Samuel E. Stone – författare

Shades, is an inside look at the world through the eyes of an undercover police officer working deep cover. He soon learns things are more complicated than he realized as a uniform cop or detective. There are no defined lines of right and wrong. The rules as he knew them, no longer apply. He must now rely on his instincts to survive. The story focuses on the relationships and bonding process which develops during his interaction with those he encounters, as he infiltrates an organized crime family. Emotions and loyalties become intertwined in a life and death struggle for power and money. Adventure and suspense mount as he learns of corruption within his own police department which could jeopardize his life. The temptations of self-indulgence become sometimes overwhelming, questioning whether he has gone beyond the point of no return. Caught up in turf wars, murder, and betrayal, he struggles for his identity and purpose. This story is an action packed suspense novel. It follows the trials and tribulations of a police sergeant, who goes into deep undercover infiltrating an organized crime family involved in drugs and prostitution. The officers experience dwells on the psychological impact of undercover work, as well as the excitement and temptations which taunt him. The action is nonstop, with the sergeant gradually coming to terms with himself. He finds it necessary to kill in his conflict for survival. The story is one in which an uncertainty prevails, as to whether or not the sergeant will be able to come back from the dark side he willingly crossed over to. The story enlightens the reader to another world within our own community, one which, many of us have no realization exist. It gives the reader an inside look at drugs and prostitution. However, it is even more profound. It gives the reader an understanding of deep undercover cops and why some never return after crossing the line.

The author is a retired police sergeant with twenty five-years experience in all aspects of law enforcement. He has a story to tell which he believes the public will not only find interesting and entertaining, but equally educational, concerning the communities in which they live. His message is contained within the fictitious novels he writes. This is one such story.

The story line of Crush centers around the Sarge, who in late 1988, was a sergeant with the local Sheriffs Office in the rural county of Kingston. He was assigned the task of setting up and overseeing an undercover sting operation. The Sarges supervisor directed him to locate a store front in the business community, where the officers assigned to work undercover could conceal their false identities under the premise of a legitimate business.

The Sarge was allowed free reins to implement the undercover operation. He summoned the aid of his long time friend and Vietnam war buddy, Zeke. Zeke was an ex-cop, who was currently the aid to the local Congressman. The Sarge and Zeke decided to open a military surplus store as the undercover store front. Together with the assistance of the Congressman, they obtained an unlimited supply of military surplus and opened Wild Willies surplus store.

The Sarge was assigned two police officers from his own department to work the operation and personally recruited four other officers, from different departments. All of the officers involved in the undercover endeavor were independent thinkers and veteran police officers. They each believed that they could make a difference in the war against drugs and were dedicated to that very cause. The irony of the situation was the actual fact that each one of them was addicted to a drug. They were all adrenalin junkies. They got off on a natural high of facing life and death situations. These people made the best undercover operatives, but also created a supervising nightmare for the Sarge.

The squads mission was to infiltrate the drug community and purchase illegal drugs. Their goal was to develop criminal cases against the drug dealers from the street peddlers through the network up to the major suppliers. The plot thickened as the squad became accepted into the drug community. Personal relationships developed between the members of the squad and the drug dealers which provided complications to the operation. There is a weaving of interpersonal subplots which give the reader a better understanding of the human qualities and feelings of the characters. Action and conflict lurked in the shadows of each drug deal, as the realities of the drug world unfolded before the squads eyes.

In the midst of their life and death struggles, the Sarge questioned his own superiors motives. He started to wonder if the Sheriff, himself, had his own hidden agenda, as he found himself at odds with his own boss. The Sheriff claimed the operation was too successful. The number of cases made against the drug dealers was such that it would significantly impact the courts. The Sheriff decided after only six months, the undercover operation which originally was scheduled to run for a years time, had to be closed down immediately. The Sarge argued unsuccessfully his reasons why the operation should have been allowed to continue.

After realizing that they had no choice in the matter of closing down Wild Willies surplus store and ending the operation, the squad set up the final drug deals with the major players. The emphasis was on severely impacting the drug trade within the community. The squad was successful in their endeavors, but it was not without paying a costly price.

The underlying theme of this story is the real life tribulation and trauma endured by police off