Fistfight at the L and M Saloon: a Novel

For college friends Jake Norris, Matthew Chatowski, Paul Palatka, and George Bowie, a visit to the tiny hamlet of Cedar Key, Florida, for a weekend of fishing and fun turns deadly after an innocent trip to the L and M Saloon. Jake gets in a fight with a drunken patron over an attractive blonde, and knocks the man out with a powerful but defensive punch. After being thrown out of the bar, he and his buddies make a hasty departure from the town. Unbeknownst to them, the man dies as a result of that one blow. Officer Steven Riles undertakes an investigation into the killing and seeks to arrest Jake for the murder but can't because neither he nor anyone at the bar knew who he was. Through credit card receipts and a license plate number, Officer Riles discovers the identity of the other three-but not Jake's. When Paul denies any knowledge of the incident, or that he was even in Cedar Key at the time, he, too, is charged with a crime because he helped Jake avoid detection and arrest. A family secret, known only to Jake's mother, provides the key to resolving the case.