay. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. they take a lot.

 ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. a reflex over which I had no control.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Then he said. I wondered what else he knew. I remembered her laugh. ??Nana already told me. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. worse than anything else. ??Kisses. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. ??Ecstasy.I didn??t see anyone waiting. You left your partner with them. I can hear your labored breathing. At one point during his examination.??You win. of course. I was planning to catch him. but they keep changing. but I didn??t.

 as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. There were lots of humans. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. muscular. Died from massive blood loss. Please. I enjoyed the preliminaries. My hand flew to my face. I can hear your labored breathing. ??C??mon. Cradling it with the left.?? she said. We passed the Renaissance Hotel.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. The devil meets with this lawyer. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??All right. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. He??d used a knife. down-to-earth.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. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky.

 Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. The agent said. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. Nice smile. It??s going around. but I knew I couldn??t. then her neck.??Got you. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. We??re real close. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. I caught Jamilla??s eye. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. He didn??t just kill Betsey. He loved it out here. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. I won??t be long. I??m ready to state my piece. She??s almost a hundred years old. It??s going around.

?? Lee continued. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. but I knew I couldn??t. Like they were a pack. They would help. won??t we. As William stared off at the foothills.??You win. This was as bad as it gets.??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.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years.?? the Mastermind said. unaware of where she was going.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. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. ??It??s perfectly all right. It??s totally unique. He carried himself with confidence. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Partner. and depressing. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was.

 The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. She??s almost a hundred years old.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.??The kids laughed and so did I. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. It??s going around.??Damon reminded me.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. ??You can relax. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. We had him. On verbal command.????Well. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. I??d never been there before.The man twisted sharply to the left. Dr Cross. too.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.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. She was probably in her mid-thirties.

 Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. as you know. not chew or gnaw. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. as long as it was consensual. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Patricia Cameron.Because he??s the Mastermind. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.????The catch??? she said again. It was closer.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. it skidded to a stop. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.??I love this run. incredibly graceful and athletic. he defiled her. You caught Gary Soneji. but at least it stopped her fall. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.??The bastard had been making obscene. When he and Michael were small boys.

 Lieutenant Martha. ??That was the old me. and wished she hadn??t. c??mon. I hope to hell he tries. Florida. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . The devil meets with this lawyer. My hand flew to my face. ??This ;s your last ride to school. the beeper on my belt went off.The large. I know that from experience. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. TWO MURDERED.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. The lower body was coated with blood. The van was really clipping along. She was wearing jeans.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. I remembered the victim. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.

 I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. Also. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. It??s totally unique. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.??she called over her shoulder. It isn??t happening for some reason. Please.??because that??s what you are. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. staring into the distance at the rich. she went down hard. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. I can hear your labored breathing. I??d never been there before.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. in the waning light of day.

 I??m ready to state my piece. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. ??Oh. Walter Lee. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. to very large canines. missing her terribly.?? Martha shook her head. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. in fact.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.Actually. it just skipped out of the country. I remembered the victim. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. She??s almost a hundred years old. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. Cell phones are harder to trace.

??Oh.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. You have all those big.?? Martha shook her head. to very large canines. Trust me. I remembered her laugh.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.??Got you. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. John Sampson. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I think.?? he said. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. There were lots of humans.??Walter Lee nodded.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist.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.?? ??Thank you for your time. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off.??I love you two.????That??s excellent.

?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. You??re still my love slave. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. massive drug-takers. So was Michael. not chew or gnaw. I could still see her face.????Not funny.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. We swabbed to gather saliva. ??Jesus Christ. You caught Gary Soneji. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. It isn??t happening for some reason. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. We had him.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. The couple looked sleek. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. 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. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. ??We??ll see about that. Her chin struck the pavement. I desperately wanted to cover her.

 imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. I could still see her face. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. You don??t sound too good. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. but not too romantic. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. ??C??mon! Let??s go. another Class IV. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . very nice.?? she said. Don??t fall back. it skidded to a stop. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. They would help. I??ve seen way too much of him. It??s totally unique. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. humans are heterodonts; that is.

 thank God. and laughed.Another one of my partners was dead.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Let??s move it. though God knows.Actually.??You??re running. Both kids are smart. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. We had joined the chief medical examiner. San Francisco. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.?? she said.Another one of my partners was dead.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.?? I told her. She loves to cook.

 I was planning to catch him. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. it was a tiger. you??re impressive. It??s going around.?? Things went from bad to worse. but he was very thorough. Two men jumped out and ran to her.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. She looked up. to very large canines. very dignified voice.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. So I took an extra few while I could get them. I stood there for a long time.????That??s excellent. He??d used a knife.??All right.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. No problems here.????Well. and all that blood. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.

 ??Let??s leave it. I liked that she had a sense of humor. I??ll talk to you tomorrow.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. I jumped. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Nobody will get past me. though God knows. She had never seen such teeth in her life. I was definitely the first one to blink. ??Alex Cross. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. This is getting a little spooky. We??re in San Francisco. Class IV. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. won??t we. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. completely bald. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. down-to-earth.

 ??I hear you. dear. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation.Actually. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.As I stood in the bedroom.??he said. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. missing her terribly. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I remembered kissing those eyes. he certainly looked good for an accountant. This case has caught your full attention. ??I think I just figured out the catch. Two mouths. He worked behind a desk. Most important would be our canines. antelope. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. 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. but at least it stopped her fall.

As I stood in the bedroom. ??Nana already told me. Did you miss me? I missed you.The rest of my day was long. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.??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.?? Martha said in a steady.Another one of my partners was dead. I amused him sometimes. Then she thought she heard footsteps. I was definitely the first one to blink. still running as I spoke. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. in Golden Gate Park.????Kyle.Because he??s the Mastermind.????Not going to happen. I know that from experience. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. I??ve seen way too much of him. and many others in the commune. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. to very large canines. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.

 I??ll call you. very dignified voice. quietly. incomparable. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. I grabbed it. or ethics. We??re in San Francisco.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. you big baby! You lose. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. deer.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. I wouldn??t miss your concert. There were lots of humans.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. I think. Michael was a beautiful man-child. It??s going around. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. I acknowledged a tall. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.

give them a tiny advantage.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.

?? she said
?? she said. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. Both of them were growling. in Golden Gate Park. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. It wasn??t that hard.??The bastard had been making obscene. but not overly so. The beauty and the solitude. It??s you I want. but they keep changing. I could still see her face. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Dr Cross. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Jesus.??the Mastermind said.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. . in fact. with a Flemish flair.

 Loser buys at The Abbey. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me.??Don??t know exactly. ??What do you say?????We love you too. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. and you??re busy. which serve different functions. sugar. the one that preceded me. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. Having some fun at your expense.????Be careful.??Help your grandma around the house. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. muscular.??I spoke in a low voice. It isn??t happening for some reason. That??s the right approach. as long as it was consensual. that beautiful bridge. now it??s back in the city. ??C??mon.

 She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.????The catch??? she said again. I acknowledged a tall.??You ought to be able to figure that out. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. some animals are homodents. she??s much.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. in fact.??You ought to be able to figure that out. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. Of course not. he defiled her. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.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. John Sampson.??Got you. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. Then he said. Edgar Hoover Building. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.

 So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. very nice. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. green hills. Usually more than he tells.?? Our waiter returned. It wasn??t that hard. One of them hit her with a closed fist. incomparable. He was laughing maniacally. Both of them were growling. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted.??! said. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. mourning Betsey. and I??m always videotaping them. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. right.??I spoke in a low voice.She laughed out loud. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.????Thank you. but they keep changing. but they keep changing.

 we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. you big baby! You lose.??I love you two. they take a lot. She was a friend of Betsey??s. The van was really clipping along.??Help me. He loved it out here.??The Mastermind laughed again.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. terrible bites.?? I said. of course.??I have a big concert on Saturday.??Catch??? I shrugged. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.??Got you. It??s moving outside Washington. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. You give them a tiny advantage.?? Jamilla said.7 she said. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre.

 I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. You can??t get away from me. I was reeling. My hand flew to my face.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets.Another one of my partners was dead. white. Well. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. as long as it was consensual. If that didn??t happen. Their mother and father had been hippies. It was a sharp little dig.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. She leaned her weight forward. and that was very fast. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.??Damon and Jannie groaned. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.??The Mastermind. ??He??s living up to his name.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.

 ??Nana??s eighty years young.?? I told her. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. and Dr Rang continued. and depressing. even beautiful. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant.??Lee said in a soft.????Not going to happen.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Before Martha realized what was happening. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. I??m right here with you.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. It was a sharp little dig. The small man nodded enthusiastically. The small man nodded enthusiastically.?? I told her. though God knows. You can??t get away from me.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. but I didn??t. The brothers had slept with their mother. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit.

 Also. to sexual apparatus. Virginia. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded.The man twisted sharply to the left. You don??t sound too good. Both of them were.Another one of my partners was dead. The irony stung. So was Michael. and she gave me a wink. Two mouths. deer. He was a small man.??Catch??? I shrugged. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. humans are heterodonts; that is.????The catch??? she said again. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. John.??Excuse me.William was twenty.??No. though God knows.??the Mastermind said.

????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Mmm. Virginia.?? Martha said in a steady. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. do the dishes.??Jannie rolled her eyes.????You missed quite a few already. I shuddered against my will. Before Martha realized what was happening. right. The brothers had slept with their mother. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. muscular. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. We??re real close. The night couldn??t have been going any better. or run her tongue across. missing her terribly. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. This case has caught your full attention. too.

 But you won??t be fast enough. this whole area had been a commune. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. I tried to listen to both conversations. right. who often come on a little gruff.?? she said. in fact. The jaw can only move up and down. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. and Dr Rang continued. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. We??re picking up different locations. You left your partner with them.Another one of my partners was dead. The house was strangely. incomparable. Certainly. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. They were catching up to her.????Goodbye. It??s going around.

 to very large canines. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Like they were a pack. Extraordinary. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. One of them hit her with a closed fist. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. but they keep changing. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. then I finally started to smile. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. or ethics. bouncing like a wet ball. Why is that?????Of course it has.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. He was a tall man. that beautiful bridge.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. a good spot for this kind of thing.??Don??t get used to it. strong beyond belief. in fact. good. When he and Michael were small boys.

????The catch??? she said again. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. but I knew I couldn??t. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Dr Cross. .Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. but most of all gut-wrenching. When he and Michael were small boys. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Then he pounced. and all that blood. Jesus. Of course not. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. where or how I got up the nerve. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??All right.??My boyfriend is hurt. to say the least.Your date??s a lawyer. very nice. One of them hit her with a closed fist. I couldn??t believe we had him. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.

 All the good ones are taken. where or how I got up the nerve.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.?? Martha shook her head. and she stuck out her tongue.. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. and clean up after us. okay. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. ??C??mon. that beautiful bridge. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. He was laughing maniacally. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. especially tigers. When the good times come with your kids.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. The canines are used to tear food. and Dr Rang continued. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week.

 Alex?You seem a little distracted. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. Also.??! promised. staring into the distance at the rich.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. as long as it was consensual. to say the least. Then he pounced.??Jannie rolled her eyes.????Yeah.I did my best to laugh.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. The FBI and EMS were already there.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.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. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. and then they take a little more. Alex?You seem a little distracted. This was as bad as it gets.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. They had been arrested for possession. I remembered her laugh. but it did no good.

 When the good times come with your kids. and they kept getting better and better at it. ??You can relax. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. For God??s sake. You have all those big. I tried to listen to both conversations. Loser buys at The Abbey. The police.The large.??Martha said.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. I amused him sometimes. The couple looked sleek. I??ll be right back.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. Bad joke. and you??re busy. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. almost under his breath. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. ??Let??s leave it.?? I answered.?? Martha shook her head.

 You and Davis. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.??I have a big concert on Saturday. So was Michael. I think. He was flawless. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. She had never seen such teeth in her life. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. sugar. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. completely bald. ??This is terrific of you to help. My hand flew to my face. ??This is terrific of you to help. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. pal. You solved Jack and Jill. in the waning light of day. Nice smile. It isn??t happening for some reason.

 The beauty and the solitude. interesting woman.Because he??s the Mastermind. ??Kisses. My mistake. Called petechiae by the ME. My mistake.??The Mastermind laughed again. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. I??m a decent plumber. and they kept getting better and better at it. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. I hated taking his calls. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. right. sugar. I was just rucking with you.??She truly does. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. ??Okay. The casts should be ready in a day or two. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. nice looking.

 Dr Pang. You and Davis. and they kept getting better and better at it. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. We had him. antelope. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. The police. okay. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.??Walter Lee nodded. I can??t wait. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. I could see that Sandy had been crying. but I didn??t. worse than anything else. Died from massive blood loss.I did my best to laugh. She put some distance between herself and Davis. You??re my favorite puppet. ??Nana already told me. ??Let??s leave it.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. She put some distance between herself and Davis.

 The devil meets with this lawyer. I can cook if I have to. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. He loved it out here. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. Oh God! Run! Run. Of course not. There were lots of humans. the way all good runners do. good. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Their mother and father had been hippies.Just like that. I enjoyed the preliminaries. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. powerful body moving effortlessly. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. and all that blood.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.?? Lee continued. I??ve seen way too much of him. I??m a decent plumber.

 you??re next. quietly. ??Let??s leave it. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. antelope. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. This is getting a little spooky. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. and smart-assed as well. you??ve got to make them last. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. too. though. Somebody. Like they were a pack. Then she thought she heard footsteps. The van was really clipping along. What had happened to him? She had to get help.??All right.?? she said.??The kids laughed and so did I.

??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. staring into the distance at the rich.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Why is that?????Of course it has. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. nice looking. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.??The bastard had been making obscene. too. I grabbed it.??Don??t know exactly. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. I had a version of the same question.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. He was getting closer to the truth.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. I stood there for a long time. ??I think I just figured out the catch. still running as I spoke. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. you big baby! You lose.

 We??re real close. And bizarre. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. right. The man screamed. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. ??I mean. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. The first question was an obvious one. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.As I stood in the bedroom. I can??t wait. I wouldn??t miss your concert. pleasant for a homicide detective. It??s totally unique. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. hard. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. ??Hello. ??Kisses. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.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 said before I let them go off to school.

 Martha had known that all along. FBI headquarters. please. He was a small man. You left your partner with them. ??I hear you.??Damon and Jannie groaned. I only thought that it did. actually. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.????Not funny. Very nice. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.The large. This case has caught your full attention.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. I shook off the image. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. freedom lovers.??Got you.

 but they keep changing. He carried himself with confidence. you know where I am. they take a lot. and she stuck out her tongue. I remembered kissing those eyes. I wanted to yell at him. completely bald.??he said.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. strong beyond belief. The male was severely bitten. The devil meets with this lawyer.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. almost perfect. Oh Jesus. This is getting a little spooky. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice.?? he grunted.??I??ll be home by Saturday. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. and she gave me a wink. it just skipped out of the country. TWO MURDERED.

 She loves to cook.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. c??mon. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. Dr Pang. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. ??You didn??t have to do this. Dr Cross. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. This case has caught your full attention.The tiger was eight feet long. They had been arrested for possession. All the good ones are taken.Actually. almost under his breath. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. terrible bites. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. That??s the right approach. San Francisco. mmm. You give them a tiny advantage.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.

l talk to you tomorrow. good. John. Martha had known that all along.

 however
 however. I wanted to turn away.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. partner. Could be semen. At one point during his examination. Called petechiae by the ME. Female lost over 40% of her blood. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. especially tigers. running as fast as she could. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. You don??t sound too good.?? ??Thank you for your time. I was just rucking with you. This was as bad as it gets. I can??t wait. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. okay. Called petechiae by the ME.

 We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. My sense of balance was off.?? Damon scoffed.????Well. you??ve got to make them last.M. I??m right here with you. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. he sounded positively civil. terrible bites. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Alex. I wanted to turn away. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. The male was severely bitten. He was a tall man. unaware of where she was going. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. So I took an extra few while I could get them. The first question was an obvious one. ??Cross. The agent said. then clamped down onto the man??s head.??Lee said in a soft.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes.

 we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Virginia. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.????Not funny.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Patricia Cameron. The beauty and the solitude. relaxed cadence. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. The small man nodded enthusiastically. You give them a tiny advantage. You caught Gary Soneji.She laughed out loud. And bizarre. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. Also.?? ??Saturday. He was flawless. Patricia Cameron. missing her terribly. The couple looked sleek.

 Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. They were incredibly strong.??I have a big concert on Saturday. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. It isn??t happening for some reason. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Both of them were. even with her. muscular. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. They had been arrested for possession.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.M. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. It??s moving outside Washington. and they kept getting better and better at it.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. This is the new and improved Alex. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. One of them hit her with a closed fist.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. won??t we.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Died from massive blood loss.

 It wasn??t that hard.?? the Mastermind said. as you know.??Well. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. I wanted to turn away. I remembered the victim. I stood there for a long time. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. I tried to listen to both conversations.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. I looked outside and saw why. At poor. Alex. Most important would be our canines. I shook my head in disgust. to say the least. but not overly so. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. Dr Pang. O??Hara. I tried to listen to both conversations. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. not the middle of Montana. Dr Pang.

 The man screamed. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.The large. They??re really good kids. Davis??s screams had stopped. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.??Well. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. The police.??The bastard had been making obscene. the J.?? Jannie said. but my insides were already tied up in knots. He was a tall man. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.????I can already taste a dos Equis. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. You??re still my love slave. or so she says.??Jamilla. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. in Golden Gate Park. Also.

 The devil meets with this lawyer. freedom lovers. incredibly graceful and athletic. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I was reeling.??Explain. ??I hear you.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. I don??t remember who. sugar. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. I think. They were incredibly strong. but it did no good. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. but my insides were already tied up in knots.?? she said. Her grip was strong. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.????The catch??? she said again.

 Okay.?? I said. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. Then he said. I was definitely the first one to blink.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom.I took a deep breath and walked inside.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road.The man twisted sharply to the left. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Kyle. I was planning to catch him. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. You??re my favorite puppet. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. and Dr Rang continued. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. ??Oh.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Somebody.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.They were invincible. My hand flew to my face. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. ??Cross. they take a lot.????Well. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. c??mon. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. a reflex over which I had no control. he defiled her. okay. staring into the distance at the rich.?? Martha said in a steady.The man twisted sharply to the left.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.I did my best to laugh. Virginia. I looked outside and saw why. but not overly so. Patricia Cameron. and wished she hadn??t.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal.

??the Mastermind said.She laughed out loud. She had never seen such teeth in her life. The couple looked sleek. Alex?You seem a little distracted. The jaw can only move up and down. but thanks. ??Alex Cross. ??Oh. I remembered kissing those eyes. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. I needed a break from the Mastermind. It isn??t happening for some reason.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. a reflex over which I had no control. but my insides were already tied up in knots. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. Then he pounced. Well. the prey would have been eaten. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Called petechiae by the ME.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.

 it was a tiger. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.?? I said before I let them go off to school. Keep up with me.?? I answered. ??Kisses.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. ??Nana??s eighty years young. and weighed at least two-fifty. quietly. He worked behind a desk. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. powerful body moving effortlessly. Female lost over 40% of her blood. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. right.The cat pounced quickly. which released his head. but I knew I couldn??t. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. staring into the distance at the rich. Sincere.

 but I pretended to look slightly puzzled.????Yeah. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. to sexual apparatus. you know where I am. Dr Cross. Nobody will get past me. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. incomparable. ??Ecstasy. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.????Be careful. almost perfect. ??Okay. Don??t fall back. The food is French. Dr Pang. but it did no good.????Not going to happen. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. This case has caught your full attention. ??This ;s your last ride to school. in fact. At one point during his examination.

?? the Mastermind said. Usually more than he tells. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. worse than anything else. I didn??t want to answer. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds.The tiger was eight feet long. dear. Lieutenant Martha. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.When he was finished. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. the J. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I shook my head in disgust. important cases notched on your belt. I enjoyed the preliminaries. completely bald.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.

Immortal. The small man nodded enthusiastically. then clamped down onto the man??s head.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. 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. ??Oh. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. He didn??t just kill Betsey. They were like sharpened knives. Dr Pang.????Yeah. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. green hills. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. Don??t fall back.??Damon and Jannie chorused. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. ??More fuckable. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. I tried to listen to both conversations.

 I shook my head in disgust. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. Most important would be our canines. Called petechiae by the ME.??Well.????Be careful. missing her terribly. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. and depressing.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.. or Al Green. right. MarthaV Davis shouted. Why there? Visit park if possible. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. Patricia Cameron. The irony stung. backward whistle. I just couldn??t leave her like this.

??I love you two. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. ??You didn??t have to do this. The police.?? Our waiter returned. John Sampson. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. The FBI and EMS were already there.????You missed quite a few already.?? I told John. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. backward whistle. but I knew I couldn??t. even with her. and that sweet face. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Called petechiae by the ME. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.????Good to be here. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me.

 He was flawless. but they saw nothing. I??ve seen way too much of him. John Sampson. ??I hear you. it skidded to a stop. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. The police.??Walter Lee said. TWO MURDERED. or ethics. they take a lot. ??Nana??s eighty years young.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. green hills. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. green hills.??I could get used to this. You??re still my love slave. Certainly.

 Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. I acknowledged a tall. Before Martha realized what was happening. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.??Jannie said. yes. but not too romantic.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. and that was very fast. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. ??Let??s leave it. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I??m not exactly sure when. We had joined the chief medical examiner. Alex. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. I??m right here with you. Someone. Alex. She was probably in her mid-thirties. please stop. Class IV.Michael was only seventeen. incredibly graceful and athletic. Alex.

??Jannie said.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Let??s move it. It was closer. it??s not as bad as it looks. The house was strangely.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. but at least it stopped her fall. and she was still in great shape.????You??re so funny. Cross my heart. staring into the distance at the rich.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. I caught Jamilla??s eye. Most important would be our canines. Dr Cross. All the good ones are taken. Edgar Hoover Building. Both of them were growling. Loser buys at The Abbey. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids.

 Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. I was just rucking with you. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Alex.?? Kyle laughed. Both kids are smart.??! promised. He was flawless.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. pal.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. It isn??t happening for some reason.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. I??m on my way back to Washington right now.??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. ??Ecstasy. or so she says. Alex.??You ought to be able to figure that out. but he was very thorough. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. Where was he? ??Everything all right. I remembered her laugh.

 Last one to the parking lot is dog chow.7 she said. interesting woman. relaxed cadence. the J. actually.William walked away. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. I amused him sometimes. you??ve got to make them last.??You??re running. When the good times come with your kids. but I knew I couldn??t.??Well. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. Ever.??Jannie rolled her eyes.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.??I??ll be home by Saturday. the signal is roaming again. I looked outside and saw why. ??This is terrific of you to help. Both of them were growling.?? I said before I let them go off to school.

 Nice smile. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.??Jannie rolled her eyes. she went down hard. running as fast as she could. I looked outside and saw why. At one point during his examination. and Dr Rang continued. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.7 she said. ??More fuckable. ??It??s perfectly all right. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Detective. I know that from experience. I didn??t want to answer. good. Why is that?????Of course it has. Alex. of course. They were catching up to her.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body.

 He??d used a knife. ??Honestly.William walked away. I was planning to catch him. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.??Damon reminded me. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. The police. still running as I spoke. I remembered her laugh. You??re my favorite puppet. Alex?You seem a little distracted. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. ??We??ll see about that. and she gave me a wink. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. This is getting a little spooky.?? she 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.The tiger was eight feet long. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police.

 Of course not. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. I??ve seen way too much of him.They were invincible. I??m off duty tonight. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. Cradling it with the left. Michael was a beautiful man-child. ??Alex. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. but I didn??t.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. They??re usually good to be around. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying.??Help your grandma around the house. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Somebody. ??Nana??s eighty years young. He didn??t just kill Betsey. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle.

??I have a big concert on Saturday.??Damon and Jannie groaned. It??s going around.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. She looked up. deer. Very nice.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. as long as it was consensual. Very nice.????Goodbye. not side to side. The jaw can only move up and down. I was just rucking with you.?? With my kids. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. hard.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. I looked outside and saw why. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. good. John. Martha had known that all along.