The Untimely Death of Brody Walsh (#2, The Possess Saga)

By J.A. Howell

*Book Two of The Possess Saga*
**This is a novella that takes place before the events in Possess. You can read this book first, but for optimal reading experience it is best to read the series in order**

Brody Walsh’s life is left in disarray when his girlfriend is found brutally raped and murdered. But it completely shatters when his best friend, Nolan is arrested for the crime.

Even as the media is portraying him as a monster, Brody knows Nolan isn’t capable of murder.

That leaves the question: Who is?

Once the trial begins, Brody discovers just how little he knew about his girlfriend, spurring him to dig into her past for possible answers. And as Aggie, his long time confidant and childhood crush, stands by his side through all of this, he finds his own past resurfacing when his feelings for her reignite. But as the media and the prosecutors close in on Nolan, ready to convict him for a crime he didn’t commit, Brody will be forced to make a choice.

A choice that will lead to his untimely death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.A. Howell
• Release date: May 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311755162

J.A. Howell

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

Book preview

The Untimely Death of Brody Walsh

The Possess Saga

Book Two

By

J.A. Howell

~~~

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Published by

J.A. Howell

Copyright 2013 by J.A. Howell

SideStreet Cookie Publishing, LLC

www.sidestreetcookiepublishing.com

All rights reserved.

Cover design by J.A. Howell

Edited by Bridgette O’Hare

DEDICATION

For Andrea.

Friends through thick and thin.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to all my family and friends that have been so supportive and encouraging with my writing, I couldn’t have done it without any of you. To my friends Madi, Andrea, Michele, and Tyffani, thanks for your feedback and letting me bounce my ideas off you as I created these characters.

To my online and offline writer buddies, thank you all so much for your words of wisdom, encouragement, and taking the time to share your knowledge with me. Last but not least, thank you to my awesome editor Bridgette O’Hare for working with me on The Possess Saga

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

About The Author

CHAPTER ONE

Confessional

Ya always wonder what it will be like when ya die. Will there be bright flashes of light? Will ya be whisked away, far up inta the heavens? If you’ve led a treacherous life, will the earth give way beneath ya and ya be cast down into the fiery pits of hell? And what about yer loved ones? Will ya get a glimpse of them as ya flee this earthly realm? Will yer life – all the good, the bad, and the things ya never got ta do – flash before yer eyes like a movie? Or does everything just fade ta black? The only thing I know about death is none of that happened ta me. For some reason, I’m still here.

Leaning against the windowsill, I watched the small crowds move through the street, unaware of my watchful eye. I watched them every day, unable to do anything more. With a sigh of resignation, I pressed my forehead against the cool glass and closed my eyes.

I suppose ya’d like to know what happened.

*****

I don’t know why I let Aggie drag me out that night. It was just a few days after we found Claire’s body. My world felt like it had collapsed in on itself and I wanted nothing more than to lock myself in my apartment. I wanted to breathe in Claire’s scent while it still lingered in the sheets and her clothes. I wanted to stare at her pictures. I wanted to stare at the face I’d known so I could stop myself from seeing the ravaged features we had found buried beneath a week’s worth of snow.

Brody, it’s not healthy to hole yourself up like this. At least come out and get a bite to eat. Please? Aggie pled in a coaxing voice. Nolan and I have been worried sick about you. You look terrible. Her hand rested gently on my shoulder as I sat on the couch and stared down at the various pictures of Claire I had spread in a messy pile across the coffee table. Aggie looked over the pictures as her lips pulled into a tight frown. "And this, this is not healthy. You need a break from it."

I can’t take a break from it. Someone killed the woman I love. Ya can’t begin to imagine how that feels, Aggie. Her hand immediately slipped off my shoulder as she turned away, her shoulders stiff.

"Right, I can’t comprehend something I’ve never had. I don’t know how it feels to lose someone. Is that it, Brody?" Her voice was sharp, but I heard the pain behind it.

Aggie, I didn’t mean it like –

No, it’s fine. I’ll leave you be, in this tomb of your beloved. She motioned to the pictures, then went for the door. Of all the stupid things I could have said to someone who had already been through so much in her young life – that had been the worst.

Aggie, no. Just give me a second ta get my coat and boots. I forced myself off the couch, guilt winning over. Her feet stopped just short of the door and she waited for me with her back still turned.

Fifteen minutes later, we walked into Finley’s Pub as we shook the snowflakes from our hair. Tiny little reminders of the other day, I shuddered. It was a dense, rowdy crowd, but as eyes turned to us, the chatter quieted slightly.

I felt the stares as we pushed our way through the crowd. Whether from sympathy or suspicion, I wanted none of it. I just wanted to be invisible.

I really don’t want ta be here right now, I muttered behind Aggie as she led me to the back. Claire’s disappearance had been all over the local news, and with the discovery of her body, it was bound to become a media wildfire. The last thing I needed to be doing was hanging out at the pub.

Just ignore them, Brody. We can grab something to eat in the kitchen. No need to sit out here. She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the kitchen door. One of the cooks looked up, gave a solemn nod, then returned to his task. They’d all known Claire here, too. Nolan was a brother to me, so naturally we had been here quite often.

Where the hell is Nolan? I noted, with some delay, he hadn’t been at his usual spot behind the bar. He generally kept himself in the hustle and bustle of the pub, just like his father had when he ran the place. Aggie shrugged as her eyes searched the kitchen for him and stopped at the door of his office. It was cracked a couple of inches but I could see Nolan as he paced feverishly back and forth. Aggie frowned and gripped my wrist.

Hold on a second. Before I could object, she went into the office and closed the door behind her. I stood there, feeling oddly out of place as I waited for them. A moment later I heard shouts coming from the office and the door suddenly swung open as Nolan’s haggard form stood in the doorway. Even from several feet away, the reek of whiskey wafted out from his office as he hesitantly moved toward me, regarding me with glassy, red-rimmed eyes.

Christ Nolan, what the fuck happened ta ya, man? I took a step back, looking him over with deep concern. Aggie appeared behind him and tugged at his arm.

Now’s not the time, Nolan! He yanked his arm from her grasp and shook his head at her before he returned his attention to me. I looked between the two of them with a questioning look but Aggie avoided my gaze.

What the hell is going on?

Dammit, Brody, I’m sorry. I never meant ta hurt ya,

What?!

Nolan’s jaw clenched tight, his stare unwavering, but he said nothing.

Just spit it out, will ya?

The night Claire disappeared, something happened. I – A sudden uproar from the front of the pub forced our attention toward the kitchen door. For fuck’s sake. What now? Angered by the interruption, Nolan pushed past me, reaching the kitchen door just as three policemen shoved it open.

Nolan Finley? A tall officer with dark eyes stepped toward Nolan as he lurched backwards just dodging the swinging door.

What the feck do ya want? He snarled at the officer in his drunken state. The cop laughed then roughly shoved him against the counter as Aggie let out a startled shriek.

Nolan Finley, yer under arrest fer the rape and murder of Claire Stevens.

Dammit, Brody that’s not what happened! Nolan’s eyes were wide with panic as he shoved the officer off of him and sent him stumbling back into his partner. The officer cursed under his breath, regained his footing, and yanked Nolan’s arms behind his back. Nolan bucked against his grasp as the officer slapped handcuffs on his wrists.

Well then, surely ya can explain why the lab found yer semen inside her, Mr. Finley. Nolan’s movements stilled and his face went stark white at the officer’s words. Before I realized what I was doing,