Dace Lamoureux was the epitome of a male heir and for whom the term fortunate son was certainly appropriate. He was the late-life child of Senator Allard and Elizabeth Lamoureux and the last chance at the continuation of an unbroken dynasty spanning more than two centuries of American history for the rich and powerful political family. On February 14, 1998, Dace turned twenty-one and thus became a man in the eyes of his father and the world. When Dace's longtime girlfriend and soon-to-be fiance, Sarah Avidago, is killed in an automobile accident later that night, he learns quickly what it means to shoulder the responsibilities of being a Lamoureux man. Dace rebels, and together with lifelong friend Dave Saunders, embarks upon a journey that quickly becomes an exploration of life which tests the limits of friendship. In a Catholic Girl's High School outside of New Orleans, best friends Ashley Monreale and Veronica Broussard begin a similar journey. The time is ten days before Mardi Gras, the conclusion of the yearly Carnival celebration and this year, the girls have a plan to attend the party. New Orleans Private Detective William Langdon and his wife, Sandy, take some time away to celebrate an interesting twist in their lives; traveling to South Padre Island - the scene of the crime, as William refers to it - for several days of rest and relaxation when William is hired for a simple case and finds himself swept into the growing maelstrom. What none of them realize is they have all been irrevocably set upon a collision course which will change each of their lives forever when a young girl is found raped and beaten on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city of New Orleans on the morning after Mardi Gras. It's a case which will take William a decade to fully resolve, and a lifetime to forget.
About the Author: Stephen Fredrick is married and lives on Maui with his wife, Shelly. He is a businessperson, realtor, author, former airline pilot, and internationally recognized aviation safety and air crash victims' rights advocate and speaker. His aviation safety analysis has appeared in print, on radio, and in television programs around the world, most recently on Russian National Television in 2012 when he was sought out for his technical expertise following the loss of a Russian airliner. He's also getting back to flying after a 17 year hiatus. In 1996, McGraw-Hill published his first book, the nonfiction Unheeded Warning - The Inside Story of American Eagle Flight 4184. From 1997 through 1998, he served as president of the National Air Disaster Alliance (NADA), an organization consisting of survivors and families of victims of international aviation and airline crashes. NADA was founded in 1995 by the families of American Eagle Flight 4184, and was instrumental in the origination, passing through Congress, and ultimate signing into law by President Clinton the Assistance to Families of Aviation Disasters Act of 1996, which codified the rules for humane treatment, both by government and the airlines, of the victims and families of aviation accidents. He founded and ran a business in Wisconsin for 27 years prior to embarking on writing, real estate, and a return to the cockpit. His first fiction novel, Cassandra's Crossing was published in 2011. It was the premier William Langdon novel. Stephen has three daughters, Rebecca, Rachel, and Stephanie and two grandchildren, Morgan and William. His mother remains his biggest fan, and though he claims to be an only child, his brother David, and sister Cheri, do, in fact, exist.