A man. A tiger. A tornado. Jared Montaine owns a big cat rescue in Florida and faces financial pressures, getting over his ex-wife, and the challenge of suburbia creeping ever closer to his enclave for the animals. But when a tornado wrecks part of the refuge, Jared's worst fear comes to life: his Siberian tiger, Sultan, escapes. It's a big cat handler’s nightmare: a tiger on the loose, confused, lost -- and hungry. Jared races against the police, the media, and the hysterical public, all of whom are clamoring for the tiger's hide. He must re-capture Sultan before the cat is killed -- by traffic, by SWAT, or by a civilian who just wants to shoot a tiger. With fellow wildlife handlers at his side, Jared fights desperately to find and capture Sultan before the tiger injures or kills a human. Because that would lead to his worst nightmare -- having to kill the tiger he hand-raised from a cub. Jared’s commitment is tested -- to his animals, his refuge, and his belief that saving the life of even one tiger is worth losing everything.

The Tiger Whisperer

He remembered Juliana’s words, harsh and ugly on a cold Sunday morning two years before. “I’m tired of living like a grad student, Jared. I’m thirty-five, I want a real house!” Jared pushed the memory away and focused on Molly.


“Come on, Princess. Let’s get in the van.”


Outside, twilight bathed the refuge in violet. The cats were more active at night and some of them bellowed, greeting their morning. A lion roared, loud enough that Jared could feel it vibrate in his chest, and he smiled as Molly grabbed his hand in alarm. “He’s just saying hello. You know that, right?”


“Uh-huh.” Molly’s eyes skittered to the lockout gate where visitors and staff were allowed through to the habitats. “They just sound so scary. Mommy says I should never ever go back there.” The solemn pronouncement of rules from a five year-old.


“Mommy’s right. Come on, let’s get you settled in here.” Jared helped Molly into her car seat.


Chapter 10