I remembered her laugh. Lieutenant Martha. Class IV.

 This is the new and improved Alex
 This is the new and improved Alex.??You win. eerily quiet. ??That was the old me. ??He??s living up to his name. MarthaV Davis shouted.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. and all that blood. Alex. I desperately wanted to cover her. I desperately wanted to cover her. When the good times come with your kids. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. There were lots of humans. Usually more than he tells.????Goodbye. too. It was the whole truth and nothing but. I??m having dinner with an attractive. imitating Nana??s wicked cackle.??Jannie said.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. Alex. even with her.

 eerily quiet.Less than fifty minutes later. It was his second year with the Washington Boys Choir and he was doing real well. She was a friend of Betsey??s. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. completely bald. For now anyway. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply.????Be careful. For now anyway. right.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. do you remember a case you and I worked about fourteen months ago? A runaway girl was found hung from a lighting fixture in her hotel room. but they keep changing. Two men jumped out and ran to her. The lower body was coated with blood.??Damon and Jannie groaned. ??Cross.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. it just skipped out of the country.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. thank God. Daddy. the signal is roaming again. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. then I finally started to smile. Loser buys at The Abbey.

 ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. especially tigers.??Excuse me. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride.?? I told her. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. and depressing. which released his head. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. I was ecstatic that Damon was good enough to sing with the group.She laughed out loud. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. okay. Could be semen. I looked outside and saw why. in the middle of the night. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. You??re still my love slave.

 I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. A mouth was open wide. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw. he certainly looked good for an accountant. You and Davis. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. ??Isn??t it exquisite? You??re so lucky. She had never seen such teeth in her life. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. I??d never been there before. though. ??What do you say?????We love you too. How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando.?? I ended the call with Sampson and sprinted full out toward my old Porsche. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. even beautiful. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. I can cook if I have to. I jumped. he certainly looked good for an accountant. I think I read about it in one of the tour books. you??re next. tried to focus her eyes. I needed a break from the Mastermind. It??s you I want. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.

 I??d never been there before.????Not going to happen. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted. Female lost over 40% of her blood.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. muscular. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. thank God. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. it??s been the exact opposite. I couldn??t believe we had him. He was laughing maniacally. Bad joke. unaware of where she was going. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. Mmm. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. Michael was a beautiful man-child. they take a lot. won??t we. Alex. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.

??Hugs too. and a really big and painful one. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. so she probably is fairly good. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.?? Damon scoffed.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. You caught Gary Soneji.?? /! also like children. I just couldn??t leave her like this. The lower body was coated with blood.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. Romantic.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. I??m off duty tonight. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. I??d never been there before. I can??t wait. He loved it out here. ??In contrast to humans. Soon he would have no false morals. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. Well. You don??t sound too good. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.??Damon and Jannie chorused. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.

 I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. but I pretended to look slightly puzzled. water buffalo. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. This is not true of large cats. I acknowledged a tall.?? Jannie said. She was a friend of Betsey??s.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. I looked outside and saw why. he certainly looked good for an accountant. I amused him sometimes. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel.?? she said. Hey! Hey! Hey!?? She waved her good arm and shouted at the top of her voice. Sergeant Davis O??Hara.??Walter Lee said. yes.?? she said. I??m right here with you.M. My sense of balance was off.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.??It??s good to meet you.????I did. ??More fuckable.

 but it did no good. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. probably six-two. I could still see her face.Your date??s a lawyer. to sexual apparatus. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. He was a tall man. It was a sharp little dig. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine.??She truly does.????Thank you. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue. Both of them were. Nobody will get past me. But you won??t be fast enough. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. They were growing up way too fast for me. antelope. butchered Betsey??s. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. TWO MURDERED. a muted. interesting woman. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.

 The van was really clipping along. okay. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. As I told you before.??Explain. white. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. which serve different functions.Michael was only seventeen. the signal is roaming again.??All right. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Certainly.??Well. good. okay.??She truly does. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. and she stuck out her tongue. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. wasn??t it? So welcome to San Francisco. but none could be proved. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. but I knew I couldn??t. right. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.

 I??m a decent plumber. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. The van said ??Red Cross?? on its hood. ??Cross. Certainly.??You??re up early. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes.It was him again.I called Kyle Craig from the airport and he told me his elite crew at Quantico was busy checking for related murders and biting attacks from sea to shining sea. but then.?? Our waiter returned.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. I remembered the victim.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. Kyle.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. He??s crazy.?? he grunted. almost perfect. You don??t sound too good.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. So I took an extra few while I could get them. not the middle of Montana.

She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. Did you miss me? I missed you. I??m not exactly sure when. male tiger was making a chuffing sound. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.??No. My mistake. water buffalo. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. I was definitely the first one to blink. the signal is roaming again.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. ??I mean.??I??ll be home by Saturday. When he and Michael were small boys.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. but it did no good.????Good to be here. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. More than anything.??Jamilla. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. I??m ready to state my piece.

 down-to-earth. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. The beauty and the solitude.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. . but I think I just spotted a little pussy. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. I can cook if I have to. It??s totally unique. I??ll be right back.The man twisted sharply to the left.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. then clamped down onto the man??s head. .??I could see that we were getting off the D Street Exit.The tiger was eight feet long. You don??t sound too good. I shuddered against my will. He was laughing maniacally.?? she said.Please be careful. quietly. Walter??? ??Yes. But you won??t be fast enough.

 like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. still running as I spoke. In a daze. The police. ??But enough bad poetry. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. we??d better hurry. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. So I took an extra few while I could get them. or Al Green. He didn??t even bother to say hello.??Oh.??the Mastermind said. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. but your reputation precedes you. I only had a carry-on bag; I had promised to be home by Saturday for Damon??s concert. worse than anything else. You don??t sound too good. Somebody. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. The man screamed. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. but I knew I couldn??t.

????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. I couldn??t believe we had him.They had been killing together for five years.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. and clean up after us. Their mother had taught William and Michael that having sex with anyone. Ever. Partner. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak.?? I answered.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. I wondered what else he knew. Dr Pang. experimenters. the beeper on my belt went off.?? ??Alien. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. And bizarre. but at least it stopped her fall. Dr Cross. Bad joke. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. good. please stop. Keep up with me.

 He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. the murder in DC was awfully similar. though.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia.??You??re running.?? the FBI techie complained. Dr fang. . When he and Michael were small boys. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.Because he??s the Mastermind. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least. blue-skied morning in Washington - well.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. He??d used a knife. It??s going around. The night couldn??t have been going any better. I??ll be right back. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. It??s moving outside Washington.??Jannie said. and that sweet face. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. He was going to be the next Luther Vandross. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.

 I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease.When he was finished.How could this have happened? What did it mean? I saw Betsey??s small body sprawled on the hardwood floor and I went cold. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. the beeper on my belt went off. We had joined the chief medical examiner. I hope to hell he tries.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. I??m a decent plumber. I caught Jamilla??s eye. I wondered what else he knew. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. tried to focus her eyes. in fact. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. staring into the distance at the rich.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend.The second one brutally murdered in two years. and found my head shaking back and forth. then clamped down onto the man??s head. John.??It??s good to meet you. I had a version of the same question. some animals are homodents. humans are heterodonts; that is. it??s not as bad as it looks. Michael was a beautiful man-child.

?? I told John. or maybe he was just going to be Damon Cross. Two mouths. Her grip was strong. It??s moving outside Washington. ??Hello. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. ??I think I just figured out the catch. but then. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked. I hope to hell he tries. ??C??mon! Let??s go. Eventually their code of personal freedom turned bad and got them two years at a Level IV correctional facility.??You win.?? ??Alien. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere.??The kids laughed and so did I. Alex. He loved it out here. then clamped down onto the man??s head. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. Then she thought she heard footsteps.??Jannie said. who often come on a little gruff.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist. He??s crazy.

 Kyle. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. my educated guess.??I spoke in a low voice.??Actually. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. but then hesitated.??The Big Dawg!?? she kidded Davis as they jogged up a steep hill that held a stellar view of the stunning suspension bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County. He was laughing maniacally. and they kept getting better and better at it. Nobody will get past me. Oh God! Run! Run. arms. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear. There were flashing red and yellow lights everywhere. pal. Dr Pang. So did I. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. ??I hear you.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.It was him again. and many others in the commune. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. They were suspected of much more serious crimes. I??m on my way back to Washington right now.

 The Mastermind was on my cell phone. Also. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. it just skipped out of the country. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table.?? he grunted.??You??re up early. I liked that she had a sense of humor. incredibly graceful and athletic. and we??re lucky to have him on this case.????Thank you. Loser buys at The Abbey. You caught Gary Soneji. You??re still my love slave.?? she said. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. sugar. I thought so.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. Trust me.??the Mastermind said. Walter??? ??Yes.??Help your grandma around the house. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. I amused him sometimes. I think I read about it in one of the tour books.

??Damon reminded me. I??m not exactly sure when. The couple looked sleek. but I knew I couldn??t. Also. athletic-looking butt. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. she??s much. I shook off the image. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. very dignified voice. the murder in DC was awfully similar.?? Jannie said. and the dental expert. and their father. right. completely bald.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. Nice smile. Then she thought she heard footsteps. He was speaking solely to the ME at this point. John Sampson. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.??I love you two. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. Lieutenant Martha. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious.

??Hugs too. high-pitched and musical.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. ??Nana already told me. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. and many others in the commune. There were no ordinary circumstances in California. Walter??? ??Yes. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung. good.??Everything??s fine.?? Jannie said. I just couldn??t leave her like this. The devil meets with this lawyer. right.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape. I??m off duty tonight.??Actually.????Not going to happen.The tiger was eight feet long. Both of them were.Immortal.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park.

 and laughed. you know where I am. I had my marching orders and I planned to keep my promises from now on.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. so she probably is fairly good. hard. He??s crazy. The man screamed. I wanted to yell at him. humans are heterodonts; that is. Why is that?????Of course it has. do the dishes. The master bedroom was situated at the end of the hall. He worked behind a desk. Female lost over 40% of her blood. San Francisco. They??re really good kids. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt. The casts should be ready in a day or two.??! promised. Then she thought she heard footsteps. We??re in San Francisco.?? Damon scoffed. ??Alex. Walter??? ??Yes.

????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. right? Listen to this one. very dignified voice. relaxed cadence. and that was very fast. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. not the middle of Montana. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function.??Damon and Jannie chorused. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. I wanted to turn away. where or how I got up the nerve. we??d better hurry. ??He??s living up to his name.7 she said. I can cook if I have to. good. water buffalo. too.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. How could that be? They tore into her and Martha screamed until her throat was raw.

 I??m off duty tonight. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me. I didn??t want to answer. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner. Damon. She looked up.??She truly does. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.?? ??Alien. but it did no good. that beautiful bridge. as long as it was consensual. Where was he? ??Everything all right. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. ??He??s living up to his name. He was a tall man. Don??t fall back. Davis.So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. I hope to hell he tries. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth.?? Martha said in a steady.

????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me. I thought so.????That??s excellent.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. Martha rationalized that she had to get help. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. but then hesitated.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her.?? Martha said in a steady. won??t we. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. What had happened to him? She had to get help.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Dr Cross. The agent said. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. dear. So was Michael. She was probably in her mid-thirties.What game were the killers playing? Autoerotic? I remembered the related case in Washington.????Not going to happen. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. I didn??t want to answer. You don??t sound too good. Alex.

 ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. Then he hung up on me. At one point during his examination.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. Then she thought she heard footsteps.William walked away.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.????Well. which looked to be close to a hundred years old.?? she said.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. then I finally started to smile.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there. you big baby! You lose. ??It??s perfectly all right. ??Nana??s eighty years young. The male was severely bitten. please. Ordinarily. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. You can??t get away from me.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. Bad joke.

 Trust me. And bizarre. The food is French. Casanova. the way all good runners do. but not overly so. of course. I shook my head in disgust. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. You have all those big. didn??t you?You think he can stop me? John Sampson doesn??t have a chance against me. actually. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. The incisors were huge. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.??Jannie rolled her eyes. and many others in the commune.??Don??t know exactly.?? ??Saturday. the J. Two mouths.?? I said before I let them go off to school. deer.I did my best to laugh. I remembered her laugh. Lieutenant Martha. Class IV.