The Hard Way
Duncan Brockwell
Copyright © 2021 Duncan Brockwell
The right of Duncan Brockwell to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published in 2021 by Bloodhound Books.
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publisher or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
www.bloodhoundbooks.com
Print ISBN 978-1-913942-44-1
Contents
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Also by Duncan Brockwell
Monday, June 11th
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Day 1
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Day 2
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Day 3
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Day 4
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Day 6
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Day 7
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Day 8
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Day 9
Chapter 76
A note from the publisher
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Monday, June 11th
1
Colin Fisher rose from his seat. “Great show, everyone, as always.” His co-star, the delightful Brandy Reid rose from her chair opposite him. It was midnight, and the Fright Night show was being broadcast at their sister building in Croydon. “I don’t know about you, Bran, but I need a shower. Kurt, I’m going to my dressing room, okay? You’ll be here for a while, right?”
Kurt Austin, the producer, used his microphone to confirm he was staying for a while. “Absolutely! Editing doesn’t happen by itself.”
Meeting the blonde bombshell he’d chosen as a co-star at the door, Colin opened it for her. She was delightful, a real charmer with a great personality, great sense of humour. If he weren’t gay, and married to Henry Curtis, the station’s owner, Brandy would be right up there as his choice of wife. “After you, my lovely.”
“That really was a cracking show, wasn’t it?” Brandy, in a short denim skirt and low-cut white top, walked with him along the corridor to the dressing rooms. She wasn’t a big enough name to have her own, so she used the generic dressing room on the right, while Colin used his own on the left. “I guess this is good night.”
Sensing that something was bothering her, Colin asked, “You know you can tell me anything, don’t you? I’m here to listen, as your manager, your friend. If something’s wrong, you would tell me?” She could hide behind her smiles and laughter all she liked, he’d worked with her long enough to know when something was wrong.
Even her face gave her away. “I’m fine, Col, really. My boyfriend’s being a jerk, but other than that, I’m perfect.” She opened her dressing room door. “Well, night.”
Something was definitely up. Brandy always kissed him goodnight; she’d not once gone without at least a hug. “Night, Bran. We’ll talk more about this tomorrow.” By the time he finished his sentence, she’d shut the door. “Rude!”
Entering his own room, he closed the door behind him, undressed, putting his clothes on an armchair, before walking through to his luxury bathroom. Henry had spared no expense renovating the factory outlet into a radio station.
Colin loved his life now, which was a far cry from his former life. Meeting Henry had changed him for the better. Henry was the sole reason why Colin and his older brother, Richard, were on speaking terms, not that he could blame Richard for disowning him. Colin had done some vile things to his family over the years.
Naked, he stepped under the shower, bending to turn the taps, as the jets probed his back. Having a shower at the end of his late shift was the icing on the cake. It was so different to his old life, living on the streets, doing anything he could to get hold of some heroin.
All his life, he’d lived under his brother’s vast shadow. Richard was the brightest, the best, the first and only to go to university. Hell, he was the first to marry, the first to buy a house, have kids, the works. Colin had always looked up to Richard in so many ways, but he knew from a young age he was different.
Knowing he was gay was the hardest part of growing up. Colin had straight, very straight friends at school, who were forever talking about girls, about their bodies, the usual. Colin couldn’t comment back with any conviction, because the girls at school didn’t make him feel anything. It was unfortunate that one or two of the boys did.
Growing up pretending to be something he wasn’t took its toll on his mental health. When Colin was old enough to leave home, to leave the pressure his parents exerted on him to follow Richard’s example, he moved in with a couple of friends.
He still considered those days his best, until he found cocaine. His housemates introduced him to coke, which he fell in love with. It made him feel invincible. Coke helped him explore his sexuality. Colin went to his first gay bar high on the white powder, and had his first sexual
