One Friday evening, Jack and Saylena Davis were out on a power-walk when they stumbled across a dead woman in the local city park. The woman was lying on the ground, legs draped over a picnic bench, like she was in a sit-up position, and a pistol was near her right hand. A single gunshot to the right temple pierced her skull and her blood steamed off the cold concrete. Police officer, Nickole Cunningham, Medical Examiner, hazardous waste cleanup crew, and city Detective Sergeant were notified of the discovery. Nickole arrived on scene to investigate the matter and met up with coworker, off-duty Jack Davis and his wife Saylena, who found the body and called the station. Taking Jack's lead, Nickole came to the same conclusion that it was nothing more than a suicide. The woman sat on a park bench, took a gun, and shot herself through the head. The woman's face was disfigured beyond recognition, had no identification in her possession, so she'd have to be identified by another means. The ME, Terry Marshall arrived and transported the woman to the County Coroner-Morgue and issued her temporary identification, Toe-Tag #5. The hazardous waste cleanup crew arrived and left the gruesome scene like it never happened. Nickole finished up with a diagram and photographs for her report and returned to the station. Toe-Tag #5 is later identified as socialite, Laura Baylyn Caswell, married to a wealthy and powerful developer, Walter. She'd served on several boards and committees and had power and influence in both city and county government. She was admired by many, wished dead by others. City police, Detective Sergeant Gilbert Roland received a text from county employee, Detective Sergeant TS Skinner requesting a private meeting to his homicide case. TS had no formal training or experience in running an investigation, specifically personifying "patience" as TS tends to lack that skill. Assessing the obvious, Roland reluctantly agrees to the meeting and settles on the morgue to kickoff the duo enterprise. TS, sergeant of public relations had been transferred to investigations, for reasons unknown. The Brass assigned him to a high profile case to solve, coincidently his murdered victim, Janette Jenkins, had been the person of interest in one of Roland's previous homicide cases and needed his help to solve his case. The Brass sought results not details so the shock of her nakedness, an exposed large Brown Recluse spider tattoo and mounted over her pelvic, took everyone by surprise. The violin lay over her clitoris overlooking her nest, a trio of Brown Recluses tattooed to her upper inner thigh, side-by-side; they straddled her once soft milky skin thought to be notches, like on a gunslinger's six-shooter. If he caught the killer within the allotted timeframe, the Brass would promote him to lieutenant. TS had no choice but to take on the challenge, for fear of the alternative. He found himself in a sink or swim situation and his career was in jeopardy. TS' only investigative experience is searching through his rolodex cards for his next community presentation where he'd be sporting one of his many expensive western outfits for the camera. Relieved, Roland agreed to help him and launches a series of investigative techniques, through case preparations and investigative murder examples for him to pursue. To solve his case, TS would ride on Roland's coattails untying an unpredictable and astounding ending. In Roland's case, he would find infidelity, deception, intertwined in convolution and collusion for political and personal gain, through a series of investigative maneuvers in search of the truth. Through a variety of twists and turns both murders are solved and police investigative process, with numerous other cases used as examples, gives the reader a full plate of mystery and intrigue.
About the Author: A graduate of the esteemed LA Sheriffs Academy and formally a detective sergeant, Ruben Mendoza retired three years ago from a California (USA) police agency. He served in investigations for nine years and acquired fourteen hundred and ninety hours of additional training, directly or indirectly, to aid in the investigation of homicides. Ruben served in several capacities, including command staff. He also was the department range master and defensive tactics instructor. He holds an AS from Rio Hondo College, BA from California State University, Fullerton, and a MS from Chapman University. Ruben has received numerous commendations throughout his career including being named officer of the year three times, city employee of the year once, as well as receiving the Life Time Achievement Award from CSUF. One of his favorite quotes comes from the movie, The Mechanic, "Victory Loves Preparation". This quote combined with his work experience and education, gives him inspiration for his writings. When Ruben was in high school (1968-1972), he wrote short stories about vampires who were in love. Not typical vampires, Ruben's characters didn't kill to get the blood they needed to survive. But still his mother thought they were the devils work and tossed them in the trash. Who knew? "It was the start of it all," he says. He and his wife, two daughters, three dogs, and a cat make their home in Central California.