The other day, an email popped up on my screen as I was writing a bit for the fourth book in the  Mike O’Shea Crime Fiction series. It was a request through the Toronto Police Retirees Association from a member asking if anyone knew of a good biohazard waste removal company. Apparently, a family member had died while on vacation in their trailer. Alone.

I stopped what I was doing and, without giving it much thought, forwarded the contact information of a company that I was familiar with and carried on with my writing.

At dinner that evening, I happened to mention to my wife (a non-cop) that I had read and responded to this request for assistance. She gently set her fork down and, over the constant babbling of our little one, asked me if I was kidding.

Apparently, this is both an unusual request through a retirees email group and an unusual piece of knowledge to have at one’s fingertips.

Unless you’re a cop.

According to my wife–and feel free to offer your comments on this one–not many email groups would be open to talking about where to find a clean up crew for unnoticed human remains. And even fewer people would have any idea who to recommend.

Who knew?

Both death and dealing with human remains are a common occurrence in policing. Apparently, the life of a cop is a lot different from the life of a civilian. Perhaps that’s what makes reading crime fiction so interesting to so many people.

Especially Real Crime. Fiction.

Until next week, I’m 10-7 for shift.

Desmond Ryan – Real Detective. Real Crime. Fiction