Coiled against a tangle of red mangrove roots extending from the base of a hardwood hammock, the prolific hunter with a smooth cylindrical body, a pyramid-shaped head, and vertical pupils remained motionless. A chemosensory forked tongue flicked the air to transfer scent molecules to the Jacobson’s organ at the upper back part of the mouth, from where signals could be...

Brannigan observed Agent Nehnja approach him inside Inova Fairfax Hospital and glanced at his chronograph Citizen. “You get lost in Arizona or take the Pony Express home?” A travel-weary Paulan rolled his eyes. “My flight was delayed. Twice. I got back as fast as I could.” “We caught a break from the Jenkins’ wiretap. A recent conversation with Marvin Tibbs...

Brannigan drove his rented Camry under moonlit skies above the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. while Paulan rode shotgun with a large cherry Slurpee in one hand and his phone with the navigation on in the other. Paulan sucked on his straw hard enough to collapse it. “Take a right at the light, then go left at the next intersection.”...