This is a work of fiction and any similarities between the characters, places or institutions in this work and persons, living or dead, places and institutions is purely coincidental. The events in this story never took place, and the people in it never existed. At least that is my position and I am sticking to it.
This story grew out of a real event, a divorced mother dumping her son on his father when she found out he was gay. I initially aimed to write a story about gay rejection, but the story had, as most do, a mind of its own and went off on a different track. One though which I think is just as important and just as exciting to explore. I can only pray you will agree.
The story has also got far bigger than I ever intended. This is only the first part of it. I hope to be able to get the other parts written in the future. Though, this has taken me three years to complete, so given my age I cannot promise that the other books completing the story will get written.
In telling any story, at times drawn in two different ways, you can write things as they actually would be, or you can tell them as you want them to be for the needs of the story. This is especially true of the description of the operation of the English Legal System as described in this story.
Although I have described the processes of the courts as accurately as I can, I have taken some liberties with the operation of the courts and the rules of evidence. If I had not, we would have had about another twenty chapters, just describing court procedures. Much as I probably would have loved to write them, I could not really justify inflicting them on my readers.
The locations of Manston, Dunford, Southmead and Lynnhaven are purely fictional, as is the Long Creek. The other places named do exist but not always under the name I have used.
I could not have got this story finished if I had not had the help and support of my beta readers and editors. My thanks to everybody who was involved in getting this finished but especially to Pedro, Tyrone and Rec. Without them this would never have seen the light of day.
I hope you enjoy this story.
Nigel Gordon
Leicester 2017-2020