Permanent Sunset (19 page)
Authors: C. Michele Dorsey
Tags: #FIC022000 Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General
Sabrina met Henry for Sunday brunch at the Triple B, his treat. She ordered the Crabby Bene with blackened hollandaise sauce, her favorite. Henry had the Triple B Eggrolls, crispy dough filled with sausage, egg, and cheese. They sat sipping their hibiscus drinks—cranberry juice drizzled over prosecco—on a picnic table overlooking Coral Bay. It had been a week since Paul had been arrested. Life was beginning to feel normal again.
A cooling breeze whipped off of Coral Bay, making Sabrina feel more relaxed than she could remember. They had new guests arriving in the afternoon, so both she and Henry knew they had to grab the moment.
“If you give me your set of keys to Villa Nirvana, I’ll drop it at the realtor’s office this afternoon,” Henry said.
“Sure.” Sabrina took the keys off the ring she kept on her belt, which felt much lighter without the heft of Villa Nirvana on it.
“Sabrina, you do know how sorry I am about what happened at Villa Nirvana. When I think about you at the pool, with Paul shooting wildly with that gun and how you could have been hurt, I am overcome with guilt. I know it is all my fault. I should have listened to you to begin with. I hope you can forgive me.”
Sabrina took a sip of her drink before answering. She was on the verge of tears. She didn’t remember anyone in her whole life ever asking for her forgiveness.
“Of course I do, Henry. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You thought Villa Nirvana would be a step up for us. I just disagreed. You couldn’t know what a catastrophe the Keating wedding would be,” Sabrina said.
“You are very generous with your forgiveness.”
“Maybe you should be with yours.”
“David? I know. Maybe I can forgive, but I’m not sure if I can trust again,” Henry said. “He’s buying Cassie’s house and Larry’s plane, so I guess I’ll have a chance to find out.”
“Think about how hard it will be for Sean Keating to ever trust again. Or Lisa,” Sabrina mused aloud.
“Jack is putting the share of the business he was going to give to Gavin in a trust for the kids in Lisa’s name. And he’s hiring her so she can get some job skills. But no more vacation villas. It’s back to parking garages for Keating Construction,” Henry said.
“How’s Carmen doing?” Sabrina asked.
“Julie says she’s a great addition to Virgin Villas. Hardworking, pleasant. There’s another person I can’t imagine will ever be able to trust again.”
“And yet people do, Henry. All in good time.”
“What about you? Are you beginning to relax with Neil?” Henry asked.
“That is a work in progress,” Sabrina said. “I may need a little time off in August when it’s slow. Would you cover me? You know I’ll do the same for you,” Sabrina said.
“Sure. Are you going somewhere good?” Henry asked.
“I hope so. I’m going back to Boston to meet the grandmother I’ve never seen before it’s too late.”
Heartfelt thanks to my agent and friend, Paula Munier, whose editing skills are the perfect complement to her advocacy talents as an agent. Thank you, Gina Panettieri at Talcott Notch Literary Agency. Hats off to editor Matt Martz at Crooked Lane Books and his wonderful staff for their tireless support and nurturing.
I am grateful for the camaraderie of my fellow Sisters in Crime New England and the members of Mystery Writers of America/New England community. The generosity of the mystery writing community, most notably from Hallie Ephron and Hank Phillippi Ryan but also from too many others to mention, continues to amaze and impress me.
Editor Nancy Murray Young, we continue the journey together. Thank you for your generosity. For Julie Grant, my daughter who dares to be a first reader, thank you for your courage and honesty.
Thank you to the wonderful people of St. John in the US Virgin Islands, who patiently listen to and answer my
endless questions and who endure my minor adjustments to their landscape and history. (There really was a seaplane service at one time!)
Steve Dorsey, you are my hero.
John Holmes and Victor Posada, I am so happy you are my family.
I am still saddened that there has been no justice or closure for the family of Jimmy Malfetti, who was murdered on St. John in 2014. Those who come forward are the real heroes in this world.
