Otho Linker is a gay man living in a small Southern town. Long abandoned by his family, he refused to leave the area and subsequently became a police officer. His neighbor, Wheeler Yost, is an older gay man who has watched over Otho for years, serving as a father figure and mentor. To Otho, Wheeler is the family he always needed, and he loves him unconditionally.

When an abandoned house in the woods suddenly explodes, Otho is called in to assist the two detectives on the force. This appears to be just another meth-head disaster until a body is found incinerated inside. As Otho investigates the case, he quickly identifies at least one suspect who could have been involved.

As he learns more about the suspect, Russell Snell, he also realizes he has feelings for the man. Then, in the midst of the ongoing chaos of the investigation, Wheeler passes away, leaving Otho totally alone. With nothing to lose, he decides to go on the lam with Russell, despite the doubts he still harbors about Russell’s involvement in the child’s death. Will he find love, or will he find heartache? Only time will tell

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Meet the Author

Jack Bumgardner is a Southerner by birth and a Westerner by choice. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, he graduated from Stetson University in Florida.

He is the author of the novella Underneath It All and has had several short stories published in literary magazines. He also co-scripted a radio drama, “The Fire Talker.”

He now calls Denver, Colorado his home.