Hello Citizens of Collier,

Sheriff Bet Rivers here. Alma tells me I don’t use social media as much as I should. She believes it’s a good way to introduce myself to more of you in the community and I’ve learned that I should always trust Alma’s advice. After all, she’s been running the sheriff’s station even longer than I’ve been alive. She worked for my dad and my granddad when they were the Sheriff of Collier, so she knows a thing or two about how the station runs. She wants me to provide insight into what a day in the life of your sheriff is like, so here goes.

My morning usually starts off with a run in good weather or weights and the treadmill in bad. My deputies and I have a very large area to patrol and protect, which takes strength and stamina. Many of you know my dog, Schweitzer. That big Anatolian shepherd of mine loves to hit the trails with me, so you may see us both out at first light, navigating some of the rougher terrain around our valley to keep both of us in tiptop shape.

I usually arrive at the station by eight and work until six, five days a week. Then I’m also on call, making me available 24/7. Depending on the time of year, the deputies may overlap my hours or work throughout the night. On busy weekends in the summer, for example, we keep the station open with at least one person available at all times. On quiet nights and weekends, 911 routes calls to one of our cell phones, guaranteeing that anyone with an emergency can reach law enforcement.

During the day, I patrol the area, including local campgrounds and parks where I coordinate with the rangers, and respond to non-urgent calls. Urgent calls always take precedence and can range from injuries sustained in an accident to violent crimes. While we are a safe community, we still have burglaries, auto thefts, domestic violence, and the occasional bar fight.

If we have an active criminal investigation, everyone comes in to work. Our hours for that depend on the type of crime, and the potential for additional risk to other people. We’re lucky not to have a lot of violence here in Collier, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t prepared to investigate if it happens. My time in the Los Angeles Police Department, along with the years I spent working alongside my father Sheriff Earle Rivers, has prepared me for every aspect of criminal investigation.

At the end of the day, I like to take one last drive through town, just to make sure everything is peaceful before I turn in for the night. That’s my favorite time—the town is quiet, the sun is setting or the stars are already out, and we’ve all gotten through another day safe and sound.

But there are always dangers for us to be aware of. For instance, just this morning I got a report about a particularly large storm out of the Gulf of Alaska on its way here. That means I need to make sure all our emergency systems are in place, and we’re ready to meet a storm that may leave us isolated from the outside world.

But I’m not worried. We’re Lakers. We know how to take care of our own.

Until next time, Sheriff Bet Rivers signing off.

A Cold, Cold World, A Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery Book 2
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: August 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

A female sheriff tries to fill her late father’s boots and be the sheriff her small Washington State mountain town needs as a deadly snow storm engulfs the town, in this dark, twisty mystery.

The world felt pure. Nature made the location pristine again, hiding the scene from prying eyes. As if no one had died there at all.

In the months since Bet Rivers solved her first murder investigation and secured the sheriff’s seat in Collier, she’s remained determined to keep her town safe. With a massive snowstorm looming, it’s more important than ever that she stays vigilant.

When Bet gets a call that a family of tourists has stumbled across a teen injured in a snowmobile accident on a mountain ridge, she braves the storm to investigate. However, once she arrives at the scene of the accident it’s clear to Bet that the teen is not injured; he’s dead. And has been for some time . . .

Investigating a possible homicide is hard enough, but with the worst snowstorm the valley has seen in years threatening the safety of her town, not to mention the integrity of her crime scenes – as they seem to be mounting up as well – Bet has to move fast to uncover the complicated truth and prove that she’s worthy of keeping her father’s badge.

About the author
Elena Taylor is the author of the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries. She also writes the Eddie Shoes Mysteries under the name Elena Hartwell. In addition to writing, she’s a developmental editor with Allegory Editing. When she’s not knee-deep in writing and editing, she can be found hanging out with her horses, dogs, cats, and hubby at Paradise, their property south of Spokane, Washington. For more information, please visit elenataylorauthor.com.