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    Silent Voices
    Silent Voices
    Silent Voices
    Ebook94 pages1 hour

    Silent Voices

    By Thom Collins

    ()

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    About this ebook

    A desire for justice as strong as their passion for each other.

    Concerned about the welfare of his young cousin, Josh Jackson, a restaurant owner, traces the boy to Winterstone Grange, a gated manor deep in the country. Miles from anywhere, the protected walls of this stately house conceal dark secrets. Josh's search brings him into contact with Ed Brolin, a handsome journalist who has spent weeks investigating the secrets of the Grange and its owner. Ray Armstrong is a wealthy businessman with influential connections in parliament and the police. Ed knows exactly what goes on at the Grange but, without evidence, he hasn't got a story.

    Drawn together by instant attraction and a powerful hunger for justice, Josh and Ed are determined to expose the sordid secrets of the Grange despite the risks. Josh has never met a man like Ed before—so strong, determined and masculine. Falling in love is easy. But they'll have to put their emotions aside if they're going to give a voice to all the silent victims of Winterstone Grange.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPride Publishing
    Release dateMay 9, 2017
    ISBN9781786515605
    Silent Voices
    Author

    Thom Collins

    Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, with Pride Publishing. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and promptly confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels. Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonkbusters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but since taking his first cruise in 2013 he realized that sailing is the way to go.

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      Book preview

      Silent Voices - Thom Collins

      Author

      Silent Voices

      ISBN # 978-1-78651-560-5

      ©Copyright Thom Collins 2017

      Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright April 2017

      Edited by Shannon Combs

      Pride Publishing

      This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Pride Publishing.

      Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Pride Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

      The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

      Published in 2017 by Pride Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, UK

      Pride Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

      SILENT VOICES

      Thom Collins

      A desire for justice as strong as their passion for each other.

      Concerned about the welfare of his young cousin, Josh Jackson, a restaurant owner, traces the boy to Winterstone Grange, a gated manor deep in the country. Miles from anywhere, the protected walls of this stately house conceal dark secrets. Josh’s search brings him into contact with Ed Brolin, a handsome journalist who has spent weeks investigating the secrets of the Grange and its owner. Ray Armstrong is a wealthy businessman with influential connections in parliament and the police. Ed knows exactly what goes on at the Grange but, without evidence, he hasn’t got a story.

      Drawn together by instant attraction and a powerful hunger for justice, Josh and Ed are determined to expose the sordid secrets of the Grange despite the risks. Josh has never met a man like Ed before—so strong, determined and masculine. Falling in love is easy. But they’ll have to put their emotions aside if they’re going to give a voice to all the silent victims of Winterstone Grange.

      Dedication

      To anyone struggling to find their voice. Don’t suffer in silence.

      Trademarks Acknowledgement

      The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

      Grindr: Nearby Buddy Finder, LLC

      Four in a Bed: Studio Lambert

      iPhone: Apple Inc.

      Teflon: E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company

      Love Actually: Richard Curtis

      My Best Friend’s Wedding: Ronald Bass

      When Harry Met Sally: Nora Ephron

      ITV: ITV plc

      Sky News: Sky plc

      News 24: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

      Mommie Dearest: Christina Crawford

      Botox: Allergan, Inc.

      Google: Google Inc.

      Captain America: Marvel Characters, Inc.

      BMW: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Corporation

      James Bond: Ian Flemming

      BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation

      Breakfast: BBC (The British Broadcasting Corporation)

      Chapter One

      Josh Jackson didn’t worry when his cousin failed to come home. It was Saturday night and Kevin was eighteen. Josh wasn’t about to impose a curfew on the kid. Neither was he going to babysit. Kevin was old enough to take care of himself.

      Josh checked Kevin’s room when he came home from work at one o’clock. The spare bed hadn’t been made since Kevin had gotten out of it that morning and yesterday’s clothes were all over the floor—discarded jeans with his boxers still inside them, a scruffy T-shirt and a pair of dirty socks. The smell of the socks hit him from the doorway. Despite the reek of cheap deodorant and aftershave filling the room, the socks were pungent. Teenagers. Josh wasn’t about to tidy up after him so he left things as they were, including the damp towel draped over the foot of the bed. The kid was only staying a few nights. If he wanted to live in a mess like that, so be it, so long as he left the place as he’d found it when he moved on.

      Josh shut the door and went to bed. He wished his cousin luck. If the boy wanted to get laid, he’d rather he did it somewhere else. It was bad enough that Josh’s lodger, Bobby, regarded the place as a Grindr pit stop, without his cousin treating it like a knocking shop, too.

      Josh read for a while and half-listened for the sound of Kevin coming home, but eventually fell asleep.

      He wasn’t overly concerned in the morning to find Kevin’s room just as he’d left it, though by now it smelled considerably worse. The fancy fragrances had worn off and all that remained was the fetid odor of teenage sweat and damp towel. So, he stayed out all night. Good on him. Josh had been a teenager once, a horny one at that, so he could totally relate. Kevin wouldn’t get the chance to fuck around much when he was at home. His mother had very rigid views on that. It wouldn’t have mattered whether Kevin had turned out straight or gay. His mother had raised a good boy and intended to keep him that way.

      Kevin will be going back to her in a couple of days. He might as well have fun while the leash is off.

      He was a good-looking lad. Josh knew he’d be popular in town. A little baby-faced for his age, but with the family features of blue eyes and blond hair, his fresh twinkie image would attract plenty of attention. He looked a lot like Josh had at that age. Josh had been a slim-looking twink until well into his twenties. It was only in the last few years he’d filled out with muscle and looked more like a man. The beard helped. How grateful he’d been when the ability to grow more than a few wisps of pale chin-fluff finally occurred. He kept it neat with a regular trim, but now that he had grown a beard, he couldn’t ever see himself being without one.

      Josh called Kevin’s mobile while waiting for his morning coffee to brew. It rang a few times before going to voicemail. Hi, it’s me, he said. Not checking up on you, I just want to know you’re okay. Give me a ring back, or a text when you get this message. Just to say you’re alive… Otherwise I’ll have to call your mother, he added jokingly and hung up.

      He had bigger concerns than a randy teenager. His restaurant, The Cellar Steps, was short on staff today and fully booked for both lunch and dinner. He’d asked all his remaining staff to come in early to help with the prep and service, which

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