This is a work of fiction in its entirety, which means I made it all up myself. I hope, therefore, that it is true.

Along those lines, I owe special thanks to Patrick Reardon, for counsel as to criminal procedure and a statute obviously put together by committee; to Michele Mellett, M.D., a trauma surgeon (enough said); to Eric K. Wagner, D.V.M., for care for our real-life spaniels and advice about an ill-fated fictional stray; to Caesar and Betty Vitale, for a touch of Italian; to my editor, Kelley Ragland, for her enthusiasm and judgment; and—most of all—to the members of the DeMello group, allies on the adventure.