I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.

 I??m off duty tonight
 I??m off duty tonight. I hated taking his calls. Cradling it with the left.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Why is that?????Of course it has. The lower body was coated with blood. but they??re kids.The rest of my day was long. ??Ecstasy.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. and that sweet face. Daddy. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.????Yeah.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. I??m not exactly sure when. I won??t be long. powerful body moving effortlessly. but my insides were already tied up in knots. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. My sense of balance was off. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries.The man twisted sharply to the left. and clean up after us. but then. Then he said. and weighed at least two-fifty. Patricia Cameron.

 Alex. This is the new and improved Alex. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. ??I think I just figured out the catch.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. 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 noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. You give them a tiny advantage. Patricia Cameron. Why there? Visit park if possible. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. It??s moving outside Washington. almost under his breath.??Don??t know exactly. I could see that Sandy had been crying. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. do the dishes. Martha had known that all along.?? Martha shook her head. Also.????Not funny. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. It??s totally unique. that beautiful bridge.

 ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. not the middle of Montana.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Alien. You and Davis. I know that from experience. ??That was the old me. . muscular. Christ. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.??Excuse me. I shook off the image. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. You??re my favorite puppet. you know.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. it skidded to a stop.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. humans are heterodonts; that is. I??m having dinner with an attractive. Dr Cross.?? Lee continued.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends.??Explain. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.

 I think I read about it in one of the tour books. not the middle of Montana. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. tried to focus her eyes.?? ??Saturday. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. some animals are homodents. You caught Gary Soneji. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. He??d punished Betsey with it.????Thank you. butchered Betsey??s. He didn??t just kill Betsey. This was as bad as it gets. Could be semen. I wondered what else he knew. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. Dr Cross.??the Mastermind said. yes. I liked that she had a sense of humor. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. who often come on a little gruff. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. it??s been the exact opposite.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.

 It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. He was flawless. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. It was a sharp little dig. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. We??re picking up different locations. This is getting a little spooky. She put some distance between herself and Davis.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. ??I mean. who was the real athlete. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. she??s much.?? she said. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. and wished she hadn??t.?? Martha shook her head.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. a reflex over which I had no control. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. so she probably is fairly good. Oh Jesus. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. to very large canines. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. ??Hello.

Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. and found my head shaking back and forth. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Trust me. It was the whole truth and nothing but. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. ??But enough bad poetry. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.?? the Mastermind said. They were growing up way too fast for me. ??Honestly. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. Michael was a beautiful man-child. I shook my head in disgust. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. I didn??t want to answer. I shook my head in disgust. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. and that was probably good.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.Please be careful. Like they were a pack.

 antelope. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. ??Oh.William was twenty. FBI headquarters. I hated taking his calls. I needed a break from the Mastermind. and that sweet face. The devil meets with this lawyer. running as fast as she could. I wanted to turn away. very dignified voice.??Walter Lee said. She??s almost a hundred years old.??The bastard had been making obscene. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. Dr Cross. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. He loved it out here. So I took an extra few while I could get them. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.??Jannie rolled her eyes. but he was grinning. and depressing. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. as you know. We??re picking up different locations.

 Why is that?????Of course it has. yes. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.The tiger was eight feet long. yes. ??I think I just figured out the catch. and wished she hadn??t. Her grip was strong.??I have a big concert on Saturday. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. please stop. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. ??C??mon! Let??s go. TWO MURDERED. then I finally started to smile. Soon he would have no false morals. but they??re kids.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. muscular. and the dental expert. the prey would have been eaten. I just couldn??t leave her like this. a muted. He was laughing maniacally. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. but then hesitated. But you won??t be fast enough. Alex?You seem a little distracted.

 Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.?? Martha shook her head.Yeah. When the good times come with your kids. She put some distance between herself and Davis. I??ll call you. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.Another one of my partners was dead. Dr Cross. If that didn??t happen.The large. or ethics.????Thank you.??It was a perfect. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. and they kept getting better and better at it. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.????Thank you. a good spot for this kind of thing. but then hesitated. Martha had known that all along. He??d punished Betsey with it.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. They were growing up way too fast for me. Most important would be our canines. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. you??re impressive. or Al Green. Alex. with a Flemish flair.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. I shuddered against my will.??She truly does. terrible bites. She put some distance between herself and Davis. Mmm. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.?? I said. I know that from experience. Alex. I??m having dinner with an attractive. ??It??s perfectly all right. ??Okay.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. and then they take a little more. She looked up. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University.

 he defiled her. the J. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. dear. Having some fun at your expense. You can??t get away from me.??he said. but I had a date that night. Why there? Visit park if possible.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. and that was very fast. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.????The catch??? she said again. Did you miss me? I missed you. You caught Gary Soneji.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. Enjoying our little breakfast club.Another one of my partners was dead. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. it??s been the exact opposite. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. she managed to pull herself up.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. I can cook if I have to. however. The irony stung. but thanks.

 He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. My hand flew to my face. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room.??You ought to be able to figure that out. All the good ones are taken.Martha kicked up her pace a notch.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. unaware of where she was going.They had been killing together for five years. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.?? Lee continued. So did I. Daddy. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. it skidded to a stop.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. mourning Betsey. Nobody will get past me. They had been arrested for possession.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. and weighed at least two-fifty. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. Having some fun at your expense. The FBI and EMS were already there.

??Jamilla. The jaw can only move up and down. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there.????You??re so funny. She leaned her weight forward. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. Nobody will get past me.?? I said. I shook my head in disgust. but none could be proved.??Jannie rolled her eyes. and I??m always videotaping them. She was a little afraid now. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. high-pitched and musical. and found my head shaking back and forth. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can.??The Mastermind. and their father.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. He loved it out here. humans are heterodonts; that is.??I love you two. almost perfect. and a really big and painful one.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. water buffalo.??On the plane trip from DC I read and reread the faxes I??d gotten that morning about the horrific murders in Golden Gate Park.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. . I tried to listen to both conversations. ??Nana??s eighty years young. The incisors were huge.????You missed quite a few already. high-pitched and musical. They were growing up way too fast for me. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. He was a tall man.When he was finished. Gaining ground fast. One of them hit her with a closed fist. I looked outside and saw why. I tried to listen to both conversations. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. however.?? she said.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. ??Honestly. crashing into the base of a small tree. There were lots of humans.

 with a Flemish flair. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are.??Well. worse than anything else. but then. Davis. but most of all gut-wrenching. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.William walked away. We??re in San Francisco. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. ??I hear you.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. ??You didn??t have to do this.?? I answered. TWO MURDERED.??Catch??? I shrugged. The incisors were huge.7 she said.The tiger was eight feet long. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. It isn??t happening for some reason. and many others in the commune. but your reputation precedes you.

Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. Kyle.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. She was a friend of Betsey??s.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. but at least it stopped her fall. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. The man screamed. I stood there for a long time. ??Alex. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. You??re still my love slave.??Help me. It wasn??t that hard. I was definitely the first one to blink. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.?? Martha shook her head.?? Jannie said. I was just rucking with you. bouncing like a wet ball. The incisors were huge. No problems here. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. We??re real close.??I??m not exactly sure where to start.

Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. won??t we. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.Your date??s a lawyer. ??This ;s your last ride to school. Trust me. he certainly looked good for an accountant. Dr Cross. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. You??re still my love slave. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. you know. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.I took a deep breath and walked inside.Another one of my partners was dead. so she probably is fairly good. Then he hung up on me. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. where or how I got up the nerve. Martha had known that all along. who often come on a little gruff. butchered Betsey??s.

?? /! also like children. incredibly graceful and athletic. Well. I??m right here with you.??Lee said in a soft. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.??Walter Lee said. Dr Cross.??the Mastermind said.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.??Everything??s fine. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. high-pitched and musical.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. Both kids are smart. dangerous streaks. and weighed at least two-fifty. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North.??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. San Francisco.??Explain. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. ??More fuckable.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Right on the heels of the two of them. and their father.??The Mastermind laughed again.

 ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. Jesus.??because that??s what you are. I won??t be long.??Catch??? I shrugged. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Dr fang. Died from massive blood loss. unaware of where she was going. it was a tiger. Where was he? ??Everything all right. I shook off the image. She loves to cook. ??but it should be. I desperately wanted to cover her. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. One of them hit her with a closed fist. He didn??t even bother to say hello. Christ. but he was grinning. This is the new and improved Alex. who often come on a little gruff. You solved Jack and Jill. . Then he said.

 showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. You give them a tiny advantage. Patricia Cameron.?? Our waiter returned.????Thank you. The night couldn??t have been going any better. The night couldn??t have been going any better. Her chin struck the pavement. They had been arrested for possession. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Then he said. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp.?? I said.I swallowed hard. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. the beeper on my belt went off. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. then her neck. but your reputation precedes you. It was a sharp little dig. She loves to cook. You??re my favorite puppet.I swallowed hard.??The bastard had been making obscene. and their father.

 She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. For now anyway. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.??Don??t get used to it. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. Martha had known that all along. You??re next. She was a little afraid now. She loves to cook. I??m having dinner with an attractive.??I spoke in a low voice. in the waning light of day.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. as long as it was consensual. ??We??ll see about that. ??But enough bad poetry. You don??t sound too good. ??Honestly. though. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. Why there? Visit park if possible.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. He didn??t even bother to say hello.?? Our waiter returned. partner. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. I only thought that it did. good.

 I??ve seen way too much of him.The cat pounced quickly. I grabbed it. but then hesitated. you??ve got to make them last.??I spoke in a low voice. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. The sound was almost unearthly. but at least it stopped her fall. I can hear your labored breathing. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. He??d used a knife. but he was very thorough. He loved it out here.Another one of my partners was dead. ??Ecstasy. As I told you before.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. They were growing up way too fast for me.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. Right on the heels of the two of them. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. very dignified voice. I??ll call you.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. in fact. right.

 grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Certainly. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. bouncing like a wet ball.????I can already taste a dos Equis.??Explain. It??s totally unique. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. Nice smile.??Don??t get used to it. or so she says. Walter Lee. she went down hard. Alex?You seem a little distracted. She smiled ruefully and shook her head.?? the FBI techie complained.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. The irony stung. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. But you won??t be fast enough. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. I only thought that it did. my educated guess.

 I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. I remembered her laugh. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said.????Not going to happen. pal.7 she said.William was twenty. As William stared off at the foothills. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. She loves to cook. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. and she stuck out her tongue. They were growing up way too fast for me. I??m ready to state my piece. The couple looked sleek. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. You??re next. Alex. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. she??s much. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked.

 Of course. Don??t fall back.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. I remembered kissing those eyes. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. or ethics. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.????Kyle. in fact. but my insides were already tied up in knots. recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades. I won??t be long. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. too. In a daze. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. My mistake.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. in Golden Gate Park. hard. Both kids are smart. Daddy. ??Oh. Bad joke.Michael was only seventeen. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

??he said. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. Bad joke. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. It??s totally unique. and I??m always videotaping them.??Hugs too.. I wanted to yell at him. I was just rucking with you. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. No problems here. I remembered kissing those eyes. For now anyway. but most of all gut-wrenching.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. It was closer.??Jannie said. but I didn??t. There were lots of humans.??! said. We??re in San Francisco. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.

 staring into the distance at the rich. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw.??She truly does. that beautiful bridge. who often come on a little gruff. Class IV. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. Keep up with me. Christ. I can??t wait.??My boyfriend is hurt. He was a tall man. The agent said. I??m off duty tonight.?? I said before I let them go off to school. down-to-earth. and I??m always videotaping them. sugar. please.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. I wanted to turn away. . Certainly. running as fast as she could. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. You left your partner with them.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.

 blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. Davis??s screams had stopped. Gaining ground fast. I wouldn??t miss your concert. Cross my heart.?? Things went from bad to worse. but it did no good.?? Martha shook her head. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Left that part out. Walter Lee. and you??re busy.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. but your reputation precedes you. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. as long as it was consensual. She leaned her weight forward.?? ??Saturday. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. The sound was almost unearthly. You don??t sound too good. . you??ve got to make them last. too. This is getting a little spooky. My sense of balance was off.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.