The publisher's editorial director Brian Tart won a drawn-out auction for the personal story of Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose, who led the manhunt that eventually captured the snipers who terrorized Washington, D.C., and nearby Maryland and Virginia counties last fall. The book will be called Three Weeks in October: The Manhunt for the D.C. Sniper and will be written with former Newsweek reporter Charles Fleming. Moose will give details of the search and also tell the story of his rise to prominence as a black officer. Some critics say he should not be allowed to profit from the book, and he will make a donation to a fund set up for families of the victims. The deal, which includes North American, first serial, audio and book club rights, was signed with agent David Vigliano, and Tart plans to publish in the fall.