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WOLF IN
THE MACHINE

Blurb

After murdering a nefarious drug kingpin, and the ensuing collapse of his two-year operation, undercover narcotics officer Kurt Herrick, escapes New York City and goes into hiding from the Mafia and the NYPD.

Sheriff Gabe Gavi, suspicious of corruption in his town, offers the fugitive four days of asylum in Mill Willow, Connecticut, in exchange for his help investigating the recent death of a teenage boy.

Kaylan Wilkes was found dead of cyanide poisoning in a beachfront holiday cabin on the outskirts of town. With no trace of a container for the lethal substance, Herrick, unlike the townsfolk, suspects foul play.

With only four days of amnesty to find the killer, Herrick quickly unravels the hidden lies and secrets of the sleepy community, along with his own, which all begin with the deceased’s lucky number, 44.

Characters

CHARACTERS

KURT HERRICK

NYPD undercover narcotics agent (given sanctuary in Mill Willow in exchange for his help investigating the suspicious death of Kaylan Wilkes)

GUY

GALLAGHER

Sergeant from Hartford Sheriff’s department (asked to assist Kurt Herrick with his investigation into Kaylan Wilkes's death.

Gabe

Gavi

Sheriff of Mill Willow, (secretly commissions Gallagher and Herrick to investigate potential murder and corruption in his small town)

ADAM

MELVILLE

owner of the Melville factory, (patriarch of Mill Willow)

JOAN

TELSON

Owner of the Rock Hollow hotel, (moved from the west coast for a sea change in Mill Willow)

JAPSER

BALT

Nephew of Maggie-Mel and mechanic at his aunt’s auto shop.

GREGORY

CROSS

owner of the cross-bluff cabins (A recluse who lives alone on his family's property where Kaylan's body was found)

TIMOTHY

THOMPSON

Head control at the Melville factory. (his family shared ownership of the bell fishing docks)

KAYLAN

WILKES

Highly curious and creative teenager. (dropped out of school to work at the Melville factory after his parent’s tragic car accident before being found dead in the Cross-bluff cabins)

CONAN

HERRICK

Father of Kurt, husband of ruth. (after becoming bankrupt, investing unwisely in his fishing business, became a violent alcoholic and was eventually killed by the responding officers after confronting his wife’s lover with a gun)

ALEXANDER

MONARCH

Lieutenant for the Mill Willow sheriff’s department (with high ambition to climb the ranks at any cost)

MARGARET

MELENDY

Owner of Maggie-Mel’s auto shop (unofficial guardian of her nephew Jasper Balt)

TABITHA

HART

Waitress at her parent’s business, Hart’s diner (dreams of Leaving Mill Willow and becoming famous)

JOSEPH

CASHLIN

Principal of Mill Willow high school.

LINDA

JOHNSON

Principle Cashlin’s receptionist. (town busy-body and gossip since her husband's passing)

MARIEL

ROSARIO

Girlfriend of Kaylan and daughter of tiffany. (missing over the same weekend of her boyfriend’s death)

RUTH

HERRICK

Mother of Kurt Herrick, (after taking work as a factory worker began an affair with her boss whom she eventually married after her ex-husband’s death)

RAMONA

BELL

English teacher at Mill Willow High school, (her family's local fishing docks closed due to water pollution caused by the Melville factory)

RUFUS

ALLEC

High school dropout, worker at the Melville factory and best friend of Kaylan Wilkes.

STEVE

ROBBINS

Deputy with the Mill Willow sheriff’s department, (an overweight, alcoholic)

TIFFANY

ROSARIO

Mother of Mariel Rosario, (has lived and worked in Mill Willow as a cleaner since she was 19, as she was left to raise her daughter on her own)

DARCY

WILKES

Mother of Kaylan, wife of Angus. and teacher's assistant at Mill Willow high school. (has been in a coma for nine months after a car accident that killed her husband)

ANGUS

WILKES

Father of Kaylan, husband of Darcy, and senior controller at the Melville factory (had been saving up for his own carpentry business. before dying in a fatal car accident with his wife)

LUCIO

TETRO

Head of the New York City-based mafia family, (target of Kurt Herrick’s two-year-long undercover operation, eventually killed by Herrick during a shootout at the Tetro mansion)