Lyle Atwood's company is hired to costume a party given by multi-millionaire Warner Radclyffe. As he and his employees begin preparations for the job, Lyle begins to feel as if someone is watching him. Then he meets Damien Sauvage, the newest tenant in the apartment building where he lives. Damien tells Lyle that he's a waiter, and when Lyle confides in him that he thinks he's being stalked, Damien offers to help find out who it is. What he neglects to tell Lyle is he actually works for Radclyffe, who wants him to protect Lyle from a very powerful enemy. As Damien gains Lyle's confidence, he becomes attracted to the younger man -- an attraction that Lyle reciprocates. He fights his feelings, knowing Lyle will hate him when he finds out his secret -- and even more so when he learns what Damien really is. Radclyffe orders Damien to continue the job, as he has a secret of his own involving Lyle. A secret that cannot be revealed until the night of the party. Can Lyle survive what is to come, or will the lies of omission be the death of him -- or worse?

Lies of Omission

Working with the actors playing the insane clowns and werewolves turned out to be easier and more fun that he had expected. The men playing the clowns were obviously already into it and did their level best to scare the hell out of Elaine, the only female there. She went along with it, shrieking and playing hide-and-seek with them through the racks of costumes, much to the amusement of the two werewolves. It was controlled pandemonium, with Joseph corralling one clown at a time to help him choose a costume while Lyle worked with the werewolves.


Friday evening was set aside for the zombies. Like the clowns, the men and women playing them were into it, although less rambunctiously. Two of the men had been extras in a locally produced zombie movie. As this was the first time all of them had been together, between fittings they showed the others how to walk and move to pull off their characters.


Chapter 31