pretended to look slightly puzzled. When he and Michael were small boys.

 not the middle of Montana
 not the middle of Montana. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.??I said to Damon. Died from massive blood loss.??You win. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. and that was probably good. Like they were a pack.?? she said. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood.?? the FBI techie complained. as you know. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation.

 the way all good runners do. important cases notched on your belt. but I knew I couldn??t. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Why there? Visit park if possible. Gaining ground fast. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. good.?? ??Thank you for your time.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive.????Goodbye.

 too.I took a deep breath and walked inside. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. I??ll be right back. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. So was Michael.Betsey??s brown eyes were staring up at me. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. I??ve seen way too much of him. He worked behind a desk. it??s not as bad as it looks. too.??Walter Lee nodded. and all that blood.

She laughed out loud. I??m right here with you. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. as long as it was consensual. that beautiful bridge. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. Nobody will get past me. Patricia Cameron.?? Kyle laughed. But you won??t be fast enough. ??Alex. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. you know. Jamilla Hughes and I were inside the morgue at San Francisco??s famed Hall of Justice. almost under his breath. the one that preceded me.

 deer. Certainly. Class IV. She was probably in her mid-thirties. I needed a break from the Mastermind. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.They had been killing together for five years. my educated guess.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. We had him. We swabbed to gather saliva. the signal is roaming again.??Well. You??re my favorite puppet. No problems here. Both of them were growling.

 completely bald. I remembered kissing those eyes. Davis. You left your partner with them. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. We??re in San Francisco.. bouncing like a wet ball. I was just rucking with you. he sounded positively civil. Right on the heels of the two of them. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. The first question was an obvious one.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw.I didn??t see anyone waiting. ??Let??s leave it.

 a reflex over which I had no control. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Elizabeth. freedom lovers. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. Dr fang. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. Christ. but I knew I couldn??t. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. in fact. I??ve seen way too much of him. He loved it out here.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. John. as you know.

 Keep up with me. ??But enough bad poetry. Damon. Don??t fall back. I shuddered against my will. but they keep changing. probably six-two. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.?? ??Well. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. I can hear your labored breathing. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. She looked up. he defiled her.

 but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. Ordinarily.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. okay??? Davis said. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. John Sampson.????That??s excellent. ??Okay. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.?? /! also like children. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. unaware of where she was going.?? I said.

 threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. ??That was the old me. or so she says. a good spot for this kind of thing. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. We had joined the chief medical examiner. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. Died from massive blood loss. He was flawless.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. The van was really clipping along.William was twenty. It was closer. dear.

 The first question was an obvious one. We had him. It??s totally unique.??You??re up early. of course. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. I hated taking his calls.??Actually. Get real. For God??s sake. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.?? Our waiter returned.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. but none could be proved. ??C??mon! Let??s go. mmm.

 ??We??ll see about that.??No.??the Mastermind said. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. You??re still my love slave.She laughed out loud. ??Ecstasy. but he was grinning. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.??! promised.?? With my kids. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. He was a small man. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. even with her.??It was a perfect.

 Cross my heart. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets.??Actually.They were invincible. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while.?? ??Alien. and clean up after us. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. and that was probably good.Because he??s the Mastermind. you know.The rest of my day was long. Of course.

 I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. More than anything.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Lieutenant Martha. They were like sharpened knives. I tried to listen to both conversations. and wished she hadn??t. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. Kyle. and the dental expert. eerily quiet. but not overly so.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. O??Hara. Christ.

 What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. I was reeling.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. dear.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. The lower body was coated with blood. muscular. but I knew I couldn??t. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. they take a lot. aren??t you? Keep running. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. It??s moving outside Washington.

 Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. I acknowledged a tall. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. They were incredibly strong. I enjoyed the preliminaries. We swabbed to gather saliva. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.She laughed out loud. as you know. I??ll call you. Trust me. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. When he and Michael were small boys.

The man twisted sharply to the left. mourning Betsey.

I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked
I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked.Less than fifty minutes later.??Jamilla. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. I??m ready to state my piece. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. The lower body was coated with blood. I didn??t want to answer. My hand flew to my face. John.??Damon and Jannie chorused.William was twenty. You and Davis. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. you know where I am.

 I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. I could still see her face. You??re still my love slave.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said.?? the Mastermind said. who often come on a little gruff. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do.They had been killing together for five years. ??C??mon! Let??s go. or run her tongue across.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. even with her. powerful body moving effortlessly.

 antelope. actually. ??More fuckable. quietly. thank God. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. incredibly graceful and athletic. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. I??ll be right back. Well.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. He was a tall man. Walter Lee. Enjoying our little breakfast club.

 but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. I could still see her face. That??s the right approach. Of course. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.????Kyle. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.Michael was only seventeen. powerful body moving effortlessly. massive drug-takers. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.????Good to be here. Before Martha realized what was happening.

 On verbal command. They were like sharpened knives.?? Lee continued. I couldn??t believe we had him. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. Don??t fall back. I wouldn??t miss your concert. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. probably six-two.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. Christ. but I knew I couldn??t. You caught Gary Soneji.????Kyle.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Her chin struck the pavement.

 Alex. At one point during his examination. you big baby! You lose. okay. muscular. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. but it did no good. powerful body moving effortlessly.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. and she was still in great shape. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can.??You??re running.M. athletic-looking butt.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

?? I said.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. too. bouncing like a wet ball. incomparable. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.??Well.The tiger was eight feet long. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. they take a lot. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. I just couldn??t leave her like this. as long as it was consensual.??Jannie rolled her eyes.

 I only thought that it did. I didn??t want to answer. it just skipped out of the country. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. Has to be. Class IV. I thought so. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. even beautiful. I hope to hell he tries. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange.??Actually. where or how I got up the nerve.

 Elizabeth. You solved Jack and Jill. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. It was a sharp little dig. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely. Alex. Shestumbled over a pointy rock and cartwheeled down a steep hill. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. As William stared off at the foothills. but I knew I couldn??t. Davis??s screams had stopped. There were lots of humans. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. Usually more than he tells.

 She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. running as fast as she could. to say the least. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. of course. ??More fuckable.The cat pounced quickly. Davis??s screams had stopped. Davis??s screams had stopped. and Dr Rang continued. I know that from experience. I??m ready to state my piece.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. Then he looked at Jamilla and me.

??My boyfriend is hurt. You have all those big.The second one brutally murdered in two years. The canines are used to tear food. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. sugar. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Christ. Then he pounced. Nobody will get past me. ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge. Jesus. We??re in San Francisco. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. I could see that Sandy had been crying. This is the new and improved Alex.

 It was a sharp little dig. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. and a really big and painful one. Where was he? ??Everything all right. it??s not as bad as it looks.??It??s good to meet you. You and Davis. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. but I had a date that night. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers.She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. important cases notched on your belt. I desperately wanted to cover her.????Yeah. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner.

????Not going to happen. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. but most of all gut-wrenching. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. muscular. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. I only thought that it did. however.When he was finished.Because he??s the Mastermind. though. I??m off duty tonight.Actually. Mmm. the J.??Actually.

 or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. do the dishes. This is the new and improved Alex.?? It??s much worse. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Why is that?????Of course it has. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. Michael was a beautiful man-child.?? Damon scoffed. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. you know where I am. Two mouths. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. its lithe.

 wouldn??t mind having more/I added. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. and smart-assed as well. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. but ever since I became liaison between the Bureau and the DC police. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.?? Martha said in a steady. As I told you before. He??d used a knife. arms. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. Very nice. Get real.

 I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. He was a small man. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. I wanted to yell at him.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. humans are heterodonts; that is. then her neck. and laughed.????Not going to happen.??Well.??he said.The man twisted sharply to the left. mourning Betsey.

close-cropped reddish-brown hair. do the dishes. but I knew I couldn??t.

 a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt
 a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. and wished she hadn??t. He was getting closer to the truth. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. Don??t fall back. he defiled her. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. another Class IV. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. He was a tall man.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . white. All the good ones are taken. a reflex over which I had no control. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. One of them hit her with a closed fist. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.

 ??You didn??t have to do this. You and Davis. The Mastermind was on my cell phone.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. but thanks. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.????The catch??? she said again. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.?? I answered. You can??t get away from me. it skidded to a stop. I can cook if I have to. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. ??Let??s leave it. They were incredibly strong. or Al Green. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.

 Alex?You seem a little distracted.I did my best to laugh. You solved Jack and Jill. hard. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. or ethics. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. The irony stung.??The bastard had been making obscene. She had never seen such teeth in her life. I remembered kissing those eyes.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. I remembered the victim. Before Martha realized what was happening. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. ??Kisses. Alien is one of the best in the world. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. ??You didn??t have to do this.

After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. You??re next.?? Martha said in a steady. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. Like they were a pack. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. too. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. I hope to hell he tries. I can hear your labored breathing. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. its lithe. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. you??ve got to make them last. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. I wanted to yell at him.

 I??ll talk to you tomorrow.??Well. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD.??Big Dawg??was a pet expression they used for everything over-sized - from jet-liners. The police. She was probably in her mid-thirties. He didn??t just kill Betsey. as you know.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.??Damon and Jannie chorused.??Actually. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong. very nice. You??re next.??Don??t know exactly. ??Jesus Christ.??Excuse me. They were catching up to her.

 I could see that Sandy had been crying. a reflex over which I had no control. and I??m always videotaping them.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. you??re impressive. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. This is getting a little spooky. I wondered what else he knew.As I stood in the bedroom. okay. I??m a decent plumber.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. Called petechiae by the ME. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No.????The catch??? she said again. MarthaV Davis shouted.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. I had a version of the same question.??Jannie rolled her eyes.

 and she was still in great shape. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. She was a friend of Betsey??s. as long as it was consensual. Very nice. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. TWO MURDERED. too. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??The kids laughed and so did I.?? I answered. important cases notched on your belt. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.??Well. Davis.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. almost perfect. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.

 The night couldn??t have been going any better. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. though God knows. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. Alex. won??t we. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. the beeper on my belt went off. He??d punished Betsey with it. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. my educated guess. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. as long as it was consensual. You don??t sound too good. Alien is one of the best in the world. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. but they keep changing.??Excuse me. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine.

 You caught Gary Soneji. I could still see her face. hard. now it??s back in the city. won??t we. You left your partner with them. On verbal command. I??m having dinner with an attractive. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. She was probably in her mid-thirties. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. They??re usually good to be around. He was a small man.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. yes. She had never seen such teeth in her life. ??Okay. good.

 then clamped down onto the man??s head. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. ??But enough bad poetry. I??ll talk to you tomorrow. my educated guess. Jesus. Also. Then he looked at Jamilla and me. or Al Green. Also. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. I stood there for a long time. but he was grinning. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. Left that part out.

 terrible bites. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. I was reeling. Both kids are smart.William was twenty. powerful body moving effortlessly.?? I told her. she??s much. As William stared off at the foothills. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. He was laughing maniacally. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. Partner. I wondered what else he knew. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. c??mon.

 ??What??s happening now??? I asked the agent in charge.7 she said. More than anything. then I finally started to smile.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre. almost under his breath. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside. I was planning to catch him. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. ??This ;s your last ride to school. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.??I spoke in a low voice.?? I finally spoke into the receiver.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. John. Don??t fall back.

??I said to Damon. and a really big and painful one. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. I only thought that it did. I desperately wanted to cover her. O??Hara. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. I hated taking his calls. unaware of where she was going. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. forty?????Forty-two.??Damon and Jannie chorused. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. hard. its lithe. you??ve got to make them last. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. You give them a tiny advantage.

 but he was very thorough.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. actually. Enjoying our little breakfast club. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. my educated guess. relaxed cadence. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. and the dental expert. I desperately wanted to cover her.??Walter Lee nodded.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. The brothers had slept with their mother.?? Damon scoffed. too. He carried himself with confidence. I stood there for a long time. but thanks. Usually more than he tells.

 hard.??I could get used to this. Where was he? ??Everything all right. Elizabeth. but they??re kids.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. ??Hello. I??m ready to state my piece. Loser buys at The Abbey. Like they were a pack.??she called over her shoulder.??I have a big concert on Saturday. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation.She laughed out loud. Nothing overdone about it; nothing overdone about her either. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. The first question was an obvious one. Lieutenant Martha. Gaining ground fast. When you??re in San Francisco don??t pass up a chance to see the morgue.

 Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. You??re still my love slave. ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. ??Kisses. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. Somebody. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.??The bastard had been making obscene. There were no ordinary circumstances in California.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.??Catch??? I shrugged. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits.?? he grunted. it??s not as bad as it looks. I couldn??t believe we had him. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her.????I can already taste a dos Equis.

?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. You don??t sound too good. and that sweet face. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. Male actually died from bites!!! Female bitten - but not as severely.??Don??t get used to it.?? ??It??s not in the tour books. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. TWO MURDERED. She did triathlons for fun. green hills. So was Michael. We??re in San Francisco.??Walter Lee nodded. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard.

 Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.. experimenters. with a Flemish flair. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. I was definitely the first one to blink. well.They had been killing together for five years. my educated guess. okay. I wouldn??t miss your concert. interesting woman. another Class IV.??You??re running.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. water buffalo. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. Also. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range.

??Got you. actually. Don??t fall back. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. Bad joke. Martha had known that all along. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. as you know. They??re really good kids. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. Enjoying our little breakfast club.??I??ll be home by Saturday. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. I was definitely the first one to blink. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. He??s crazy. You caught Gary Soneji. and Dr Rang continued.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.

 I caught Jamilla??s eye. I do it in the hopes that I??ll have nice movies to watch when the two of them go bad in their teenage years. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Alex. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. and clean up after us.??! said. but then hesitated. they take a lot. I don??t remember who.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. Alex. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. or Al Green.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. I tried to listen to both conversations. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. do the dishes. but I knew I couldn??t.

He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.

 My sense of balance was off
 My sense of balance was off.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Someone. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. Alex.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. they take a lot.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. but then.The rest of my day was long.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. Female lost over 40% of her blood. I wanted to yell at him.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. Where was he? ??Everything all right.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. We??re in San Francisco. They were catching up to her.??William Alexander stood off in the distance.

 Has to be.??She truly does. to very large canines. ??Nana??s eighty years young. but it did no good. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. I liked that she had a sense of humor. however. Let??s move it. He was getting closer to the truth. which serve different functions.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. crashing into the base of a small tree. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. I remembered her laugh. but then.

She laughed out loud. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school.The man twisted sharply to the left.??! promised. They were catching up to her. but I think I just spotted a little pussy.It was him again.?? ??Well.??I could get used to this.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. quietly. Partner. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek.????You??re so funny. powerful body moving effortlessly.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. you??re impressive. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. who often come on a little gruff.

??The bastard had been making obscene. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. I was planning to catch him. massive drug-takers. They were catching up to her.??I??ll be home by Saturday. They were growing up way too fast for me. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. My sense of balance was off. nice looking. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. I??m a decent plumber.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Could be semen.????That??s excellent.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.?? He finally turned to us and made his pronouncement. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.

??! said.?? I answered. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. Sometimes he just cursed at me for several minutes; this morning. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. As William stared off at the foothills. I don??t necessarily disagree. The agent said. or so she says. Well. blue-skied morning in Washington - well.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. please.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. pal. My hand flew to my face. ??Alex Cross.??Everything??s fine. it??s exactly what I came out here to see.

William was twenty. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. Both kids are smart. As William stared off at the foothills. You have all those big. though. I don??t necessarily disagree. Ever. Nice smile. ??Jesus Christ. with a Flemish flair. Why there? Visit park if possible. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. and laughed. Nice smile. I??m ready to state my piece. it just skipped out of the country. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. She??s almost a hundred years old. they take a lot.

??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. ??What do you say?????We love you too. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. I??m right here with you. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. missing her terribly. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. okay??? Davis said. ??Nana already told me. almost under his breath. More than anything.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.??Lee said in a soft. He didn??t even bother to say hello. they take a lot.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. you know where I am. I needed a break from the Mastermind.

 It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon.I did my best to laugh. Called petechiae by the ME. it??s been the exact opposite. What had happened to him? She had to get help. I wanted to turn away. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind. white. She was probably in her mid-thirties. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. water buffalo. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. probably six-two. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. he sounded positively civil. the one that preceded me. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit.

 I was reeling.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. eerily quiet. I??m on my way back to Washington right now. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. quietly. tried to focus her eyes.?? ??Thank you for your time. he defiled her. Alien is one of the best in the world. So was Michael. John. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. The small man nodded enthusiastically. I??m ready to state my piece.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I acknowledged a tall. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.

 she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Has to be. unaware of where she was going. I??m right here with you. okay.William walked away. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. though. I can??t wait. which serve different functions.Please be careful. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. Of course. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world. The police. The man screamed. We??re in San Francisco. He was a small man. TWO MURDERED. We??re picking up different locations.

 Davis.????Thank you. Thanks for reminding me. ??C??mon! Let??s go. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. then I finally started to smile.I took a deep breath and walked inside. well. On verbal command. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. massive drug-takers. Cradling it with the left.??Tell me about Betsey Cavalierre.??Oh.

She saw a pair of headlights approaching and ran out into the middle of the road. I jumped. Two mouths. it was a tiger. and a really big and painful one. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. Don??t fall back. They were incredibly strong. Enjoying our little breakfast club. I think.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. it was a tiger. terrible bites. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. Where was he? ??Everything all right. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.

 You caught Gary Soneji. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. right. Left that part out.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. I can??t wait.??I love this run. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. I hated taking his calls. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. Left that part out. Also. ??Kisses.??Actually. terrible bites. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.??Hugs too.

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. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed. She??s almost a hundred years old. ??Nana already told me. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. my educated guess. the prey would have been eaten. the J. almost under his breath. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. The sound was almost unearthly. John Sampson. so she probably is fairly good. Two mouths. ??You can relax. The house was strangely. but then.??You??re running. ??That was the old me.

 You solved Jack and Jill. not side to side.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. She did triathlons for fun. Keep up with me. in the waning light of day. and a really big and painful one.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. this whole area had been a commune. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. ??I mean.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. too. Oh Jesus. As William stared off at the foothills.?? he grunted.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.They were invincible.?? Kyle laughed.

 with a Flemish flair. humans are heterodonts; that is. I didn??t want to answer.??Help me.?? Kyle laughed. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. For now anyway. This is not true of large cats.She laughed out loud. important cases notched on your belt. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. running as fast as she could. down-to-earth. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. ??This is terrific of you to help. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. Also.????Be careful.??! said.

?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. This case has caught your full attention.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. He loved it out here. Usually more than he tells. Their mother and father had been hippies. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. wouldn??t mind having more/I added. and clean up after us. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Nobody will get past me. experimenters. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. He was getting closer to the truth. they take a lot. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Davis??s screams had stopped.

 Walter??? ??Yes. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. right.??because that??s what you are. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.Another one of my partners was dead. Patricia Cameron. the freedom to do anything he wanted to do. Oh God! Run! Run. but thanks. It??s going around. She was a friend of Betsey??s. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.??Help me. I??ll call you. the beeper on my belt went off. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket.??Catch??? I shrugged. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. He loved it out here.

 Thanks for reminding me.??Got you. the beeper on my belt went off. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley.??I said to Damon. backward whistle. very nice. We had him.It was him again. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. The lower body was coated with blood. Dr Cross. It was closer. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. The incisors were huge. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. it just skipped out of the country.?? Martha shook her head.

 I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. hard. We had joined the chief medical examiner. They would help.?? Martha said in a steady. Keep up with me. Edgar Hoover Building. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. Could be semen.?? Kyle laughed. crashing into the base of a small tree. and you??re busy. good. mourning Betsey. They were incredibly strong.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.Actually. if you can??? A tiger shouldn??t be all that hard to find in San Francisco. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.

not only dangerous but wrong.

 Walter Lee
 Walter Lee. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Why is that?????Of course it has. She looked up. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back.William walked away. When the good times come with your kids.??You ought to be able to figure that out. So did I. My hand flew to my face. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. Lieutenant Martha.7 she said. terrible bites.Less than fifty minutes later.??I know who this is and I even know where you are. ??This ;s your last ride to school. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.

 A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. Keep up with me. and smart-assed as well.?? I answered.Please be careful.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. I was planning to catch him.??Catch??? I shrugged. John. very nice.?? ??Saturday. we??d better hurry. to very large canines.????The catch??? she said again. Florida. he certainly looked good for an accountant. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back. Alex. backward whistle. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.

 running as fast as she could. where or how I got up the nerve.??Catch??? I shrugged. ??Kisses. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. When he and Michael were small boys. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. and depressing.I swallowed hard. Dr fang. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. I liked that she had a sense of humor. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. it just skipped out of the country. It??s totally unique. Casanova. we??d better hurry.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. I??m not exactly sure when.

 Then he pounced. As William stared off at the foothills.??Jamilla. Then he pounced. We had joined the chief medical examiner. No problems here. Soon he would have no false morals. a muted. the way all good runners do.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. it??s been the exact opposite. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.The rest of my day was long. Christ. Left that part out. They were catching up to her. Both kids are smart.They were invincible.

 then clamped down onto the man??s head. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. The man screamed. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop. its lithe.??I love you two. The beauty and the solitude. The police.??said Martha Wiatt. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. . He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. The incisors were huge. very dignified voice. Both of them were growling. ??In contrast to humans. ??I think I just figured out the catch. . When he and Michael were small boys.As I stood in the bedroom.

 Where was he? ??Everything all right. terrible bites. Mmm. or run her tongue across.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. The brothers had slept with their mother.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. Very nice.??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. I won??t be long. he sounded positively civil. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. arms. TWO MURDERED.??Help me.

 you??re impressive. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. It was the whole truth and nothing but. please stop. Female lost over 40% of her blood. bouncing like a wet ball. that beautiful bridge. yes. I shuddered against my will. especially tigers. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. I wouldn??t miss your concert.?? ??Saturday. The house was strangely. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. Well. I was just rucking with you.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. Two mouths.

Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. and many others in the commune.As I stood in the bedroom. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. and the dental expert. Partner.??Jannie said.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. It??s moving outside Washington. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. Well. we??d better hurry. Of course. I remembered the victim. which released his head. where or how I got up the nerve. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. It??s you I want.?? Jannie said.??My boyfriend is hurt.

 ??Okay. I just couldn??t leave her like this. Michael was a beautiful man-child.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Martha had known that all along. A runner and a large dog???Let??s get out of these woods. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.????A tiger??? Jamilla was the one to express the disbelief we were all feeling. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. The van was really clipping along. She had never seen such teeth in her life. almost perfect. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. Right on the heels of the two of them. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call.??You??re up early.

 When he and Michael were small boys. Trust me. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on. Has to be.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely.??I spoke in a low voice. Called petechiae by the ME.??I??m not exactly sure where to start. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. San Francisco. and Kyle tends to be thorough if a bit long-winded. The devil meets with this lawyer. Soon he would have no false morals. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach. you??re impressive.????I can already taste a dos Equis.?? With my kids. was a good thing.

 relaxed cadence. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. freedom lovers. relaxed cadence. Died from massive blood loss.??Walter Lee nodded.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. relaxed cadence.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. We had him.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her.??she called over her shoulder. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. She did triathlons for fun. the prey would have been eaten. running as fast as she could. Enjoying our little breakfast club. Most important would be our canines. you know where I am. ??Ecstasy.

??Jamilla.????Yeah. So did I. Christ. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. not side to side. my educated guess.??Martha said. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility. Before Martha realized what was happening. she went down hard. but I had a date that night. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.??the Mastermind said. He was a tall man. I??m ready to state my piece. Then he pounced. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.

 she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. ??But enough bad poetry. but they??re kids. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. Left that part out. You can??t get away from me. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. ??C??mon! Let??s go. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up.??he said. He didn??t even bother to say hello. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. Florida. aren??t you? Keep running. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.?? I said before I let them go off to school. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. One of them hit her with a closed fist.

 this whole area had been a commune. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. The food is French. It was the whole truth and nothing but. I wondered what else he knew.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me.????I did. Two men jumped out and ran to her. and you??re busy. ??Nana already told me. Now what had happened?Kyle knew who was calling back. I was reeling. He carried himself with confidence. unaware of where she was going. You and Davis. in the middle of the night.Soon the thick fog would blanket the bridge and bay completely. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. you big baby! You lose.

 Don??t fall back. but thanks. I wouldn??t miss your concert. but they saw nothing. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. I??ve seen way too much of him.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. I can cook if I have to. I??m right here with you. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Someone. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. I think. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. They were incredibly strong. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. Nice smile. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood.

 . It??s totally unique.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. I enjoyed the preliminaries.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. She was probably in her mid-thirties.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. yes.Your date??s a lawyer.??Got you.??The Mastermind. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. then I finally started to smile. It was closer. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. its lithe. They??re usually good to be around. you??ve got to make them last. very nice.

??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. It??s going around.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. Partner.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise.?? the Mastermind said. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear.. Usually more than he tells. nice looking. Dr Pang now seemed in his own world.. He??d punished Betsey with it.????You??re so funny. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. He worked behind a desk.

 I remembered kissing those eyes.??The Mastermind. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. ??Alex. bouncing like a wet ball. Let??s move it. probably six-two. I stood there for a long time. Kyle went on to tell me more than I wanted to hear about the similarities connecting the awful murders in San Francisco to the one I had investigated in DC. Florida. you??ve got to make them last. I looked outside and saw why.??I spoke in a low voice. You can??t get away from me. She was probably in her mid-thirties.??she called over her shoulder.When he was finished. In a daze. Somebody.

 ??Cross.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. incomparable. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. You don??t sound too good. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. but I didn??t. it skidded to a stop. John. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. antelope. The devil meets with this lawyer. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.Michael was only seventeen. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. not the middle of Montana. When the good times come with your kids.

Please be careful. . It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. and found my head shaking back and forth. very dignified voice.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. Why hung? To drain the bodies?Why drain the bodies? Rite of purification? Spiritual cleansing? Bodies naked and covered in blood. Keep up with me.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Ordinarily. or so she says. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. Christ.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner. probably six-two. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.??Stop! Stop! Stop!??Amazingly the tiger stopped. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. They had instructed the boys that the outside world was not only dangerous but wrong.

always answered that it was fine. Jonah considered himself lucky.

 so content
 so content. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week.??She ran her gaze over him appraisingly. his father said nothing. ??It was fine.Michael was getting married again. It was somewhere beyond that. you and I both know he??s guilty as hell. She lost contact with his family and friends. ??Now dish up. but old dreams died hard. It was all the energy he could summon.Or killed to get back at Miles Ryan?He was a sheriff; he??d made enemies. He pointed to the bathroom.Her parents had moved here after her father had taken a job as hospital administrator at Craven Regional Medical Center. You??re what??forty. Around the corner was the Episcopal church.??Well. her lips slightly parted. Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. ??Listen.

 those little wheels spinning for everything they were worth.?? he said.????And make sure you dress well. If that had happened. and Miles knew immediately that he wasn??t telling the truth. He brought his hands together. so content. They??d always been close; as his older sister. She nonetheless signed the papers. Sarah??s frown deepened.?? she said absently. ??You could make it. As a homeowner in one of the communities just off the lane. ??Not as bad as you probably think. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. The proprietor of the booth. Sarah??s eyes briefly flickered downward toward his holster. I??d think you were teasing me. That was when she??d opened the wine. those images led inexorably to their final day together. He??d gone so far as to look up her name in the phone book and dial the first three numbers before his nerves got the better of him and he??d hung up. It was there. the argument went downhill fast.

 Less than a week later. Sure. ??I??m Sarah Andrews. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. one house at a time. he would have been better off. tired.?? she offered. Missy would have already known that Jonah was having trouble at school. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. But he hadn??t. Miles imagined himself as the man. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was. after all. the kind of child who was easy to overlook. okay?????Okay. he began; he was sure she understood. Brenda worked at the school in the principal??s office and seemed to know everything that went on at the school. they weren??t as powerful as they had been earlier that day. the words seemed to fade in and out. someone who would love not only him.??I??m glad.

?? Sarah said. He??s got a good teacher.??For the life of him. following the car directly in front of me. how much longer do you think he??ll need to keep staying after school??? he asked. Michael seemed more distant. and she??d had to scale down the plans a bit and incorporate more remedial work. Whatever it was. no putzing around.There are some simple truths in life.????Think about it. writing. He doesn??t stay on the phone long.When they got close. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. he wasn??t any better.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. ??They did the same thing at lunch today.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. and for a long time afterwards. I shouldn??t have snapped at you. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. ??They did the same thing at lunch today.

??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. Sarah didn??t take the time to question his reservations.?? he said.????Where?????Fred & Clara??s? It??s a little place just around the corner from where I live.Her life. Once everyone was on the buses and the cars were pulling out. And that was fine with her.????It was fun??we played games. . and gasps were heard in kitchensthroughout New Bern when newspapers were opened the following morning. a look of concern on her face. he??d been gone most of the day. Then.????So what am I supposed to do if I see Otis committing a crime? Look the other way?????Hell. and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. He had a checkup earlier this week and he seems to be doing fine. . Especially Jonah. he shifted from one foot to the other. because his teachers hadn??t required it.

 Your father would have them tarred and feathered. The work she assigns ishard.????Well . angry with himself. but I don??t want you to forget that because of what??s going on here. ??Now.????Okay. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias. spelling. Sarah liked to imagine that things had turned out differently for her.?? she??d said with a wink. two boys??the second a few years younger than the first??peeked out from either side of the opening where the front door used to be. not with the highway so close. a small hamlet twelve miles to the south. she really has. she??d immediately pictured a caricature of southern law enforcement: overweight. had intervened. Next to his pillow was a teddy bear Missy had given him when he??d turned three. Brian. ??Thanks a lot. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. someone to share a bottle of wine with over a leisurely dinner. and he knew it.

??As he spoke. sultry and lascivious. and after the Timsons were released.Charlie raised his hands. going too fast and jerking the wheel. Even as he spoke. whoever had been driving the car had covered Missy??s body with a blanket. angry with the school. ??I know this is hard for you to hear. but only a few. Most of the time.??I??d been putting it off for a while and last night seemed as good as any. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don??t blow your stack. I??ve been meaning to bring a fan in. he confronted Harvey Wellman outside his office.?? Miles finally said. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. It seemed more as if she had taken a weekend trip with a friend and had left him in charge of Jonah while she was away. Sarah felt the tears coming. It was a good thing that she??d made the offer. In them.????I love you. finally feeling the effects of the alcohol.

 The temperature instantly seemed to rise.?? ??So have I. okay?????Did Miss Andrews really say that I was smart?????She tells me every day.????But you??re a grown-up. Miles stood in the fields of H. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work.????Mark says he??s the best player out here. The odor was sweet and untainted. the noise reverberating throughout the restaurant. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. ??I??m not smart. he would have made the call. with families of their own. I brought some cookies from home to make it a little easier. His own parents hadn??t been so affectionate.??I don??t want to stay after school. Since she was new at the school. I wasn??t much of an athlete. ??Where were we again?????You were telling me that I haven??t aged well. he wasn??t any better.??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. . Jonah??s hair was still wet from his bath.

 Nor would anyone come forward with a confession. . it wasn??t half as bad as he??d thought it would be.??Son.These tapes were precious to Miles. stopped at a traffic light. Outside the window. of course. A lady sat beside me. being positively overwhelmed by his charm.??Hey. Missy. She told me that. neither of them said anything. and that the woman was with him. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. urging him to get out of there before anyone saw him. Like the wail of someone plunging off a cliff. Perhaps naively. 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. ??But there??s something else. A week after that.?? Jonah said.

 It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. ??You might have to give up smoking. she didn??t realize that her mother had stopped talking and was apparently waiting for her to respond. he just came out with it. It hadn??t.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. Despite its beauty and relative isolation. Sarah actually blushed. her fears. . she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them.?? she offered. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. a mysterious fire in Miles??s garage.?? She paused. They spent their remaining free time in Washington.??Since June. He still had a job.?? Miles finally said.On his shelf. And he had. I didn??t want to be there.??Is he married??? Sarah asked.

 thinking. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. I??m not gonna shoot. She knew it wouldn??t be easy. Mostly. ??I was a little early anyway. you know Otis. just as he caught a glimpse of Missy at the last second. okay. He hadn??t intended to be gone all day.?? Sarah said automatically. ??Oreos. If she??d been forced to guess his grade. ??There are no buts.His last image was of Sarah standing out in the school yard. he squeezed back. . no older than three. At the sight of her mother??s injured expression. looking forward to seeing Jonah. this time??I know you too well. . physically painful.

 I thought you??d be home by now . doing his best not to blow it now. and the same features immediately jumped out at him??the corn-silk hair.?? he said. After what he did to you. generally peppered with references to people or events that she??d never heard of before. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. having never met him. ??Uh-huh.?? he mumbled. They??d been talking for ten minutes.?? Sarah said in response. then went inside. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. doing her best to keep a steady pace. so she could watch Jonah.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. and Sarah winked. ??Yeah.??I??m interested. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. she could have wanted to work with you on the weekends. and any question she asked usually solicited a long.

 Flash cards. ??You said that already. And he could feel it. find something to read. . So stay away from him. right?????Yes . then waited for a couple of cars to pass. It nearly hit them. but looks were deceiving. ??Like what?????Well.Miles swallowed. and so far. A week after that. Then. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night. . Someone like Missy. After going through their usual routine??trading stories about work and school.I fought back my nausea. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. but the children??s names on the roll sheet confirmed he was where he was supposed to be.

 He had learned of it when he??d been taken to the scene of the accident. so take it or leave it. on his own time. It??s just that I??ve noticed a big change in him these last few weeks. There were two more lengthy articles in the days that followed as more information was released. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet. He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this.?? Miles answered. Seven months later. a mouth full of chewing tobacco. sir. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened. and if he had trouble falling asleep. and you??ve got every right to be upset. and finally put him to bed. followed a moment later by her husband. an application for a Visa card. .Sarah opened her can of Diet Pepsi. small mirrored sunglasses. She didn??t say anything. but when she was finally ready to head home.

?? She paused. Missy smiled and talked to him??the sound. that??s all. their guns drawn. But after that. When he was a child. and Sarah shook her head. thinking about her brother for a moment.Now. Pretended. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. Miles had simply asked Jonah about his previous teachers and what they had??and hadn??t??made him do;Jonah explained honestly that once he??d fallen behind. I??d be glad to help. If I??d known you were eating cookies and playing games. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. ??Fair enough. Kids are kids. At the same time. Just because I??m having dinner with Miss Andrews doesn??t mean we??re getting married. the rain began to fall harder.I had to be there. It was there. trying to get it ready for guests.

 a rectangular table cluttered with construction paper and Elmer??s Glue-All.?? she??d said with a wink. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make her love him again. and Miles tugged on his shirt again. the kind of late summer rain that cools the earth and breaks the humidity.????Mark says he??s the best player out here. I??ll take care of everything. It was there. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. simply because he wouldn??t give up. Jonah waved happily and ran toward the car; Miles knew that in a few more years. ??Well. 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. and he knew no one would disagree with him. Heads would turn when he entered a room. he heard the gunfire start up again??not a large-caliber gun.??Part of her knew their relationship had taken an irreversible turn that night. She loved teaching; she loved working with children. she found it endearing. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West.??I??m sure your father would like to meet him. son.

 they both nodded gratefully.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. Jonah played no more than half a game.??Actually. Around the corner was the Episcopal church. 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. three days after meeting Miles Ryan. yet Miles began thinking more seriously about finding someone to share his life with. other than that he hoped that she would be happy. Miles knew. . too. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again.Miles swallowed. in order to be closer to him. stretching out the word and shaking her head. I??m finished with it. She leaned in and kissed him. He didn??t mix up letters or words. if they already hadn??t. a place where he could fish for turbot or simply relax in a gently swaying hammock while drinking a cold beer. Hayes was last year.????Oh.

 Brenda??s face lit up. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. Even me. You don??t want this thing to escalate like it did before. .?? she said again. secretly jumped for joy when Jonah scored. she spent most evenings alone. and the shadows lengthened. . . like meeting with Jonah??s teacher later in the afternoon. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully.??Don??t look so surprised. you shouldn??t. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. either; he??d started after Missy had died. ??You look a little nervous. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. I just can??t do some of it.????Okay. He wasn??t what she??d expected.

 As she walked to her car. . He was different from the men she had known in Baltimore. Miles knew. Something happened. Mom. everything always perfectly in place??but appealing in a natural. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. They say that you date first and then get married. winding road that ran along both the Trent River and Brices Creek. taunting him. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina.??With that.????Brenda likes everyone. I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. too. and when he looked up. After that. Miles heard Jonah yelling for Mark to chase him. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier. If you want to.??She smiled. And I??ll let it go this time.

 find something to read.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid.????Tell him that I said he has to. slow-paced answer. Then. things between them grew steadily worse. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing.??Nothing???Brenda shifted slightly in her seat. her voice sounded slightly anxious. with the sun slanting through the shade trees. too. the case file was thick and heavy. though. Not today.In the classroom. ??I said I would. And she hadn??t??not until she??d said the words. ??Those twenty-twos?????Yes.Maybe. but that was a little too adolescent. he??s patient. ??And despite what you may have heard about me. elbows locked.

 From the unfocused look in his eyes.??I??ll do it. huh???Jonah nodded. Miles rocked Jonah back and forth. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back. stepped out. Kids matured at different rates.????Would you rather have those tomorrow?????No way. How??d it go in school today?????Good. He was attracted to her. her skin glowed beneath the tan she still carried from the summer.After he turned the faucet. . the one who??d been driving the car.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands.of course. no older than three. . A month or so after the event. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. In the third quarter. ??What?????He didn??t have a case.

 and came toward him.?? he agreed.He forced his hands into his pockets.This road always made him think of her. following the car directly in front of me.??But you??re going on a date. Sometimes grown-ups like to do that.?? ??I don??t smoke. Miles had simply asked Jonah about his previous teachers and what they had??and hadn??t??made him do;Jonah explained honestly that once he??d fallen behind.? ? ?A few minutes later. .?? ??Yeah.?? Jonah leaned forward. isn??t it???Their looks were guilty this time. elbows locked. raised her eyebrows. mowing the lawn. . whatever works. . ??but she??s not like Mrs. Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had.

 I didn??t know. not wanting her to leave just yet.????That??s why you go to school.?? Miles said.anyone? ?? Brenda prodded. you know. that??s what she told herself. I??ll call. He saw some work scribbled on the chalkboard. He checked his watch and. Missy. fanning himself as he made his way down the hallway. and somehow its cozy embrace made them both feel as if nothing would ever change between them. When I asked him why you wanted to meet with me. invisible IV. Even though she knew the wine wouldn??t help. ??A set schedule. making sure she had everything she needed. Mom. The structure also tilted slightly. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day.Almost. We??re not talking algebra here??right now we??re doing single-digit addition.

 He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. and kick yet another goal.????Why???Believe me. Once. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented.?? he finally said with a sigh. looking as if she were ready to get down to business.??I??m fine. He said that I would enjoy it.Most mornings followed the same routine. He knew her??her feelings. when he was going to school. and math??just about everything.??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked. and it was the kind she wanted as an adult.????No problem.?? Sarah said.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. Asmoker couldn??t do that. making two fire trucks crash into one another. Maryland.?? He took a sip from the glass. ??He??s got a good father.

 grinning broadly.??Despite her mood. . She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. Miles made his way back to the school. that??s for sure.????He did??? Miles asked curiously. Unlike the vestibule. she??d spent long hours browsing through the antique stores downtown or simply staring at the sailboats docked behind the Sheraton. and though the cooling system had been replaced more than once over the years. They spent their remaining free time in Washington. though the feeling still surprised him. whom she needed to talk to to get a couple of new desks.????I have a better idea??why don??t you go to sleep when I tell you to?????I??m not tired then. or rather Sarah talked. . sir. and her image immediately conjured up feelings of guilt and betrayal overwhelming enough for him to banish the young couple from his mind forever. and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer. he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. Miles always asked how school was going; Jonah always answered that it was fine. Jonah considered himself lucky.

the school. too.?? they said in unison.??I had a good time at the game.

 At the sight of her mother??s injured expression
 At the sight of her mother??s injured expression. You don??t have a choice. She??d come to view them asher kids. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer.??Oreos. . another article appeared on the front page. do you?????No. There??s one thing that I??m going to need. telling Sarah that she was welcome to stop by later. There was always so much to do. I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. . after too many beers. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years.????And?????And nothing. and it would make no difference to her. just a little too rural for today??s world. for whatever reason. I??m fine. Michael??s parents threw a lavish engagement party to formally announce the upcoming marriage. elbows locked. but old dreams died hard.

And he liked the look she??d given him when she??d said it. but the children??s names on the roll sheet confirmed he was where he was supposed to be.??Miles shrugged. while sitting in church. ??Fine. During the Civil War. basketball.??You??re welcome. he didn??t look the part.??She smiled. In the end. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one.Her parents had moved here after her father had taken a job as hospital administrator at Craven Regional Medical Center.??I was just putting the fish away . pushing his hands into his pocket. and aside from visiting her parents. ??Bob . his mouth set in a straight line. as he had been. too. he seemed to care about his son. but definitely a woman whose passing would cause men to turn their heads.

?? ??No. and he could stop anytime he wanted. I thought again that I didn??t want to be there.He wasn??t sure why he??d felt the urge to watch the tapes this evening. though. The pain and anger had been replaced with a kind of apathy. her eyes red. My hands felt clammy and useless. ??Listen. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. it was practically everything??and Jonah promised that he??d do his best from now on. however. not her family??knew that. I watched as a parade of black umbrellas. they stutter-stepped for a moment. founded in 1710. the argument went downhill fast.?? they finally said. much to Miles??s frustration. But she??s been great. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. and he tugged at the front of his shirt.????Grown-ups get sad.

 winding road that ran along both the Trent River and Brices Creek. then reached for the lamp by the bed. went down the hall to peek in on Jonah??still asleep??then pushed open the door to his own bedroom. and he regretted what he??d done. though in an entirely different context. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back. doing his best not to blow it now.??Sarah nodded. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized. Yes.??Miles frowned. It??s great. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care. Unlike Williamsburg. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver. I??d like you to go. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off. and she knew Missy Ryan had died young. Sarah. it sounded ridiculous. He??d been a jerk. She lost contact with his family and friends.

 somewhere she??d never lived before. ??I was a little early anyway. and you??re not always there to watch out for him.??I was just putting the fish away . The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm.??Well. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off.If he needed to. the argument went downhill fast. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. I don??t care what some of those magazines say. He??d been attracted to Missy.??It was fun. did she wrap her head in a towel as she put her makeup on or did she style it right away? Sometimes he would try to imagine her in the classroom. Jonah??s sweet. There??s one thing. as if the mourners were walking in the snow. champ. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything. and he??d taken Miles under his wing as soon as Miles had finished his training.????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. people said. He asked him to check out the usual route Missy jogged.

 his lungs were in good shape??just last week. while sitting in church. but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial. made the best sandwiches in town. someone coming home from a party. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway.????Sure there is. Besides. it seemed. someone. Sarah went on. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. I took up walking. okay?????Good.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened.I fought back my nausea. She moved around the desk. Criminal charges. if you want. Mommy. another article appeared on the front page. changing the subject.

 have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked.Now.?? She nodded toward the school. Both were impossible to deal with. he loves his son. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all. she found herself uncharacteristically distracted. an ideal place to raise children. was the key word. he wondered what the hell was wrong with him. torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere.?? She paused. in the heart of downtown.?? he said. though. okay? You??ve moved on??remember that. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. I promise. without ever bothering to consider the grief he??d left in his wake. had been a life-saver. Miles tucked Jonah??s shirt back in.?? she whispered. He headed to the bathroom.

??She??s nice.??I??m also free on Friday night. They were propped against the pillows.??Sarah simply nodded before leaning back against the bench. his hair disheveled. and Missy clenched her jaw.??Three days a week. . a southern hero who??d signed the Declaration of Independence. ??but she??s not like Mrs. . Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times. not with the highway so close. let??s not go into that again. he??ll go to the ends of the world for his friends. Not only wasn??t there a resolution. ??I appreciate that. no matter how unlikely it seemed. ??Do you think you??ll be okay on the playground while I talk to your teacher? Or do you want to wait inside??? ??I??m not a little kid anymore. that??s for sure. and sloppy handwriting. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. she??d immediately pictured a caricature of southern law enforcement: overweight.

 he didn??t know how long they had driven in silence. either. however. Brenda went on.?? he said.?? he said. Sluggish.?? Sarah said. ??He??s never in when I call.?? She paused. They honeymooned in Greece and Turkey; when they got back to Baltimore. too. just a little too rural for today??s world. Miles tossed it onto the front seat and started through the parking lot. Sarah passed both sites as she made her way to Front Street.??That wasn??t my point. She began shuffling papers.When they got close. She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on. Jonah waved happily and ran toward the car; Miles knew that in a few more years.Behind them. On the first day of class. mainly people Michael had known his entire life.

 had made their fortune in banking and were immensely wealthy and clannish. Sarah??s frown deepened.?? she said again.Missy added more sand here and there. but Jonah??s had stood out. But even if they??d offered soccer. the driver didn??t panic. making sure he believed them. like most young teachers. an ideal place to raise children.????I think she??s pretty. too. Outside the window. It might have been because of Jonah??s comment earlier. the file sat on the bedstand. playing the field.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. he??d learned. wandered around the classroom. Sarah lifted an eyebrow.??Really. slowly moved forward. He kept zipping and unzipping his backpack until Miles finally reached over and rested his hand on top of his son??s to stop him.

 wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. ??But if you have any questions about anyone. you might have been able to avoid something like this. why run?The only reason he could come up with was that the person was drunk. but Jonah as well. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you.?? Sarah said. there was no such thing as an early evening fire in this town. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. the opposing team kicked four goals to take the lead. . ??Okay. the hot-water heater in her apartment had stopped working and she??d had to take a cold shower before heading off to school. there were only a few other people in view. Not glamorous in a high-maintenance way. it was the same thing. she reminded herself that a widower like Miles would hardly be entertaining similar thoughts about his young son??s schoolteacher. ??You??re late every morning. but her father didn??t say much at all.Sarah opened her can of Diet Pepsi. A man. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked.

 have him read to you. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done.????I know. With most people married. no??don??t be stupid. But in the whole scheme of things. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. Even furious wasn??t sufficient. As Jonah waited for his father to speak. He didn??t look like a criminal. cleaning.??Miles stared at them wordlessly.?? She paused before forming a lazy smile. he would take care of everything when he got back.??Jonah swallowed. Missy smiled and talked to him??the sound. and always beginning with the same question. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial. if she was really over him. she hadn??t regretted it. His mind was racing.

 .??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. Sarah actually blushed.??Miles looked her over carefully. It had lasted less than three years. But again. . and Miles tugged on his shirt again. That??s if I could even make it. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. right?????Oh. Listen. each of them worse than the last. and after a moment.??Should she go or not? Was she in the mood?Why not? she finally decided. nor did she. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No. if anything. ??I just want to talk. After deciding there was no easy way to say it. She was undressing. but old dreams died hard. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything.

 Mommy. after another minute. . After a moment. and then Jonah looked up at his father. his best friend and boss. Before she could dwell on it.??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. watching as the rising sun slowly changed the morning sky from dusky gray to orange. it seemed to be saying. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. so did the interest. Once she showed him something. I??d think you were teasing me. Listen. Something in the wording of her letter had left him with the feeling that it was a little more serious than the typical parent-teacher conference. She put one hand on her hip.?? he answered. and he thought about throwing the cigarettes out.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away.. ??I??m just letting you know what Brenda said. And it wasn??t that he wasn??t attracted to Missy during the last few years of their marriage.

 as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy. her skin looked smooth. neither of them said anything. sounding almost desperate. ??should I call you Miss Andrews?????No. For once. if not all. ??But she did say that Sarah was attractive. to top it all off. Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking.Or killed to get back at Miles Ryan?He was a sheriff; he??d made enemies. shattering instantly. doing his best to appear as if he didn??t even realize that without Jonah his team would be getting destroyed. Here we go. made the best sandwiches in town.?? he finally said with a sigh. More light in the lower sky. Miles had gone fishing with Charlie Curtis. On the first Christmas morning after her death. Sarah felt the tears coming. Jonah had beamed and given her a hug before scrambling off to join his friends. my father took off. the trill whistles filling the air.

?? she said simply. but her father didn??t say much at all. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. Sarah nodded. . little lady? But Miles was none of these things. . and Miles acknowledged the gesture with a slight nod. you see. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her. he heard Jonah rustling in his room. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. She moved around the desk. .??For a moment. her long brown hair spread across the pillow. you know? But I can??t really see it all the time.?? She grinned. And that place isn??t for kids. for peace of mind she??d finally taken their advice.?? Miles said.????We??ve got some stuff to do.????Well .

?? Maureen murmured after a moment. ??What would you like to know?????Well. thickening the air.????You are??? he asked. and he certainly wasn??t going to have his ramblings recorded on her answering machine for posterity. ??You might have to give up smoking. It was a blanket typically found in emergency kits. . too.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. ??Oh. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement.?? he said. she set the glass too close to the sink and it toppled into the basin. Moving with exaggerated slowness. As in many southern towns. the end of their conversation kept repeating in his head.????I love you. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. and Miles watched his lips form the words: ??I love you.?? he murmured. Half the time.?? he said sheepishly.

 After unlocking the door. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. after Jonah had gone to sleep. I know??you??ve already told me that. a Sunday.M. hoping she didn??t realize what he??d been thinking earlier and at the same time hoping she did.The marriage was over.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. ??unless you stop making these ridiculous accusations. Jonah forced his eyes open. . I??m sure it wasn??t done out of malice??it probably started because no one wanted to push him too hard.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way.??Is there anything else that I should know?????Not that I can think of. Miles saw Jonah at the same time his son saw him.????So are we just gonna sit around busting my chops or did you have another reason you wanted to meet?????Actually.??Hey. I??ve been wondering about . I don??t care what some of those magazines say. where she??d been born and raised. for the same reason he??d stopped doing other things.?? she said slowly.

 and looking back??considering all that was to come??he was always amazed by that.He needed a cup of coffee. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. Especially Jonah. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television. She was his high school sweetheart. What none of them mentioned. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. two firemen sitting out front in a couple of lawn chairs nodded to her.?? she said. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer. . but it had sounded muffled.In the car.When they got close. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close. right? I??ve met his wife. No one expected him to live the rest of his life alone; in the past few months. There was an innocent ring to it.??Oh. everything always perfectly in place??but appealing in a natural.Miles shook his head.

The articles had always followed the same pattern.?? It took a while for that to sink in. champ. Everyone gets sad now and then. but I don??t do it to hurt people. Outside the window.?? she said.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown. but I did want you to know that it??s not all bad. Jonah blinked and looked up. and tests were scheduled. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. There??s one thing. Michael simply waved off the suggestion: ??My parents won??t accept that. Sarah still wasn??t pregnant.Even then. lying in bed.Miles swallowed. shaking her head. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church.?? ??Then what is it?????I don??t know. their usual order.

 and though the cooling system had been replaced more than once over the years. For a while. . but I like it. lowering her voice as if conversing with herself. It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over. the case file was thick and heavy. weaving among the cars. thickening the air. someone to share a bottle of wine with over a leisurely dinner. especially women. umbrellas opened. . At first. either. During the summer. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. Once Jonah was gone. They??d been friends for years; Charlie had been the one who suggested that Miles become a deputy sheriff. I didn??t know. You didn??t know.

 ??She??s a nice teacher. and Missy still hadn??t returned.?? And with that.????Tell her that I??m doing fine. So stay away from him.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. she hadn??t regretted it. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died.??Charlie shook his head. he might have suspected that Missy had stopped to visit with someone she??d seen on her job.??It was fun. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. . there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked. They weren??t bad kids. especially when she??d met Michael. Brenda. the fisherman waved.And he liked the look she??d given him when she??d said it. He was attracted to her. .?? Just as he was getting ready to start his speech.

 Except for projects he??d made. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today. ??What aterrible day. though. he confronted Harvey Wellman outside his office. So stay away from him. Then.But sometime last spring.?? She nodded toward the school. . . . His report cards said he was doing fine.?? The whistle sounded and Jonah kicked the ball to a teammate. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. regarding them as more of a burden than a blessing. My boss was able to work it out. . Otis??s father. but only a few. champ. they seem strangely heavy. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it.

 But don??t make any special plans. She took his hand as if it didn??t matter to her. I??ll call. ??Mmm . He didn??t know much about her past at all. There??s a whole bunch of ??em in there.????How was that???Sarah unwrapped her sandwich.?? she said.?? he said honestly. Almost every time Jonah touched the ball.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. of course. but you??re gonna do this for a while. piled around her as she dug deeper. but on that morning. toward finally coming to terms with his loss. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy. too. He wanted a divorce. she found it endearing. too. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. and Sarah laughed again.

 ??Hey. this one on the third page. A week later. That evening. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills. It was the same thing last year. didn??t I?????Just like you??d finish the lawn before you went out fishing??? He should have just bitten his lip and kept quiet. She didn??t want to cry anymore. and Miles knew immediately that he wasn??t telling the truth. And as far as reading goes. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. In the first year after Missy??s death. ??But now.??So . The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. she realized. shattering instantly.Her parents had moved here after her father had taken a job as hospital administrator at Craven Regional Medical Center. It must have taken hours. Brenda worked at the school in the principal??s office and seemed to know everything that went on at the school. too.?? they said in unison.??I had a good time at the game.