Reap the Whirlwind

Killian Kendall Series, Vol. 2

By Josh Aterovis

"…I might be gay. That, of course, was impossible. Right?" so asks Will Smith, a preacher's kid who still has a lot to learn about himself, about love, and about murder. Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery. Young, in love for the first time, finding a new career,new friends — Will's life is taking on a lot of new directions, until he turns the wrong corner and has to grow up all too fast. Adult Content

ISBN 1-59431-088-2 Mystery/ Gay/ Teen

Cover Art by Josh Aterovis

Also available in RTF or HTML formats.





"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."

Hosea 8:7

Prologue

I opened the door and stepped into the well-appointed office, closing the door behind me. The room was intimately lit by incandescent table lamps instead of institutional fluorescent overhead lighting. An oriental design rug covered the floor, and two upholstered armchairs sat facing a massive dark-colored wooden desk. Glass-fronted oak bookcases lined the walls. Behind the desk sat a small man, slightly balding, wearing a dark brown, high quality suit and glasses.

"Hello, Will," he said, "It's been a while."

"Yes," I said simply.

"Sit down, please," he motioned toward the chairs and smiled encouragingly. I sat down on the closest one. "What's on your mind?" he prompted.

"You said when I was ready to talk to call you."

"And you're ready to talk now?"

I nodded.

"Why now and not before?"

I shrugged.

"Just ready? Or did something happen that made you change your mind?"

"Something happened..."

He sat, waiting for me to elaborate.

"I don't even know where to begin," I said. "So much has happened since I saw you last. I need to talk to someone. I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Will," he said softly, "you are not going crazy. Instead of starting at the end and working back, why don't we start at the beginning? Pretend we've never talked before. Tell me everything."

The beginning. It seemed like so long ago now. Could it really have been only a few months? "That could take a while," I said.

He shrugged and pushed a button on his intercom.

"Yes?" the receptionist answered.

"Linda, cancel the rest of my afternoon appointments, please."

"Yes, sir," she answered.

He looked up and smiled, his kind eyes radiating understanding. "Now we've got plenty of time," he said to me.

I took a deep breath.

Chapter 1

Nothing can stay the same forever. We get in trouble in life when we think it can and will. Everything changes, or as King Solomon said in the Bible and The Byrds sang in the 60's, to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. It's not a particularly easy lesson to learn, or a fun one for that matter. I learned it the summer between high school and college, and my life would never be the same.