ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Numerous acknowledgments and thanks are in order.

First to Stanley Haskins and Nancy Thomas-Haskins for their financial support and other favors too numerous to mention, and especially to Nancy for her endless hours of unpaid proofreading and many valuable suggestions.

To David Hudson, Terry Cowan, Rabbi Steve Fisch, Jim Graham, Joe Prentis, and Debbie Lageman—some of whom have helped keep me afloat financially and all of whom have been unstinting in their enthusiasm and encouragement.

To retired Texas Ranger Sergeant Steve Black, retired Texas Ranger Captain Jack Dean, retired FBI Special Agent Dennis Murphy, former Bullard, Texas, City Marshall Connie Vaughan, and Texas Adult Parole Officer Alice Alexander for patiently and generously giving of their time to answer my numerous questions about law enforcement and police and parole procedures.

To Joe Prentis for his early reading of the manuscript and his encouragement and faith.

To my agent, Ron Goldfarb, for staying the course.

To my editor, Kat Brzozowski, for being everything an editor should be.

To Tom Dunne of Thomas Dunne Books for seeing some value in me as a writer.

To David Thompson and the staff at Murder by the Book in Houston, to Ed Kaufman at “M” is for Mystery in San Mateo, California, and to Barbara Peters at the Poisoned Pen in Phoenix, along with numerous others in the book business who have given their support and encouragement.

To Lise Kim Horton for her help, encouragement, and just being her enthusiastic self.

To my children, Seth, Samantha, David, and Thomas, to my son-in-law Elton, and to my daughter-in-law Laurie for giving my life a depth of meaning that no literary accomplishment could ever equal.

Aside from stories gleaned from my own personal acquaintance with such former Texas sheriffs as Esten Ray, Frank Brunt, Roy Herrington, and Nathan Tindall, I have drawn heavily on The Texas Sheriff: Lord of the County Line by Thad Sitton of Austin. Mr. Sitton is a professional historian who writes like a first-rate journalist with a keen eye for character and story.