SONNY'S SECRET is a fiction novel set in South Carolina in 1945. Ten-year old Sonny Sims is swinging two stories up on a decaying, rusty gutter-drain. As the pipe separates from the wall Sonny dives for a window ledge and pulls himself into the top-floor of the dark, abandoned cotton warehou se that he, Tommy, and Brian were planning to explore .

As Sonny creeps downstairs, he hears a noise and dives into a coffin -size box filled with years-old moldy cotton . Just as he pulls the lid over, Sonny hears voices: "Help me

shove this crate over by that window; I'll deal us a...