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

The tiger cubs batted at each other as they splashed in their pond, sending a white froth of water through the air. They were siblings, each about one hundred forty pounds.


“She worked for Duane and Darrell, down in Ocala. Has full licensing plus AZA certification. She wanted to move up and on and they recommended her. Actually she started before we moved up from Tampa. Commuted a buttload of miles back and forth to help me get things going here.”


David wiggled his eyebrows. “And she’s cute.”


“Ask her out if you want. She’s single.” Jared thumbed the bracelet he wore on his right hand. Set with gorgeous tiger-eye stones, it had been there for about three months, and it felt just right.


They stopped at the front of the enclosure. An elaborate carved wood sign stood at the entranceway. “Lyons Tiger Pavilion”. A freshly laid mulched path led to the viewing section of the tiger habitat.


“Lyons? Is that who I think it is?”


Chapter 102