Contract with the King

Contract with the King is a poignant novel about a group of University of Texas students who kidnap Elvis Presley in a valiant effort to save him from his poor health, destructive lifestyle, and addiction to prescription drugs. Paul Roberts and Tara Benoist, along with their close friends, hide a near comatose Elvis in the basement of an Austin, Texas rehab clinic and change his name to Aron to protect his privacy. After a short stay in rehab, they smuggle him to The Vineyard, an old, secluded ranch house nestled in the Texas Hill Country and rumored to be haunted. After Aron agrees to a five-month stay, he is encouraged to disguise his appearance by shaving his sideburns and getting a buzz cut. In the absence of radios, televisions, and telephones, the King's kidnappers use physically demanding hikes, spirited games of football, and porch stories to keep their patient sidetracked from the tortures inherent in withdrawal and recovery. While falling deeply in love, Paul and Tara lead the reader through a whirlpool of ulterior motives, emotional challenges, and euphoric situational highs. As Aron recovers, he reconnects with his daughter, his music, and the most loyal of his 50 million fans.