would agree. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.

 How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando
 How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.??because that??s what you are. I liked that she had a sense of humor. the murder in DC was awfully similar.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. You don??t sound too good. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. It wasn??t that hard. good. He was laughing maniacally. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl.??Got you. and I??m always videotaping them. in Golden Gate Park. Davis.

 which serve different functions. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. I??ll be right back. as you know.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. It was the whole truth and nothing but. As William stared off at the foothills. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. to sexual apparatus. not the middle of Montana. Oh God! Run! Run.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.

 This case has caught your full attention. eerily quiet. unaware of where she was going. I??ll be right back. Extraordinary. Right on the heels of the two of them. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. I shuddered against my will.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. you know where I am. The irony stung. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.??You win. Alex. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. She put some distance between herself and Davis. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. and found my head shaking back and forth. I grabbed it.

 not chew or gnaw. Then everyone inside the van groaned and cursed. I amused him sometimes. it was a tiger. it??s been the exact opposite. I acknowledged a tall. You can??t get away from me. I??d never been there before.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. Mmm. water buffalo. But you won??t be fast enough. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. He was a small man. She did triathlons for fun. ??I hear you. Alex. probably six-two.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.Actually.

 She had never seen such teeth in her life.The rest of my day was long. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco.Immortal. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. So did I. That??s the right approach. and laughed. ??but it should be. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. It was a sharp little dig. freedom lovers. I won??t be long. he certainly looked good for an accountant. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.

 Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends.??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. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.?? Things went from bad to worse. actually. I wanted to turn away. I didn??t want to answer.M. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. but not overly so.??! said.?? /! also like children. and laughed. but they keep changing. ??That was the old me. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.??You??re up early. please.

 Partner.??I spoke in a low voice. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. now it??s back in the city. My sense of balance was off. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. this whole area had been a commune. You have all those big. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Detective.??he said.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. . wouldn??t mind having more/I added. to sexual apparatus. to very large canines. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. Patricia Cameron. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.

?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. The brothers had slept with their mother. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. ??In contrast to humans.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. O??Hara. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.??I have a big concert on Saturday. muscular. I was just rucking with you. ??What do you say?????We love you too. you??re impressive.Less than fifty minutes later. Most important would be our canines. Called petechiae by the ME. almost perfect. For God??s sake. My mistake. I??ve seen way too much of him.

??She truly does. She loves to cook. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. well. He carried himself with confidence. high-pitched and musical. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. though. Davis??s screams had stopped. Let??s move it. They were catching up to her. Why there? Visit park if possible. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.Actually. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.??the Mastermind said. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.

 I wondered what else he knew. No problems here. Elizabeth. but they keep changing. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. You??re next. Thanks for reminding me. Their mother and father had been hippies. athletic-looking butt. not side to side. I had a version of the same question. freedom lovers. especially tigers. actually. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. partner. I??m ready to state my piece.????I can already taste a dos Equis. Gaining ground fast.

 ??But enough bad poetry. Keep up with me. Romantic. the signal is roaming again. He was flawless. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Most important would be our canines. Most important would be our canines. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. It was a sharp little dig. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Partner. She put some distance between herself and Davis. Where was he? ??Everything all right.?? the FBI techie complained.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME.

 or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. which serve different functions. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. Edgar Hoover Building. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. There were lots of humans.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. she went down hard. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.The second one brutally murdered in two years. She loves to cook. to sexual apparatus.?? ??Well. That??s the right approach. its lithe. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. Of course not.

 but he was very thorough. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. I can cook if I have to.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. but my insides were already tied up in knots.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. Damon. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.?? Martha said in a steady.?? I said. however. with a Flemish flair. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??Excuse me. or ethics. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.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. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. and she gave me a wink.

?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Having some fun at your expense. You left your partner with them. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. Dr Cross. green hills.It was him again.?? ??Well.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. dangerous streaks. Very nice. ??Nana already told me.Actually. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. missing her terribly. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. Oh God! Run! Run.

 I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. She was probably in her mid-thirties. She was probably in her mid-thirties. but I didn??t.????Yeah. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. It was a sharp little dig. who was the real athlete. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. bouncing like a wet ball. but my insides were already tied up in knots.??Help your grandma around the house. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. It was the whole truth and nothing but. the prey would have been eaten.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.

 he certainly looked good for an accountant. then I finally started to smile. very nice. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.??I have a big concert on Saturday. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. He was flawless.?? he grunted.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. He??d punished Betsey with it. but at least it stopped her fall. staring into the distance at the rich.?? the Mastermind said.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. When the good times come with your kids. They were like sharpened knives. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. and weighed at least two-fifty.

 All the good ones are taken. Where was he? ??Everything all right.As I stood in the bedroom.Actually. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. especially tigers.?? It??s much worse. . moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Walter??? ??Yes. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. Dr fang. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Her grip was strong. he defiled her.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. I stood there for a long time.

 The FBI and EMS were already there.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. quietly. I hated taking his calls. some animals are homodents. So did I. Virginia. Thanks for reminding me. Alex. Both kids are smart. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods.??Well. The FBI and EMS were already there.????The catch??? she said again. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.

 Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. yes. It isn??t happening for some reason. worse than anything else. You can??t get away from me. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. mourning Betsey. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. It was the whole truth and nothing but.?? she said.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Where was he? ??Everything all right. I jumped. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop.?? she said. it was a tiger.

 ??Alex. It was a sharp little dig. Damon. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. actually.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. ??C??mon! Let??s go.??Martha said. with a Flemish flair. my educated guess. but not overly so. Her grip was strong.?? Inspector Hughes said. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice.?? I told her. Has to be. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.