The Border Lords

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I offer sincere thanks to the following people for their generosity and patience in answering my endless questions.

David Bagley, for his spirited descriptions of the Piper J-3 Cub and of the pleasures of flying in general.

Michael Dee, retired curator of the Los Angeles Zoo, for his expertise on bats and snakes.

Dr. Doug Lyle, a physician and fine writer, for his very intuitive guidance on how a doctor would approach a medical mystery.

John Torres, of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Los Angeles, for his street-smart stories and good-humored enthusiasm.

Larry Ford, Steve K. Martin, Tim Carroll, Scot Thomasson, Drew Wade and Donna Sellers of ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C., for their insights into undercover work.

Sherry Merryman, aka Supersleuth, for her wide-ranging and always enriching research on topics too many to name. Thanks so much.

Last but not least, thanks to Dr. Rodney Willoughby and his fine colleagues at the Medical College of Wisconsin, for leading the charge against the most terrifying disease in the world.

Thank you all for being my lights for this journey. You took me to some wondrous places.