Introducing our protagonist: Rafael Jones thought he was going to be a musician growing up, but his first year of college was the same year the stock market crashed and the Great Depression begun. His father had some hardware and dry goods stores, and the business was in danger. Rafael knew he needed to support himself so that his parents had one less thing to worry about. Police work looked like a steady job and would be more exciting for him than helping out in the stores.
After a few years, he moved from Buffalo, N.Y. to New York City itself. The more diverse environment allowed him to fit in better. Nevertheless, when the war started, he wanted to do his part and quit his job in order to enlist.
In the military, he found himself doing police work again: rounding up AWOL soldiers, escorting VIPs, and other such routine MP duties. When a shipment of tanks and artillery went astray, Rafael cracked the case and got them back. That earned him respect, a promotion and a spot in CID.
While his service in the war was different than he’d expected, his most important contribution came after the war. Every trial needs an investigation to bring forth the most compelling evidence, and Rafael had the experience and people skills to train, organize, and handle the investigation team for the war crimes trials.

Our story take up after his discharge. He’s decided not to ask for his old job back, but to go into business for himself as a private detective.