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

The daily bombings had somewhat abated, due in large part to the anti-aircraft artillery that exploded the V-1s before they could reach Britain’s shores. For most Londoners, though, this respite felt temporary at best, as news spread of even more sophisticated weaponry waiting in the wings, ready to be unleashed on their city and countryside.


One morning, Leslie and Edward lay in bed in the half-awake/half-asleep daze before one finally decided the right thing to do was get the hell up and face the day.


Without warning, their door cracked open and something heavy fell on the bed between them. Caroline had come home.


“Darlings. I couldn’t wait to see you. So here I am.” She kissed them both on their cheeks, ruffled Leslie’s thinning hair, and took a pull on Edward’s recently acquired but very faint mustache. “I’ve missed you so much. We all did. Cyril, even Baby Graham.”


“So this wasn’t your first stop on your return,” Leslie said petulantly.


Chapter 33