The Secrets of Benny Cruse

This is a story of a simple, upstanding man who must stretch his own moral code for the greater good. He must determine how many lies and secrets he can maintain without losing himself.

Jimmie Lee Durham is just a regular guy with an extraordinarily normal life. His penchant for taking on people as projects leads him to one man, Benny Cruse, who will challenge his moral code in a major way. Jimmie reaches out to his brother, Cotton, who brings his own secrets into Jimmie's simple life. In the process, Jimmie learns a lot about himself. Injecting himself into the life of Benny Cruse forces Jimmie to lie, keep secrets, and live a covert life that is very uncomfortable. It's all for something greater, though, so Jimmie has to find a way to achieve that greater good without losing himself. Jimmie, Cotton, and Benny must take the journey of a lifetime. The physical trip is challenging enough, but the mental and emotional pilgrimage is what truly changes each one of them.

Kevin Payton was born and raised in Frankfort, Kentucky. He has been a lobbyist and government relations consultant for over twenty-five years specializing in health care and human services. He currently resides in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky with his wife Tammy and an amazing dog named Jet. They've been married twenty-eight years and have one son, Alex, living in Louisville, Kentucky with an extraordinary bulldog named Rhino. This is Kevin's first novel, but hopefully not the last.