The Big Bad Wolf

The 19th national bestseller by Patterson marks Alex Cross's debut with the FBI. His first case: beautiful women across the country are being kidnapped and possibly sold into slavery. Behind this depraved scheme stands The Wolf, a master criminal who brings a new reign of terror to organized crime. nAlex Cross battles the most ruthless and powerful killer he has ever encountered: a predator known only as the Wolf. nAlex Cross's first case since joining the FBI has his new colleagues baffled. Across the country, men and women are being kidnapped in broad daylight and then disappearing completely. These people are not being taken for ransom, Alex realizes. They are being bought and sold. And it looks as if a shadowy figure called the Wolf-a master criminal who has brought a new reign of terror to organized crime-is behind this business. nEven as he admires the FBI's vast resources, Alex grows impatient with the Bureau's clumsiness and caution when it's time to move. A lone wolf himself, he has to go out on his own in order to track the Wolf and try to rescue some of the victims while they are still alive. As the case boils over, Alex is in hot water at home too. His ex-fiancee, Christine Johnson, comes back into his life-and not for the reasons he might have hoped.