Well, looks like I'll get a chance to research the inner workings of the Florida police while I'm down in the Sunshine State for my book-signing and Sleuthfest. On Dec. 29, my mom was mugged in her local Publix parking lot. She-devil that she is, Jaye hung on to her purse--which did not foil the theft but did fracture one of her fingers. On Jan. 19, I found a message on my cellphone from "Latif," who somehow had possession of the purse contents (including my phone number, but also ID and credit cards, keys, irreplaceable family photos, and rosary beads blessed by Pope John Paul George Ringo), claimed that he knew who the thief was and wanted to contact my mother. I urged him instead to bring the items to the police, then hung up and immediately called the Palm Beach County sheriff's department. They put a detective on the case. But yesterday Latif turned in the goods on his own, and the DelRay PD wants Mom to come down to identify her belongings. So that's on our agenda for my week under the palms. FYI: The alleged mugger is Latif's son-in-law. "He's got a rap sheet," said my mom, an avid crime-fiction fan. As traumatic as this was for her, I loved hearing my 5'2" 77-year-old mom talk like Lennie Briscoe from Law & Order. Then my mother says she’s doesn’t know if she can ID the guy if they show her mugshots, but she’ll pray for him. To which I say, "Yeah, and in the meantime, he’ll be preying on other little old ladies. Take him down, Mom."
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