Born into near abject poverty in Jersey City young Sterling Steel, out of necessity, grew up quickly, and after a debilitating lingering illness made the decision as a teen, to flee to a relatively secure and safe country life in Virginia. After a disappointing tempestuous marriage, he took his two young children to far aff Texas where he eventually married again and raised five children.

Sterling, known by then as "Scott," entered law enforcement and rose from relative obscurity as a deputy on the Gulf Coast to the position of small town Chief of Police. He was admonished early on as a cop to "Do right" but had problems trying to distinguish what was "right" in the very real world of vindictive behavior and corruption in Texas law enforcement and small town politics. Scott suffered a devestating acid burn injury to his vocal chords in a chemical plant mishap. He fought to overcome speech problems and in time was able to speak almost normally again.

All children grown and gone provided the "green light" for Scott and Miss Ellie to realize a desire to re-locate to Virginia. Hardships ensued, car wreck, stroke, death in the family and other complications had to be overcome, and they were. Scott finished his career in law enforcement as an administrator in a rural Sheriff's Office still at war with corruption but wise enough to fight from the "shadows."