Although this is book 2 in my Heroes of Quantico series, it’s actually the first one I wrote. And when the idea began to percolate in my mind, I was more than a bit intimidated by the amount of research I would need to do to ensure that my book accurately portrayed police and FBI procedure.
Many people assisted me along the way, and I’d like to offer my thanks to a few who went above and beyond.
To twenty-one-year FBI veteran Tom Becker, now chief of police in Frontenac, Missouri, who offered me great insights—with great patience. Not only did he answer my many questions (and follow-up questions!), he also agreed to read my manuscript.
And his diligence in doing so put the final polish of authenticity on this book. What a trouper! An Eye for an Eye wouldn’t have come together as well as it did without his gracious and generous assistance.
To Captain Ed Nestor from the detective division of the Chesterfield, Missouri, Police Department, who gave me a thorough behind-the-scenes tour (that convinced me I never want to be arrested!) and spent hours answering my questions. His input was invaluable.
To Captain Craig Koehler of the Illinois State Police, who read the final manuscript with a fresh eye. His perceptive comments and suggestions greatly enhanced the story.
To fellow author and nurse Patricia Davids, who reviewed and tweaked the medical sections of the book.
To all those who organize and present at the Citizen Police Academy I attended. I came away from that experience with a renewed appreciation for the dedication and courage of police officers.
To the fabulous folks at Revell—Jennifer Leep, Kristin Kornoelje, Twila Bennett, Cheryl Van Andel, Michele Misiak, Car-men Pease, Claudia Marsh, Deonne Beron, Janelle Mahlmann— and so many more who have helped bring this book to market. You are a great team, and I feel blessed to work with you.
And of course, to my agent, Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, who persevered until he found the perfect home for this series.
On a personal note, my love and thanks go to my husband Tom, who has shared in the excitement of my suspense debut every step of the way, and to my mom and dad, whose parenting skills are worthy of the hall of fame.
Finally, a caveat. Readers familiar with the world of law enforcement may notice that in a few cases I took a bit of dramatic license with protocols. But beyond those situations, I have tried to be as true to police and FBI procedure as possible.