At the author fair a few weeks ago sponsored by the Coliseum Museum in Oregon, Ill., there were several apron clad volunteers assigned to help us authors set up our displays. This is Beth, one of those volunteers. She stopped my display by to chat, I assumed drawn by the large, poster-size picture I have of my character, Ro Delahanty. As we were talking one of the other volunteers stopped by and interjected, “You do know you’re talking to a former state cop?” It turns out Beth had served both as a state trooper and sheriff’s deputy. Now, perhaps among previous readers there’s been a former cop, but as far as I know she was the first. She bought “Ro’s Handle,” the introductory volume in the series. Beth, thank you for your interest and know that I am very much looking forward to your thoughts on the plausibility of my portrayal of a female cop.