Acknowledgments

As always, I consulted a number of experts in the course of writing this book, and I’d like to thank them for their time, support, and impressive brain power. Lauren Crais, for matters legal and prosecutorial. Melissa Hurwitz, M.D., and Bret Nelson, M.D., for matters medical. Philip Eisner and Maureen Sugden, for matters editorial. Greg Muradov, for introducing me to the culinary inclinations of our antagonists. Dana Kaye, my tireless publicist, who applied an even temperament and a dogged spirit throughout. Joseph Flueckiger, Omar Valdemar, and Alan Hill, security professionals who took me through the gritty realities of bank robberies. Scot Spooner, Green Beret and former member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, who helped me rig up a nasty IED. Chris Brenes, former lieutenant at SEAL Team One, who painted a picture and walked me inside it. It almost goes without saying that all errors in the book are mine alone.

Gratitude must also be extended to my attorneys, Stephen F. Breimer and Marc H. Glick, as well as to Rich Green at CAA and my team at Aaron Priest. I am thankful daily for my editor, Keith Kahla, and the rest of the folks at St. Martin’s, including publisher Sally Richardson and Matthew Baldacci, Loren Jaggers, Matthew Shear, and Martin Quinn. My UK publisher has done a spectacular job on my behalf—many thanks to Daniel Mallory, David Shelley, and the others at Sphere who have worked so hard.

A final tip of the hat to Delinah Raya, there for me in countless ways with a tranquil outlook and an irrepressible smile.