Occasion of Revenge

Acknowledgments

So many wonderful people helped me while I was writing this book that I hardly know where to begin with my thank-yous.

To my family-my husband, Barry, and my daughters, Laura Geyer and Sarah Glass-you were always there when I needed you. Really, I couldn’t have done it without you.

To my sisters-Susan Woythaler, Alison Jacobs, Deborah Kelchner, and Katherine Carstens-who will know why.

To friends and family who gave me a warm bed, hot meals, and a quiet place to write while I toured-Alison and Joe Jacobs, Susan and Saul Woythaler, Betty Lou and David Walsman, Terri Ryburn-LaMonte, and Elizabeth Talley-I can come out and play now.

To Chief Wayne M. Bradley and Captain Robert A. Edler, Jr., of the Chestertown Police Department, Chestertown, Maryland; and to Corporal Arthur Griffies of Maryland State Police Barracks “J” in Annapolis, Maryland, for cheerfully answering my questions. If I got it wrong, it’s entirely my fault, not theirs.

To Suzanne Fischer of Chestertown, Maryland, for so generously inviting me into her home and for allowing me to put a body in her bathtub.

To Janice Gary, Executive Director, and the staff of First Night Annapolis-especially Jan “Red” Adkins-for their courtesy and for letting me paw through their archives.

To Luci Zahray, “The Poison Lady,” who proves every day how dangerous a home can be!

To S. Brent Morris, Charles Mylander, and Chuck Hanna, because I’ve never been very good at math: Thanks 10⁶.

To Jackie Cantor-editor, advocate, and friend, above and beyond-and to Abby Zidle, a rare gem.

To my agent, Jimmy Vines, for believing in me.

To my writers’ groups-Sujata Massey, John Mann, Janice McLane, and Karen Diegmueller in Baltimore, and Janet Benrey, Trish Marshall, Mary Ellen Hughes, Ray Flynt, Bonnie Settle, Caroline Buppert, Christiane Carlson-Thies, and Sherriel Mattingly in Annapolis-for tough love. Sherriel, if you should ever tire of librarianship, I am sure there’s a job waiting for you at Hallmark Cards.

To Linda Sprenkle, fellow adventurer, location scout, and dear friend.

To Barbara Parker, friend, feng shui consultant, and Web maven, extraordinaire.

(http://hometown.​aol.​com/mardtal/homepage.​htm).

And to Kate Charles and Deborah Crombie-dearest of friends, confidantes, and advisers-the reason why ten-cents-a-minute long-distance services had to be invented.