Keith Latch - Blood Brothers

BLOOD BROTHERS is a full-length thriller of Michael Cole and the return of the man he once shared an almost unbreakable bond with, Jerry-short for Jerusalem--Garrett.Years ago, Mike Cole was an overweight kid that couldn't get through the day without being bullied and picked on. School was hell for him and home was worse. Just when young Mike believes he can't take any more of the abuse, he meets young Jerry. Jerry Garrett is new in town and presents himself at a moment when he is able to come to Mike's rescue, just in time. It seems that Jerry not only has a knack for standing up for Mike but showing him how to do it for himself as well. Mike and Jerry become fast friends and before long they are the "in-crowd" and Mike begins to enjoy the privileges of being one of the popular kids. All this ends when, during their senior year, the two are involved in a heinous crime that sends Jerry away to prison. Years later, Michael Cole is one of the most successful men in town and has money, a beautiful wife, and an adoring daughter. Everything is perfect...until Jerry Garrett returns wanting what he is rightfully his: Michael's success. If Michael isn't willing to hand it over, Jerry is prepared to stop at nothing, including taking his former friends life, to have it. This edition also includes a shirt excerpt of Cemetery Things Book 1 of the Ungodly Sage, the chilling tale of horror from Keith Latch:For one hundred years, The Devil's Graveyard has been a place of horror, gruesome murders, and terrible mutilations. For too long have the locals allowed this place to take their loved ones. But one murder too many causes action. The death of a teenager spurs his family and the local authorities into action. Armed with little more than myth and superstition, the time for a showdown is long overdue.

Blood Brothers

By

Keith Latch

www.keithlatch.com

http://keithlatch.wordpress.com

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Keith Latch

Smashwords Edition,

License Notes

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book containsmaterial protected under International and Federal Copyright Lawsand Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material isprohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includingphotocopying, recording, or by any information storage andretrieval system without express written permission from the author/ publisher.

Other Books

A Ghost Story

A Collection, Volume1: The Early Years

Bestseller

CemeteryThings

Sleepwalker

No Small Thing

Blood Brothers

Now

A ghost.

It had to be. It couldnt have been anythingelse. A specter, a mere phantom of a tired, overworked imagination.Yes, thats what it had to be. Didnt it?

Michael Cole swallowed hard and scanned theauditorium. People were seated, some still milling about. Many wereconversing with each other. Some were not. Michael and Stephaniehad been walking down the aisle on the left side, searching forseats, when hed been stopped cold. Whatever it was hed seen, orthought hed seen, was now gone. His mouth was dry and people werepushing past him. Stephanie gave a glance back, a puzzled lookacross her face, and he, now back to his senses, quickly joined herdown just a couple of rows.

Are you okay? Are you feeling allright?

Yes. Yes, Im fine. Lies came so easily toMichael Cole.

Stephanie said nothing else. Leading the way,she procured a couple of seats in the middle of the audience, abouthalfway between the stage and the rear of the building. Howsthis?

Fine. Lets just sit.

They did. Stephanie dug in her purse for amoment. She extracted a small, thin camera and handed it to herhusband. For herself, she fished out a camcorder not much larger.She flipped it open and tested the settings. Michael palmed thecamera and continued scanning the faces of those around him.Suddenly the warm air of the playhouse had turned a bitter cold.The change in temperature did little to keep sweat from beading onhis brow.

Mike, are you sure youre okay? Youlook

Please dont say I look like Ive just seen aghost, I just couldnt take it.

awfully pale. Do you feeldizzy, sick to your stomach?

I think I just might need some water. Beright back. Stephanie started to say something, but Michael wasntlistening. While the seats between them and the aisle had beenempty only moments ago, they were now filled and Michael stumbledacross feet, bumped into knees and uttered apologies as he made hisway to the open area. Several quick strides took him out of theauditorium and into the hallway.

The auditorium was part of Winchester CentralElementary School, a new addition. This was the inaugural play.Michael Cole had never before set foot inside the expansive room,despite the fact that he had donated every cent of the constructionand decorating costs. Everything about Winchester Central made himanxious and uneasy. How anxious and uneasy, hed forgotten.Forgotten until about five minutes ago, that is.

Memories flooded back as he made his way tothe restroom near the front entranceway. No, that wasnt exactlyright. Not complete, whole memories, more like jagged shards ofglass instead of an intact window. Just enough to know somethingwas supposed to be there, something else to fill in the hole.

He felt the pearls of sweat forming and thentrailing down his forehead, his cheeks, and the tip of his nose. Hewas dressed well, in a classic navy blue pinstripe suit, but theway he was dressed shouldnt be the cause of his being wringingwet. Still, October in Mississippi often remained if not warm, farfrom cold, so he wore no overcoat. He found himself slinging offhis jacket as he stepped into the boys room.

Thankfully, the brightly lit room was empty.Nothing but Michael and the lowered sinks, toilets, and urinals.Michael barely broke five foot eleven, but he felt like a giant inthis child-sized room. At the sink, he had to bend a bit lower torest his hands on either side of the cool porcelain basin. Hisreflection was ruffled, ragged. His usually impeccably-styled hairwas mussed, his bangs dripping sweat. His eyes, however, troubledhim the most. Within those orbs, Michael saw the emotion he feltbiting into his soul: fear.

Michael twisted the water on, cupped hishands beneath the flow and dashed not icy, but at least cool wateron his face. There was a fire in his skin and he aimed to put itout.

Another dash of water and he was starting tofeel almost human again.

As he turned the faucet off, killing the flowof water, the door swung open. Michael reached for a paper toweland pulled a few extra for good measure. He glanced in the mirroras he patted his face dry.

Wonderful.

Mike? Michael Cole? That you? The tall,wide, obscenely corpulent man sauntered over, his stomach and jowlsshaking like a bowl full of jelly. But this was no Santa Claus. Noteven close. The years had not been kind to the man, but Michaelrecognized him just the same. How could you ever forget a man who,as a child, had haunted your dreams socompletely?

Sam. Yeah, its me. Michael stood and wipedthe excess water from his hands with the damp towels. With one handhe pitched the wadded paper into waste bin. The other stayed at hisside, not meeting the newly arrived mans outstretched hand.