Cross Fire (James Patterson novel)

Cross Fire is the 17th book of James Patterson's Alex Cross series. In the novel, Kyle Craig has come back for one final scare to finally kill Alex Cross, but Alex has a special day ahead of him, one that concerns Bree and his relationship. The novel was released in hardcover, paperback, and audio book on November 15, 2010. It was preceded by I, Alex Cross and was followed by Kill Alex Cross. The book sees Alex getting married to Bree after proposing to her in the previous book; the book also sees the final appearance of Kyle Craig, who dies by shooting an oxygen tank, killing him and two cops before he can be sent to prison again by Alex.

Psychotic former FBI agent and serial killer Kyle Craig, who escaped from ADX Florence Supermax Prison in Double Cross after killing several people in that book, as well as Roses Are Red and Violets Are Blue, awaits FBI agent Max Siegel. After questioning him, he reveals he plans to get plastic surgery and thus become Max Siegel by gaining his physical features; he then kills Siegel. Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., psychologist and Metro police detective Alex Cross has proposed to his girlfriend, Brianna 'Bree' Stone, and the two are currently planning their wedding. However, they must pause the planning for another time as Alex is called in to a sniper case. At the crime scene, two infamous people (known to be political) are murdered. Alex instantly recognizes it as a sniper when all others are oblivious to this at first - that is, until agent Max Siegel/Kyle Craig comes and meets Cross, who is instantly annoyed by – and dislikes – Siegel. Craig wants Alex dead for sending Kyle into prison years earlier, as well as a few novels back. Meanwhile, Alex's best and closest friend, John Sampson, asks for Alex's assistance in a series of murders with numbers on the victims' faces.

Mitch and Denny, the murderers in the sniper case, strike again. Unknown to Mitch, they work for a rich man, who will pay Denny and Mitch. The two live in a suburban or alternatively live in a homeless shelter. After two other sniper murders, Alex figures out the killers use a white suburban and starts a search on it. Kyle Craig/Max Siegel has sex with a hooker and kills her; he later murders a woman from the FBI that Alex knew from the DCAK case (in Double Cross) and deposits her body with random murders, implying he is the number-serial-killer. However, he is later revealed to not be. Denny and Mitch later steal a computer from two teenagers, and write a message via email to the Washington newspaper. The newspaper company soon learns of and reads it, but the cops come to investigate. Cross questions the chief in staff, and reads the e-mail, and later learns of the murderers' names from the woman/head in staff. Meanwhile, Mitch and Denny visit Mitch's ex-wife, who does not let see their child/daughter see their father. Mitch gives her a thousand dollars to make up for child care. They then go visit Mitch's mother; her husband (Mitch's father) died two years ago, at which time Mitch left. The two eat dinner at Mitch's mother's house, and flee. However, before leaving, Denny kills Mitch's mom, unbeknownst to Mitch.