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

“Heya, Val.” He drew up his legs to stand but then she was next to him, warm and solid.


“Don’t get up. Here, have some hot chocolate.” The metal hangers tinkled as she brushed against his clothes. She folded her long legs and sat down next to him.


“Thanks. Hey, with whipped cream and everything.” He sipped the hot liquid, grimacing at the heat and slightly bitter taste.


“Fine.” he lied. “It’s just hot.”


“I’m not really much of a cook. I need a recipe for toast.”


“Ah, a high-maintenance woman. Lotsa work to keep up with that.” The josh in his voice was sincere. He used a photo to trace over one of her broken fingernails; it had dirt beneath it from where she’d helped him clean up the deck project. He’d seen her filthy and sweaty, her hands rough from the work she did with the cats.


“What are you looking at?” she asked. She sipped from her mug, steam dampening her bangs and forehead.


Chapter 81