From Smoky Mountain Meltdown by Sharleen Johnson
JACK, the Doberman Pinscher, is a member of the K-9 Division of the Gatlinburg Police Department. He has been instrumental in solving many cases involving "search and rescue," "chase and take-down," and drug detection."
Jack, how did you get involved in this case?
I had been working with Chief of Police Max Lamont for a couple of years. Three months
ago he married my partner, Annie Murphy Malone, owner of The Tin Roof Cafe. Chief Lamont was working on a drug case out of Atlanta and was gunned down and killed in the parking lot behind the City Police Department building. Annie has been devastated, but has turned her sadness into a dogged—excuse the word—pursuit of Max's killer.
Why is this case so special to you?
It has hit too close to home.
What made the case hard for you to solve?
The fact that some of the undercover cops out of the Atlanta Narcotics Division have turned bad. Those guys are playing on both sides of the street.
Anything else?
We also have the problem of communication. Less than 99.9% of the human population can hear us. We have a facilitator, Charles Weaver, homeless, who Annie has befriended. He suffered a devastating brain injury as a child. We think he can hear us because of an anomaly in his frontal lobe.
Do you have any help with your investigation?
My pal, Jill, and of course, Annie. A guy named Darrien Hatcher with the Atlanta Cops also helped. He was a good cop who turned bad, then back to good again. The cartel didn't appreciate his defection and his name was placed on a hit list.
How has being a member of the K-9 Division affected your life?
I've had a very busy life. From the moment I was born I was trained to be in service to human. I graduated from three of the top schools in Atlanta and Tampa for my particular line of work. In fact, I just returned from Florida where I took a refresher course in
drug detection.
Thank you for being with us today, Jack. With such a busy and productive life we hope you are able to stay out of the "dog house." Thank you for your service.
SHARLEEN JOHNSON has been writing for several years and has published novels in three different genres. She lives with her husband in Ooltewah, TN, a growing suburb of Chattanooga. Smoky Mountain Meltdown, the third in the series is scheduled to be released in January. For more information on Sharleen or her books visit her at www.sharleenjohnson.com or sharleenjohnson.blogspot.com.