I hope you're staying warm and healthy during this frigid start to February. Last month, I posted a short story about a firefighter. Today, I want to discuss another type of hero in uniform, the police officer. A few days ago, a missing WI baby was found alive after spending the night swaddled inside a container in subzero temperatures. One would have expected another outcome, but the child was fine, being released from the hospital that very day! What stuck with me during the interview with the police officer who found the child was the humility he displayed when the interviewer called him a hero. He brushed it off saying that they had help from the FBI. He wasn't willing to take all the credit, even though it was his instincts that prompted him to search around the gas station where the child was found. Timing was everything and imagine the outcome if the baby was left out in the cold any longer than he was. This officer could have basked in the glory, but he chose to share it with all who worked on the case. I have to commend the police department of West Branch, IA. Excellent work reuniting that child with his family. And to the officer who found the child, who is a real hero.
For a writer, inspiration can strike at any moment. Even though I haven't researched much on missing people, I have a few missing persons in my current work in progress, The Whisperer of Storms. My lawman, Constable Radford, investigates those missing cases, in addition to keeping my protagonist out of trouble. I realize I've been remiss on introducing him. May I introduce the constable; a middle-age family man and a loyal friend. He's not afraid to crash a ball or communicate with an unmarried girl (a no-no in those days) to chase down a lead. He shares the credit when a case is solved. He's a good man to have around.
May angels watch over the brave men and women who uphold the law. Thank you for keeping us safe!
Veronica
