Six years ago, Jarrett Kessel helped his best friend’s little brother deal with his family’s rejection when he came out. He saw potential in the tempestuous teenager. Talent. Then, they both moved on with their lives.<br><br>Now, the FBI needs Jarrett’s help. Sketch artist Eli Locke is their only lead in finding a killer, but he’s nowhere to be found. Though the Feds are convinced Jarrett is the best way to lure him out, he’s not so sure. Until they show him the web comic Eli has created, with a superhero who bears a striking resemblance to Jarrett.<br><br>When Eli gets an email out of the blue from the man who changed his life, he doesn’t even consider saying no to a meeting. Jarrett is even more amazing than he remembers, and the fact that he’s all right being the role model for the one thing that means the most to Eli is just icing on the cake. But the truth about the murder comes out, and even though he had nothing to do with it, Eli wants to run. It’s up to Jarrett to keep him from ruining his life for good, before the killer finds them both and does it first ...

Outlined in Ink

“I’m not other people.” Smiling, Jarrett nudged his foot forward to push gently against Eli’s. “I thought we established that years ago.”


The reminder of that long ago conversation did exactly as he’d hoped. Eli’s eyes widened, then crinkled at the corners, his smile like the sun peeking over the horizon, brilliant and fresh and the Eli he’d once known. There was absolutely no way Eli could be involved in anything like Yager described. It all had to be a huge mistake. Or coincidence. Not the conspiracy the FBI wanted to believe.


“You changed my life,” Eli said. “In a lot of ways.”


Jarrett shook his head. “All I ever did was try and show you that you didn’t have to be alone.”


“You did a lot more than that. You’re the reason I even put the Lockeford Files online. You were the only one who ever thought I could do it.”


Chapter 10