Lou Ford

Lou is a deputy sheriff in Texas just after the oil boom. He is the son of a doctor who has pathological tendencies, recognized by his father so that Lou is carefully watched during his father's lifetime. Lou himself recognizes the "sickness" he deals with though his life and thoughts remain confused much of the time. Lou has a serious persecution complex and believes the women in his life—Amy Stanton and Joyce Lakeland—would each turn him in for beating them. He uses this as a reason to kill them both though he sometimes has to remind himself of the reason he must follow through with the murders. To those who know him, Lou is a kindly person who seems genuinely concerned about others. In fact, he is able to take control of situations in which other law enforcement officials flounder. One of those...