Detective Oto Gage is a seasoned, no-nonsense lawman with a sharp instinct for trouble and little patience for excuses. Slightly heavyset and somewhat pug-faced, he has graying hair, piercing steel-gray eyes, and the tired expression of a man who has seen too much dishonesty.

Gage usually works in plain clothes, wearing a rumpled shirt with no tie and occasionally suspenders. He is not polished or fashionable, but beneath his untidy appearance is a determined investigator who notices what others overlook.

Widowed and hardened by years on the job, Gage can be blunt, stubborn, and difficult to work with. Still, he possesses a strong sense of justice and refuses to abandon a case until the truth is uncovered.