Paul Alan Fahey

In the summer of 1944, Leslie Atwater -- feeling abandoned by his lover Edward -- rushes to London to enlist in the armed services. After failing the physical, he retreats to the sanctuary of St. Michael’s rectory and to the love and support of his brother Robert.<br><br>When a bomb explodes near St. Andrew’s Home for Boys, it unearths a skeleton of an adolescent. As Leslie, Edward, and Robert set about identifying the remains, the shocking discovery stirs up an old antagonism between the two brothers and brings to light a string of repressed memories for Leslie.<br><br>With the truth obscured by the passage of years, can Leslie and Edward sift through the lies and subterfuge to track down the coldhearted killer of a kindred spirit?

Kindred Spirit

He then sat and waited for the other inhabitants of St. Michael’s to join him. Silently, he wished for Mrs. Crowe’s return. She’d put everything to right. But of course, that wasn’t possible. The thought of their sudden and terrible loss overwhelmed him and he fell into a melancholy state. He patted his thinning hair this way then that, and finally gave up. He’d be bald as a billiard in no time.


“It won’t grow any faster or thicker by what you’re doing,” Robert said, pulling out a chair and sitting opposite him.


“Nothing.” Robert looked down on the sliced toast and pot of jam. “Obviously we’ve got to get someone in to cook for us. Don’t think I can stand one more morning of eating a beggar’s breakfast.” He reached for a piece of toast. “It’s cold already.” Then he broke it up into bite sized bits and shared it with Samson and Delilah, who quickly made a meal of it.


“Well, I can’t help it if you’re late to table,” Leslie said.


Chapter 12