crossroads to murder

8/3/2019 Crossroads to Murder

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About the author,

Janet Mahn, AKA Jan Edwards

Janet has been published in a quarterly fiction

magazine regarding I Climbed a Mountain. It is her

story of a long struggle with cancer. She has published

a childrens book, Beautiful Angels by Janet Mahn,and now goes back to murder mysteries as she did from

grade school. She still has the most awesome

imagination for mystery. She is also the author of the

book, Captain of My Dreams,

Janet Mahn lives in Northwest Indiana and grew up on

the East Coast.


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Dedicated to Dyanne and Howard Maurer

With a song, Stand By Me

My most precious friends.


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Acknowledgments:

I thank the following for their help andencouragement with this book:

Mary P. She encouraged meto work on mynovel.

Diana Lucchesi For moral supportshe gave me alongthe way. Helping

with intermittenttyping andcorrections.

Lisa Lucchesi The support withtyping and withaccomplishing thecopy write.

Ben Lucchesi Thank you forproofreading andhelping to formatthe manuscript.


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A powerful, addictive mystery.

This is a page-turner. It will keep youguessing. Caroline, a publisher of thePrudence Journal tries to get the

whole picture in this mystery. Shegets caught up with Rico who sendsher heart pounding. The manycharacters will reveal the mystery.


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Copyright @2008L.L

All Rights ReservedPublished in the United States of America

May, 2008First Edition


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Chapter 1

On my birthday, Caroline thought, I am sitting at a weddingpretending the gala events are for me. When they toasted thebride and groom, I thought, This is for my birthday. Shesaid to herself, Happy Birthday. Yes, Caroline was deepin thought and was lonely. She was with friends but not withfamily. The wedding was fun. There was good food and aMexican band. It was very elegant. There were beautiful

lilies on the table. On each table there were surprise favorsand champagne fountains.

Caroline is from a French Canadian family. She isdelicate. She has sea green eyes, and they always showmuch emotion. Her hair is short and slightly messy. Herclothes were bought at a second-hand thrift shop. She hadon a cool blue, silk blouse. Her long, tanned arms lookeddangly with freckles on them. Her long tight skirt was black

silk with a slit up the side of her long leg. She bought shoesthat cost three dollars. They had thick black heels andlooked slightly offbeat. She looked elegant.

She was sitting at a table with mostly couples. Manycouples had gotten up to dance. When she turned to look atthe dance floor, a dark eyed man with curly hair and vibrantsmile was walking towards her. He was definitely a manwith a purpose. He was dressed rather casually for awedding. His shirtsleeve was unbuttoned. As he camecloser, he held out his hand and introduced himself as Rico.He held out his shirtsleeve to be buttoned. Caroline wasimmediately mesmerized with his smile. He asked her todance and he was so jovial that she was excited. Theydanced a few dances. He thanked her and disappeared intothe crowd. She felt a strange sensation going through her, a

feeling she had not felt in many years. Her life had takenunexpected turns. She was busy publishing her newspaper,The Prudence Journal. She was well and very busy andnot looking for people to date.


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Chapter 2

Carolines newspaper was doing an article onkeeping people safe from drunk drivers. She had issued andwrote to her Congressional Representative and askedeveryone through her paper to write also to his or herrepresentative. She also was covering an election and thattook time with the townspeople.

The headlines were U.S. Supreme Court Overturns

Florida Supreme Court. They were awaiting the decision ofthe Presidential election results. Votes in Florida were handcounted at this time. What exactly counts as standard as towhat the Legislature decides? And we now have a crisis.

The Supreme Court ruled on the Presidential election.The Vice President concedes to the President elect with abrilliant powerful speech. In his words, The country should be proud of a most gracious man. The President elect

candidate would deliver his speech and we now have aPresident-elect. As the process was evolving, the newspapercontinued on to other headlines.

The recent front-page news was about a family offour. They were to go to the entrance of the zoo from acrossthe street. The two young children had already crossed overthe road to the zoo along with their dad. The mom who waslagging behind, crossed a few feet from the curb and a car,

out of control, hit the mom. A loud thump was heard. Thefather of the children turned around only to see his wife,lying quite still in the street. He knew by the stillness of herbody and the sound of the impact, that she was dead. He felthis head ready to explode as he held her lifeless body in hisarms. The children were screaming. People held on to thechildren. Many people had called the police and ambulanceand there was a rapid response to the 911 calls. The assumed

driver of the car that struck the woman down was a man thatwas drunk and who lost control of his car. He apparently


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veered off the curb. The car hit the tree and his head went

through the passenger side windshield. He was criticallyinjured. The press was on the scene of the accident almostimmediately.


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Chapter 3

Caroline was frantically getting the front page off thepress along with her apprentice. She looked up only to seeRico looking down at her desk. He was there on behalf ofhis brother, Sergio, who was the man who allegedly had hitthe young mother as she stepped off the curb near the zoo.Instantly, the impact of the car killed her.

Sergio was unconscious and in very critical conditionat a Providence hospital in a Cardiac Control Unit (CCU).

As witnesses were giving their statements to the police, therewas an account of the evening. It seems Sergio, Ricosbrother, was binge drinking and took a wrong turn along thepath to the zoo and his car went out of control.

Caroline was shaken when she saw Rico. Rico wassurprised Caroline was the publisher of the Prudence Journal.Caroline couldnt help the feeling of the surge that wentthrough her. She actually felt weak. Rico thought he was

attracted to Caroline and wondered why she was the womanthat was going to destroy his brother by doing this story. Hecould feel the depth of her sea green eyes go right throughhis heart.

He had asked Caroline to lunch to talk this over.Caroline agreed. There was a small steak house down thestreet. Rico left and Caroline was to see him in a few hours.She waited at the restaurant about an hour and when Rico did

not show up, she left. She tried to get rid of the sicksensation she had but it would not leave her. She thoughtabout his dark brown eyes and thick eyebrows and how helooked at her. His teeth were whiter than she had ever seenwith a perfect smile and face so smooth. Cara Mia, as hewould say.

Every day Caroline hoped Rico would come back tothe publishing house, but he never came.

As the weeks went by, Caroline was busy, along withher apprentice, keeping the press going. It was the townnewspaper. There was much news on the man who went outof control and, it appeared, killed the young mother named


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Judith. Sergio was in the Critical Care Unit and still

unconscious. The police and insurance companies wereanxious to get their reports, but he was in a coma.

Within the next few days the newspaper will go topress. Caroline is busy talking to reporters, going to the stateof Florida to wait for a recount. They were busy countingthe votes from the overseas servicemen. The campaignersare arguing the count and there is mass confusion. Pull punch ballots this year is one big mess. At this time there

still is no solution. Caroline met with the apprentice,Marcus, who is very conservative. He was seen about townwith Caroline in the best restaurants.

Rico stood vigil at his brothers CCU room. Hewould get ready for work early in the morning. He wouldtake hours off to go over to the hospital. Rico was seenpacing in the halls. His work shoes were heavy on the tiles.He was dressed for the outside. He had on clean jeans with a

battered worn look, suspenders, work shirt, a jacket and ahelmet in hand. His hair was tight to his head and verycurly. He talked to himself as he paced the halls in the Unit.

His brother, Sergio, was being suctioned frequentlyand still on a respirator. The nurses frequently turned him onhis side, rotating sides, with pillows along his back to keephim in place. The head of the bed elevated at a 45-degreeangle, and you could hear the sound of the respirator; Sergiowas still unconscious. He was given I.V. medications tokeep him quiet to allow his brain to rest. He had a monitorof his heart and his blood pressure was taken every twohours now. Respiratory therapy came as ordered by theM.D. doctor. His urinary output was not good and he had pneumonia. He had blood cultures times three and he wasthen given antibiotics via the I.V. infusion. There was

swelling to his brain and he would have to go to surgery torelieve the pressure.


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Chapter 4

The news from Florida was still making the front page of the newspaper. They will be recounting ballots.This election needs to come to an end. The Supreme Courthas challenges that create a political risk while counting ballots. The Florida legislature will be undermined whilerelating to the law. The Court is still hearing arguments onevery side. The greatest demise in the history of the election process is that the race is too close to call. The candidates

are keeping a low profile. Still our law is if the candidatereceives 270 electoral votes, that candidate becomesPresident. Most of the press is concentrating on thePresidential election and the townspeople are concerned withthe accidental death of Judith who was hit by a drunk driver.

Rico was in back of Caroline in the grocery store andapproached her for a casual conversation. She felt the sergeat his invitation, but declined as she had a date for the

theatre. He walked away and rode off. Caroline feltsaddened but she was busy with the newspaper and shewanted to go to the hospital to see how Ricos brother wasdoing. Sergio still had a police officer on the floor.

Further investigation in the police file indicated thewoman stepped off the curb and fell in front of the driver ofthe car. The witness was a known crack head. Judithsblood test showed she had a high alcohol blood level.

Marcus insisted Caroline not get involved with Rico.Undercover, it seems the woman, Judith, who was killed,was having an affair with Ricos brother Sergio. Rico wasunaware Caroline knew of his brothers affair. He tried todistract her from the story she was publishing in hernewspaper.

Sergio had thrown a blood clot and had a stroke andwas now kept in a Neurological Intensive Care Unit. He was

critically ill. Reporters were all over the outside of thehospital wanting to get news for their publishers.


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What irony. It seems Sergios wife, Ernestine, was

also out for a drive and was near the accident. There werewitnesses that were not clear as to who hit Judith.

As the days and weeks went by, Rico was reading allthe illicit propaganda about his brother and had becomeindignant of Caroline. Judith had been in a dysfunctionalmarriage for years. She had gone out to a friends home party and that is where she met Sergio. Her husband wasupstairs chatting with the women and she was downstairs

where there was music. Sergio asked her to dance. It wasfun. Dancing uplifted her spirit. Sergio was sweet and kindbut drank incessantly. He went weeks without drinking andthen started binge drinking. Judith and Sergio began anaffair. It was dynamic, a mixture of sex and spirit. It wasalways many hours of making love and holding each other.

They loved to dance and they danced to music in thecandlelight and drank wine. Why couldnt this be her real

life? She had a husband and children who needed her. Shehad to protect her children from violence in her home. Shefell in love with Sergio. They were always meeting, kissing,and embracing. They sat next to each other in restaurantsand were consumed with each other.


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Chapter 5

Sergios wife, Ernestine, was getting her hair dyed atthe beauty shop and overheard a conversation about a ladynamed Judith and someone called Sergio. They were seenmany times sitting on the jetties looking out over the bay atthe sailboats and speedboats. They were falling in love. Theconversation continued, as they knew Judith, but had no ideathat her lover was Sergio. This could not be, thoughtErnestine. They were comfortable and it seemed everything

was all right at home. Ernestine was so shocked that shestarted following Sergio. One night while Sergio and Judithwere sleeping in a motel room with a basket of champagne atthe bedside, Ernestine broke in, as the door was unlocked.She had asked the desk clerk the room number and the clerkgave it to her. She began a harrowing fight. The police werecalled and then began a deception like no other.

Rico was at Sergios bedside every night after work.

Why, he thought, had Sergio been drinking so much? Hewas winning at the football games. He always seemed to beton the right teams and innings. He loved football. Sergiowas unable to speak or move without assistance. He just laythere and stared at TV. He was not even aware of the deathof Judith. Sergios wife was questioned about herwhereabouts the night of the accident. Judiths husband wasalso questioned. He was stunned...his wife was having an

affair and then the children were devastated that their motherhad been killed.

Caroline sat at her desk choosing her words verycarefully. She had a newspaper to run and had to have allthe facts correct before she printed anything. The press wasconstantly calling and showing up. She knew she had to dothe right thing, but Rico was the innocent one in this saga.Rico was beginning to mistrust Caroline. He thought she

just wanted to get the news accurately written and printed.There was a political event scheduled and Caroline

was going with friends to cover it. There were speeches,music, food and laughter. Caroline was sitting at a long table


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with friends when Rico came in. Unknown to Caroline, Rico

was doing his own search into the accident. The storyportrayed his brother as the hit and run driver. He saw fainttracks from the left lane to the right lane directly inconjunction with the woman who was hit. He searched hismind and was thinking maybe that one witness was right.There may have been another car. He spent hours, alongwith the police, investigating the accident. It was gettingextremely complicated.

Caroline, when visiting Sergio at the NICU, whereSergio was being treated, noticed his head was injured overhis left eye. His face was bruised and swollen. His nurse,Monica, was changing the bandage to his surgical site withsterile techniques. The room was quiet except for the soundsof the respirator and heart monitor. Monica, R.N. in theN.I.C.U., has been taking care of Sergio who is now back onthe respirator for easier breathing.

Respiratory treatments are given when necessary(PRN), day and night. Monica spent all her shifts taking careof Sergio; turning him and giving skin care. She suctions histracheotomy whenever there is evidence of obstruction in hisairway. She also cleans the tracheal tube. His heart andrespiratory rate are being recorded. He recently had surgeryto release the pressure around his brain. Monica got tothinking, How did this man end up in the passenger seatwith his head going through the windshield on the passengerside? His car was totaled. He had internal injuries andunknown to Monica at this time, there was speculation ofanother car in the vicinity of the accident.

Over and over again Caroline, while putting the newsto press, was obsessed by the force of the hit on the womanwho was killed. There were tracks leading to the tree off to

the side of the right lane. Sergio was found up against thetree, pinned by the impact of the engine. The engine was pushed up into the windshield. There was not a reliablewitness who could attest that there were two cars involved.


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Every now and then Sergio choked. The nurses ran

in to suction the tracheotomy to clear the airway. Aftersuctioning, the tube was again fastened to the respirator. Thenurses spent hours giving medications through the I.V. andnow blood transfusions with vital signs recorded just as thedoctor ordered. His hemoglobin had dropped suddenly and aCAT scan revealed he was bleeding internally. The nurseshelped each other in caring for Sergio. They cleaned hiscatheter and monitored his urinary output. He was critical.

Caroline was saddened by these events but tried to focus onher newspaper and getting the news to the press on time.She noticed Rico out in the lobby. Rico simply ignored heras she walked toward the lobby. Oh, how she wished hewould talk to her.


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Chapter 6

Caroline did not know she was being followed as shedrove to the scene of the accident. There was a big, bentschool sign and a deeply indented Oak tree. The car musthave hit with great force after hitting and killing Judith.Then she went to the towing company. The police were onestep ahead of her and the insurance investigators werealready there. Forensic men were involved too. Homicidehad to be involved. The car was definitely totaled. The

engine was pushed up into the windshield. The drivers sidewas pushed almost into the passenger side. The left tire was blown. The hood was shaved off. There was no hood,thought astonished Caroline. Carolines photographer took pictures. She left and put her head out her car door andvomited. She was so sick from the impact of it all. Theaccident had become so personal to her.

She left and drove to a restaurant, which had a

beautiful view of the bay. They served great seafoodchowder. The restaurant was under the bridge by the bay. Ithad great seafood chowder and a beautiful deck where theboats could tie up to and have a pickup from the many foodson the menu. She got out of her car and walked into therestaurant and was seated by a bay window looking out at theboats and lighthouse. Along the shore there were mansionsand very beautiful landscaping. It was a stupendous sight.

She ordered a glass of white wine and decided to try theseafood chowder. She thought how nice it would be if shecould share these moments with someone. It was very lonelyshe thought.

Caroline wondered when Sergio would be coherentenough to be questioned. His brother had gotten him alawyer in Providence, Rhode Island. He was taking care ofas much as he could under the circumstances. Homicide

assigned a detective to the case.Rico kept himself hidden and was nowhere to be

found for a few days. He was at the barbershop when heoverheard a conversation about his brother Sergio and his


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mistress. The fellow went into detail about the goings on

between the two of them. Rico remained quiet as he wasbeing shaved. He was very surprised and his head felt like itwould burst. He thought, This could not be happening.The unknown stranger left and Rico followed behind. Thestranger drove to the accident site. He got out of his truck.He began to measure the pavement from the left lane over tothe right lane. He then measured the length of the car tracksto the bent sign and then over to the tree. He, a mechanic,

was sure that the tracks from the left lane were from differenttires.

Rico was thinking of Caroline. He loved her laughterand her innocence to the streetwise. I wonder what she isreally like, he asked himself. He only had remembered thedances at the wedding. She was so happy and yet so sad.Her eyes told it all. He had to keep her from doing any morearticles about his brother, Sergio. His brother should become

more stable. Rico was worried. Sergios neurological signswere questionable.

There was more fluid buildup around his brain. Theyhad to still watch the pressure and vital organs. Ricoremained very worried. He decided to go for some lunch atthe restaurant under the bridge and look out over the bay.The restaurant was called The Sea Gull. As he walked inhe saw Caroline sitting by herself. She was staring out at thebay watching beautiful sailboats going by. It was a calmingaffect, thought Rico. He decided to go over and talk toCaroline. She looked up and gave him a faint smile. Theybegan a conversation about the beautiful view. Caroline hada feeling of anguish as she talked to Rico.

After the chowder, she had ordered crab legs. Theywere so delicious. She ate slowly so that she could savor the

taste. The conversation was simple and they concentrated oneach other. Caroline noticed how dark Ricos eyes were.His eyes were intent at looking at her and listening to herevery word. She found him easy to be with and could not


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help knowing he had a great sense of humor. It would have

to be funny as she had shoes on that was no match at all.She had been in a hurry and just slipped into shoes withoutactually looking down at her feet.

It was a relief to have a simple conversation withoutthe tragic accident and newspapers stories getting into it.

Rico asked Caroline if she would like to ride alongthe scenic route and she said yes. They were in Ricos carand there was a slight breeze. It was just such a beautiful

day with blue skies and puffy clouds. Rico drove the caralong the jetties and stopped. They sat on the jetties andlooked out over the bay with the smell of the sea breezehitting their faces. There was a coin-operated device thatlooked out past the jetties. As you turned it from side toside, you could look up and down the bay. There were alsobenches to sit on and so they finally sat looking up and downthe bay looking at all the beautiful landscapes. Rico put his

arm around Caroline and moved her close to him. He lookedat her and kissed her softly on her lips. She was receptiveand did not want to let go. However, he moved away andstarted to walk to the car without a word. The ride back tothe restaurant was calming. Rico walked Caroline to her car,bent over and kissed her again. He got into his car and rodeoff. It was a wonderful, peaceful afternoon, she thought,and she could not keep her mind off Rico as she drove away.

Back at the hospital, Sergio was getting his physicaltherapy, which was mostly passive therapy. He wassuctioned less frequently and again regaining consciousness.He would be questioned and told soon of the accident. Theforensic officer was still doing his investigation. Fellowofficers were on duty, round the clock outside of the N.I.C.U. The investigation was ongoing. Sergio was taken

care of and there was the postponed funeral to get through asyet. The family and friends were devastated.


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Chapter 7

Monica was one-on-one registered nurse (RN) withSergio. She was totally in charge of his case on her shift.She appeared quiet and reserved. She was a young and beautiful blond, impeccable with her dress code and had astrikingly good figure. She was single then, and had greeneyes. The whites of her eyes were big and they seemed totalk to you with such brilliance. She was saddened by thedeath of her brother years ago from an apparent aneurysm.

However, there was speculation of poisoning by his wife andteenage children. He was mentally slow and had raped hisown daughter. He raped her repeatedly. He had a violenttemper and his wife was unable to stop him. She was toofrightened to turn him in to authorities, thereby, putting herchildren at more risk of violence. His daughter becamepregnant at a very young age and none would know the childwas her fathers. Every day life went on. His wife and

teenage daughter, now a mother, worked in a bakery. Theywould gather bread and donuts for home. Little by little,Monicas brother was becoming ill. He complained of chest pain and pain in his left shoulder and left arm. Hisphysician, with a brief examination, told him he was gettingarthritis. A week after his doctors visit and while workingin the machine shop, he suddenly was choking and he couldnot breathe. He gasped for breath, went out for air and

collapsed. Someone called an ambulance and he was deadon arrival (DOA) at the emergency room of the hospital.

At the funeral, a stranger walked up to Monica and ina conversation he said, Your brother did not die of ananeurysm. He then walked out. He vanished. With all the preparations and the sadness, Monica put the strangerswords behind her. A few months later, three to be exact, hiswife died of an apparent heart attack.

It was a year later when there was an investigationinto the deaths of Monicas brother and his wife. It seemshis wife and daughter was putting small amounts of poisonin the batter of the doughnuts.


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The daughter was angry with the mother for allowing

the father to rape her. The wife died suddenly, and laterpoison was found at the bakery, which supposedly was putout for the rats. The investigation was ongoing and thendropped for insufficient evidence. Both parents werecremated. Monica was cleaning the tracheal inserts filledwith phlegm, in peroxide and water. She made sure all wasclean and dry and then inserted the metal piece back into thetrachea.

Sergio was more alert now and could write about acrackling sound and banging he heard, as he woke up for aninstant heading toward the tree. He was in and out ofconsciousness on the way to the Emergency Room. He washanging on to life on arrival.

There were witnesses that confirmed Sergio was at aneighborhood bar and left the bar very much under theinfluence of alcohol. He got into his car and drove away.

Where has Sergios wife, Ernestine, been all thistime? She supposedly was away at the time of the accident.She was taking care of a very sick nephew who had suffereda stroke. While she was away, Ernestine had her car repairedand painted. She had wanted to do this for a long time. Awhile ago a truck had backed into her front bumper. Thehood of her car was damaged from a long board that flew offthe truck and hit the roof of her car. She was in Boston atthe south side tenement complex and got an auto shop thatasked no questions and was glad to get cash.


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Chapter 8

Ernestine had been following her husband for a longtime. She came into the bars, started fights, throwing beerinto his face and kicking him. Judith was always there butnever exactly with him. Judith and Sergio went toluncheons, weddings and political affairs. Other friends ofErnestine followed them. There were fights and accusations.Ernestine went away many times so no one questioned herapparent lack of interest when Sergio was in the hospital.

When Ernestine returned home, the police questioned her.They were following up on witnesses possibly seeing a carmatching Ernestines near the scene of the fatal accident.She did not know what they were talking about. She said shehad to go over to the scene of the accident to see herhusband.

Sergio was awake and his vital signs were stable. Hewas able to speak by holding his finger over the tracheal

tube. He had been told of the accident and of a woman heapparently killed. He was devastated to learn it was Judith.He was crying. How could this have happened? The funeralservice was so very sad and her children were crying andasking what was next. The children are still in shock. Thefamily and friends offer solace.

It was a long, rainy day. The tide was high and youcould hear the waves splashing on the jetties. Judith was

buried in a beautiful place by the bay with the lighthouse inthe background. It was a place she had loved, looking overthe bay at the boats and marina.

Caroline was so preoccupied at the newspaper. Herapprentice was working night and day. There was so muchnews the press was continuously rolling. The political arenacontinued. Caroline was still so involved with the accident.Ernestine was questioned and released. She had let her

emotions take over her sound mind. She concentrated on herhusbands affair with Judith. Now Judith was dead.


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Ernestine was so sure no one would suspect her asthe case was deemed an accident. Judith was run over by

Sergios car. He was the drunk driver.As weeks and months went by, Sergio was slowly

getting better. He was off the I.V. antibiotics but still on I.V.Solumedral, which helped reduce the swelling. He receivedintravenous heparin to prevent blood clots. His tracheal tubewas off the ventilator completely. He was assisted to abedside chair for an hour in the morning and in the evening.He was becoming attached to Monica as he depended on her.

She sat at his bedside and read poems to him. She especiallyliked Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, O gentle Romeo, ofthou dost love, pronounce it faithfully! She read to himevery day. Monica also told him a heartbreaking story of alittle girl, only eighteen months old that she was taking careof in pediatrics. She had a high fever. Jenny was her name.Her desperate Mom put her in a cool tub and tried tomedicate her for a fever. She had a seizure from the very

high fever. By the time the ambulance arrived, she wasfighting for her life. She had to be resuscitated and by thetime she arrived at the hospital and tests were run, trying tostabilize her, the electroencephalogram (EEG) showed shewas brain dead. She soon was in fetal position. Her eyeswere blinking, intravenous fluids were started to replaceelectrolytes, and to supply hydration. A feeding tube waseventually inserted into her stomach. She was a beautifuldark eyed, dark haired baby. Monica took care of her everyday. She bathed her, cleaned around her feeding tube, whicheventually drained green bile. There had to be one nurse pershift taking care of her. Her grandmother came every day.She said the rosary and then hung the beads on Jennys crib.Monica made sure Jenny was clean and in new pajamas andher hair was combed with a pretty ribbon in it. She kept her

covered so the grandmother wouldnt focus on the tube.Jennifers mom couldnt bear to visit. Jennifer eventuallywas getting weaker. She was in and out of respiratorydistress. Her kidneys were shutting down. More tests were


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ordered to record brain activity. She had no viable brainwaves. In a few weeks this beautiful baby died. Monica

attended her funeral. The baby was in a white lace dresswith rosary beads in her hands. There were white rose budson her white casket. It was all so sad. Her grandmother sentMonica a thank you note for her care and concern. Sergiolistened to Monicas tragic story.


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Chapter 9

Rico had been busy with the investigation of his brothers case. He had hired an attorney that was one ofProvidences best. Rico had put his business up forcollateral. He constructed Mall airports, large mansions andstables for horses. He was so very busy with his businessthat he had to hire more men to work on the stables and tobuild a house at the side of the mansion, which was used forthe hired help.

Caroline continued her reporting on the investigation.Rico read and re-read the newspaper and was well informed by the lawyer and also by the police department. Sergiocontinued to try to rack his brain to remember the accident.He remembered getting very tired and also some cracklingnoise and waking up and seeing the tree and notremembering going through the passenger side of thewindshield.

Judith had made Sergio feel good about himself. Shewas always laughing and was spontaneous. He vividlyremembers how she made him feel when they were intimate.She was always kissing him and singing. They danced a lotalone in a room. They played music and just talked on the phone all the time. Tears built up in his eyes when hethought about Judith. He wanted to marry her but too many people would be hurt. Judith had died. It was insane. Oh

how I wish she were alive, thought Sergio. He soon lostinterest in life itself. He could not look at Ernestine whenshe came to visit. She was always curt and had no feelings.She had no remorse and he still was unaware she was outfollowing him that fatal night. He had only been told he hitJudith as she stepped off the curb and his car veered into thistree and his head had gone through the windshield. He hadbeen drinking heavily; that he knew.

Judiths husband wanted Sergio in jail for life. Healso had a well-known lawyer anxious to set a court date.The charges were pending.


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It was six months since Judith died. Sergio had been

progressing and would be out of the hospital room to facecharges of manslaughter, and, of course, drunk driving. Rico posted bail. Monica has agreed to take on private dutynursing for Sergio. Rico had been working to vindicateSergio. There were so many questions left unanswered.

Caroline has been so busy with the newspaper. Shehad moved on to the headlines. Only brief accounts of theaccident had been in the newspaper.

Ernestine had moved to Boston. Judiths husband,Dennis, had been consumed with the accident and death ofhis wife. He got help with the children. Rico has been busygoing over and over every step of the accident.

When Rico and Caroline were out to dinner onenight, Caroline asked Rico about how he thought Sergiowent through the passenger side of the windshield. Animmigrant, pursuing freedom, was a witness to the accident

but was afraid of being deported before his visa was up if hewas a witness. He stayed in hiding for many months.Finally he came forward and still it was consideredcircumstantial evidence at this time. One day Rico decidedto go to South Station in Boston. He had an inkling thatErnestine left too quickly. She was always aware of Sergiosindiscretions.

While Rico was going up toward the tenement whereErnestine now lived, he saw the mechanic coming down thestairs from her apartment. Rico wondered what themechanic was doing there.

While sitting on a bench one day, Sergio recalled toMonica that he remembered seeing something in the roadwhen he was driving erratically. He swerved to keep fromdriving over what he thought was an animal. In reality,

someone had already hit Judith.Caroline was sitting at her desk helping her newapprentice run the newspaper. She was thinking that the caseof Sergio being heard by a jury was simply ridiculous.


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However, it was not an open and closed case even with the

finger pointing to a few other people looking on very quietly.


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Chapter 10

Judith had a double life. She was a most renowned psychic known as Mademoiselle Alice, but no oneconnected this with her.

As a psychic, Mademoiselle Alice lived part-timeon an island off Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. She worea grey wig and was able to make her features old. She alsohad cards and a crystal ball. People from all over the countrytook the boat ride over to the island just to have her study her

cards and crystal ball. She sat in an old chair with a verylarge dog at her side. She could face the Bay as she lookedout of her bay window. She could see the many boats, largeand small, go by. The lighthouse would ring its bell and thefoghorn would billow when the fog came in over the Bayand land. At times you could hear the foghorn asMademoiselle Alice told her much absorbed person whatthe mystery was of their lives. She charged anywhere from

$110 to $200 dollars a person. They had to schedule far inadvance. Alice once predicted a hurricane and the personto whom she was speaking had a family member who wouldbe carried away into the Bay during the upcoming hurricane.That soon became true.

Rico had finally posted bail for Sergio. The Judgeaccepted this with home security except when rehabilitatingwith the private duty nurse and the rehabilitating center.

While sitting on the beach one day, Sergio recalled toMonica that he remembered seeing something in the roadwhen he was driving erratically. He swerved to keep fromgoing over what he thought as an animal. In reality, someonehad already hit Judith.

Judiths husband, Dennis, had turned around to getthe kids away from the monkey cage at the zoo. He had onlyheard a loud thud and had seen the car hit the tree. The pole

was already bent. Then there were police cars andambulances and the horrible sight of his dead wife. He had


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someone take the children so they would not see this. They

were taken away to his sisters home.Detectives were working on the case from day one.

The tire tracks were across the road from the left lane.Sergio had veered off and swerving to the right and

hit the pole. He went through the windshield when he hit thevery old large tree. He was thrown into the passenger side ofthe windshield. This was being questioned. Who, then, hadgone from the left lane across the barrier into the right lane

and hit Judith as she stepped off the curb. There werewitnesses who saw Sergios car swerve to the right and therewas Judith, dead on the road when Judiths husband, Dennis,heard a loud thump.


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Chapter 11

Caroline had an amber alert that made headlines in allthe newspapers. Apparently, a man abducted an eleven-year-old girl as she got off the school bus. No one wasaware she was abducted until her family called the policewhen she was two hours late coming from the bus stop. Thetownspeople formed searching parties. The police dogs were brought to search the woods. Every town had extra policelooking for the girl. There were descriptions of her in the

newspapers. Caroline had pictures of information to helpfind her. There were planes overhead and lights that couldpenetrate the fields and woods. After a week, the little girlsbody was found in a shallow grave near the school. A coachfrom the girls softball team was questioned. What morewas going to happen in this town?

Rico and Caroline spent as much time as they couldtogether when they had an afternoon off. They went sailing

on the bay along the beautiful landscaped beachfronts. Thelighthouse ahead was a welcomed sight, as not too far northwas a waterfront restaurant where they could tie the sailboatalong the dock. They went in for a sandwich and a drink andafter a while they went sailing again. The bay was beautifulsilver blue with the sun shimmering on the water.

There was enough of a breeze so they didnt have touse the motor. It was an awesome day without having to

think of problems for a while. It was beautiful. It madeCaroline think how great life could be....

Monica had to follow a Privacy Act so, at this time,she could not tell of Sergios memory of that fatal night.

Ernestine was brought in for questioning. As usual,she was cool and precise. She was given a lie detector testand had hours of questioning.

The immigrant, Nolie, came forward and said he was

standing across the street from the zoo. He said he saw a carracing across from the left side of the street over the barrier,crossing over to the right lane and hitting something andhearing the thump. He then saw a woman lying in the street


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and a car racing off. He was the one to call 911 and give a

description as best he could, of the car. The mechanic hadErnestines car. He said he was out driving it to get a feel ofwhat had to be fixed on the car. He was in Boston where hisauto shop was in a garage near the tenement. He was soon tobe found out to be a drug addict.

He had no conscience other than to get money for hisdrugs. Ernestine approached him to follow Judith and paidhim a large sum of money to kill Judith. She had no idea he

would use her car to run over Judith. The mechanic couldtrace his whereabouts as to every minute of his time andplace when Judith was hit. No one had missed Ernestine asshe was supposed to be in Boston. She had her car fixed bythe mechanic and he made sure there was no trace ofanything being hit by this car. No one had even thoughtabout Ernestine. Sergio was already into the tree and theonly car in the accident. The forensic team was beginning to

fit the puzzle together. However, Sergio was now on trialwith a jury. Judiths husband, Dennis, was convinced Sergiohad hit and killed his wife.


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Chapter 12

The following year, Caroline and Rico were married.They had their wedding under a big tent with a dance platform placed inside. After the ceremony, a harp playerwas playing beautiful music until the band came. The peoplespent all day greeting the bride and groom.

Caroline looked beautiful in her lace gown withappliqud roses embedded in the gown. Rico had a blacktuxedo with long tails. Sergio was the best man and Monica

was the maid of honor. They had a memorable wedding.They built a beachfront home with their sailboat docked infront. Every night she took a ferryboat from the mainland toher home on the waterfront with Rico, throwing his armsaround her and the sun setting with a sparkle on the Bay.

There was a memorial for Judith and a chowderbarbeque for the townspeople and close friends and family.Many flowers were thrown into the Bay and they floated out

into the deep waters of the Narragansett Bay.


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Chapter 13

Finally, after two years since Judith was killed, therewas going to be a trial with a jury.

Selecting a jury was difficult. This was a small town.The trial would be moved to the courthouse in Providence,Rhode Island. There were to be no cameras or press allowedinside the courtroom. The investigation was finally donewith but a few things still were unanswered.

Rico worked hard with Sergios expensive attorney,

to make sure the tire tracks were the only tire tracks thatwent to the spot where Judith was hit.The jury was listening to every word; witness after

witness. Ernestine had been summoned. She was a personof interest. The mechanics lie detector test had been provento be negative. However, the mechanics testimony wascertain about the car he saw near the scene of the accident.In fact, he was avoiding disclosing the reason why he had

fixed and painted Ernestines car after the accident, orintentional murder.Sergio did not have a memory of the accident. He

was still a suspect for driving under the influence of alcoholand being at the scene of the accident. Was Sergio driving?He was found with his head through the passengerwindshield.

Ernestine could not remember when she had her car

fixed or painted. It was established she knew of the affairwith Judith and Sergio. It was also established she stalkedhim and had the biggest fight with him. She even tried torun him over with her car.

There was an unusual witness called who was a bookie for Sergio. Sergio did business with this bookiewhen he gambled on the football games. The bookie wasknown as Mr. Price. Was he in the drivers seat the day

Judith was hit by a car?The days went by. The lawyers went at it trying to

get to the truth. The forensic department was questioning theexpert on the tire tracks and the speed of the car and its


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direction. Did Sergio even hit Judith as he hit the pole and

then the tree?


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Chapter 14

By now they established that the case was ahomicide. There has been more and more motives obtainedthese last two years.

Dennis hired his own private investigating detective.While he was on the witness stand, he told of how the

other tracks were uneven. The front tires that were differentsizes caused these tracks.

Pictures and an unknown witness described the car

that came along the road near the zoo. Before Sergioswerved across the opposite lane, there was a person whocame out of the zoo property and got into the car with thedriver. Now we have to prove, stated the prosecutor, whoand why Judith was deliberately hit by the car.

In the meantime, Sergio has no recollection of theaccident or of the persistent investigation of this case.

After two years, Sergio is still going to speech

therapy, physical therapy and going to a rehabilitation centerfor depression from the death of Judith. He relives his greattimes with Judith and cannot piece together the puzzle of herdeath.

The case remains open until the killer is caught.


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Chapter 15

A few years have gone by since Sergio couldnt becharged for the murder of Judith. There was onlycircumstantial evidence.

Sergio had to go to physical and occupational therapythree times a week. He had to learn to walk and talk again.His body was very thin. He had no muscle tone at all. Hislegs were so weak he had to be held up by another personwith a safety strap around his waist. Sergios tracheotomy

tube had been removed and he was able to speak again withongoing speech therapy.


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Chapter 16The Secret Life of Alice

Years backJudith had bought abroken down hotelbefore she met andmarried her husbandDennis. He was

unaware of herseparate life fromhim.

The hotelneeded a roof. It

needed painting inside and out. There were sixteen rooms inthe hotel. There were eight rooms on the first floor and eightrooms on the second floor.

There was a big bay window in the back of the hotelthat faced the Narragansett Bay. There was also a lighthousenear the sandy point where there were known drownings dueto cross currents at the point. The bay window was so bigyou could see for miles up and down the bay. There werealways sailboats, speedboats, tankers, barges, and teenagersin the little dinghies that got them to and from their larger boats. There were also yachts that would dock and peoplecame to the hotel to get their fortune told. They would stayin the hotel for the night and enjoy whatever entertainmentthey had.

There also was a big bay window in the front of thehotel that looked out on Narragansett Road. Outside, peoplewould walk back and forth and some would peer into thewindow to see the Crystal Ball, which was on a big table

facing the bay. No one under the age of eighteen was able togo to the hotel to have their fortune told.The hotel had one bathroom and stall shower on the

first floor and one bathroom and stall shower on the second


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floor. There was a big sitting room and bar with soda and juice. There was not any liquor, as Alice did not have aliquor license.

The kitchen was beautiful. It faced north out onto thebay. It had an old large wooden table and wooden chairs, afew painted blue and a few painted red. There was a bottledgas stove and an icebox. A young boy came every day witha big block of ice.

The fisherman sold Alice fish and she sold fried fishand chips at the restaurant to eat in the big kitchen. A bigdeck was built all around the north side of the hotel. It wasin need of repairs.


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Chapter 17

Out of all the people who came here, a very young,handsome, tanned man was seen a lot at the hotel. He cameand went to the mainland on the boat. He was named Bill.He also was in politics and very busy. He kept to himselfwhen at the hotel. Bill would go out on the dock and fishearly in the morning. He dug for clams of which he used thenecks for bait. He wore old clothes; open toed sneakers, andan old brimmed hat.

Mademoiselle Alice, as she was called didnt seemto be aware of Bills presence at the hotel.Alice was very busy with her Crystal Ball, telling

fortunes for people all over the country. Especially the eliteclientele secretly knew her. Her big, beautiful collie dogShep, was always at her side.

Alice had her friends from the island help repair thehotel. She started with the roof, which was in very bad

condition from the winds, and salt water and stormy weather.A lot of the tiles had to be replaced on the back of the hotelfacing the bay and the hotel was badly in need of fresh paint.


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Chapter 18

Alice was doing a great business this particularsummer. She put her money into a new kitchen. She put ina modern and beautifully styled kitchen. The icebox wasfilled with fish. The eel was also a delicacy at the restaurant.Blue Shell crabs were on the menu on Friday Night Specials.The very heavy wooden table had fresh flowers in a beautifulvase on it every night. The table was very large and seatedtwenty people at a sitting. The chairs were captain chairs.

The walls were decorated with a wheel from a Captains shipthat sank out in the bay at least a hundred years ago. Therewere many pictures of sailboats and regatta races. The bigred clock on the wall also was decorated with shells andsailboats. The dishes were red and the silverware had bluehandles. The pots hanging on the wall were also red. Shepwas also in the big kitchen at night.

There were white Adirondack chairs in front of the

hotel. People would walk by and wave. Many visitors satout on the chairs.In the back of the hotel looking out over the bay was

a beautiful lawn with sprigs of palm along the waterfront.On the lawn was a big sailing vessel that was pushed up onthe lawn by forty-foot waves during the hurricane. It had been restored and painted. The sailing vessel was justawesome. It was made of solid mahogany. It was popular

with the rich years ago.The people would sit and look out over the bay after

they had their palms read. Alice was very young and beautiful and made up to look old and wrinkled. She hadlong fingernails that looked like they belonged to a witch.Her hair was grey, arranged in a bun. She wore heavy jewelry. It was mostly big colored beads. She liked blackwith a touch of red.


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Chapter 19

Since she had predicted a young man would die ofcancer in a few years, her prediction became true. He waswell known on the island. She was scary. She also was surea hurricane would wipe out the shoreline. There was agrocery store and a room attached with a jukebox and a ping- pong table. There was a stage where, on weekends, theislanders came to listen to the musicians, a group that playedon Saturday nights. People of all ages would dance and sing.

There was a deck facing the bay. The doors swing open andyou could sit on the deck or walk along the beach. Saturdaynights, there was always a barn fire. The children, mostlyteenagers, would collect debris all day and get a high amountso the fire would last during the late hours of the night. Athigh tide, the moon was bright and beautiful as it reflectedon the bay. That store was washed away in the hurricane.Alice was right about that, too.

When Mademoiselle Alice was not working, shedisappeared from sight.


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Chapter 20

You could see a beautiful young girl with a dark tanand long legs. Her hair blew in the wind. She was known towear jewelry even with her swimsuits. The jewelry was verydelicate. She was very beautiful. She always walked alongthe shore early in the morning. She always stopped by thehotel for coffee and a cheese Danish. Shep was always ather side.

One day, Alice was walking along the bay shore and

Bill was walking with his fishing poles and bait and bumpedinto Alice as he was going toward the dock to fish. Heintroduced himself. She replied her name was Judith.

He was talking about his long walk to the west sideof the island. He asked about the one room schoolhouse.Judith told him there were five children that attended theschool in the winter. The schoolteacher was from the island.Her husband ran the store and recreation center. He was also

a doctor and cleaned up the scrapes and bruises the kids gotplaying horseshoes. He also had to take a fishhook out of amans neck. It got caught in his neck when the line wasthrown out the wrong way and came back and stuck in hisneck. All was well, thanks to the doctor.


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Chapter 21

There was a plot of land called Indian Springs thathad Indians buried on the land.

As they walked along the shore, sea gulls werescreeching with such noise above their heads. The sailboatslooked beautiful on the bay.

There were a few churches on the island and a storeon the south end that only sold staples. Also there was adock alongside of the shore. The ferry docked there to

unload the food and gas tanks. Sometimes lumber was sentover on the ferry for building new houses.Judith was so beautiful. Bill couldnt keep his eyes

off of her. She asked for him to come to the hotel for a drinkof juice or coffee. As she walked into the hotel, Shep mether.

Mademoiselle Alice was supposedly off the island.There was a sign in the window to make appointments at the

desk. After talking for a long while, Bill asked Judith to gofor a boat ride. She went into her quarters, which wasupstairs and changed into a bathing suit. Bill changed intoswim trunks and they were off for a boat ride on the bay.Bill couldnt resist trying to kiss Judith while on the bay andspeeding as well. The motor was cranked up to speed. Ashe kissed her, the boat went around in circles as his hands

were around Judith. He sure can kiss, Judith thought. He isso very kind and humorous. They both laughed.

Bill and Judith would take her sailboat and sail down Narragansett Bay north to New Port Rhode Island. Theywould dock and go into town. They always stopped for NewEngland Clam Chowder and sat out on the jetties andwatched the waves hit the jetties. They went shopping forchimes. Judith brought them back to the hotel. There was a

picture of a lighthouse and the chimes hung from it. She putthe chimes in the window facing the bay and when a breezecame up, the chimes would ring along with the lighthousefoghorn.


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When it was windy and the waves were pounding the shore,

you could hear the lighthouse bell. Judith used to plantflowers around the lighthouse. There was a forceful currentat the point near the lighthouse. The beach went out into the bay. It looks like a point. The water came from bothdirections. Judith and Bill would walk along the nature walkpath. They were together as much as possible.


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Chapter 22

Bill was on the mainland running for Mayor of SouthBoston. Judith disappeared to the mainland andMademoiselle Alice came back to her crystal ball.

Alice could see in her Crystal Ball an enormoushouse with a deck all around it. There were five bedroomson the second floor and a bell in the tower. The first floorwas nautical furniture, a small wicker red table, a Stickleydesk, with a mirror over it. Red wicker chairs along the wall

could be put around the table. When visitors came, the yardwas very large. There were Adirondack chairs and ahammock near a big willow tree. Alongside of the beautifulhouse was a garage. In the garage was a Ford with a rumbleseat. The car was in brand new condition. It was black andowned by a rich old lady that lived there. She wore dirndlskirts that flared out from her waistline.

A ghost is in the big house according to Alice and

her Crystal Ball. Every so often the bells in the tower wouldring and the lights in the big living room would come on.The old woman no longer lives in the big haunted house.She lives in a small A-frame house with only three rooms.Alice also predicted the woman would fall off the ferryboatand would float because of her many dirndl skirts.

A man flew all the way from India to haveMademoiselle Alice read from her Crystal Ball only to

hear a relative would be killed in the earthquake. He alsowas told his child, who has Down's syndrome, now hasleukemia and is very ill.


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Chapter 23

Across the west side of the island was a farm thatgrew beans and corn. It had a few horses and cows on the property. There were chickens running free. At night, thebarn would have its ladder to the balcony move violently andthen stop moving. No one knew the barn was hauntedexcept the horses were agitated and trying to get away fromthe barn. The well outside would have the handle go up anddown as if someone was pumping the water. There was

never anyone pumping the water! The well had not beenused in years.Shep would sit beside Alice, as she did her fortune

telling and then go into the big room and sleep when Aliceclosed for the day.

Judith and Bill continued to see each other as muchas possible for Bill. He was on the mainland a lot. Judithgrew weary.


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Chapter 24

One day, Judith took the ferryboat to the mainland tosee the parade and be with her friends. The parade waswonderful. All the floats were fun to watch. As she waswatching the parade, she caught a glimpse of Bill holding a baby in his arms and a very pretty lady talking to him.Judith could feel her heart in her stomach. As she watched,Bill and the lady and baby walked away together. Shehadnt seen or heard from him in months. He was running

for Mayor and was very busy.Judith had to get the ferryboat back to the island orshe would have to wait until morning. On the ride home,there was some lightening cracking across the sky. Thethunder was loud. Judith felt very lonely and sick.

Bill had been living a double life. He was married.He was running for mayor and his picture was soon in thenewspaper with his wife and baby.

Judith was questioned about Bill, but she had nothingto say.


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Chapter 25

After a few months, the Crystal Ball was gone fromthe big window. Mademoiselle Alice was never heard fromagain. Only Shep remained for visitors to take care of andto feed.

Oddly enough the beautiful girl that walked along thebeach and swam and sailed her boats had moved away.

Judith had been in love with Bill. She could hardlyfunction. She cried and cried for months. She would sit in

the movie theater and not know what movie she watched.She would keep to herself and was not seen much.


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Chapter 26

Judith made a living painting scenes of theNarragansett area. She was very talented.

One day, she met Bill in a caf in Bostons southside. He was alone and she was having coffee and reading anewspaper. Bill approached Judith. They quarreled and sheswore she would contact his wife and tell her about theiraffair. He tried to pay her off. She threw the rest of hercoffee at him and ran out of the caf.


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Chapter 27

Years later she met her soon to be husband, Dennis.They were married on the beach with a few friends at areception near a beach in South Boston.


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Chapter 28

Judith became pregnant. She would always think ofBill. She loved her husband but was not in love with him.

The baby girl was tiny and darling. Three years later,Judith had a boy. They were all doing well and were happy.Her husband never knew how she pined over Bill. Therewere many lonely nights.

Bill had become Mayor and had another child. Hewas all over the TV and newspaper. He was now running for

Vice President. It was on the Republican ticket. Judith hada few encounters with him in the years she was married. Shetold him again that she would expose him. Bill was furious.He did not know how to shut her up.


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Chapter 29

Judith met Sergio and there was instant magic. Shewas finally feeling happy. Sergio was also married. He hadmarried Ernestine who was like a wicked witch. Sergiodidnt know the meaning of commitment. He was out all thetime. He was seen with different young women at theracetrack. He was always flashing his money around. Hewas always drunk. He frequented the seediest bars.

Ernestine would follow him around. She found out

he had a woman in their bed. She became obsessed withtrying to find out where he would go and how many womenhe was with. He was a known player with women.

Ernestine soon became friendly with a mechanicfrom South Boston. They would go out drinking and all thetime her mind was on killing Sergio. She wanted somethingbad to happen to Judith also.

Judith was falling in love with Sergio, who was

already head over heels in love with Judith. He bought her a beautiful Scrimshaw ring with a lighthouse engraved on it.She wore it all the time.

She had told him she thought it would be ideal to buya lighthouse and live in it. There would be lots of propertywith many trees and flowers. It would be near enough to thebeach that she could dock up and take her boat out when shefelt like smelling the bay and having the wind in her face.

The seagulls made their own noise while flying abovelooking for food. Of course, around the lighthouse would beAdirondack chairs in red and white. Judith loved flowers soshe knew what she would plant.

She often thought back on her life as MademoiselleAlice. She invented her, as she is very psychic. She lovedthe island and the hotel and Shep.


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Chapter 30

Judith had heard the beautiful hotel had been hit by ahurricane and was partially destroyed. The shingles werenow in need of repair. The roof was leaking and water wasgetting on the furniture and floor when it rained. The windshad blown the outside furniture near the bay and into thebay.

Shep had died, probably of lonely hours by herselfin the hotel. There was an old man who fed her and took care

of her, but, sadly, the old man died.Judith still owned the hotel without the knowledge of

her husband or friends.


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Chapter 31

Sergio loved to dance with Judith. They would go tothe oyster bar and have baked oysters and wine. There wasan old jukebox with songs they loved to dance to.

They got lost in each other. Sergio wanted to marryJudith. He was so in love now. Judith wouldnt have herchildren hurt by a divorce.


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Chapter 32

Judith was becoming a known artist. She had artshows. One night, Bill and his wife came to see the art showand did not know it was Judiths show.

The art was very high priced and people from theelite came and bought her paintings. When Judith saw Billwith his wife, she was saddened and a bit revengeful. He gother alone and was afraid she would cause trouble. She justsaid she hated him for all the sorrow and deception.

She left the show for a while. She saw his Cadillacwith a Mayors license plate and she drove her car into theheadlights. The engine was banged up badly. There wasfluid draining on the lot. Judith got away fast and neverlooked back.

Judith had once told Sergio she had a feeling shewould die in a dreadful car accident.


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Chapter 33

Caroline was busy with her newspaper. She wascovering the elections. Caroline was thinking of how shemet Rico. She was attracted to him instantly. The weddingshe was at was a most wonderful event and when Rico askedher to dance, she could still smell his hair. The smell madeher woozy. She loved his smell.

Marcus, the apprentice, was doing well at thenewspaper. Caroline left him alone now, as he had become a

great editor.Was Ernestine still following Sergio? It seems shewas out dancing when Sergio actually walked into theSilver Spoon and Ernestine stayed in a corner so thatSergio and Judith would not see her.

Sergio and Judith were laughing, drinking anddancing and kissing. Judith left for her car. Ernestinefollowed her out and as Judith got in her car, Ernestine kept

hitting her over the head with a heavy purse and shouting,Get away from my husband! Sergio came out just thenand stopped Ernestine from her fury. Judiths head wasbleeding and required stitches.


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Chapter 34

Dennis was becoming aware that his marriage wasnot having good vibes. He was suspecting Judith was havingan affair.

Dennis was doing the architecture on a big high risebuilding in New York. Dennis was out of town for weeks ata time. The children had a nanny so it was easy for Judith toget away, even for weekends.

Unknown to Judith, Dennis was interested in a

woman he met on the train to and from New York andBoston. It was perfectly innocent at first, when he asked herto dinner, as she worked near his office building. He,however, loved Judith. He always knew Judith was not inlove with him, but they had a good marriage.

Judiths artwork was selling well and she was happywith her art. It came freely for her to paint.


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Chapter 35

Then it happened. One day, Judith stepped onto thestreet from the zoo and she was hit by a car and lay lifelessin front of her husband, Dennis. People at the zoo shieldedthe children.

At first, it was certain Sergio had struck her in adrunken stupor. He crossed over the median and peopleheard a thud. The car hit a pole and wrapped around a tree.Sergio was found with his head against the passenger side of

the windshield. His head shattered the glass, as he was nowunconscious.


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Chapter 36

It seems Ernestine was driving and when the car hitthe tree, she was able to escape and run. Therefore, Sergiohad been blamed.

Ernestine had seen Judith step onto the street. Shewas driving Sergio to pick up his winnings from the races.He was to meet his bookie.

Ernestine stepped on the gas pedal and deliberatelykilled Judith. Now how was this to be proven? There was

no sign of anyone being in the car but Sergio.


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Chapter 37

As months and months went by, Rico was withCaroline and pursuing his investigation of Judiths death. Hewas convinced Sergio was innocent. He had been drinking but not driving. The forensic police were working hand inhand with Rico.

The first jury was a hung jury. Sergio was out of hiscoma. His many surgeries on his brain had helped theswelling and the antibiotics helped to heal the infections.


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Chapter 38

Sergios nurse, Monica, continued as his private dutynurse. He was destroyed by the death of Judith.

Judiths husband was convinced Sergio killed Judith.The puzzle was coming together.

Caroline did many stories about the mystery and nowmurder at the crossroad by the zoo.

Bill was busy with his life. He and his wife werecampaigning and he had moved away.

During the new trial, the mechanic had given the juryprovocation that Ernestine wanted Judith dead.During the questioning of Ernestine, she screamed

out how she was glad she ran over Judith and how she hatedSergio.

She reached into her bra and pulled out a gun. Shefired at Sergio and missed. She put the gun to her head andbefore anyone could stop her, she pulled the trigger.


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