Harbor City (An Alec Winters Series Book 4) Read online

  Harbor City

  An Alec Winters Series

  Chariss K. Walker

  An Alec Winters Series

  Prelude

  Crescent City

  Port City

  Harbor City

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  Copyright © 2017 Chariss K. Walker

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:1973987767

  ISBN-978-1973987765

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Alec Winters was in Mobile, Catalina was at home from the institution, and as far as everyone knew, Sabrina was preparing to move in with the family at the Carrollton Avenue home. Eager to check on Cat’s progress, Sabrina had previously planned to have lunch with Cassidy and Cat that day.

  She didn’t show.

  At twelve-thirty, Cassidy called her, but the call went straight to Sabrina’s voicemail. She left a message, “Hi Sabrina, we thought you were coming for lunch. Let us know if you’ve changed your mind or if something has come up to delay you. I’m a little worried so please call me.”

  By one o’clock, Cassidy grew even more concerned. It wasn’t like Sabrina – she would’ve called if her plans had changed. Cassidy reasoned that Sabrina had wanted to participate in Cat’s homecoming and wouldn’t want to miss it. Although they normally ate lunch at noon, Cassidy postponed the meal to wait for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. She hoped that was the reason her son was so excited when she last talked to him. She tried calling again, but once more, Sabrina’s phone went to voicemail.

  By two o’clock, Sabrina still didn’t arrive or call. Earlier, Catalina had returned to her room to sketch. However, Cassidy couldn’t find anything to preoccupy her mind. She paced back and forth in the front of the house, feeling very uneasy, certain that something was wrong. She could feel it deeply in her quivering gut.

  At three o’clock, Cassidy heard Cat’s high-pitched scream only seconds before her daughter scampered down the stairs, “Mama, it’s Sabrina, something terrible has happened. Oh, Mama.”

  “What do you mean, Cat?” Cassidy asked with a dreadful sinking feeling that confirmed the worry in her shaky, uneasy stomach.

  “She’s gone, mama. She’s gone!”

  Only a few moments later, before Cassidy could react or question her daughter further, thunderous knocks sounded on their front door. Bang-bang-bang. The police? Cassidy startled. Flashbacks of the night Buck died assaulted her. A foreboding? She wondered.

  When Cassidy went to answer it, she could see that Vivien Simon had arrived in a squad car. That alone indicated that the visit was official business and not a social call. Cassidy’s heart thumped violently in her chest.

  “Ms. Winters, may I speak to Alec?”

  “Why? What is this about?”

  “If he’s here, I really need to see him. Please, just trust me. There’s something I have to tell him…and it won’t be easy to hear.”

  “He’s not here, Vivien. He’s in Mobile. He’s been gone a few days, but should return tomorrow. What is this about?”

  “I’m afraid you’ll want to call him home sooner…this news can’t wait.” Vivien hesitated briefly, “Hello, you must be Alec’s sister, Catalina.” She had spied the childlike woman standing behind her mother. “I’m Vivien, a friend of your brother’s, a friend of the family.”

  “Hello Vivien,” Cat shyly replied. “It’s about Sabrina, isn’t it? Someone hurt her and now she’s gone.”

  “Yes, someone hurt her very badly. I wanted to tell your brother, your family personally because I know how important she was to you. I’m sorry that you had to find out this way. But, you already knew, didn’t you? How did you know about Sabrina, Cat?”

  “Sabrina told me. I love Sabrina. She came to tell me goodbye, but at first, she was a little confused. Now, she’s all right.”

  “Did she tell you anything else? Did she say who did this to her?” Vivien anxiously asked even though she felt terribly foolish for voicing such questions. The investigative urge that had caused her so much trouble in the past, always pushed on; it was relentless.

  “No, silly. Now, she doesn’t care about that sort of thing. She’s a being of light. Now, she’s only filled with love. Don’t worry, Alec will…,” but Cassidy quickly interrupted her daughter.

  “Wait for me inside, Cat. We’ll need to call your brother. Will you wait for me inside so we can make the phone call together?”

  “Yes, Mother. Goodbye, Vivien.”

  “Alec will what?” Vivien called after her, but Catalina had already disappeared. Vivien wanted to follow her; she hurriedly tried to push past Cassidy. She had to know…she needed to know.

  “No! Stop it, damn you!” Cassidy ordered as she held her arms wide, blocking the doorway. “You will not interrogate my daughter. Vivien, I said stop!”

  The harshness of Cassidy’s voice finally brought Vivien back to her senses. The urge to dig and uncover the truth, always foremost in Vivien’s mind, finally fizzled out. “I’m sorry, Ms. Winters. You’re right – this isn’t the time. It can wait. I’m really sorry.”

  “Thank you for letting us know, but please, you must leave now. Focus on who did this, not us. Sabrina was family and we must let Alec know that the only woman he has ever loved is dead.” Her voice broke at the end. She didn’t know how she’d tell her son this dreadful news, but she had to make the call anyway.

  “Wait,” Vivien began, but Cassidy had already closed the door.

  Vivien returned to the squad car to call in the notification report. “They already knew,” she told Lieutenant Albright, called ‘Bright’ by those closest to him. After the murder of Monsignor Abernathy, who was the man responsible for putting out several hits on Vivien, her boss was involved in the questioning and internal investigation of Sergeant Burroughs and his men. They had been involved with the Monsignor and had used official police resources to do his bidding. Bright wouldn’t be out in the field with her or the squad until that matter was resolved.

  “What do you mean they already knew?” Bright asked as his voice crackled through the radio.

  “They’re very… insightful.” Vivien struggled to use a word that wouldn’t set his teeth on edge.

  Bright let that slide, “Have you questioned the realtor? Did he see anything? Does he know anyone who might want to kill Miss Devereux?”

  “He couldn’t imagine anyone who’d target her. He said everyone loved her.”

  “Why was he ther
e? How did he get in?”

  “He had an appointment to show the condo and there was a lockbox on the door with the key inside. He arrived a few minutes early to make sure everything was all right since Sabrina didn’t answer her phone to confirm the appointment. As he struggled to open the lockbox, the door opened. It wasn’t locked. As soon as he saw the disastrous signs of a break-in, he called the police. The place was in shambles. He didn’t even know she was dead. The police found her body in the bedroom.”

  “So the crime scene is intact?”

  “It is. I’m going back there now.”

  “You said the place was tossed – someone was looking for something. Do we know what they wanted? Could it have been junkies looking for a fix?”

  “No idea at the moment. However, I did ask the realtor about any other robberies in the area. He said it was a very safe place to live and practically impossible to get into the secured complex. From what he described, I doubt any druggies or burglars could get through security and there wasn’t a way to get to the back of her residence from some other entry point.”

  “Keep me posted. Bright out.”

  Vivien sighed deeply. She couldn’t imagine why Sabrina was dead, but she dreaded seeing Alec Winters again after he found out. She knew her eagerness had blown it with Cassidy. She didn’t mean to come on so strong. Sometimes, she just couldn’t help herself.

  Chapter 2

  Martin Saguache also knew that Sabrina was dead. He’d spent the last few hours with her in an effort to explain and educate her about the afterlife. Like his daughter, he didn’t know how to break the news to Alec either. It wasn’t a question of if; it was when to tell him. He was worried and with good reason. Alec might fly into a fit of rage and reveal his demon persona. Or, he might drive recklessly in his haste to return to the city causing an accident.

  So much to consider as Martin peered into a limited view of his grandson’s future. The news would devastate Alec, but Martin was certain that he’d eventually overcome the terrible loss. He had to. Besides, the universe worked in mysterious ways and no one understood how or why things happened the way they did. Still, Martin knew he had to tell his grandson.

  Alec was already finished with his contacts in Mobile. He had planned to spend another night prowling the streets looking for sexual predators, but he was also anxious to return to Sabrina – Anxious to propose marriage. The prospect thrilled him. When his grandfather appeared to him again so soon after the convenience store, Alec sensed something was terribly wrong.

  “What is it, Grandfather?”

  Although it’s never easy to give bad news, sometimes, it’s easier to give it all in one fell swoop. Bombshell. Then, recovery. The truth is often easier to digest that way.

  Like bad medicine, get it over with, Martin thought.

  “You must go home, Alec. It’s Sabrina.”

  “What do you mean? Is she all right?”

  “Someone broke into her home and murdered her. She’s dead, Alec.”

  “No! That can’t be true! Sabrina can’t be dead. She’s moving in with us. We’re getting married. No!” Alec yelled, refusing to accept the bad news.

  Martin realized that Alec had taken the first step in the grief process – denial. He was determined to stay with his grandson until he got to the final stage of acceptance.

  Too shocked to speak, Alec didn’t say anything for many moments. He felt his entire world crashing down around him. A dull thud banged and pounded inside his head. Erratic heartbeat. Not enough air in his lungs. Dizzy with severe pain in his heart.

  At last, he asked, “Is this the consequences you warned me about? Is this my fault?”

  “I honestly don’t know, Alec…I hope not,” Martin replied.

  Anger made Alec’s head throb harder and louder. Martin could hear the loud thumping of his grandson’s heart. He tried to send peace and serenity to Alec, but the anger blocked his efforts.

  “God dammit! This isn’t fair! You know it’s not! You see what’s going to happen. You knew I’d need a cell phone for Amy …why didn’t you warn me about Sabrina. I could have protected her. I should’ve been there to protect her! It was my responsibility to keep her safe.”

  “No, Alec. I don’t see everything… I can’t see everything. It doesn’t work that way. I must focus on something or someone in particular to see the future possibilities. I know how much she meant to you. If I had seen anything, don’t you think I would’ve warned you?”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  When Cassidy called with the same dire news, Alec only listened as his mother told him of Vivien Simon’s notification visit. After she’d finished, his voice was devoid of emotion and life. He managed to say, “I’m on my way.”

  Alec didn’t speak again on the drive back to New Orleans. His mind was spinning out of control. His heart was shattered. His head throbbed. He focused on only one thing: he must avenge Sabrina’s death, regardless of any further repercussions and consequences that he would incur – even if it killed him.

  With that in mind, Alec drove directly to Sabrina’s complex. It was already dark when he arrived. The police were there collecting evidence. Yellow tape was strung across the doorway. No one would let him in. He fished Vivien Simon’s business card out and dialed her number.

  “I need to see Sabrina’s condo. Can you make that happen?” he asked.

  Even though she’d just gotten home and was mentally and physically exhausted, Vivien headed back to her car, “I’ll come by personally and let you in, all right? Just wait for me.”

  Chapter 3

  As Alec walked through Sabrina’s home, he used all of his physical senses to determine what had happened. He employed the typical investigation techniques that Vivien used, but supernaturally, he could see far more details than the human eye could observe.

  The lock wasn’t broken, but the door wasn’t locked. Perhaps, she knew who did this to her. The windows were fastened from the inside, so that wasn’t their entry or escape path. Were they waiting for her when she returned last evening? Still, how did they get inside?

  Everything was overturned and upended. Someone was searching for something – even the linings of the chairs were slashed open. But what were they looking for? Whatever it was, they didn’t find it – they’d tortured Sabrina to discover its location.

  Her precious blood was in several rooms.

  Did she try to flee? Did she fight back? How much did she suffer before they ended her life? Each question brought further torment to his already tortured soul, but like Vivien, he couldn’t stop. He had to know.

  What did they want? What could Sabrina have in her possession that would cause this violent retribution? Perhaps, he was looking at it all wrong… Maybe it wasn’t what Sabrina had, but rather what the Goddess of Light had. Information? Did she keep a record of her clients? Did she possess incriminating details about powerful men in the city?

  Did she finally give them what they came for? Did this have anything to do with MeChelle DeLaurent? Was it payback? If so, who was left to order this revenge?

  MeChelle DeLaurent - dead or dying at his vast Lake Pontchartrain estate. Monsignor Abernathy - dead. Who was left?

  No one.

  Discouraged, Alec looked to Vivien. She repeated what they knew and it was nothing he hadn’t already discovered on his own. Nothing new to him – His observations hadn’t found any answers different from the police.

  Alec stilled his mind and utilized his supernatural gifts. Then, he picked up a scent. A woman was involved, but she wasn’t alone. Alec smelled a mixture of bergamot, gardenia, and musk, definitely a woman’s perfume. He also caught a whiff of ambergris, juniper and cade oil, a man’s cologne. His eyes spied a long blonde hair on the back of the sofa. He picked it up, sniffing and examining it closely to determine age, background, or anything else he could read from it. Then, Vivien quickly took it from his hand and put it in an evidence bag. For a moment he wanted to snap her little neck, but he
shoved the desire aside as his senses continued to catalog the hair – bleached, not natural, belonging to an older woman with a lot of miles.

  “What is it? What did you smell?” Vivien demanded as she looked up at Alec Winters. And, for the first time, she truly saw his crystal blue eyes. She knew those eyes! Shock trickled down her spine, but in order to maintain her composure, she quickly put the bewilderment aside. She compartmentalized the feelings, and until she had more time to think about it, those emotions must stay put. Now was not the time to analyze them.

  “I don’t know,” he replied, looking away from her. While he kept his private observations to himself, he silently vowed to find this woman who was either responsible or present for Sabrina’s death.

  “Alec, I need a timeline of Sabrina’s last movements. The M.E. estimates time of death around noon today. Can you help me with that?” Vivien, determined to investigate every angle, interrupted his thoughts and forged on.

  “She had listed her condo in preparation to sell it. She was moving in with us at the family home,” his voice was listless and weary. “She also spent some time with my mother over on Carrollton. They were getting Cat’s new room ready for her homecoming. The movers came yesterday to transport Sabrina’s guest bedroom suite to the new bedroom.” Vivien made a mental note to check with the security guard at the gate. He had signed the movers in. He’d have the information she needed to find and question them.

  “I need to talk to your mother. I tried to do that earlier today, but she shut me out. I feel she can shed more light on Sabrina’s activities while you were out of town,” Vivien said. “Can you help me with that? Will you ask her to speak with me?”

  “My mother is a very determined and independent woman, Vivien. She’s also very protective. She ‘shut you out’ because she felt you were determined to question Catalina. You must leave Cat alone for the time being, especially during this adjustment period. It won’t be easy for my sister to settle in now that Sabrina is gone. This is a shock to everyone, especially Cat. But, if it will help your investigation into Sabrina’s murder, I’m sure my mother will help.”