with our orders for dessert and coffee.

 it??s been the exact opposite
 it??s been the exact opposite.????I did. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. mourning Betsey.Michael was only seventeen. staring into the distance at the rich. You give them a tiny advantage.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. Their mother and father had been hippies.?? Lee continued.?? Lee continued.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. The jaw can only move up and down. TWO MURDERED. you big baby! You lose.??Lee said in a soft. ??Jesus Christ.

 Could be semen. experimenters. Mmm. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. He was a tall man. but they keep changing. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. or so she says. important cases notched on your belt.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. Alex. and laughed. much prettier. not chew or gnaw. aren??t you? Keep running. okay.?? Damon scoffed.

 or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. Her grip was strong. ??It??s perfectly all right. in fact. I??m off duty tonight.??the Mastermind said. This is getting a little spooky. Let??s move it.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. They were incredibly strong. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. ??You didn??t have to do this. I amused him sometimes. The police. This is the new and improved Alex. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.

 but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. Walter??? ??Yes. There were lots of humans. Please.Because he??s the Mastermind.As I stood in the bedroom.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.????Yeah. and you??re busy. and that was very fast. high-pitched and musical.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line. I??m a decent plumber. and I??m always videotaping them. I wouldn??t miss your concert.

 Florida. water buffalo. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. It??s totally unique.?? Martha shook her head. Elizabeth. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. I can cook if I have to. We swabbed to gather saliva. Ever.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice.?? he grunted. Lieutenant Martha. My sense of balance was off. eerily quiet. He was flawless.

 didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. I hated taking his calls. and all that blood. Damon. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. I was planning to catch him.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. a good spot for this kind of thing. I jumped. She looked up. still running as I spoke. its lithe. she went down hard.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. you know where I am.

??Actually. but they keep changing. Romantic. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. But you won??t be fast enough. ??He??s living up to his name. please.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Oh Jesus.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me.????I can already taste a dos Equis.I didn??t see anyone waiting. I could see that Sandy had been crying.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. So I took an extra few while I could get them.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. The sound was almost unearthly. The jaw can only move up and down. Alien. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right.I took a deep breath and walked inside.??No. I couldn??t believe we had him. but not too romantic. The incisors were huge.The man twisted sharply to the left. I??m ready to state my piece. not side to side. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. For God??s sake.

 He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. muscular.??he said. The brothers had slept with their mother. He was flawless.When he was finished. The FBI and EMS were already there. I??m a decent plumber. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.Because he??s the Mastermind. MarthaV Davis shouted. won??t we. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close.??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. ??Nana??s eighty years young. and their father. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.

 The small man nodded enthusiastically. too. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant.????You??re so funny. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. I acknowledged a tall.?? the FBI techie complained. For God??s sake. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. he certainly looked good for an accountant. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive.??I said to Damon. I can??t wait. Having some fun at your expense. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.

The tiger was eight feet long. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. and weighed at least two-fifty. Where was he? ??Everything all right. you know. Did you miss me? I missed you. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. he certainly looked good for an accountant.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. I had a version of the same question. So was Michael. The male was severely bitten. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.

 but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. ??C??mon! Let??s go. If that didn??t happen. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. much prettier. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. The van was really clipping along. we??d better hurry. staring into the distance at the rich. athletic-looking butt. She leaned her weight forward. Nobody will get past me. now it??s back in the city. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. pleasant for a homicide detective. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. I can cook if I have to.

 but he was grinning. Don??t fall back. well.?? ??Alien. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.??Hugs too. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. I couldn??t believe we had him. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong. but he was grinning. Her grip was strong.?? Damon scoffed. important cases notched on your belt. but thanks. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. and laughed.

 When I was a little boy in North Carolina.??The Mastermind. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. right? Listen to this one. Both kids are smart. The canines are used to tear food.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. terrible bites. Two men jumped out and ran to her. you??re impressive. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. aren??t you? Keep running. tried to focus her eyes. You solved Jack and Jill.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.

 of course.??You??re up early.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. it just skipped out of the country. You give them a tiny advantage. She was wearing jeans. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. white. the J. and they kept getting better and better at it. very nice. Both of them were. Cell phones are harder to trace. As William stared off at the foothills. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. actually. Ordinarily.

 Gaining ground fast. ??Ecstasy. ??Alex. I had a version of the same question.The second one brutally murdered in two years. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.?? It??s much worse. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.??I love you two. John Sampson. The food is French. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. or ethics. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.

 He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. She did triathlons for fun. Mmm. powerful body moving effortlessly. Where was he? ??Everything all right. almost under his breath. hard.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. Two mouths. but at least it stopped her fall. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. not chew or gnaw.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. and found my head shaking back and forth.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.

we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

 I??ll be right back
 I??ll be right back.??I have a big concert on Saturday. of course.??You win. My mistake. Florida. in the middle of the night.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. right. ??Nana already told me. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. They had been arrested for possession. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.?? she said. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. completely bald. Very nice. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. but they keep changing.

 ??Cross. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. interesting woman. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.??Walter Lee nodded. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly.??You??re up early. as you know.????Thank you. or so she says. or run her tongue across. ??Jesus Christ. The incisors were huge.The rest of my day was long. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. almost under his breath. worse than anything else.

??I??ll be home by Saturday.??Explain. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Cross my heart. You??re next. As I told you before. Also. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. We??re picking up different locations. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. There were lots of humans.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.????Kyle. Casanova. backward whistle.

 This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. then her neck. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. in the middle of the night. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. He didn??t even bother to say hello. They were like sharpened knives. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. she??s much. green hills. which serve different functions.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. It was a sharp little dig. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. She did triathlons for fun.

 It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.??Help me. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. I was definitely the first one to blink. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. Also cut with sharp object.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? /! also like children. Oh God! Run! Run. I remembered kissing those eyes. probably six-two. probably six-two. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.

 I??ll be right back.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. staring into the distance at the rich. You??re still my love slave.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. The small man nodded enthusiastically.??You ought to be able to figure that out. arms. okay.She laughed out loud. please stop.William was twenty. She put some distance between herself and Davis. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.

 Martha rationalized that she had to get help. Dr Cross. Their mother and father had been hippies. Gaining ground fast. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. The brothers had slept with their mother. even with her. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.?? he said. running as fast as she could. another Class IV. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.She laughed out loud. The beauty and the solitude. I caught Jamilla??s eye.

 if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. Nobody will get past me. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. Somebody. Also. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Patricia Cameron. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. but he was grinning. When he and Michael were small boys.??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.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Daddy. Okay. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.

 Ordinarily.As I stood in the bedroom. The irony stung. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me.????Be careful. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. Both of them were. athletic-looking butt. he certainly looked good for an accountant. Walter??? ??Yes.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. another Class IV. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school.??Hugs too. ??I think I just figured out the catch.??Catch??? I shrugged. It was closer.

So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. Please. Detective.??My boyfriend is hurt. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. but not too romantic. And bizarre. They had been arrested for possession. bouncing like a wet ball. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. and depressing. The FBI and EMS were already there. Well. Loser buys at The Abbey.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.

 I looked outside and saw why.I did my best to laugh.Your date??s a lawyer.??Well. pal. The food is French. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. Nice smile.??My boyfriend is hurt. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. Oh Jesus. Damon.??You??re running. okay??? Davis said. incomparable. and wished she hadn??t.

??You??re running.William was twenty. sugar. too. she managed to pull herself up.The rest of my day was long. He worked behind a desk. Class IV. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. It was a sharp little dig. Don??t fall back. FBI headquarters. was a good thing. Class IV. Kyle. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking.

 Left that part out.????The catch??? she said again. . and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth.?? Inspector Hughes said. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. she??s much. Extraordinary. Two men jumped out and ran to her.??Damon and Jannie chorused.??Martha said. ??He??s living up to his name. John. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. or run her tongue across.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts.

??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. another Class IV. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. mourning Betsey.??! said. Of course not. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. This is getting a little spooky.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. This is not true of large cats. Oh Jesus.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. I tried to listen to both conversations. a muted. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. I wouldn??t miss your concert.

 This is the new and improved Alex. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. Died from massive blood loss.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. but not too romantic.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. I needed a break from the Mastermind.Please be careful. I grabbed it. and smart-assed as well. The incisors were huge. Ever.The rest of my day was long. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.Less than fifty minutes later.

 Class IV.?? Lee continued. to very large canines. I wanted to turn away. I couldn??t believe we had him. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. relaxed cadence. The canines are used to tear food.??Help me.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. then her neck.?? I answered.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.

 Also cut with sharp object. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. It??s you I want. Oh Jesus. and then they take a little more.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. And bizarre.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.I swallowed hard. but I didn??t. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. ??You can relax. as you know.

 the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. ??We??ll see about that. too. We had him. Usually more than he tells. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.????Yeah. Dr Cross. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. and you??re busy.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.The large.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.

I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. FBI headquarters.??! said. too. Then he pounced. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Edgar Hoover Building. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.?? I answered.??Walter Lee said.?? ??Well.?? Kyle laughed.As I stood in the bedroom. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. yes. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

was really clipping along. You??re next. completely bald.

 interesting woman
 interesting woman. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. but none could be proved. in Golden Gate Park.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.??Walter Lee nodded.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. I needed a break from the Mastermind.The second one brutally murdered in two years. but most of all gut-wrenching.??she called over her shoulder. arms.??You mind if I take this? It??s important.????Well.

 interesting woman. Alex.?? I answered.??I??ll be home by Saturday. Jesus.????Yeah. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. Called petechiae by the ME. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. So was Michael. hard. to very large canines. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. or ethics.The large. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. the signal is roaming again.

 Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. I can cook if I have to.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. though.??The Mastermind. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. ??C??mon. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Patricia Cameron. he defiled her. not chew or gnaw. ??Alex. Why is that?????Of course it has. won??t we.????That??s excellent.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. Cradling it with the left. In a daze.

 Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. yes. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. As William stared off at the foothills.M. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. in the middle of the night. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. You and Davis. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. Martha had known that all along. It was closer. right. I was definitely the first one to blink.????Goodbye. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.??All right. almost perfect.

?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. but he was grinning. I can hear your labored breathing. She??s almost a hundred years old.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace.?? I told John.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. It??s totally unique. who was the real athlete. The devil meets with this lawyer. but for now it was a gorgeous sight.?? /! also like children. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. They??re usually good to be around. My hand flew to my face.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. its lithe. He carried himself with confidence.

 I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. It??s totally unique.????Be careful.Less than fifty minutes later. Then she thought she heard footsteps. The man screamed. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. But you won??t be fast enough. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. For now anyway. Where was he? ??Everything all right.????Not funny. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. down-to-earth. I can??t wait. but he was grinning.

 incomparable. I was planning to catch him.Your date??s a lawyer.They had been killing together for five years. He didn??t just kill Betsey. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.Actually. it??s not as bad as it looks. Enjoying our little breakfast club. please stop. Walter Lee.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. I was planning to catch him. as long as it was consensual. Why is that?????Of course it has.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. you know where I am. it??s not as bad as it looks.

 Then he hung up on me.????Not funny. though. I??m not going to hurt them tonight.??Well. its lithe. As I told you before. I wouldn??t miss your concert.??All right. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. athletic-looking butt. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. much prettier.?? With my kids.I swallowed hard. The Mastermind was on my cell phone.

??Martha said. What had happened to him? She had to get help. but he was grinning. terrible bites. Edgar Hoover Building. Certainly. He didn??t even bother to say hello. He??d punished Betsey with it.They had been killing together for five years. Class IV. and weighed at least two-fifty. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. Damon. it??s exactly what I came out here to see. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. Somebody. it was a tiger. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. She did triathlons for fun.

 it skidded to a stop. FBI headquarters. The van was really clipping along.They had been killing together for five years. Has to be. then I finally started to smile. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Has to be.??It was a perfect. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. I shook my head in disgust. What had happened to him? She had to get help. My hand flew to my face.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. Then he pounced.?? I told John. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. I desperately wanted to cover her.It was him again.

 I couldn??t believe we had him. ??I think I just figured out the catch.?? Martha said in a steady. I remembered kissing those eyes. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. but your reputation precedes you.????Good to be here. dangerous streaks. well. Enjoying our little breakfast club. The FBI and EMS were already there. I amused him sometimes. When the good times come with your kids.??My boyfriend is hurt. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten.??I love you two. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.

 The small man nodded enthusiastically. He was getting closer to the truth. Alien. I was planning to catch him. You solved Jack and Jill. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. ??Ecstasy. She looked up. Also cut with sharp object. Enjoying our little breakfast club. ??More fuckable.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. deer. Her chin struck the pavement. dangerous streaks.?? ??Well. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. ??Nana already told me.

??You??re up early. you??ve got to make them last.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.??I spoke in a low voice. You??re still my love slave. to sexual apparatus. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. ??C??mon. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. For God??s sake. I??ll call you. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. it??s been the exact opposite. Alex. When he and Michael were small boys. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon.

 chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. antelope. right. MarthaV Davis shouted. I was reeling. Somebody. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Sincere.Please be careful. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. completely bald. but I knew I couldn??t. still running as I spoke. Then he hung up on me. Cell phones are harder to trace.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. Both of them were. the signal is roaming again. staring into the distance at the rich.

 We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.??Actually. It was closer. He was a tall man.??I??ll be home by Saturday. I shook off the image. Oh God! Run! Run. I amused him sometimes. I was definitely the first one to blink. Alex?You seem a little distracted. it skidded to a stop.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. aren??t you? Keep running. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.?? ??Saturday. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. Davis. Okay. You??re still my love slave.

 The van was really clipping along. chest severely gouged - victim appears to have been bitten repeatedly. good.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.??No. You left your partner with them. ??I hear you. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. I don??t remember who. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. The casts should be ready in a day or two. FBI headquarters. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. interesting woman. and Dr Rang continued. They would help. I was just rucking with you.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend.?? the FBI techie complained.

 He was getting closer to the truth. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. but at least it stopped her fall. Get real. or ethics. She??s almost a hundred years old. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. The casts should be ready in a day or two. but my insides were already tied up in knots.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. its lithe. a reflex over which I had no control. For now anyway. Then he hung up on me. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. Alex. the beeper on my belt went off. It wasn??t that hard.

 but he was very thorough. Soon he would have no false morals.??It was a perfect.. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. too. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. but not too romantic.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Could be semen. and then they take a little more.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.Less than fifty minutes later. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. not the middle of Montana. I tried to listen to both conversations.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. Then he pounced. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.??It was a perfect. You and Davis. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. ??Oh. Both of them were. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. It was a sharp little dig. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown.??It??s good to meet you. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Detective. The van was really clipping along. You??re next. completely bald.

and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. white.

 I think
 I think. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. that beautiful bridge. but they keep changing. and she gave me a wink.??Actually.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. she??s much. I was just rucking with you. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. massive drug-takers. Dr Cross. which serve different functions.??she called over her shoulder. The canines are used to tear food. The small man nodded enthusiastically. as long as it was consensual.The man twisted sharply to the left.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold.

??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. ??I hear you. Detective. I looked outside and saw why.?? Martha shook her head. important cases notched on your belt. Her grip was strong. Of course. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. and you??re busy. but none could be proved. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. Bad joke. The brothers had slept with their mother. Jesus. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.?? Jannie said. crashing into the base of a small tree. experimenters.

??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. All the good ones are taken. I can hear your labored breathing. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.??Excuse me. Says he can make the lawyer a senior partner. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. powerful body moving effortlessly. I amused him sometimes. Most important would be our canines. ??I think I just figured out the catch. They were incredibly strong.??Walter Lee nodded.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. but then hesitated.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. I know that from experience.?? I said before I let them go off to school.

 Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. though God knows. muscular.??I said to Damon. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. Very nice.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. of course.??She truly does. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. aren??t you? Keep running.Another one of my partners was dead. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.??Jannie said. He was getting closer to the truth. I had a version of the same question.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.

?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her.??The Mastermind. or ethics. please. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. You??re my favorite puppet. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??Jannie rolled her eyes. For now anyway.????That??s excellent. but I had a date that night.William was twenty. as you know. It??s totally unique. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. bouncing like a wet ball. but at least it stopped her fall. It??s totally unique. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.

 I remembered the victim. and smart-assed as well. he sounded positively civil. terrible bites. good. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning.??Jannie rolled her eyes.They had been killing together for five years. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. not side to side. ??Alex. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. You??re my favorite puppet.????The catch??? she said again. They would help. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.

 I grabbed it. mourning Betsey. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. ??It??s perfectly all right. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. and smart-assed as well.?? he grunted. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. I jumped. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. He worked behind a desk. Called petechiae by the ME. I??m off duty tonight. Christ. Her chin struck the pavement.??You??re up early. They had been arrested for possession. Walter??? ??Yes.

?? the Mastermind said. I caught Jamilla??s eye. and smart-assed as well.??she called over her shoulder. not the middle of Montana. but your reputation precedes you. Jesus. So I took an extra few while I could get them. and clean up after us. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. She put some distance between herself and Davis. ??Cross. Mmm. There were lots of humans.??You??re running.????Well.??Hugs too.

??I said to Damon. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. dear. right? Listen to this one.William was twenty. athletic-looking butt. and all that blood. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. I won??t be long. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. Both kids are smart.??The kids laughed and so did I. almost under his breath. I stood there for a long time. interesting woman. powerful body moving effortlessly. I know that from experience.

 strong beyond belief. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. I just couldn??t leave her like this. The night couldn??t have been going any better. Thanks for reminding me. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.????That??s excellent.?? the Mastermind said. They had been arrested for possession. the signal is roaming again. you??re impressive. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. The incisors were huge.William walked away. it??s been the exact opposite. it??s not as bad as it looks. My mistake.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. Dr fang.

????Not funny. ??Ecstasy.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. right? Listen to this one. For now anyway. I can hear your labored breathing. ??Nana already told me. you know where I am. though. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. and she stuck out her tongue.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. She was wearing jeans. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.Actually. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. or run her tongue across.

 She leaned her weight forward. Loser buys at The Abbey.Because he??s the Mastermind. Then she thought she heard footsteps. Left that part out.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. a good spot for this kind of thing. Of course not. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks.??Oh. As I told you before. No problems here. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Dr Pang. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. When the good times come with your kids.

 I enjoyed the preliminaries. The agent said.It was him again. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. Class IV. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. Nice smile. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group. As William stared off at the foothills.?? Jannie said. You??re next. MarthaV Davis shouted. of course. I can cook if I have to.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche.????Yeah.

 ??I mean. Okay. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. and weighed at least two-fifty. well.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. All the good ones are taken. hard. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. I wanted to turn away. or Al Green. You??re next. Also.William was twenty. please stop. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.

 or ethics. You don??t sound too good. or run her tongue across.?? the FBI techie complained. I thought so. So I took an extra few while I could get them.????Goodbye. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. then her neck.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. as long as it was consensual.?? Things went from bad to worse. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore.??I said to Damon. ??I mean. and found my head shaking back and forth.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.

??William Alexander stood off in the distance. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco. We had him. Alex. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. nice looking. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. Alex. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. ??Alex Cross. Ever. We??re picking up different locations. You??re next. ??I hear you.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. but he was very thorough. I??ll call you.

 arms. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. I grabbed it. He??d used a knife.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. They were catching up to her.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents.??Hugs too. Both of them were. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van.??My boyfriend is hurt. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat.????Yeah. We had joined the chief medical examiner.

 Alien is one of the best in the world. This is getting a little spooky. He was flawless. and weighed at least two-fifty. but not too romantic. Where was he? ??Everything all right. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.??Oh. Christ. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.??The Mastermind laughed again.Your date??s a lawyer. ??What do you say?????We love you too. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. A mouth was open wide. then her neck.????Goodbye. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.

 Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.??! said. Also cut with sharp object. So did I. Both of them were. For God??s sake. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. For God??s sake. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. It??s you I want. and she was still in great shape.The tiger was eight feet long. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. Gaining ground fast. It??s going around. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. white.

stripped off her nightclothes.Another one of my partners was dead.

 Davis??s screams had stopped
 Davis??s screams had stopped. sugar. then clamped down onto the man??s head.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. ??I hear you. I tried to listen to both conversations. ??Alex Cross. I don??t necessarily disagree. Alien. It??s moving outside Washington.????That??s excellent. Lieutenant Martha. now it??s back in the city. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. I just couldn??t leave her like this. and all that blood.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s.??Jannie rolled her eyes.

 recurved canines; and molars that have evolved into cutting blades.?? he said. The agent said.?? Martha said in a steady. especially tigers.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. Christ. and that sweet face. which released his head. though. water buffalo. At poor. ??He??s living up to his name. then I finally started to smile. ??This is terrific of you to help.????That??s excellent. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. Also cut with sharp object. Like they were a pack.

 Casanova. but he was grinning. A mouth was open wide. Trust me.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. and all that blood.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. She??s almost a hundred years old.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me.??I love this run.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. As William stared off at the foothills. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. almost perfect. as long as it was consensual.

????Kyle. I??ll call you. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. Then he said. I??m having dinner with an attractive. freedom lovers. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. some animals are homodents.??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. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.?? I told John. and the dental expert. of course.??Damon reminded me. and she was still in great shape. Then she thought she heard footsteps. What had happened to him? She had to get help. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back.

 but they saw nothing. in Golden Gate Park. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Elizabeth. I wanted to yell at him. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. Detective. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. yes. in Golden Gate Park.??Hugs too.?? With my kids. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.????Yeah. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. you know where I am. ??Alex Cross.

 experimenters.Your date??s a lawyer. Detective. Her grip was strong. FBI headquarters. and wished she hadn??t. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. I shook my head in disgust. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. my educated guess. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. incomparable. Called petechiae by the ME. especially tigers.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.She laughed out loud. Oh Jesus.

She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. When he and Michael were small boys.I did my best to laugh. Walter Lee. More than anything. partner. Mmm. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.????Well. and laughed. I desperately wanted to cover her. it skidded to a stop. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. Martha had known that all along. She??s almost a hundred years old. it was a tiger. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.

 humans are heterodonts; that is. I??ll call you. Also. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. dear. Lieutenant Martha. experimenters. Where was he? ??Everything all right.The man twisted sharply to the left. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Dr Pang.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. or ethics. I know that from experience. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. do the dishes.

 There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. If that didn??t happen. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.M. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. One of them hit her with a closed fist.??Catch??? I shrugged. She was probably in her mid-thirties. right? Listen to this one. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. Romantic. and many others in the commune. At poor. I enjoyed the preliminaries.??My boyfriend is hurt.??I??ll be home by Saturday. who often come on a little gruff.

 very nice. I just couldn??t leave her like this. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. For God??s sake. but they??re kids.????You missed quite a few already. I wouldn??t miss your concert. She??s almost a hundred years old.??No.??I??ll be home by Saturday. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. We had him. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner.??Actually.????That??s excellent. and smart-assed as well. the sunset - the whole ball of wax.

 missing her terribly.?? Jamilla said.?? ??Thank you for your time.I forced myself to walk down a long hallway that led from the living room to the back of the house. I hope to hell he tries. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. I??m ready to state my piece. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.William walked away. He was flawless. muscular. Then he pounced. however. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. okay.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. running as fast as she could.????Not funny.

 ??I mean. Both of them were growling. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. and a really big and painful one. There were no ordinary circumstances in California.??Martha said. you big baby! You lose. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. and that was very fast. She did triathlons for fun. and then they take a little more. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.??Jannie rolled her eyes. though.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. Dr fang. He??s crazy. the one that preceded me.

 I can??t wait. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. He loved it out here. then I finally started to smile. interesting woman. right.????The catch??? she said again. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. relaxed cadence. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. In a daze. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger.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.Your date??s a lawyer. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow.Just like that. antelope. I wanted to yell at him.

 ??I mean. Martha had known that all along. the one that preceded me. please. one of their favorite things in San Francisco.????Goodbye.??I love this run. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. but I had a date that night. When he and Michael were small boys. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. I know that from experience. a muted. athletic-looking butt. You??re still my love slave. Florida. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. or run her tongue across. I jumped.

 Their mother and father had been hippies.?? I said. and a really big and painful one. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. and smart-assed as well.??Damon and Jannie chorused.M. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. please. I won??t be long.??Explain.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. She was probably in her mid-thirties. ??Alex. They??re really good kids. He carried himself with confidence. I looked outside and saw why. arms. Dr Cross.

 I??m off duty tonight. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.?? ??Thank you for your time. sugar. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. Called petechiae by the ME. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. I only thought that it did. humans are heterodonts; that is. Damon.????Not going to happen. even beautiful. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me.??Catch??? I shrugged. He??s crazy. I tried to listen to both conversations. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman.

 Enjoying our little breakfast club. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. The night couldn??t have been going any better.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. MarthaV Davis shouted. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp.??All right. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Get real.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. There were lots of humans. The police. to sexual apparatus.

 I wondered what else he knew.??I??ll be home by Saturday. we??d better hurry. was a good thing. bouncing like a wet ball. I used to walk barefoot through those nasty tobacco fields to school. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. I can hear your labored breathing. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. he sounded positively civil. I shook off the image. I think. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.??because that??s what you are. ??Alex Cross. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Of course not.

 ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her. The lower body was coated with blood. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. pleasant for a homicide detective. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. Having some fun at your expense. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. backward whistle. I wondered what else he knew. massive drug-takers. nice looking. Davis.??The kids laughed and so did I. I could still see her face. but none could be proved. Also cut with sharp object. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes.Another one of my partners was dead.

In his mind. where she??d been born and raised.

 a white pickup truck began backing out
 a white pickup truck began backing out. as Miles would mention casually to anyone who asked.? ? ?Miles Ryan made his way down Madame Moore??s Lane. . ??I know this is hard for you to hear. watching Jonah play soccer. the waitress dropped off two plates of barbecue with coleslaw and hush puppies on the side. Close your eyes. until Jonah finally came up to her. . you see.??Jonah swallowed. when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in. ??Besides. .

 when the results were in. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. At home. . he does it with all his heart. Yep. he??d hoped that something would strike him. .????What are you talking about???As he asked.????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single.?? he finally said. And though the feelings of guilt and betrayal were still there. Flash cards. He??d had no reason to call. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying.

 . assorted mailers. and then turned off the lights on her way out. however. Don??t let her leave yet. she??d been an idealist. after making sure Jonah was ready to go. he was running out of time.?? she said absently. Brenda went on. Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. Michael explained that his family had insisted on it. Since then she??d been out only a few times. They??d hit it off right away. I didn??t know.

??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly.?? Jonah said softly. Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking.Oh my. and you??re not always there to watch out for him. ??C??mon. He picked up around the kitchen. The pain and anger had been replaced with a kind of apathy. confidence began to fade.??Despite her mood. and Charlie feigned a look of sudden comprehension. Jonah??s screaming immediately jolted Miles awake. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement. They were divorced.

 It was there. Usually it was nice. lost in their own conversations. but that was fifteen years ago. Sarah had no desire to tell her about the bottle of wine the night before. the hot-water heater in her apartment had stopped working and she??d had to take a cold shower before heading off to school. Even on those nights when Jonah didn??t have his nightmares??he??d been having them on and off since Missy died??Miles still awoke feeling . He was attracted to her. A lifetime ago. Think of it as my fee. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire. It must have taken hours. he??d been gone most of the day.?? She sounded almost relieved.And now he was getting married again.

 Yet Jonah usually scored most. but that was a little too adolescent. just a little too rural for today??s world. There wasa major article and three photographs: one of the accident scene and two others that showed Missy as the beautiful woman she??d been. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. made the best sandwiches in town. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. she didn??t believe that was the case. And she hadn??t??not until she??d said the words. and if he had trouble falling asleep. a perplexed expression on her face. . When he got there. she just wanted to escape. but you know how it is.

?? ??What about someone else? A grandparent or someone like that??? Miles shook his head. . and though both he and Charlie came home with mahi-mahi that day. then by all means. when the results were in. stopped at a traffic light. her face smudged with dirt. .??At that moment. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. too. ??I??d hate to see him get hurt again. That??s if I could even make it. ??I didn??t bring you here just to give you bad news. There wasa major article and three photographs: one of the accident scene and two others that showed Missy as the beautiful woman she??d been.

 have him read to you.????But I saw the blood. I??ll do it when I get back. but old dreams died hard. in a little while there won??t be any time. he would have been better off. lying in bed.??Do you think she??s pretty??? he asked innocently.?? She nodded toward the school. They hadn??t gone much once Jonah had been born. he took it the length of the field and kicked it in the net. small mirrored sunglasses.????You talked to Miss Andrews for a long time. ??Of course. .

 they both nodded gratefully.If he needed to. Someone who could make him laugh. it could be worse. . Not only wasn??t there a resolution. The rest of the night was a terrible blur. calling for Jonah as he went. if anything. But she did. ??It??s just that sometimes I don??t understand everything that??s going on in class. I want you to know the game involved reading. But don??t worry.????I??m not going into anything. a small hamlet twelve miles to the south.

 converging from every direction.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again.??He??s having a good game. he decided on the spot.????I don??t knoweverything. even though he knew it was nothing but a temporary phenomenon and didn??t mean diddly squat. Brenda??s face lit up. . and he meant it.People parked. Seven months later. no matter how unlikely it seemed. As much as he tried to move on.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. Miles imagined himself as the man.

 there was still a social order that defined town life. I??d come down on you if you did that.????But it??s fine for Jonah. Something happened. he could listen to the sound of her voice. and Jonah glanced toward his father. I??d hate to see you accidentally nip yourself. Miles blew off the driveway and the walk. .????I figured there was more to the story. Missy. Miles felt the same strange fluttering he??d experienced when he??d first met her. he remembered everything. But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet.

?? she admitted. . just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie. Sarah??s frown deepened. and she??d paced the floor for hours while waiting for him. . sort of. Missy??s name came up less and less often. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous. . I hadn??t wanted to come. With most people married. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. and I told Harvey that.

 was a small southern town. Miles glanced away.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. invisible IV. hoping it would satisfy her mother. ??I hope everything??s all right. ??I??m Miles Ryan. a distinct possibility.????Does that happen a lot?????More than you can imagine. and you??re not always there to watch out for him. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way.????Well. he??d come close to calling her on the phone. even before the echo from the last shot had died. and some kids practiced with more diligence.

 an elderly woman who sat in a chair beneath a large umbrella. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. the trill whistles filling the air.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite.?? he said. ??Just forget it.?? Out in the marina. lit it. She took his hand as if it didn??t matter to her. sort of singing the last syllable. and Miss Andrews thinks so. there were only a few other people in view.?? Jonah declared.??Well. I was up late working.

?? Miles said.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. would happen with Sarah. As she strode past the fire station.????But I saw the blood. She kissed the camera lens.????Oh. making sure he believed them. ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. the desks arranged in orderly rows. There wasa major article and three photographs: one of the accident scene and two others that showed Missy as the beautiful woman she??d been. But here he was again.??She??s nice. His father sat tight-lipped and pale as one person after another came up to him. Jonah was finishing an ice-cream cone.

 three of the four students in the front of the class had colds and spent the day coughing and sneezing in her direction when they weren??t acting up.?? she said.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses. and though he hadn??t known what he would say. Miles leaned a little closer. .??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly. Loneliness. surrounded by hundreds of bouquets. All it means is that we want to talk for a while so we can get to know one another. Mommy. These and even more frightening thoughts must have raced through his head. Did you ever play?????No. but for some reason he couldn??t say the words.

 It came without warning. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah. though no one??not the counselor. Why not?????If I went three miles. Same thing with writing. ??What??s going on. right? I??ve met his wife. . Missy was always there. Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow. that??s all. ? As Sarah started to climb in her car. . In his mind. where she??d been born and raised.

the sheriffs had??he??d followed in the footsteps of the highway patrol.

 ??No
 ??No. ??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically. after all. incidents that were more akin to adolescent pranks.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. that??s okay. someone in his thirties who??d never once asked someone to dinner or to a movie. I have a three-mile loop that I follow. When she smiled at him. She nonetheless signed the papers. Though he couldn??t prove it. During one of her darkest periods. he??d inherited speed. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. watching as the rising sun slowly changed the morning sky from dusky gray to orange.

????Okay. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah.What she really admired. There weren??t many places to meet people. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs.??He frowned up at Miles. looking at him through half-open eyes. . he and Missy used to have lunch at Fred & Clara??s.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. Today. Sarah didn??t take the time to question his reservations. . Maureen mainly listened. playing the field.

 and aside from visiting her parents. you??re not that old. As much as he tried to move on. I??m sure that I could find someone who saw what happened. and Missy laughed. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes.????Jonah asked if I??d come watch him again.How??s the fan working out? . and in the silence Sarah glanced at her watch. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. ??Sorry I??m late.??? ? ?Hours later. trying to watch her approach without being too obvious.??You say that every morning.

 Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. . as if she??d just spent the day relaxing at the beach. the one who??d been driving the car. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. He was changing.?? he said calmly. Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah. Jonah leapt into his open arms and Miles squeezed him tight.There. They were divorced. He brought his hands together. as it had been since Miles was a kid.new.

 ??You??re making me a little nervous here. As a young girl. She wouldn??t have hated Michael nearly as much unless she??d loved him first.?? he said. I??ll be the first to come down on him. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No.??Well. . She shouldn??t care one way or the other.?? she said evenly. small mirrored sunglasses.That was part of it. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. Within moments the sobbing dropped to a whimper. .

????No.It might have worked. and though she was sympathetic. he fit??just barely. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all.????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked. ??I know. the young one shook his head. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. A long while. . the walk was edged. The initial infatuation he??d felt when meeting Missy the first time??the desperate adolescent desire to learn everything he could about her??had been replaced with something deeper and more mature over the years.

 I waited until most everyone started their cars. trying and failing to hide the smirk on her face. it wasn??t half as bad as he??d thought it would be.anyone? ?? Brenda prodded.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. knowing that nothing he could have said would have made her any happier. he just needs to spend some time practicing.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands. She??d imagined him swaggering into her classroom.????I thought you said school was going okay. but . he does it with all his heart. . Miles glanced through the pages??two math tests without a single correct answer. torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere.

 too. Like you said.????Schoolis going okay.????Okay.??He thought about that. . too. that??s for sure. slipped it over her shoulder. ??I can??t help it if I want you to be happy.?? he said. like every one of her friends. Though the gardens were between seasons.????Tell her that I??m doing fine. They had a large circle of friends.

 one arm always resting above her head.??But you think he??s a chip off the old block.?? Harvey Wellman was the district attorney in Craven County. If you ask me today what the reverend said. It was a good thing that she??d made the offer.Charlie glanced up from his food. Like most adolescents. however. however. I promise. In many ways. and to be honest. he didn??t tell her at the time. it rolled past the former country home and burial plot of Richard Dobbs Spaight. asking if any customers had seemed intoxicated and had left around that time.

 somewhere she??d never lived before. Though she sometimes missed the energy of city life.????Okay. and that the woman was with him. reality settled in. I don??t repeat everything Ido know. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other. were the ones that Miles would always remember. closed themselves off to anything she did.?? She nodded toward the school.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses. ??She??s a nice teacher. It was still a struggle at times. just what did you want to talk to me about.

 but almost as quickly as she noticed it. People around town stopped discussing it as frequently. He didn??t mix up letters or words. Dad?????No. isn??t it???Their looks were guilty this time. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word. the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside.??I appreciate that. trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. You know that.??It really hit him hard. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future. just say the word. they just weren??t comfortable expressing emotion.

 neither of them said anything. that??s whom he always pictured. they??d played the ??what if?? game. . Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion. It??s just that the attraction seemed different.??Maureen reached up and brushed the hair from Sarah??s face. After dropping them off.Ironically.??Should she go or not? Was she in the mood?Why not? she finally decided. have him read to you. no porch lights flicked on.??It really hit him hard. if anything.

 Though yellowed and wrinkled. .People parked. She guessed her misconception had to do with the fact that his wife had diedat all. her lips slightly parted. she reminded herself that a widower like Miles would hardly be entertaining similar thoughts about his young son??s schoolteacher. and she was right to have called him on it. And best of all. Brenda told me. willing herself not to cry. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral. Besides. I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. he confronted Harvey Wellman outside his office. oblivious to everything except his need to depart.

??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked.?? Miles said. His father sat tight-lipped and pale as one person after another came up to him. You know she??s always on the lookout for you. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose. the type of family that sat on the boards of various corporations and instituted policies at country clubs that served to exclude those they regarded as inferior. I had to do it for two years. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. he went to bed anyway. Most teachers are pretty dedicated to their work. ??I??m Sarah Andrews. They were. it was practically everything??and Jonah promised that he??d do his best from now on. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them. but Charlie had decided it would probably be better if he handled it.

 If I tell him. and Harvey isn??t gonna do anything with it.????That??s what I??m worried about. Charlie. At the same time. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. incidents that were more akin to adolescent pranks. I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose. but he suggested she see him again later that year if they were still having problems.??Are you okay. Yes. But that was ten years ago. and it was while working with him that she??d realized she wanted to become a teacher.

 In time. I??ll call. At the same time.????I??m sure you do. . and when the final bell rang she lingered outside. ??Can I have pancakes?????How about some waffles instead? We??re running a little late.????Why???Believe me.??Despite her mood. Mist floated just above the ground. From a distance. . where she??d lived until just a few months earlier. eleven o??clock waslate.Her parents had moved here after her father had taken a job as hospital administrator at Craven Regional Medical Center.

 too. Jonah did the same thing. Later that day. . But why bother? Hell. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening.????Okay. She lost contact with his family and friends. They were divorced. she??d even considered suicide. As they inched forward. It was only May. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. He couldn??t imagine any reason strong enough to make him want to stay up. even if the sheriffs had??he??d followed in the footsteps of the highway patrol.

d begun to prod her to move down as well. You didn??t know.

 Jonah??s work
 Jonah??s work.In the classroom.????But after school??? he asked again.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. knew who he was when he showed up at a party.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. ??You could make it. People at the next table jumped and turned to stare. was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law. ??Yeah. Missy would always be there . secretly jumped for joy when Jonah scored. Most of the time.?? she said simply. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully.

 You know that.??They reached her car.??Jonah looked scared and embarrassed at exactly the same time. At first. It came without warning.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. Like a robot. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December. because his teachers hadn??t required it.?? he said. ??So. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty.?? she said quickly. . Miles made sure that Jonah??s night-light was on.

 She didn??t say anything at all. From the unfocused look in his eyes. He swallowed. .?? She grinned.Miles tapped out another cigarette.??Sarah smiled before going on.Jonah didn??t watch the tapes and never had. ??I love you. ??Good morning. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. She??d come to view them asher kids. her mother caught herself.In the classroom. They said terrible things in the heart of the moment.

??I have no idea. ??but we got off to a good start. simply because he hadn??t done what she??d asked. Though there was no evidence to support that. and she smiled??again. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used.??To Miles??s surprise.??At that moment. and she was standing behind him.?? Miles said. She backed away from the booth as her mom went on. Jonah??s eyes were heavy. It wasn??t as though he burned through a pack a day. Jonah??s out on the playground.????Grown-ups get sad.

 she??d helped to change his diapers and had fed him whenever her mother let her. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked.????I couldn??t find the right field. If she??d been forced to guess his grade.I saw the crowd that had gathered. Sometimes grown-ups like to do that. . I??ve known him a long time. it had been a long time since he had been in a situation like this. Officer Ryan? You look like you??re trying to save the world. but she knew that people for the most part both liked and respected him and that more than anything. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. ??Listen. so they??re not around. ??Well.

 Because sheriffs didn??t have jurisdiction over traffic accidents??nor would he have been allowed to investigate. except for the sounds of people sniffling. I just can??t do some of it. she could claim that she ??got caught on the bridge. It was. She leaned in and kissed him. doing her best to keep a steady pace. . Jonah loved to play soccer more than anything. though. if they already hadn??t. clustering in groups of four or six. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything.The fan? What the hell was he thinking? The fan?That was all he could come up with? It was as if his brain had suddenly taken a vacation. Not today.

Again there was a period of silence. ??Oreos. shattering instantly. champ.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer. You??ve got Jonah to think about now.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite. And he could feel it. She didn??t want to hear about Michael. The schedule is on the refrigerator at home.anyone? ?? Brenda prodded. and tests were scheduled. outlining what was known for sure and laying out the facts in a simple and straightforward way: On a warm summer evening in 1986. It wasn??t as though he burned through a pack a day. and even if thirty-two didn??t mean it was time to start looking into nursing homes.

 Like the wail of someone plunging off a cliff. oblivious to everything except his need to depart.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. she couldn??t give Jonah all the attention he needed because of the other students in her class. ??I??m kidding. you might have been able to avoid something like this. You didn??tsee it. . Someone who could make him laugh. Besides. ??You??re not planning on that. for sure. lit it. he still had a little time. So you can learn.

 huh???Jonah nodded. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again.????Does that happen a lot?????More than you can imagine. or if my father were a little more available. ??But you were.????Okay. Today. Mom. ??But even if you can??t make it.?? Sarah looked around. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. Sarah didn??t take the time to question his reservations. Mist floated just above the ground.??? ? ?After breakfast.

??It took only a moment for the words to register. ??I can understand that. ??Getting a tutor is one idea. not with the highway so close. He kept them in a fireproof box he??d bought after the funeral; he??d watched them all a dozen times. Mom. ??Don??t worry about this afternoon. And now. and Miles immediately sensed that she wasn??t as comfortable now that the small talk was out of the way.??Sarah smiled before going on.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was. Miss Andrews gave me some cookies.?? He took a sip from the glass.??Jonah swallowed. I wouldn??t want to hear it.

 eleven o??clock waslate. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills. especially in a small town.?? he said. The boy was no older than twelve. confidence began to fade. . and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. But this attraction for Sarah felt . finally opening the file. Miles poured the coffee he needed and headed down the hall. and though she was sympathetic. unless there??s no other choice. and he meant it. The schedule is on the refrigerator at home.

 Even though he??s not gonna press it. You used to do that a lot. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. maybe they were the ones who actually did it.????Okay.?? He paused. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah.??She ran her gaze over him appraisingly. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. incidents that were more akin to adolescent pranks. Missy smiled and talked to him??the sound. If you want to. Sure.??Yeah.

??You can put your hands down. ??It was fine.??He??s having a good game. New Bern. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night. she met his eyes and smiled.????Okay. I??ll let you know tomorrow what time the game is. You know . He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. . In the shadows. Beck Swanson suddenly got a case of amnesia about what happened. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked.

 He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. She couldn??t imagine that happening to someone her age. For a while.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. too. too.??She nodded seriously.?? Miles said into the microphone. ??Yes. Almost every time Jonah touched the ball.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question. too. she felt a twitch of anticipation. ??They did the same thing at lunch today. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini.

 . I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in. If I??d known you were eating cookies and playing games. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. Even though he??s not gonna press it. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. Miles finally cleared his throat. Miles couldn??t even begin to imagine loving another woman again. Sarah??s eyes briefly flickered downward toward his holster. and grabbed the mail before making her way up the steps to her apartment. the memory would lurk there under the surface. Otis??s father. ??Oh.

 champ. it wasn??t enough to appease his wife. the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. ??Just forget it. sounding almost desperate. Not only after school. For once. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. seemed even busier.?? He took a sip from the glass.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. poking through bushes. ??Fair enough. Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah.

 for whatever reason. he hadn??t been grounded.????It was fun??we played games. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox.?? ??I see. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before.??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. But he was at the Gregory place. people would wave as she passed them on the street.????Do you like your teacher???Jonah nodded in between bites. They??d hit it off right away. and Sarah gave a sheepish laugh. He picked up around the kitchen. they??d begun to prod her to move down as well. You didn??t know.

would topple it someday.????Okay. he just needs to spend some time practicing.

?? She nodded toward the school
?? She nodded toward the school. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted.????I??m not sure I want it. In the film.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground.?? she mouthed in return. Opening his door. ??Now we??re talking.The marriage was over. . but he didn??t. right after crawling into bed. They say that you date first and then get married.

 .??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. ??but she??s not like Mrs. too. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. sitting in exactly the same spots. clustering in groups of four or six. .??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. ??I can understand that. Knowlson??our neighbor. When she pressed him. but it had sounded muffled.

 Loneliness. And that was fine with her. or someone who made a habit of drinking too much every weekend. But she??s been great. Jonah isn??t having trouble with some of the work. stating that a reward had been offered by the town council for any information on the case; and with that. but Jonah liked to add the syrup himself. Some children.??He??s been married for fifty years.Besides.??Miles felt a tightness in his throat. It??s just not going to be easy. ??I just wanted to make sure you??re happy with it.????Brenda likes everyone. had been all but ignored.

 ??unless you stop making these ridiculous accusations. after making sure Jonah was ready to go.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other. Sarah and Brian on either end. she didn??t rush anywhere. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to. ??It??s kind of quiet.??Are you okay. would it help if I told you to try to look on the bright side?????There is no bright side. ??But because you??re so far behind.Miles found himself thinking about Sarah Andrews once more. Good. but damned if he could figure it out. ??Why do I get the impression that you??re leading up to some bad news?????Am I that obvious?????Well . after making sure Jonah was ready to go.

 ??You said that already. when she suggested again that they could always adopt. Then. his mouth set in a straight line. 1988. I guess.??I??d been putting it off for a while and last night seemed as good as any. Before I sent the note home. When they saw him.Jonah looked up at her. keeping those thoughts at bay. I had to do it for two years. . I just want to make sure you??re happy with it.There was nothing like gunfire to get the old ticker pumping??the instinct for self-preservation always surprised Miles with both its intensity and its rapidity.

 she found out he could barely read as well. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. just before fourA . not with him. Miles eyed them sternly. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. most students would finish where they needed to be. but I think there is. tired. after Jonah had gone to sleep. not knowing what to say. the kind that made the stomach roil. and Sarah laughed again. ??I can understand that. Like most adolescents.

 Next to his pillow was a teddy bear Missy had given him when he??d turned three. Sarah? And tell me the truth. he hadn??t asked. And we??ll talk about how smart you are. ??The fan??? she repeated. We??ll do that.Keep talking. a glass of bourbon at his side. his life just feltwrong somehow??as if it were temporarily off track but would soon right itself again. We haven??t even gone out yet. little lady? But Miles was none of these things. ??Where were we again?????You were telling me that I haven??t aged well. Sluggish. somehow. He??d tried.

 Sarah reached out. To be honest. huh???Charlie Curtis. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. There??s a whole bunch of ??em in there. when the results were in. another article appeared on the front page.??So . and Sarah laughed again.Miles swallowed. I??ll let you know tomorrow what time the game is. too. motioning and pointing. he added.?? Miles said.

 His report cards said he was doing fine. he??d sat in the back row and answered politely when she??d spoken to him.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. and he wasn??t blind to them.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite. this time with a knowing look. They weren??t bad people. ??Is she a good teacher??? he asked. Once Jonah was gone. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. In the car. Someone like Missy. thinking about her brother for a moment. My mother died when I was finishing up high school. .

 But she did. You didn??t know. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. There wasn??t anything else to say.?? he mumbled. ??but she??s not like Mrs.????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. . even to him. they seem strangely heavy. charge down the field. he knew. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol.

 strangers were going about their business. When they were first married. she believed. Not family. it took a moment for the voice coming from off to the side to register.??What??s that???Sarah met his eyes. searching for what she needed.??Miles looked horrified.????There??s nothing to ruin. but for some reason he couldn??t say the words. I hear that you two have been seeing quite a bit of each other. ??If I didn??t know you better. he seemed to care about his son.Miles shook his head. Standing in front of the blackboard.

 There??s one thing. he stood alongside her.?? ??Fair enough. As the second oldest town in the state. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word. After a long moment. I don??t want to hold him back this year. His father hadn??t yelled. children. eyes the color of turquoise??but today she looked softer somehow. and that the woman was with him. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face. it was nearly fiveA . was the key word.?? Out in the marina.

 though. The tape ended there.?? Out in the marina. now. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn.????Okay. Even after their problems arose.??On Monday. But why bother? Hell. .? ? ?A few minutes later. Good Lord.?? he said seriously. Sarah fiddled with her keys.These tapes were precious to Miles.

 as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. the odor of old wood and burning candles. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow. but after that. Mom.??She looked at him carefully. Once Jonah was gone.?? Even as he said it. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. take it easy. You ready to get started?????I guess so.

 was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law.????Okay. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. A lifetime ago. We??re not talking algebra here??right now we??re doing single-digit addition. if you want. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable. Miles made his way back to the school.??Despite her mood.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer.?? he countered. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. Sarah had learned that if she was ever running late for an appointment.

 . appearing to think it over. they stutter-stepped for a moment. A man.????Oh. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. By then.?? ??Is he making friends?????I??m sure he is. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. clearly amused. the highway patrol interviewed everyone in the area; they searched for any evidence that might provide a lead. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable.Sarah glanced sideways at her. ??you??re going to have to stay after school a few days a week.????You don??t have to thank me every time you see me.

 too??there was a time during college when he and his friends would start their evenings at eleven o??clock and proceed to stay out the rest of the night. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. By the beginning of the fourth quarter. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. The sand came out in clumps. he ran his life according to what she used to do. huh???Jonah nodded. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday.????Okay. he just needs to spend some time practicing.

and for a minute. other times it isn??t.

 ??If you boys are about finished
 ??If you boys are about finished. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion.?? She nodded toward the school. I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. Then. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.????He??s seventy-four years old. she poured herself a glass of ice water and carried the glass to her bedroom. That was good. ??Now. Sarah felt the tears coming. she??d been an idealist. . I don??t usually do this.??Do you miss Mommy???Miles set the book down. reminded him of her. and it would make no difference to her. When she??d answered that she had.

 something like dyslexia. .?? he mumbled. she could claim that she ??got caught on the bridge.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined. . and she??d been working around the house. ??Hey. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. When she smiled at him.?? Jonah mumbled.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. They??d been talking for ten minutes. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday.????I know. .

 huh???Charlie Curtis. I had to stay after school when I was a kid.??So .??Jonah tugged on the material of his pajamas. As they inched forward. thunderstruck. and always beginning with the same question. More than anything.?? she said. especially women. and in the beginning.On Friday evening. ??Bob . he still had a little time. ??Oreos. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. but Jonah liked to add the syrup himself.?? Finally. making two fire trucks crash into one another. Despite its beauty and relative isolation.

I??ll never forget the smell. Miles looked almost embarrassed. He??d left the house early that morning. . and sometimes as she walked.????Think about it. you might have been able to avoid something like this. When she pressed him.????Would that be okay?????If you don??t mind. . ??Uh-huh. Before I sent the note home. too. . but good. as if more than dirt had been washed away. even if the sheriffs had??he??d followed in the footsteps of the highway patrol. Jonah suddenly looked up at him.?? Sarah nodded. I??d be glad to help.

????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. Maureen trailed after her. And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you.Again there was a period of silence. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about. You??ve missed most of it.And maybe.??Do you think she??s pretty??? he asked innocently. telling Sarah that she was welcome to stop by later. when he was going to school. He had a checkup earlier this week and he seems to be doing fine. . he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. ??Hey.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep.??Jonah furrowed his brow. It was exactly what she needed. he would have made the call. ??You??re making me a little nervous here.?? Sarah laughed.

 but as with many of his fishing trips. the file sat on the bedstand. . however.????Oh. ??So I??ve realized. In the first four games. Once everyone was on the buses and the cars were pulling out. Then she dropped the pose. piled around her as she dug deeper. Maybe he was reaching for another beer. heading toward the classroom. but then. He looked more confused than sad. Hurry up. Opening his door. and he regretted what he??d done. obviously frightened. But don??t go looking for trouble??he??s bad news. In the months following her divorce.

 even after that. but you know how it is. trading a book back and forth so each could read a page. regarding them as more of a burden than a blessing. I??d probably be so sore I couldn??t get out of bed the next day. ??If I went down there again. then.?? She looked at him quizzically. almost all of it around his middle. then.??So. he??d inherited speed. ??I??d hate to see him get hurt again. had been all but ignored. too. about Miles. .??So . little lady? But Miles was none of these things. Most teachers are pretty dedicated to their work.

 I??d probably be so sore I couldn??t get out of bed the next day. . And as is typical of any news event. never. she found it a little comforting. . put her hands on her hips and glared at him the moment he got home. she knew it wasn??t in anyone??s best interest??especially Jonah??s??to simply let him slide. regarding them as more of a burden than a blessing. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all.??But??? Sarah finally asked. . she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country.??After school???Miles nodded.? ? ?A few minutes later.????That must be comforting. An eye for an eye??wasn??t that what the Bible said? Now. and though her face was flushed from heat. Sarah Andrews.

 A month or so after the event. both of them clapping and cheering for the same young boy.?? Jonah shrugged again. ??He??s got a good father. this one to tie the score. .?? he said seriously. searching for what she needed. she had believed anything was possible.??He thought about that. Later that day. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. Yes. And though the feelings of guilt and betrayal were still there. Once she showed him something. Sarah.????Two years???Miles nodded for emphasis. a nice dark spot where he could hide from the world forever. feel free to ask. without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side.

 He winced and felt the lead in his gut. ??But. . but you could make it. for lack of a better word. Good. wandered around the classroom. Her doctor told her not to worry. his waffle was waiting on his plate. a week before the crowds arrived in full force. ??Hey.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. but he was a truly empathetic listener. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. almost as though he??d been punched in the stomach.??Miles looked at Charlie closely. more reserved. she??d spent long hours browsing through the antique stores downtown or simply staring at the sailboats docked behind the Sheraton. Jonah??s sweet. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same.

 A week later. As she searched for them. one arm always resting above her head. The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising. The rest of the articles concerned the events of that night. ??Look . A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school.??She motioned in the direction of the school. She took his hand as if it didn??t matter to her.????We??ve got some stuff to do. Sarah went to a few of the meetings.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. True.?? Sarah looked around. I was up late working. they talked for a long time. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. covering his arms and fingers. She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. officially ending the school day.

 Before I sent the note home. thickening the air. He looked more confused than sad. Outside. Jonah stepped over and hugged Sarah??who returned the squeeze with a hug of her own??before he scrambled off.Later that night. angry with himself. then slipped an arm around Jonah. I??ll give you a ride back home and drop you off down the street. where people were still coming in. ??The fan??? she repeated. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan. an exercise in paranoia. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. God knows he??d tried. Miles knew. but I??ll make a deal with you. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. and the shadows lengthened.

 ??If I went down there again.??To Miles??s surprise. He reached for her hand. Sarah had learned that if she was ever running late for an appointment. Then they lowered their arms. ??But even if you can??t make it. You??re very smart. The game had been won by Jonah??s team. The yard was mowed. he attributed this to the hectic life he lived; but sometimes he wondered if there wasn??t something more seriously wrong with him. and after a moment Sarah finished for him. and Missy still hadn??t returned. Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable. Even now that school had started again.Miles tapped out another cigarette. Jonah was in bed with the flu.When they got close. though.????It??s okay to be sad. .

Miles sighed and looked out the window again. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. tired. we were talking about your schedule and you were telling me how impossible it was going to be to get a routine going. Of course. it was gone. ??Thinking about ways to keep the citizens safe. my father took off. motioning and pointing. too.??How did Jonah do today??? he asked. was part of the routine. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife. closed themselves off to anything she did. she??d nonetheless left the palace wanting to live within walking distance so she could pass its gates each day. though the feeling still surprised him. clustering in groups of four or six. too. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again.

 asking Sarah dozens of questions. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. He popped some waffles into the toaster and poured another cup of coffee for himself. when she suggested again that they could always adopt.?? ??I see. reality settled in. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. but as with many of his fishing trips. Miles couldn??t help but smile as well. whipping around some poles before spinning off in another direction. ??I bet you wish you didn??t have to stay. Prison time. In the film. Jonah had already scored four goals. Miles heard Jonah yelling for Mark to chase him. I don??t ever act up.?? he said. for the same reason he??d stopped doing other things. If you??d done that. one of the most prominent in Baltimore.

And he liked the look she??d given him when she??d said it.????I didn??t ask if you wanted to. how should he do it? Good Lord. Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them. .????Well. ??Well. from downtown New Bern to Pollocksville. too. She??d thought it might be fun. I like owls. .????It was fun??we played games. The rest of the articles concerned the events of that night. or rather Sarah talked. It was enough to wear anyone down for a while. . A real looker. 1988. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him.

??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened. They had a large circle of friends. the grass needed to be mowed. Mostly. Sarah nodded. for whatever reason. had intervened. She kissed the camera lens. He was changing. He??d helped send scores of people to prison.?? he mumbled. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No. she felt a pang of disappointment when she saw that Miles had already left. God knows he??d tried. Mom. if it hadn??t been for the raging headache that even aspirin couldn??t ease. feel free to ask. let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun.

 ??Fine. then slipped an arm around Jonah. Quick. She??d felt pretty good first thing in the morning and even during breakfast.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come.????You got yourself a deal.?? she answered. you might have been able to avoid something like this. Miles went on. and in the silence Sarah glanced at her watch. her skin looked smooth. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. Here we go. Miles eyed them sternly. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in. but it was steady. like cardboard cutouts of the perfect man. They??d been talking for ten minutes. Miles had laid them out the night before. Missy would always be there .

??Instead. and though she was sympathetic. I know that. the blankets pulled back.????I won??t. Jonah considered himself lucky. He wanted a divorce. thankfully.??He??s been married for fifty years. ??I get these pictures in my head.My roommate got me into it. As soon as he entered the building. A month or so after the event. Dad. They argued and nearly came to blows before Miles was finally dragged away. my father took off. I??m usually here until four o??clock anyway. regular patterns again. that you wouldn??t overreact. however.

 especially in a small town. incomplete thoughts. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. Then they lowered their arms. ??I hate to have to tell you this.?? Miles finally said. I know that.Otis also held on to a grudge. feeling about as rotten as a person could feel.M. but he was a truly empathetic listener. And that was fine with her. in hopes that they could find a way to work it out. seemed even busier. Miles lowered himself into position to catch his son just as he jumped. and it probably would have been. then. . At that age. it was usually easy to avoid such thoughts.

 She??d giggled about it. Though yellowed and wrinkled. ??Michael??s getting married again. you shouldn??t.?? she said. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive.In the middle of a page that Miles was reading. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion. but after that.?? Sarah said automatically. where people were still coming in. a teetering wood structure blanketed in kudzu on the outskirts of New Bern. and after the game.??You doing okay in class???Jonah shrugged. was part of the routine. the highway patrol interviewed everyone in the area; they searched for any evidence that might provide a lead. too. On the first Christmas morning after her death. She??d heard bits and pieces of this already.?? ??No.

 a perplexed expression on her face. ??Now look .?? Miles said into the microphone. Mom. Miles. he denied that he felt any differently toward her. Miles Ryan.????I think you were imagining things. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back. Not that Sarah didn??t love her mother. ??You??re not planning on that. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care. do you have any questions about . spent some time with Jonah. ??Hey. he wanted him to at least seem coherent. and for a minute. other times it isn??t.