The Kleage

About the Book

After a priest invites a black army sergeant to stand at attention in his church on Memorial Sunday, his whole congregation walks out. His life becomes a nightmare as the KKK burns a cross on his lawn, destroys his family vehicles, and kidnaps his daughter, who manages to escape. Tom Lackey, the Kleage, recruiter for the KKK, is asked by the Dragon in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to return to the town and recruit more members. Hearing what the KKK has done and that people are being killed, he realizes he wants out. A huge rainstorm as he drives from St. Louis to Jonesboro forces him to stop in a predominantly black town, where he is aided by a black man and wife, who invite him to share their supper. He sees that they are no different from him. He decides to leave the KKK and help the sheriff and the priest but must reveal his position to them. Now, he must gain the trust of the sheriff, the priest, and especially that of Belinda, the priest’s daughter, with whom he has fallen in love.

About the Author

Gary Welsh was born and raised in a small town near St. Joseph, Missouri. He attended his senior year at the University of Missouri, where he met and married Barbara. They moved to El Paso, Texas, and raised five children. He retired from his own business in Phoenix, Arizona, and is now working on his sixth book.