Fireproof

spot—on what used to be a kitchencounter. He set down the torn piece of a map with a red circle in the middle. Then he anchored it with a rock from the stream back behind her house. The map would help her find the garbage bag he’d left there for her.
    And when she did find it, he knew he’d see her again.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

    Fireproof is my twelfth novel and the tenth in the Maggie O’Dell series. Quite a milestone considering I never intended to write a series. But sometimes being a writer is as much about listening as it is about writing. You might say Maggie prevailed because you readers demanded to see more and more of her. I must confess that I needed to be pushed and prodded in the beginning. I had never read a series and hadn’t a clue how to write one. I wasn’t thrilled about being saddled with a character I hardly knew. For those of you who have stuck with Maggie and me from the very start, I am forever grateful. You’ve made an incredible difference in my life. I hope Maggie and I can continue to repay the favor.
    Research is one of my favorite parts about writing novels, and although I take pride in combining facts with my fiction, I do allow for creative license. The District does, in fact, have an elaborate underground sewer and water system, though I’ve taken great liberty in giving my characters unprecedented access to these tunnels. However, much of the homeless situation depicted in the novel is drawn from factual accounts, including the District’s separate Metro bus system and the fact that many of the sleep shelters are located five-plus miles away from the city’s food kitchens.
    As with each of my novels, I have a bunch of people to thank. The experts continue to amaze and astonish me with their generosity in sharing their experiences. I want to emphasize, any mistakes are solely mine.
    First, a humble thank-you to the firefighters in my life: Lee Dixon (Pensacola Fire Chief, retired), Terry Hummel (District of Columbia Fire Department, retired), Carl Kava (Omaha Fire Department, RIP), David Kava (Omaha Fire Department, retired), Rich Kava (Omaha Fire Department, retired), and Larry Wilbanks (NAS Whiting Field, Milton, Florida).
    My publishing teams: Phyllis Grann, Alison Callahan, Stephanie Bowen, Judy Jacoby, and Kristen Gastler at Doubleday; Andrea Robinson at Anchor; David Shelley, Catherine Burke, and Jade Chandler at Little, Brown UK.
    The new guy on my team, Scott Miller at Trident Media Group, and his colleague, Claire Roberts.
    Dr. Liz Szeliga for answering all my questions about teeth and fire.
    Annie Belatti and Sandy Powers for sharing their experiences with burn victims and all the gut-wrenching details of what fire does to a body.
    Cornell Stamoran for his generous donation to Save the Libraries.
    Partners in crime and fellow authors Patricia Bremmer, Erica Spindler, and J. T. Ellison.
    Ray Kunze, once again, for lending his name to Maggie’s boss.
    My friends and family put up with my long absences and my inappropriate trivia. They keep me sane and grounded. Special thanks to Marlene Haney and Sandy Rockwood, Patricia Kava, Sharon Car, Patricia Sierra, Leigh Ann Retelsdorf, Maricela Barajas,Martin Bremmer, Cari Conine, Lisa Munk, Sharon Kator, Luann Causey, and Andrea McDaniel.
    A personal thank-you to Dr. Nicole Smee and the amazing crew at Kansas State University Veterinary Hospital for taking such good care of my Miss Molly and giving me five extra and priceless months with her.
    Last, but never least, to Deb Carlin. I could never do any of this without you.

ALSO BY ALEX KAVA
Hotwire
Damaged
Black Friday
Exposed
Whitewash
A Necessary Evil
One False Move
At the Stroke of Madness
The Soul Catcher
Split Second
A Perfect Evil