Acknowledgments:

An author doesn't write a book alone, despite the long hours of isolated pecking at the computer keyboard. I will never be able to express enough gratitude to the following people: Susan Downs, my editor and friend; Joyce Gray, whose humor helps me find my sanity when I lose it; Thelma Mills, my mom and brainstorming powerhouse; Brad Speare, who has always believed in my dream; Elizabeth Grosskopf, Diana Blessing, and Bryon Miller, who are always there for me; Nancy Toback, an expert at finding the things I overlook; Ellen Tarver, my favorite line editor. Finally, special thanks to Lt. Glenn Rambo with RS Writing Services. His expert and generous input gave me much-needed authenticity to my law enforcement scenes. (If there are mistakes in this book, be they police procedural or anything else, I take full responsibility. It simply means I wasn't paying close enough attention to what people told me.)