THE MURDER OF TOBIAS WHEAT

CHAFF LUNDERCAN'S Life was an enigma of intellect huddled beneath a garment of crud. That's what the priest said upon his death. My name is TOBIAS WHEAT. Chaff was my best friend; fourteen when we met; born in different corners of the universe. Our lives should not have been so connected, and now, ten years later, they no longer are, separated by Chaff's secret life. So secret, in fact, I didn't find out until now that he stole six million in diamonds from an African smuggling cartel when he was twelve. It's no secret the cartel wants them back. Vicious people! They never stop coming and now Chaff is dead and I nearly died. We were both shot with the same bullet. Can you believe it? A one-in-a-million shot!

Now, his crime has become my burden.