George Martin and his partner Mike live a comfortable life in Jacksonville with their Irish setter, but something's missing. Maybe George, a captain in the sheriff's office, has just been working too hard again. There's been a rash of break-ins in the area, and the homes targeted all seem to belong to older gay men.<br><br>Then when the time finally comes for George and Mike to take their vacation, they pack up and head to their mountain cabin for two weeks-only to find a small boy living in their generator shed. Robbie, who bonds with George right away, has witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, but that is just the beginning of the trouble.<br><br>Alone in the world apart from a very ill maternal grandmother, Robbie stands the very real risk of becoming a ward of the state if George and Mike can't convince a bigoted judge to change his mind. Meanwhile, George still has a job to do: solve the break-ins-and a murder -- and track down who's responsible.

Break and Enter

“It won’t be just for the summer—the twins and their new friends have made a commitment to live together for a year.”


“They mentioned transferring to Florida State College at Jacksonville next term.”


“It’s just a random thought,” I said, “but it wouldn’t surprise me. I met Josh one day at The Loop when he and Zeke were there having lunch with Tom Foster, the organist at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Josh had just tuned his piano and had auditioned for the choir. I remarked at the time that in all the years we’ve known the twins, it was the first time I had ever seen one of them out and about without the other one. I suspect they’re maturing and getting ready to settle down.”


“Oh, George. I hadn’t expected to lose them this soon. A year from now when they move to Florida permanently will be hard enough.”


Chapter 28