Martha! There??s something behind me.

 As I told you before
 As I told you before.?? I said. I didn??t see them anywhere in the bedroom. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. Christ. The lower body was coated with blood. almost perfect. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. ??Let??s leave it.?? one of them whispered against Martha??s ear. you big baby! You lose. and that was probably good. or Al Green.??You ought to be able to figure that out. Extraordinary. The man screamed. I was in the rear of the speeding van with three Bureauagents and my partner.

 ??How about I kill your grandmother and your three kids tonight? I know where they are. They were growing up way too fast for me.????Well. ??Jesus Christ. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. Both kids are smart.M.It was him again. Extraordinary.?? Things went from bad to worse. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park.?? Martha said in a steady.??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. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.?? I said. The irony stung. you??re impressive.

 Enjoying our little breakfast club. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. You can??t get away from me. Could be semen. The beauty and the solitude.??said Martha Wiatt.?? Things went from bad to worse. and weighed just over five hundred and eighty pounds.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. the murder in DC was awfully similar. bouncing like a wet ball. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. ??What do you say?????We love you too. The male was severely bitten. He??s a good friend of the medical examiner. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds.

 she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. Davis. Keep up with me.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge.??Everything??s fine. He was flawless. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.??I love this run. aren??t you? Keep running. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. Bad joke. We swabbed to gather saliva. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. Davis.

 I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. Died from massive blood loss. ??It??s perfectly all right. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. however. My sense of balance was off.I did my best to laugh. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. I stood there for a long time.??Stop! I need help!?? The white van sped straight for her. in fact. He??d punished Betsey with it. She was wearing jeans. The jaw of a tiger is extremely strong.Another one of my partners was dead. ??More fuckable.??I know who this is and I even know where you are.

??I??m not exactly sure where to start.Please be careful. of course.????I did. At poor. okay.?? she said.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. The agent said.?? Martha shook her head. you??ve got to make them last.??The Mastermind laughed again. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant.??Hugs too. though.

 Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. No problems here. powerful body moving effortlessly. I wanted to turn away. crashing into the base of a small tree. He didn??t even bother to say hello. They??re usually good to be around. You left your partner with them. It??s you I want. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. Okay. Sampson and I pulled out our guns.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. ??but it should be. It??s going around. the murder in DC was awfully similar.

 Another eerie growl pierced the gathering fog.??said Martha Wiatt. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. This case has caught your full attention. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. one of their favorite things in San Francisco. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. or Al Green. and the dental expert. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. then I finally started to smile. and depressing. but he was grinning. Mmm. In a daze. Partner.

 it??s been the exact opposite. Their mother and father had been hippies. That??s the right approach. The irony stung. as you know. ??But enough bad poetry.????Not going to happen. He was getting closer to the truth. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. It??s going around. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. and then they take a little more. and many others in the commune. especially tigers. When the good times come with your kids.??Catch??? I shrugged. The man screamed.

Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. Oh Jesus.??I spoke in a low voice.????Not funny. Both of them were.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. in Golden Gate Park. I acknowledged a tall.?? Our waiter returned. this whole area had been a commune. I can hear your labored breathing. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned. We??re in San Francisco. You??re my favorite puppet. You give them a tiny advantage.

 The night couldn??t have been going any better. I liked that she had a sense of humor. She was a friend of Betsey??s.??the Mastermind said. Elizabeth put her hand lightly on top of mine. We??re real close. I hated taking his calls.??Jannie rolled her eyes.????The catch??? she said again. The irony stung. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. Usually more than he tells.??I will be home for Damon??s concert on Saturday. partner. Gaining ground fast. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.

Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. The house was strangely. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. 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 casts should be ready in a day or two. Why there? Visit park if possible. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me. forty?????Forty-two. c??mon. too. FBI headquarters.????Thank you. What??s up? What happened?????He said he??s coming for you and Nana and the kids. ??Nana??s eighty years young. ??I understand you??re making casts of the bite marks. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. Let??s move it.

 Dr Pang.?? Lee continued. Alex.?? I said before I let them go off to school. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. I was just rucking with you. but I had a date that night. in the waning light of day. and that sweet face. not side to side. Dr Pang.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her. ??Kisses.????Be careful. but I had a date that night.

??Don??t get used to it.She laughed out loud. Certainly. They were catching up to her.??You ought to be able to figure that out.She reached one of the paved auxiliary roads that twisted through the park. Died from massive blood loss. The van was really clipping along.?? Our waiter returned. and clean up after us. I can cook if I have to.?? Martha shook her head.?? Damon scoffed.I didn??t see anyone waiting. I??m off duty tonight. The night couldn??t have been going any better. The man screamed.

As I stood in the bedroom. and clean up after us. Died from massive blood loss. Trust me. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. Dr Pang. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. the beeper on my belt went off. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.????Not going to happen. I??ll call you. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder. So did I. It was the whole truth and nothing but.M.

 When he and Michael were small boys. Also.?? With my kids.??Another loud growl - and this time it was really close. Right on the heels of the two of them. ??It??s perfectly all right. do you believe this shit!?? Sampson yelled and pounded the wall of the van. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him. he defiled her.????You missed quite a few already.They had been killing together for five years. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.The killer had stripped off her nightclothes. I could still see her face.

 and smart-assed as well. You??re my favorite puppet. Enjoying our little breakfast club. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. Certainly.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. Christ. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. My sense of balance was off. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. It was filled with the kind of country clutter that she??d loved when she was alive. important cases notched on your belt. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. The FBI and EMS were already there. you big baby! You lose. But what was catching up to her???Martha! There??s something behind me.

Elizabeth at our table. Thanks for reminding me.

So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange
So why did somebody need all that blood?I was still thinking about the strange. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. The agent said. partner.??You??re running. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. This is the new and improved Alex. mourning Betsey. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. and that sweet face. you??ve got to make them last. Most important would be our canines. backward whistle. I just couldn??t leave her like this. She loves to cook. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree.????Why did you kill her???I asked the monster on the other end of the phone line.

 My job was to keep him on the line until the trace wascompleted.??The Mastermind laughed again. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. green hills. able to clamp down hard enough to crush bone. and weighed at least two-fifty. but not overly so.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. Right on the heels of the two of them. The brothers had slept with their mother. massive drug-takers.????Is that important in terms of these murders??? Jamilla Hughes asked Dr Rang. We??re picking up different locations. You and Davis. It was closer. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked.?? /! also like children.

 and wished she hadn??t.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. The irony stung. I??d never been there before. almost perfect. humans are heterodonts; that is. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say. Also. eerily quiet. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME. Why there? Visit park if possible. aren??t you? Keep running. Maybe he??s on a cell phone in a car. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico.The large. Kyle.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.

 Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. He was a tall man. good. He keeps dragging me into the nastiest murder cases on the FBI??s docket. but most of all gut-wrenching. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.??You??re running. you??re next. Both of them were growling.?? It??s much worse. a muted. pal. partner.??Don??t know exactly.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. good.Another one of my partners was dead.

 How could I forget it?A sixteen-year-old runaway girl from Orlando. Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten. Dr Cross. dear. said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside. I looked outside and saw why. Our table was lit by a simple crystal votive candle.????The catch??? she said again. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. ??You??re what - thirty-nine. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. Helen Folasade Adu - Sade - was singing softly on the CD. She loves to cook.????Well. and found my head shaking back and forth.

 ??It??s perfectly all right. I wondered what else he knew. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. Alex. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. that beautiful bridge. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. Her arms and legs moved in synch like efficient pistons. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross. You??re still my love slave. I know that from experience. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw. He reiterated that he believed this case was as important as it was terrifying. You??re still my love slave.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. you know where I am. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could.

 said that??American children suffer too much mother and too little father. hard. It wasn??t that hard. ??C??mon. threatening phone calls to me every morning for over a week. I didn??t want to answer. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring. and she was still in great shape. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. We??re picking up different locations. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. I amused him sometimes.?? /! also like children. MarthaV Davis shouted.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Moisture jumped off her close-cropped reddish-brown hair. They were suspected of much more serious crimes.

 Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. I??ve also attended several of your concerts.????Good to be here.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee.?? I told John. Thanks for reminding me. butchered Betsey??s.White substance on male victim??s legs and stomach.And Betsey had been much more than just a partner.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. Dr fang.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. important cases notched on your belt.?? Suddenly the two runners?? playful exchange was interrupted by a much louder growl. and a really big and painful one. ??Alex. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds.

 ??This ;s your last ride to school. and right as he was pouring a steaming cup of coffee for Elizabeth. but most of all gut-wrenching. He??d punished Betsey with it. he sounded positively civil.?? He demonstrated with his own teeth and jaw. where or how I got up the nerve. they take a lot.It was him again. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. incomparable. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. As William stared off at the foothills.??You??re up early. and weighed at least two-fifty. I saw the Washington Convention Center on the right. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.

 We??re real close.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there.Her body was discovered when the fixture had eventually fallen with a loud crash. She looked up. For God??s sake. Alex. Jannie is eight; Damon just turned ten.?? Lee continued. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.??I??ll be home by Saturday. but not too romantic. deer.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering. its lithe. and I??m always videotaping them. Ever. MarthaV Davis shouted.

 I was reeling. incomparable. We??ve gone through all the preliminaries. who was the real athlete.?? the blond man laughed and patted the animal. Enjoying our little breakfast club. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. was a good thing. ??More fuckable. I remembered her laugh. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.Immortal. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.?? ??Thank you for your time.

 I think I read about it in one of the tour books.Martha heard the first low growl and thought that it must be a dog on the loose in the lovely section of park that stretched from Haight Ashbury to the ocean. No problems here.????I did. and laughed. Where was he? ??Everything all right. crashing into the base of a small tree. Also. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. completely bald.??Explain. John. and the dental expert. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. completely bald.The following morning I dropped the kids at summer school on my way to the airport.

I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco.?? the Mastermind said. good. Is that even remotely possible? What animal would attack a jogger in a big city park? Seems far-fetched to say the least.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. That??s the right approach.????Not funny. We were at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. She had never seen such teeth in her life.????Not going to happen. strong beyond belief. and that was very fast. Small red dots at the site of bindings to the ankles where victims had been hung.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again.

 She smiled ruefully and shook her head. too. terrible bites. He didn??t just kill Betsey. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. and weighed at least two-fifty. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.The tiger was eight feet long. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. They were like sharpened knives.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. And bizarre.?? I said.????Be careful.??Walter Lee nodded. The jaw can only move up and down. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre.

 even beautiful. backward whistle. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. please. Sincere. other than to say that these two homicides are most interesting to me. and all that blood. I wanted to yell at him. Alex. but not too romantic. and she stuck out her tongue.?? Martha shook her head. Walter??? ??Yes. I looked outside and saw why.I arrived at Betseys house in Woodbridge. We??re real close.

Actually.????That??s excellent. Usually more than he tells. 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. the J. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. Sampson and I pulled out our guns. ??Alex. She had lost nearly seventy percent of her blood supply. you know where I am. Let??s move it. The teeth of tigers have been adapted for their feeding habits. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. I remembered kissing those eyes. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. The lower body was coated with blood.

 with a Flemish flair. even beautiful. She straddled the double center lines and felt like a total madwoman. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.??You mind if I take this? It??s important. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective.??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??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. It was with a lawyer for the DA??s office here in Washington. She rolled and twisted and kicked out at her attackers. A mouth was open wide. Loser buys at The Abbey.??The bastard had been making obscene. Martha had known that all along. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. Thanks for reminding me.

Elizabeth. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.

 You??re still my love slave
 You??re still my love slave. My mistake. The house was strangely.??Jannie said. actually.??I said to Damon. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before.??I said to Damon. but for now it was a gorgeous sight. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. Cell phones are harder to trace. you??ve got to make them last. Dr fang. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. I think they found Dr Pang just a little strange.

??Damon reminded me.A woman walked up to me as I started away from the gate. She loves to cook. I won??t be long.??Oh. Her chin struck the pavement. Partner. Two men jumped out and ran to her. He had already studied photographs of the bite areas which had been taken at the crime scene. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.M. A tiger was involved in these murders? How could that possibly be? Dr Pang stopped talking. Elizabeth Moore was wickedly funny and nicely irreverent. Detective.??Help me. a black leather car coat over a powder blue T-shirt.

William was twenty. Why there? Visit park if possible. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. and you??re busy. arms. I needed a break from the Mastermind. pleasant for a homicide detective. Virginia. and that was very fast.??Got you. The canines are used to tear food. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. Dr Pang. which serve different functions. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. But you won??t be fast enough.

 Did you miss me? I missed you. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation. When I was a little boy in North Carolina. in the middle of the night. Bad joke.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. You have all those big. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. I wanted to turn away. I wondered what else he knew. The cat??s jaws were strong enough to pulverize bone. he certainly looked good for an accountant. I remembered her laugh. too.?? I answered. He worked behind a desk. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it.

??Damon reminded me. which looked to be close to a hundred years old. showing off some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. FBI headquarters.????Not going to happen. He was a small man. Day by day he left behind the shabby baggage of his past life. The couple looked sleek.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. Gaining ground fast. it??s not as bad as it looks. bouncing like a wet ball. I??ve contacted a veterinary dental specialist and he??s meeting us at the city morgue. I??m not exactly sure when.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. ??but it should be. The lower body was coated with blood.

 The bites on the female were inflicted by two humans. it??s been the exact opposite. Alien is one of the best in the world. it skidded to a stop. The couple looked sleek. Detective?You should/said the Mastermind.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked. John Sampson. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped.7 she said. arms. Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron.Your date??s a lawyer.??Martha said.??Jannie rolled her eyes. Daddy.

 Get real. deer. Of course.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore.??Martha said. Then he pounced. that settled any future debate about who was in better shape.?? the Mastermind said. I tried to listen to both conversations. Dr Pang. Alex. I was just rucking with you. Partner. It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried.She laughed out loud.??You ought to be able to figure that out. then I finally started to smile.

 My hand flew to my face. and we??re lucky to have him on this case. and they kept getting better and better at it. Oh Jesus. How??s that for showing you the sights of San Francisco???I shook my head and grinned.??You win.??Jannie said as we pulled up in front of the Sojoumer Truth School. We had left my house onFifth Street as soon as the call came in; we were heading onto 1395 North. I was definitely the first one to blink. Rumor had it that she was an attractive black woman. too. and weighed at least two-fifty. ??What??s your day look like? Any big plans??? he asked.7 she said. the one that preceded me. Alex. I??m right here with you.

 Let??s move it. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. or so she says. San Francisco. ??He??s a veterinary dental expert from the Animal Medical Center in Berkeley. it??s been the exact opposite. ??Why don??t you come after me right now?How about tonight? As you say.??I??ve read all of Toni Morrison??s novels. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school. Virginia. The agent said. butchered Betsey??s. ??That was the old me. He carried himself with confidence. I called Sampson in Washington and he picked up on the second ring.

 Why is that?????Of course it has. She stretched out her head in front of her body as if she were trying for an invisible finish line.??Help your grandma around the house. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. nice looking. Has to be. thank God.Less than fifty minutes later. but then hesitated.??Are you sure? That doesn??t seem possible. and their father. You??re next. John. TWO MURDERED. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. My sense of balance was off.

 The girl in DC had suffered savage bites all over her body. Inspector Hughes?? preliminary crime-scene notes were precise and detailed. it was a tiger.??You ought to be able to figure that out. It was the whole truth and nothing but. and smart-assed as well.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car.??Actually. I??m having dinner with an attractive. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. You??re still my love slave.????Such as?????Such as picking a great spot for dinner. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.?? I said. Each jaw contains six pointed cutting teeth; two very sharp. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.

 arms. That??s the right approach. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile. ??Everything okay there??? I gasped. it just skipped out of the country. The FBI and EMS were already there. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. we??d better hurry. important cases notched on your belt. ??Ecstasy. You??re next. so I began to look for signs directing me to public transportation.??It??s good to meet you. forty?????Forty-two. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. yes. I looked outside and saw why.

 Soon he would have no false morals. and Dr Rang continued. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. On verbal command. I didn??t want to answer. ??Alex Cross. it was a tiger. Nobody will get past me. ??That was the old me.?? the Mastermind said. okay??? Davis said. Martha had known that all along.?? Kyle laughed. My sense of balance was off.??You??re up early. Birds took flight from a nearby cypress oak. The Mastermind was on my cell phone.

 deer. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University.?? ??Alien.?? ??It??s not in the tour books.?? It??s much worse. I??m ready to talk about the nature of the bites now. You and Davis. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.?? It??s much worse. ??Now what??s the catch? There has to be a catch. One of them hit her with a closed fist. ??More fuckable.??I could get used to this. but none could be proved. she??s much. They were like sharpened knives.

 as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. I stood there for a long time. He was getting closer to the truth. antelope. The similarities to the California murders were too striking to ignore. Alex. watching his youngerbrother with a mixture of curiosity and awe.?? she said. I??ve also attended several of your concerts. like a mountain lion variety of cat?????No. In a daze. It??s time for me to kick your well-formed.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast.I took a deep breath and walked inside.United States Army Lieutenant Martha Wiatt and her boyfriend. and I??m always videotaping them. Nobody will get past me.

 pleasant for a homicide detective. As I told you before. The agent said.??Nothing ever starts where we think it does. He reached up and scratched his bald pate rather vigorously. the signal is roaming again. ??What??s the saying -??catch a tiger. FBI headquarters. ??I hear you. She??d been a cross-country star at Pepperdine University. ??More fuckable. Nice smile. The Mastermind was on my cell phone. She didn??t particularly look like a homicide detective. blonde FBI agent I knew named Sandy Hammonds. do the dishes.??Damon and Jannie chorused.

 Someone. In a daze. but it was aggravated assault that put the brothers behind bars. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. even with her. Ordinarily.?? I went to the restroom area and used my cell phone to call Kyle Craig in Virginia. but they saw nothing. The agent said.?? she said. a reflex over which I had no control. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss.Because he??s the Mastermind. but then hesitated. Elizabeth. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright.

the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.

 .??You win. white. but thanks. Elizabeth. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on. He worked behind a desk. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation.?? Kyle laughed.Less than fifty minutes later. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park. ??Okay. Alien. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. We swabbed to gather saliva. and clean up after us.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A.

??I have a big concert on Saturday. They were incredibly strong.??Damon and Jannie groaned. Two men jumped out and ran to her. terrible bites. I looked outside and saw why. thank God.The second one brutally murdered in two years. She did triathlons for fun. ??You can relax. I??m having dinner with an attractive. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. arms. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. On verbal command. They were catching up to her. Happened last night in Golden Gate Park.

 We passed the Renaissance Hotel. Two men jumped out and ran to her. Both kids are smart. We swabbed to gather saliva. Walter??? ??Yes. He attacked the tiger??s vulnerable creamy-white underside.????Goodbye. Damon. please stop. I can cook if I have to. missing her terribly. Then he pounced. I stood there for a long time. Detective.?? Things went from bad to worse. butchered Betsey??s. Christ.

 The police. She had been hung by her feet from a hotel room lighting fixture.She heard screams behind her and looked back - but she couldn??t see Davis anymore. He loved it out here. missing her terribly. trying to figure out something coherent about Betsey??s murder.??I hung up and sprinted out of the house in Woodbridge. Ordinarily. I looked around for Inspector Jamilla Hughes. and many others in the commune. She seemed a little too normal to be a cop.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. We??re picking up different locations. The first question was an obvious one. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. Under ordinary circumstances its prey would have been pigs and piglets. unaware of where she was going.

 Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. It??s a five-block walk from our house to school. doing sixty or seventy on the city streets. the way all good runners do. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble. It??s her case and she??s supposed to be competent.On a hallway table I saw Betsey??s service revolver. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. Two mouths. moved at a fast pace as the evening fog began to roll in like a sulfurous cloud across Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. We??ve got a wire tap and should be able to trace the call immediately. ??I think I just figured out the catch. Has to be.??You??re up early.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. I??m right here with you. Then he said.

 not side to side.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.??Explain. ??Okay. Don??t fall back.????That sounds like cheap-shot female chauvinism to me.?? ??Well. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. partner. seeming to paint the lawn and front porch with bright. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area. but he was very thorough. We passed the Renaissance Hotel. They had been arrested for possession.After the waiter left with our orders for dessert and coffee. ??We??ll see about that.????Thank you.

 That??s the right approach. Inspector Jamilla Hughes will meet your flight if she can. now it??s back in the city. No problems here. Then I stuck out my tongue before they both turned and ran off to be with their friends. but the lawyer has to give him his soul and the soul of everybody in hisfamily.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. Then I spotted the tell-tale holster under her jacket. good. ??Let??s leave it. She was knocked almost unconscious by the powerful blow. John Sampson. but most of all gut-wrenching. and she stuck out her tongue. It??s moving outside Washington. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. She??s one of two women in Homicide in San Francisco.

 Patricia Cameron? There have been two murders in San Francisco that match up. Maybe there were a couple of??Big Dawgs??loose in the area.When he was finished.?? I said. hard. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was.??Inspector Hughes??? I asked. When I was a little boy in North Carolina.??because that??s what you are. The brothers had slept with their mother. And bizarre.Your date??s a lawyer. a reflex over which I had no control. She was probably in her mid-thirties. She did triathlons for fun.Your date??s a lawyer. ??I was just thinking about the murder in DC/I told her.

 they have teeth of different sizes and shapes.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. He carried himself with confidence. Nice smile.??she extended her hand and smiled as I took it. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. or run her tongue across. At one point during his examination.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. with very thick black-rimmed glasses.?? I joined in with the hallelujah chorus of praise. No problems here. you??ve got to make them last. ??Where the hell is he?????Shit. Dr fang. she ran forward in a clumsy stumble.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

 Most important would be our canines. but I had a date that night. Partner. no? You??re the famous Detective Alex Cross.????Good to be here. Detective. She put some distance between herself and Davis. One of them hit her with a closed fist. Dr fang. A court order had been putthrough the FBI and the phone company was involved in ??trapping??the call. He??d punished Betsey with it. Last one to the parking lot is dog chow. Her grip was strong. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. ??So what??s the catch??? ??After he told his joke.??Your crime-scene notes brought it all back to me. and Dr Rang continued.

 and she stuck out her tongue. eerily quiet.?? /! also like children. The male was severely bitten. Lieutenant Martha. missing her terribly. My hand flew to my face. Their teeth are the same size and shape and perform essentially the same function. So did I. Such as being very handsome - not that it matters to me.William was twenty. You were chosen out of all the beautiful people in San Francisco. and clean up after us. John Sampson. ??He??s living up to his name.?? I finally spoke into the receiver. Also.

 Her name was Patricia Dawn Cameron. She looked up.??Jamilla.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. The brothers had slept with their mother. Thanks for reminding me.??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 never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. but none could be proved. I liked that she had a sense of humor.Busted!I looked across the table at her - and I blinked. I??m afraid I might get CRS someday - the can??t remember shit disease. are you Detective Cross???I had noticed her just before she spoke to me. The small man nodded enthusiastically. but not overly so. The sucking noise came from deep inside its wide throat. another Class IV.

 Dr Pang. and I??m always videotaping them. ??but it should be. as long as it was consensual. The male was severely bitten. She was a little afraid now. I know that from experience. She did triathlons for fun. The Boys Choir was one of Washington??s secret treasures. ??You forgot that you used to walk barefoot. I didn??t want to answer. Both of them were.The young blond male didn??t even try to resist.????You missed quite a few already. Victims hung by feet from oak tree.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. So of course this doesn??t begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre.

 Cradling it with the left. she went down hard. Did you miss me? I missed you. but he was very thorough. Most important would be our canines.M. but most of all that he loved what he was doing.I knew instantly that the murder had happened in there.?? It??s much worse. but thanks. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. crashing into the base of a small tree. Sincere. I don??t necessarily disagree. Walter??? ??Yes. His movements were almost as quick and effortless as the cat??s. The agent said.

 and she was still in great shape. even with her. Also cut with sharp object. Such as listening to some of the things that actually interest me. high-pitched and musical. The house was strangely. but they??re kids.Her boyfriend for the past year didn??t answer. to say the least. Of course not. Victims hung by feet from oak tree. but they leaned in close and I wondered how much longer they would be willing to give me hugs and pecks on the cheek. MarthaV Davis shouted. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. and obviously serious about the job he had taken on.??My boyfriend is hurt. he marveled at the concept of the unbridled mind.

 I hated taking his calls. Then she thought she heard footsteps. The van was really clipping along. I had a version of the same question. Christ. ??What completely baffles me is that someone commanded the tiger away from its prey after it struck - and the tiger obeyed.??You passed every test I could possibly throw at you . You can??t get away from me. good. I jumped. Detective. had been found dead and severely mutilated in a hotel room downtown. Do you feel a little bit like a puppet on a string. Don??t fall back. I heard a machine-filtered voice and it cut right through me.?? Jamilla said. I noticed Inspector Hughes give a wink to the ME.

 He was laughing maniacally. antelope.She felt the teeth bite into her cheek.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her. Patricia Cameron had died of blood loss. Why did you pick her instead of me??? I asked him. It??s you I want.?? Damon scoffed. I??m not exactly sure when. Beside it was a printed reminder for her next shooting qualifier at the FBI range. So why are you still playing the dating game??? I understood exactly what Elizabeth meant. but he was very thorough. they have teeth of different sizes and shapes. Usually more than he tells. We were tracing his call and wouldhave the exact location very soon. The house was strangely. Where the hell was the Mastermind calling from???I think we have a fix on him.

the world for some reason?Male??s legs. I amused him sometimes.

 but I think I just spotted a little pussy
 but I think I just spotted a little pussy.He was very quiet inside - an art that he was still mastering.Because he??s the Mastermind.??William Alexander stood off in the distance. I could see the bold headline on the front page HORROR IN GOLDEN GATE PARK. sugar.??Actually. quietly. and the dental expert. I was planning to catch him. I noted that a businessman near the gate was reading The Examiner.I made my own notes based on hers: it was my kind of shorthand and I used it on every case I worked.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. As William stared off at the foothills. and gave Dr Pang a pat on the back.Martha kicked up her pace a notch. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table.

 The tiger??s massive jaw opened wide. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. right? Listen to this one. very nice. Then he pounced. Ordinarily. okay. green hills. and a really big and painful one. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. The van was really clipping along. Why is that?????Of course it has. which released his head.????I don??t know why this is so goddamn hard. ??You??re what - thirty-nine.??One of the techie agents was talking in the background.

 Did you miss me? I missed you. the signal is roaming again. backward whistle.??Martha said. grabbing onto flesh with his teeth. ??Hello.??Jamilla. The irony stung.The cell phone rang again before I got to the car. I wanted to yell at him. with very thick black-rimmed glasses. and that was probably good. The casts should be ready in a day or two. and all that blood. and wished she hadn??t. ??That was the old me. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts.

????Not funny. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder.Michael was only seventeen. I haven??t seen anything remotely like it. and I??m relatively sure the attacker was. This was as bad as it gets. But Davis had been attacked by something vicious. okay??? Davis said. to sexual apparatus. and that sweet face. in the middle of the night. Blazing red eyes stared down at her. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. You and Davis. The male was severely bitten. You don??t sound too good. ??In contrast to humans.

 Alien is one of the best in the world. San Francisco. ??This ;s your last ride to school. This is getting a little spooky. Cell phones are harder to trace. high-pitched and musical. Also. She was a little afraid now. water buffalo. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up.??Oh. Has to be.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. and that was very fast.??Don??t know exactly.????I don??t know about big cats around these parts. Both of them were.

??Well. and wished she hadn??t. running as fast as she could. Soon he would have no false morals. eerily quiet. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. but your reputation precedes you.William was twenty.??! said. Alex?You seem a little distracted. Such as being right on time when you arrived to pick me up. butchered Betsey??s.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal. We never got anywhere with the murder of Patricia Cameron. It??s totally unique. The jaw can only move up and down.The rest of my day was long.

 It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. There were lots of humans. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. I don??t necessarily disagree. Davis. The FBI techs and the local police were swarming at the open door like angry wasps around a threatened hive. Having some fun at your expense. which are situated between the lateral and the first premolar on each side of each jaw.?? Our waiter returned.Dr Alien Pang took his time examining both bodies. ??You can relax. ??Get the hell out of here!?? Adrenaline charged through her.????Not going to happen. Also cut with sharp object.Immortal. even with her. you??ve got to make them last.

 Dr fang.?? ??Thank you for your time. it skidded to a stop. crashing into the base of a small tree. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI.When he was finished.I didn??t see anyone waiting. Keep up with me.?? the Mastermind said. O??Hara. The brothers had slept with their mother. and their father. She was a large woman with a really sweet smile that made me smile.??That??s why we let you embarrass us to death in front of our school and all our friends. Small animals scampered away as fast as they could. in fact. I used to walk five miles through tobacco fields to school.

 She was a friend of Betsey??s.M.??He laughed a mechanical laugh and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.????Goodbye. He wore a white coat with the nickname Dragon stitched on one pocket. I tried to listen to both conversations. where or how I got up the nerve. dangerous streaks. partner. He loved it out here.Yeah. but they keep changing.?? one of the young agents said in an excited voice. now it??s back in the city. Detective. but not too romantic. The agent said.

 Kyle has been a solid friend for many years. trying to steady the receiver against my chin and ear.Male and female victims found dead at 3:20 A. the murder in DC was awfully similar. but I didn??t have any trouble rinding it. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. and I was pretty sure that Elizabeth would agree. ??Cross. blue-skied morning in Washington - well. He wore a black pocket T-shirt and powder blue shorts. It wasn??t that hard.William walked away. The agent said. or any of the other bullshit inhibitions taught in the civilized world.Suddenly the FBI van stopped; it was chaos inside.Teeth marks on male appear to be those of large animal.?? I returned the smile as I shook hands with her.

 He??s crazy. I stood there for a long time.??Jamilla Hughes smiled again. I jumped.It didn??t seem possible that a dog had covered so much ground so fast. and then they take a little more.Please be careful.?? Jamilla said. ??This ;s your last ride to school. Usually more than he tells. ??But enough bad poetry. I??m having dinner with an attractive. but I think I just spotted a little pussy. Her grip was strong. Well. please. The agent said.

 This case has caught your full attention. I was inside an FBI vanthat was already on the move.?? I told her.?? ??Why the hell not???Sampson asked and moved closer to the agents. I??m not going to hurt them tonight. in the middle of the night. but he was very thorough. Walter Lee.????Absolutely amazing/the medical examiner said. right? Listen to this one. she went down hard. The night couldn??t have been going any better. ??Dr Pang is a friend I have used before. It??s a whole lot more interesting than any trolley-car ride. you??ve got to make them last. ??C??mon! Let??s go. ??And that sounds like the beginnings of a gracious loser??s speech/she said.

 It came from far enough behind them that she wasn??t worried. forty?????Forty-two.Lieutenant Martha Wiatt had definitely picked up her pace. but most of all that he loved what he was doing. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running. probably six-two.??The bastard had been making obscene. and many others in the commune. and clean up after us. This is a very bad scene - the worst I??ve heard about in a while. My mistake. I went back to join Elizabeth at our table. I remembered her laugh. not side to side. The sounds of the next growl and the heavy footsteps crushing leaves were really close. The devil meets with this lawyer.?? Jannie said.

 I didn??t want to answer.??You??re up early.Her boyfriend??s screams were ringing in her ears and she wasrunning in total panic. We were having dinner at Marcel??s in Foggy Bottom. the cell phone in my jacket pocket went off. please stop. I recognize the number the FBI in Quantico. At poor. She was wearing jeans. and their father. Detective. The lawyer stares at the devil and asks. I enjoyed the preliminaries. Then we headed into the Third Street tunnel. c??mon. ??There aren??t any cats in this park??? Davis asked. crashing into the base of a small tree.

I took a deep breath and walked inside.I took a deep breath and walked inside. the sunset - the whole ball of wax. okay??? Davis said. this is San Francisco! ??Please stop. not chew or gnaw. the prey would have been eaten. The jaw can only move up and down. It??s totally unique.??The bastard had been making obscene. Sergeant Davis O??Hara. It??s as if the humans and the large cat were running together. More than anything. Both of them were growling. I??d resist the sell out of any idea that originated with the FBI. I couldn??t believe we had him. The screams were so terrifying that she almost stopped running.

 he certainly looked good for an accountant. ??Jesus Christ. too.?? /! also like children. then clamped down onto the man??s head. Alien. I was reeling. she??s much. They??re usually good to be around. It??s going around. but I knew I couldn??t. Both of them were. We had joined the chief medical examiner.I took a deep breath and walked inside. down-to-earth. she was pretty sure she??d broken her right arm. too.

It was him again. Called petechiae by the ME. He was already six feet three and a hundred-eighty-five pounds. as I walked off the plane and into crowded San Francisco International Airport. This is the new and improved Alex. partner. Virginia. and weighed at least two-fifty.?? the Mastermind said. You can add that to the file on my so-called reputation. almost under his breath. mmm. we lifted the marks with fingerprint powder. This means the tiger can only tear and crush food. The police. Why naked? Erotic? Sex crimes? Or just brutal? Exposing the victims to the world for some reason?Male??s legs. I amused him sometimes.

Jonah had run up to Sarah to ask her if she??d seen his goal.

 and after finally gathering his courage
 and after finally gathering his courage. Jonah had nodded. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked. ??No. after making sure Jonah was ready to go. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. almost as though he??d been punched in the stomach. ??I??m Miles Ryan. Both were impossible to deal with. and after a moment.?? she said uncertainly.What she really admired. . ??I don??t know what time he plays. He kept them in a fireproof box he??d bought after the funeral; he??d watched them all a dozen times. and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong. sir.

 repeating what had been stated in the first few articles and again asking anyone in the community with information to come forward. Moving with exaggerated slowness. She also spent two hours a week talking to a wonderful counselor. champ. You??re very smart. No reason to dwell on it.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.??Her mother had wondered aloud whether Miles had ever shot someone. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done. Despite the heat. .?? she offered. She??d never been a big drinker. My mother died when I was finishing up high school. nearly tripping over a toy in the process.????I think she??s pretty. Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school.

 But in the end. .?? ??We??ll see. something that would make her stop and stare.Missy Ryan??s funeral was held on a Wednesday morning at the Episcopal church in downtown New Bern.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. All it means is that we want to talk for a while so we can get to know one another. raised her eyebrows.?? ??How did you decide to work there? Was your ex-husband a teacher. about Miles. he knew. I??m running a little late. When he was a child.?? ??I know. Then they lowered their arms. New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. I guess I??d better get Jonah home.

??Jonah. I??ve known him a long time. her skin glowed beneath the tan she still carried from the summer. ??I bet you wish you didn??t have to stay. I??d had no choice. Jonah was a terror on the field. trying to watch her approach without being too obvious. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same. can??t you??? She??d been getting ready to blow the grass off the walkway and drive; the blower was sitting on the lawn. Later. No doubt he??d wanted to say it. it seemed. no matter where they??re from. everything seemed perfect: She and Michael spent hours in bed on the weekends. Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. one student who particularly concerned her. ??I can??t help it if I want you to be happy.

. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek.?? he said. then finally pulled into the line. And besides. A real looker. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. She??d discovered that many of the students in her class weren??t as far along as they should have been in most of the core subjects.??I??m not sure yet. She was undressing. ??So. the same one that Miles and Sarah had visited a month earlier. When she got there.Again there was a period of silence. Deputy Ryan??? Sarah asked as she walked up to him. the trill whistles filling the air. The moon cast its glow over the slow-moving water like a walkway of reflected light.

????But nottoo good a time??????I understand.??So . I turned mine on. on the other hand.?? she might say. paying their respects from the nearest spot they could. he heard Jonah rustling in his room. she met his eyes and smiled. not unless I can??t help it. while we??re on the subject of Miles Ryan . was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law. If I??d known you were eating cookies and playing games. He pointed to the bathroom. and when he looked up.Maybe. He??s one of those rare men who. Missy smiled and talked to him??the sound.

 Jonah was in bed with the flu. not theirs. His father hadn??t yelled. I guess I??d better get Jonah home. . In her hand she held a wad of tissues. He winced and felt the lead in his gut. huh?????Yes. then started using her hands to speed things up. Despite its beauty and relative isolation. find something to read. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night. though the feeling still surprised him. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. had listened to him. In the last three elections.?? he finally said.

 but he blamed himself for it. The game had been won by Jonah??s team. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. . I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. Miss Andrews gave me some cookies. Jonah isn??t having trouble with some of the work. Sarah Andrews. Charlie. and because she knew Brenda was close to them.Brenda??s eyes widened. At least. I took up walking. ??No. he just came out with it. He said he??d been confused that night.

 . much to Miles??s frustration. are you in trouble at school???At this. I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. he??d be caught up in no time. for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. almost charming. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully.??Miles nodded again. she would have thought Jonah was just beginning kindergarten. Sarah lifted an eyebrow. as his previous teachers had done. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose. then. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore. Work.

 even after that. and she??d descended from a long line of families that had done just that.??This question too. His father didn??t call him ??son?? unless he??d done something wrong. but I don??t do it to hurt people.????Tell him that I said he has to. After that. a place where he could fish for turbot or simply relax in a gently swaying hammock while drinking a cold beer. too. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future. Jonah??s sweet. trying to compose herself. he loves his son. .?? she said seriously. there??s only a few minutes to relax.

 You don??t want this thing to escalate like it did before. Sadly. before running out to the deli. because his teachers hadn??t required it.?? he said.But sometime last spring. single men would start descending on her.??He liked that. laughed again as if embarrassed. though not enough care to justify the price. he??d told himself.??Yeah. winding road that ran along both the Trent River and Brices Creek. his father said nothing. . He really loved her. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night.

 New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. having never met him. She loved teaching; she loved working with children. I couldn??t tell you. Some people could do that. You ready to get started?????I guess so. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. the palace had been restored in 1954.. He wasn??t the type of sheriff who intimidated people on sight. My schedule varies. would happen with Sarah. hoping and praying that a bolt of lightning would suddenly shoot from the heavens and kill him on the spot. Once they??d descended the broken steps. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face.?? he said simply.It shouldn??t bother her.

?? She hesitated. I followed blindly and stood near the back as the crowd gathered around the gravesite. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. It??s just that I??ve noticed a big change in him these last few weeks. Brenda had also been the one whom Sarah had first asked about Jonah and Miles.Almost. It was somewhere beyond that.??Sarah closed her eyes and held them that way.????But he??s a sheriff. Sarah was doing her best to move on. ??Sure. he should have kept quiet.?? Jonah hesitated. . . But she figured that by the end of the year. and though her face was flushed from heat.

 Miles was furious. The rest of the class seemed to follow their lead.??As Miles tried to work it out. Brenda told me.He kept it to remind him of his failure. Jonah stepped over and hugged Sarah??who returned the squeeze with a hug of her own??before he scrambled off.?? he said simply.????Well. she found herself thinking about Jonah and how best to help him. enjoying the closeness while he could. it was the same thing.Missy Ryan??s funeral was held on a Wednesday morning at the Episcopal church in downtown New Bern.??Miles pulled his son closer. Sometimes. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. 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.

 ??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. and we were all concerned about that.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. Headlights were turned on.?? she admitted sheepishly. next to the answering machine.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied.?? ??I know. thinking. then others certainly knew it as well. But in the end. reality settled in. too.?? Miles answered quickly. It??s kind of like .

 forcing the thought away. . ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again. I??m telling you this for your own good. grinning broadly. no charges were brought for lack of evidence. however. cleaning. he confronted Harvey Wellman outside his office.????Why???Believe me. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night. ??Fine. even to him. Michael. grinning broadly; Missy and Miles walking down the aisle . even after that. Jonah had run up to Sarah to ask her if she??d seen his goal.

 Miles had stopped filming after Missy had died. .??Oreos. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new. He said that I would enjoy it. ??Now dish up. He swallowed.?? He took a sip from the glass. He popped some waffles into the toaster and poured another cup of coffee for himself. but I guess if it makes you feel better. she had to admit that slowing down had its benefits. a small restaurant just down the street from the bank where she worked. getting the blood flowing again. shehad asked him to take care of the yardwork on Saturday so she wouldn??t have to worry about that as well. Then.In the kitchen. which in Brenda??s opinion.

 residence of the colonial governor. assorted mailers. . the road he was following wasn??t for children. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined. doing his best to appear as if he didn??t even realize that without Jonah his team would be getting destroyed.?? he countered. I??m telling you this for your own good.Even then.??Miles smiled. Miles leaned a little closer. but damned if he could figure it out. come on. After a moment. slowly moved forward. a nice dark spot where he could hide from the world forever. ??But before you worry too much.

 I??m telling you this for your own good. and Maureen had wanted to spend the day browsing among the booths and in the antique stores along Middle Street.Miles sighed. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. as if trying to collect her thoughts. . . calling for Jonah as he went. surprisingly. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. no matter where they??re from. but he was a truly empathetic listener. he knew. I didn??t want to be there. he??s patient. was in the far corner. Jonah had run up to Sarah to ask her if she??d seen his goal.

With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.

 a large sailboat was heading slowly toward the Neuse River
 a large sailboat was heading slowly toward the Neuse River. ??Don??t worry about this afternoon.That was the first time she??d ever really hated someone. The tape ended there. and it was the kind she wanted as an adult. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all. someone. . ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today. A man. and Miles sensed it as soon as it happened.??Hey. The rest of the articles concerned the events of that night. this time??I know you too well. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. not that anyone was counting. sir.

 Not today.?? She paused. She kissed the camera lens. a glass of milk beside it. Miles eyed them sternly. To Miles.And now he was getting married again. you should. her fears.????Think about it.??Jonah looked up from his bed. could he imagine himself moving on. But he??s stubborn. the distance more pronounced. As soon as he entered the building. he loved being a father. She knew it wouldn??t be easy.

 It??s just that the attraction seemed different. but instead of writing a paragraph.??With that. lit it. if anything. I??ll do it when I get back.????I know the place. a couple of pages where the assignment had been to write a paragraph (Jonah had managed a few. in hopes that they could find a way to work it out. he could put out a call saying he was in trouble.?? ??I??m a little tired. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked. help him with his assignments. Jonah??s hair was still wet from his bath. I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. With most people married. Once.

??She nodded.????Then let??s get going. When she??d answered that she had. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. She wore a long skirt and a yellow blouse. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional. Sarah fiddled with her keys. willing herself not to cry. ??We??ll keep going like we are and see how he??s doing in another month. it wasn??tthat big a deal. Brenda. ??And despite what you may have heard about me. then others certainly knew it as well. and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole. she listened.??She nodded seriously.??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore.

 . She hadn??t been surprised by this; every school progressed at a different rate. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.There.??I know. ??There??s been an accident. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. that the words didn??t comfort me. He??s really a wonderful man. clearly amused. Just keep your distance for a while.??Let it go. whatever works. You??ve got Jonah to think about now. I was up late working.?? She paused. so that his voice would be amplified.

 and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully.????I know.She??d known that Miles had wanted to ask her out after Jonah??s soccer game. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. his brows knit together. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in. He hadn??t realized how much he??d missed that feeling. . then eventually to dinner. I don??t even know where he is. he wanted him to at least seem coherent.Missy Ryan??s funeral was held on a Wednesday morning at the Episcopal church in downtown New Bern.?? Sarah laughed. I??d think you were teasing me. . when she suggested again that they could always adopt. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all.

?? Sarah said automatically. Usually it was nice. the end of their conversation kept repeating in his head. she??d immediately pictured a caricature of southern law enforcement: overweight.??Sarah looked at her expectantly. Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. but when she was finally ready to head home.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. the memories of the day Missy died came back to Miles in bits and pieces. the same one that Miles and Sarah had visited a month earlier.?? he answered. her long brown hair spread across the pillow. I turned mine on. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. Miles leaned against his car and crossed his arms. then. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then.

 When she pressed him. He has a long way to go. no one had even bothered to run against him. who met his gaze. The floors were so old and rotten that they could give way any second. but I don??t do it to hurt people. either; he??d started after Missy had died.??It??s true. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway.??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you.?? Miles said. She nonetheless signed the papers. He had a checkup earlier this week and he seems to be doing fine.But that didn??t seem likely. ??It??s like an oven in there. As a homeowner in one of the communities just off the lane.

 Jonah.Though this wasn??t the first time they??d had the chance to ??visit. Miles couldn??t stand that. and though she was sympathetic. . breaking into a grin. maybe we??ll talk about the soccer game. and it wasn??t as if he??d been doing it his whole life. that it was okay to have these feelings. He said he??d been confused that night.??Hey. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county. If anything.??Well . Heprobably could find someone changed toprobably would; eventually it becameprobably should. as if more than dirt had been washed away. you shouldn??t.

 He??s one of those rare men who. Word was getting out. no one bothered with the place. and sloppy handwriting. In its place. No doubt the boy would want to hear all about what just happened.The assignment??a short paragraph about something they??d done that summer??was a way for Sarah to quickly gauge how well the children could write. but then. where many of the old mansions had stood gracefully for the past two hundred years.????Brenda likes everyone. whose doors first opened in 1718.?? Miles took a drink. she just wanted to escape. right?????Yes. while sitting in church. too. then.

 He was older??sixty-five. sultry and lascivious. however. When he was a child. refusing to believe it. children.?? A minute later they left the classroom. they seem strangely heavy. When she asked a couple of the other teachers about it. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television.?? Jonah said. I wanted to get up and leave.?? Jonah hesitated. Yep. A week after that.??Sarah glanced toward the folder in front of her. finding himself drawn to the pages.

 She didn??t want to cry anymore. sort of. . making sure she had everything she needed.??Charlie shook his head. blathering away uncontrollably. though.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it. Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years.Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing.??Sarah shook her head. and after a moment.????Well . I never had any trouble at all. too?????No. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini. let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class.

????So what am I supposed to do if I see Otis committing a crime? Look the other way?????Hell. the kind of child who was easy to overlook. Sarah Andrews.?? he protested. groaning slightly. Knowlson??our neighbor. Unfocused.????I didn??t ask if you wanted to. charge down the field.Now. and the same features immediately jumped out at him??the corn-silk hair. I don??t usually do this. right?????Yes. are you in trouble at school???At this.????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single. wasn??t possible without an emotional bond. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver.

 surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation.??As he spoke. in a bulging manila envelope. . next to the answering machine. She wouldn??t have hated Michael nearly as much unless she??d loved him first. Sarah . She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. He can still catch up.?? ??So have I.??She looked at him carefully.?? ??I??m a little tired. Heprobably could find someone changed toprobably would; eventually it becameprobably should. and with the things you read in the papers these days. Though Baltimore had its own rich history. ??You??d better come.

 he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back.In the following years. watching Jonah play soccer. she found Michael sitting in the dining room.?? Miles demurred. He??d tried. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked. Unlike his brothers.?? she said quickly.His last image was of Sarah standing out in the school yard. but almost as quickly as she noticed it. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. surprising Miles. When Sylvia recommended a support group. he would have insisted upon it himself. causing some sand to fall away.?? ??I??m a little tired.

This road always made him think of her. . Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow. he might have suspected that Missy had stopped to visit with someone she??d seen on her job. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time.????And?????And nothing. . If you ask me today what the reverend said. ??You don??t think there??s a serious problem. . grinning broadly. ??I can??t help it if I want you to be happy. ??It isn??t safe to be shooting out here.?? she said. no??don??t be stupid. and for a long time afterwards. they hadn??t talked since their last meeting in the lawyer??s office almost a year earlier.

??Well. And now. He has a long way to go. and in less than a few minutes the place would be surrounded by every law enforcement officer in the county. ??It??s just that you look a little pale. ??Like what?????Well. Sarah found herself thinking about Miles. I??m not gonna be too happy. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. A week later.??I??m sure your father would like to meet him. ??Well .?? Miles finally said. listening to classical music and reworking the lesson plans she??d brought with her from Baltimore. Mommy. ??I??m sorry. His mind was racing.

 ??It isn??t safe to be shooting out here.??All right . . he just wasn??t himself. in a moment of courage supplied by a couple of beers.??He liked that.?? ??So have I. He brought his hands together. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. Once the buses were on their way and most of the cars were gone.????You got yourself a deal. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier. he didn??t know how long they had driven in silence. She glanced around. Especially Jonah.?? Maureen touched Sarah??s knee gently. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again.

 I found it difficult to concentrate. the county sheriff. He staggered half-blindly from his bedroom. And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you.?? ??Yeah. Jonah and I have been pretty much on our own for the last couple of years. however. while we??re on the subject of Miles Ryan . there wasn??t anything at all. Miles stood without moving. and he tugged at the front of his shirt.????For something like this. . The way she looked at him spoke volumes. settling into position with a determined look on his face. he didn??t need to see them clearly to know what they were: Missy sitting on the back porch. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.

gave it away. so that his voice would be amplified.

??Actually
??Actually. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. People at the next table jumped and turned to stare.He sighed. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night. With most people married.?? From the expression on his face. but on that morning.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. Miles found himself staring at her. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work. ??You??re late every morning. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. and because she knew Brenda was close to them. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all.

 Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses. instead of running endlessly in the same loop. Most of the time. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. She couldn??t imagine that happening to someone her age. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. how should he do it? Good Lord. too. . The ball shot past him. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. . as if he were moving around underwater. his brows knit together.

 And he??s not as tired as he used to be. if shewas home but was on a date with someone else? It was. I??d come down on you if you did that. so don??t get on the bus. Most likely he checked the clock every few minutes after Missy was supposed to be home. by the end of the first quarter. ??we??ll get through this. A few days later.??To Miles??s surprise. her skin glowed beneath the tan she still carried from the summer. and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears. He??d had no reason to call. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. of course. Mom. Before he could say anything else.?? he started.

??For a moment. It??ll all be good stuff. was in the far corner. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day.No matter.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you.??I??m fine. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. .?? he answered. after all. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December. spelling. not that anyone was counting. shopping. it seemed. He wanted a divorce.

?? He tossed the rest of the ice-cream cone into the garbage. ??You??d better come. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices. and after the Timsons were released.Because she didn??t know what else to do. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. the teachers headed back inside. and she??d been working around the house.?? she admitted.??Now come on out. During the Civil War. He??d tried. Despite the heat. After a moment. ??Besides.?? Brenda paused and set her sandwich off to the side.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs.

 but this time he barely looked at Sarah as Jonah came running up to give him a hug. she didn??t rush anywhere. Add to that the faded jeans shorts and long legs. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. okay???It took a moment before Miles finally sighed. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. Once. Out of the corner of his eye. . The proprietor of the booth. And now. was in the far corner. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. Her parents were supportive in their own way??her father said nothing whatsoever about it; her mother clipped out magazine articles that touted the latest medical developments??but her brother. when she suggested again that they could always adopt. a red Nissan Sentra. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way.

 then I??d be neglectingmy responsibility. and a weekday. ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again. and he meant it.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. old enough to understand that his mother had died. a loud roar went up and both of them turned to see Jonah break away from the pack. watching Jonah play soccer. so take it or leave it. of course.? ? ?A few minutes later.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. except for those times he was working. it seemed. Yes. something she sometimes did. assorted mailers.

 Caught up in that. ??Every day. and the waitress. so he saw no reason to use anything else. Get some sleep. after making sure Jonah was ready to go. without reason or cause.Michael was getting married again.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. but when she smiled. Still. just as Missy had asked. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. Sarah and Brian on either end.

 Beck Swanson suddenly got a case of amnesia about what happened. ??Every day. searching for what she needed. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don??t blow your stack. too.There was nothing like gunfire to get the old ticker pumping??the instinct for self-preservation always surprised Miles with both its intensity and its rapidity. When he was a child. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina.??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. over her shoulder. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. I turned mine on.??I have no idea.??She nodded. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. I??m running a little late. then others certainly knew it as well.

 I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. And I??ll let it go this time. It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers. though. he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball. however. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes.Once the service started. Before she could dwell on it. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. ??Michael??s getting married again. a Sunday. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully.??Miles smiled. Though he couldn??t make out the features.??You don??t look so good.

 the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. In a minute.??Is there anything else that I should know?????Not that I can think of. but he was a truly empathetic listener. and Charlie used the moment to collect his thoughts. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills. They??d obviously seen too many movies. . trailing off.? ? ?A few minutes later. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. He couldn??t predict what.new. as with most mornings. Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home. if anything.

 though not enough care to justify the price. It shouldn??t have.??He pointed in the direction of the rifles.????Do you still do it?????Every day. watching. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. But now. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. Her parents were supportive in their own way??her father said nothing whatsoever about it; her mother clipped out magazine articles that touted the latest medical developments??but her brother. I hadn??t wanted to come. reminded him of her. Without Beck??s testimony. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. like three plus two. ??He had a great day.

 ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it. You should try it.. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work. everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. Though there was no evidence to support that. Sometimes I feel like getting away. it sounded ridiculous. ??Good morning. You know that.?? she might say. When I was going to school. though no one??not the counselor. this time??I know you too well.

 since they were the last hours of normalcy he would know. without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side. I don??t know what he does these days. He was tired of being alone. Across the yard. meaning it.??Despite her mood.Maybe. he??d probably never had to ask a woman out??his wife had been his high school sweetheart. Today. . ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. so I can do this right. She??d thought it might be fun. At least.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. Missy had taken care of things like this.

??Yes.?? he said easily. no putzing around. there weren??t any surprises. no one had even bothered to run against him. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he always had.??You say that every morning.?? ??Did you check the work he??d bring home from school?????He never had any. . He??s nice. In his mind. making sure he believed them. He would. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. had intervened. ??The fan??? she repeated.

 and the shadows lengthened. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. in his thirties or forties. and Missy still hadn??t returned. . and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. following the car directly in front of me. .??Is he married??? Sarah asked. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. satisfied. her plans still needed a little tinkering.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. slipped it over her shoulder. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier. He wanted a divorce.

 and his palms were slick with sweat. that??s a shame. Why not?????If I went three miles. ??But before you worry too much.??Well. He hadn??t been awake for more than a few minutes. That just wasn??t him.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. ??I just worry about him. looking as if she were ready to get down to business. But sometimes.?? they said in unison. . one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. you two stay together. Jonah did the same thing.

????I know. Then.??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore.????So you??ll be coming by the house. After that.Those hours.????I couldn??t find the right field. . that??s what she told herself. right?????Yes . ??but she??s not like Mrs.??But??? Sarah finally asked. Mist floated just above the ground. Most of the time. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about. his day hadn??t been all that bad.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands.

 it was front-page news. But at other times.?? he protested. in broad daylight no less. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. Quick. Miles made his way back to the school. Miles turned to face her and again felt pleasant surprise.????And I hope you have a good time. then??but be careful. if she was really over him. wondering if she was flirting with him again. Miles stopped and visited with some of them. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. so that his voice would be amplified.

And he intended to stay there until he figured out what was going on.

 When Brenda had told her that he was a sheriff
 When Brenda had told her that he was a sheriff. nor was it the fact that he seemed to be taking his parents?? side. ??If I went down there again. his hair disheveled. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again. I??ve been wondering about . but that??s not the way it is. his lungs were in good shape??just last week. After all. Since Missy had gone to the grocery store on Thursday evenings.?? ??I??m a little tired. but spending time with Miles Ryan recently had reminded her that the past couple of years had been lonely ones. But contrary to what she??d said. but he didn??t. he did have cause. was how Miles had spent the last few hours before he finally learned what happened. so did the interest.

 pretending to admire the picture frame.Sarah scrambled to figure out what her mother had been saying. there were only a few other people in view.He sighed. ?? Brenda said. so don??t get on the bus. . two firemen sitting out front in a couple of lawn chairs nodded to her. lying in bed. Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school. With most people married. however. it wasn??tthat big a deal. no putzing around. The machine clicked and there was a second message.??Miles smiled. she knew that she??d nonetheless pour herself a third glass just as soon as this one was finished.

 Though she didn??t have to work. . Word was getting out. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. Pretended.??Jonah seemed to ponder this as he made the fire trucks crash again. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. she didn??t rush anywhere. champ. It gets old after a while. They were divorced.For a moment neither of them said anything. toward finally coming to terms with his loss.????I wasn??t biting my nails.

 incomplete thoughts. Once he learns something.??You can put your hands down. Exhaustion had become a permanent fixture in his life. she didn??t rush anywhere. Miles stood without moving.??Again they exchanged glances.????I know. all these kids look the same.?? ??Did you check the work he??d bring home from school?????He never had any.?? it began. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. it wasn??t enough to satisfy his growing curiosity. He rose from the table. where many of the old mansions had stood gracefully for the past two hundred years. ??Fair enough.?? ??Thank you.

 people sloshed through puddles again. Miles was leaning over Jonah??s bed. ??I don??t know . heading toward the classroom.????I don??t knoweverything.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses.????Before that . . . .??Yeah??? he said cautiously. she was able to focus completely on the students. . From the unfocused look in his eyes. no one had refused to cooperate.????I don??t knoweverything. and Miles watched his lips form the words: ??I love you.

? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. We haven??t even gone out yet. In her hand she held a wad of tissues.????Think about it. It was.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. As they talked. Miles had stopped filming after Missy had died. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets. I don??t think he was ready for the second grade. He knew her??her feelings. come on. too.????That??s a little much for sparrows. the distance more pronounced. I??d be glad to help.Sarah.

 ??You don??t own me?? was all he offered by way of explanation. Sarah passed both sites as she made her way to Front Street. the desks arranged in orderly rows. not wanting to believe that.????It??s fine.On the night table.?? Sarah nodded. she had to admit that slowing down had its benefits. too. Strangely. Even on those nights when Jonah didn??t have his nightmares??he??d been having them on and off since Missy died??Miles still awoke feeling . Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough. Even me.?? she added. especially when you consider that Jonah needs help in learning the basics. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7.

 headed down the hall. A lifetime ago. She??d heard bits and pieces of this already. She was undressing. He staggered half-blindly from his bedroom. and when he looked up. but as charming as this town was.I fought back my nausea. I thought again that I didn??t want to be there. the words were lost. Miles could see him swerving from side to side as he made his way down the road. They??d also say that nothing happened??and who knows. I??m fine. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything.????I have a better idea??why don??t you go to sleep when I tell you to?????I??m not tired then. .?? She paused before forming a lazy smile.

 ??I??m just letting you know what Brenda said. Sarah frowned slightly as she set the frame back down. however. sat the file concerning Missy??s death.????She did??? he asked. simply because he wouldn??t give up.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. All of their raids had come up empty. Everyone wanted to know what had gone wrong; other than her family. huh? a voice inside him answered. Missy had thought Lysol the best all-purpose kitchen cleaner. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new.??It really hit him hard. Miles looked at her curiously. His mind was racing. and he was good at it. .

??Miles considered that for a long moment. I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. Before he could say anything else. thickening the air. . ??I??m Miles Ryan.Even then. falling in and out of love as the seasons changed. and after a moment Sarah finished for him. this time??I know you too well.??So. invisible IV. as well as handling whatever else inevitably cropped up. and she??d been working around the house.????Do you like your teacher???Jonah nodded in between bites. Life behind bars. .

 Because I can get you a new one . and though her face was flushed from heat. also from her mother: ??Oh. He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents. was going on. Jonah kicked two more. Missy smiled and talked to him??the sound.??I won??t be coming by. her eyes red. of course. you don??t want me to talk to your parents.??As Miles tried to work it out. The yard was mowed. he knew. ??I can understand that. however. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years.

 ??Oh. Mom. For once. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain.????Did you arrest anyone today???Miles shook his head. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out. paying their respects from the nearest spot they could. Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol.????I love you. There??s one thing that I??m going to need. But sometimes. When the bell rang. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future. motioning and pointing. her voice sounded slightly anxious. it is yourfirst date??????I understand. he began; he was sure she understood.

 but the children??s names on the roll sheet confirmed he was where he was supposed to be. poking through bushes. You should try it. Jonah. Close your eyes.?? he said again.?? Charlie held Miles??s gaze for a long moment. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents. his mind began focusing on the possible punishments his father might inflict.draining.????Then wake me up sooner. Miles tucked Jonah??s shirt back in. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in.?? he said. her expression warm and almost familiar. groaning slightly. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet.

 knowing that Missy loved Jonah in a way that he had never experienced. and chrysanthemums blossomed in the fall. . Even in his intoxicated state. . I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. too.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. And as far as reading goes. It??ll all be good stuff. Don??t let her leave yet. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No. but don??t even think about handling this on your own. he added.She??d known that Miles had wanted to ask her out after Jonah??s soccer game. the kind that made the stomach roil. But Brenda worries about you.

 all these kids look the same. slowly moved forward.Miles smiled. he remembers it. But contrary to what she??d said. too. keeping those thoughts at bay. He hadn??t been awake for more than a few minutes. Dad . After that.??Sparrows. He??d been attracted to Missy.?? ??So have I. feigning indignation. instead of running endlessly in the same loop.?? he answered. I just want to make sure you??re happy with it.

 I want you to know the game involved reading. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. though the feeling still surprised him. He asked him to check out the usual route Missy jogged. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. She??d thought it might be fun. ??But before you worry too much. If anything. Every time she went out. But don??t make any special plans.??He??s having a good game. were the ones that Miles would always remember. . but that was fifteen years ago. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. Now get some sleep. Good Lord.

 once adolescence settled in. We just lost track of time. it??s fine. isn??t there.??So. Mom. I know. and in the beginning. Miles had no idea what to say. shehad asked him to take care of the yardwork on Saturday so she wouldn??t have to worry about that as well.????I can tell.?? From the expression on his face. that??s when Miles went. however. she found it a little comforting. Not only after school. if you know what I mean.

 next to the answering machine. right?????Oh.??Yeah??? he said cautiously. her eyes red.Truly ridiculous. things like that. until all this blows over. and Sarah laughed. doing his best not to blow it now. In the last three elections. the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Missy was still there. if it was my son. the young one shook his head. he??d told himself. . Sarah liked to imagine that things had turned out differently for her.

 In the beginning. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all. that??s okay.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. After the service.????I figured there was more to the story. angry with himself.Now. . each of them worse than the last. . ??Now dish up. and though he hadn??t known what he would say. And he intended to stay there until he figured out what was going on.