acknowledgments

Kristina Blank Makansi and Blank Slate Press's sister imprint Layla Dog Press nurtured and cultivated and pruned my sapling of a story. They helped the roots grow deeper and straightened the branches; they showed me where I’d added too much fertilizer and where it was too dry. Thanks to Kristy and BSP for your support and insights and hard work, for all the BSP early reads and feedback. It may take one writer to create a story, but it takes a village to make it stand straight and true. You took a chance on me and for that I’ll always be grateful.

Perpetual love to my wife and best friend Beta, for her patience during all the hours I spent in my cave tapping away on the keyboard. We complete each other’s thoughts and sentences … may everyone experience that in life.

I received invaluable help from a mysterious person on the technical aspects and details of counterfeiting and the Secret Service. My shadow friend wishes to remain there, much like my Mr. Anthony character. Any errors in the book related to the art of counterfeiting are mine and mine alone.

Thanks to William Boyd Brown, MSW, for his insights into the many diverse St. Louis neighborhoods. He helped keep it real. The stories he can tell—Miracle-Grow for another novel? Thanks to Dr. Felix Vincenz, for his knowledge of private practice and computers. He should run for president. Many thanks to my smart step-son Rich Parcinski, for his computer wizardry and cool website design, and to my beautiful step-daughter Amie Parcinski for helping me with my missing computer gene. Thanks to attorney Mike Schaller, the bulldog, for his help with some legal aspects of my novels.

A shout-out to my long-time friends and poker buddies—Felix Vincenz, Mike Schaller, Willie Thomas, Clive Woodward, Jerry King, and Brian and Aaron
Vincenz. Forty-plus years of friendship are something special. Thanks for sharing good times, books, stories, movies, jokes, and your selves.

Last but definitely not least, I wish to thank my mother Virginia Rose Miller for her love and strength, especially during the last two years. I lost my dad Elwood and only sister Ann while she lost her husband and only daughter. The courage Mom shows every day astounds me. Not a day goes by without me missing them.