The Price of Brotherhood

By Stephen Harris

In The Price of Brotherhood, Mr. Stephen Moore, a successful lawyer and mystery writer, returned to his alma mater, Ivory College, on homecoming weekend to solve a homicide. Darnell Ellis, a pledge for Lambda Phi Psi Fraternity was killed in a hazing accident. Steve Moore arrives on campus to solve this crime. He realizes that a fatal accident could occur with this fraternity and that Lambda Phi Psi was a fraternity that had a secret to hide.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781647012410

Stephen Harris

Stephen Harris is an east coast/Toronto-based photographer specializing in food, interiors, and lifestyle stills. He enjoys creative collaboration with clients of all types who seek depth and meaning in photography. When not behind a lens, he is comfortably nested with his wife and kids at their restored farmhouse in Orwell Cove, PEI.

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The Price of Brotherhood

Stephen Harris

Copyright © 2020 Stephen Harris

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2020

ISBN 978-1-64701-240-3 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-64701-241-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

WEDNESDAY

[1]

INT.—STEVE MOORE’S HOUSE (large colonial)—DAY.

Living room interior. Couch, two armchairs, table. Press clippings of successful book reviews and trophies of literary awards in cabinet in corner of room. STEVE carries suitcase in one hand, reads mail in other hand. Sets down mail on table, heads toward staircase.

INSERT—His telephone rings.

STEVE. Ah, come on, now! I just flew in to Vermont from New York City! (Answers telephone.) Hello? Steve Moore here.

ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF STAGE—KITCHEN INTERIOR—BEN’S HOUSE.

BEN. Hello, Brother Moore. This is Brother Carter.

STEVE. Well, hey, man!

BEN. How’s my favorite Lambda Phi Psi alumni brother doin’ today!

STEVE. I’m doin’…(Sits in chair, loosens necktie.) How about yourself?

BEN. Myself is okay…I’m on vacation from the college. One o’ the perks of bein’ an administrator!

STEVE. So I see…So how’s the family?

BEN. Just fine. Listen, Steve, I wanna thank you on behalf of the active chapter for that donation to the scholarship fund. You’re a true success story. A successful lawyer and mystery writer—an example for the Delta Epsilon Chapter.

STEVE. Thank you, or you’re welcome. And thanks for asking me to be a mentor to the brothers of Lambda Phi Psi.

BEN. Pleasure’s all mine! Listen, man, I know this is short notice, but could you come to Ivory College this weekend?

STEVE. (Smacks his forehead.) That’s right! This is Homecoming Weekend! And you retire this spring!

BEN. Yeah, the chapter was gonna give me a plaque, since I am a Lambda Phi brother too.

STEVE. Okay, yeah, I’ll be there.

BEN. Great! Um, Steve, there’s another reason that I’d like you to come to Ivory. But I wanna talk to you about it in person…

STEVE. (Concerned.) Ben, is something wrong?

BEN. You’re right, as usual. But I’ll fill you in when you get to Georgia.

STEVE. Okay, I’ll be there on Thursday.

BEN. Fine. So long.

STEVE. Bye.

They hang up.

Curtain.

[2]

INT.—TIGER LOUNGE—NIGHT

Bar counter. Three men sit at bar. Circular occupied tables surround small dance floor. Computerized jukebox in one corner of room plays music.

Theme from original Shaft movie plays.

Five Lambda Phi Psi brothers sit in booth. Pitcher of beer on table and five glass mugs.

Five Lambda Phi Psi brothers—AUSTIN RICHARDSON, SGT. MARVIN BRYER, TYLER MILLS, DARCY ADAMSON, and GLYNN DAVIS.

MARVIN. What time it is?

GLYNN. (Glances at wristwatch.) It’s eleven, Marvin.

TYLER. Almost time, ain’t it?

AUSTIN. Almost…Now, men, we gotta remember what happened last year…And how lucky we were…

DARCY. Yeah, yeah…We remember, man.

GLYNN. Say, Austin, could I bum a cig off you, man?

AUSTIN. Sure, bro…

GLYNN. (Takes cigarette from pack.) Thanks, homeslice. (Lights cigarette.) Damn! I wish I could join in!

AUSTIN. So do we, but you know what we promised