Sergeant Bob Fowler, a sixteen-year veteran of the Houston Police Department, is currently assigned to the missing persons bureau. This is a punishment assignment. He used to be a Homicide Detective, but he annoyed a superior because he refused to overlook evidence that a local politician might be involved in a murder Fowler was investigating. His refusal got him immediately reassigned to the Missing Persons Bureau, anything but a plumb assignment. Even so, he is a diligent and effective policeman who takes any assignment seriously.
He was the detective assigned to investigate the disappearance of Dr. Amy Gilchrest, which ultimately leads him to Utopia’s Ark. Sometimes Fowler seems to annoy people, partly because he has a very low tolerance for BS and is dedicated to his job. At his core, Bob Fowler believes in the Law and takes his oath to uphold the Law very seriously. Fowler lives by himself. He has been married three times but finally concluded his work at the police department makes marriage a difficult, if not impossible, proposition for him.
His favorite restaurant is the famous House of Pies in the Montrose section of Houston. Where he is a regular customer. He is focused on his work but occasionally rides an Indian motorcycle for fun and relaxation. His dogged determination and laser focus on his cases quickly earned some Federal Agents’ ire and ultimately put him in danger. It seems life is never easy for Bob Fowler, yet giving up is not in his Lexicon. Fowler’s work is his life. He has few friends and socializes little. Yet once formed, he is extremely loyal to his friends. In fact, he still maintains contact with a man whom he met in the fourth grade. Their friendship is so strong Fowler was the best man at his friend’s wedding. Fowler takes his job seriously and takes his friendships seriously as well.