Til' Death Do Us Part ✅

Chapter 4

Corrine

I tried calling Juliette several times and either her voicemail was full or she didn't hear it. I called both of the restaurants and they said she hadn't made it in. That was so unusual because every Thursday she got to the Bourbon Street restaurant early so she could prepare the following week's menu to email to her VIP clients.

Juliette was my only child. I loved her not only as my daughter but as one of my best friends. We were so close. If anything ever happened to her, I would go crazy. She was never one to beg for things or ask for the world. We helped her start her business and gave her the fantasy wedding she wanted.

All she wanted to do was cook and be a great wife to Greg. She had started cooking with her grandmother at the age of two and her love for cooking became strong. I wasn't to keen on her marrying Greg as I thought it would have been  her best friend Cole but that didn't happen.

I pulled up to her house and saw her car in the driveway. I walked up to the front door and knocked. I stood there for a while waiting for her to answer.

"Mrs. St. Claude ?"

I turned around and saw Cole.

"I was just thinking about you stranger. When did you get in town?" He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I just spoke to your mother last week." I rang the bell again.

"Does Juliette know you are in town?"

"Yes I came by yesterday. She is still mad that I didn't come to the wedding."

"Yes, she was disappointed. I knew you were in love with her even if she didn't. She seems to be happy with Greg."

"I know she told me."

I started beating on the door. "Something is wrong Cole. She is not answering her phone and her car is here."

"I will go knock on the back door. You stay here and keep knocking," he said. He walked to the back as I continued to beat on the door. I pulled out my phone and called 911.

I gave them the information and they said they were sending someone. I felt panicky. I had never gone a day without talking to my child. Even if she was sick or studying for finals we always made it a point to talk to one another.

"She isn't out back and she's not answering the back door. I tried calling but her mailbox is full. She always answers," he said.

"I know. I just called 911. Something is wrong. This is so not like her." We heard the police drive up. Two officers got out.

"Someone called?" The officer asked.

"Yes I did. My daughter is not answering her phone and her car is parked there. I don't have a key but I feel like something is wrong."

"I'm Officer Hunter and this is Officer Ellis."

Officer Hunter walked to the door and banged on it, while the other officer walked around to the back. I stood there waiting for someone to say something.

"The security power wire has been cut but the door is locked."

We followed Officer Ellis around to the back door.

Officer Ellis broke the door down. "You two wait here. We will come and get you when it's safe," Officer Hunter said. We stood outside and waited.

Officer James Hunter - NOPD

"Are you thinking foul play?" I asked my partner Ellis.

"Who knows? I will check down here and you go upstairs. I don't think anyone is here."

I nodded and headed up the stairs. I went in rooms and nothing looked out of place. I opened the last door and it didn't open like the others. I pushed the door with a little more force and it finally opened.

"Up here!" I shouted at Ellis. I looked down to see a once beautiful young lady covered and surrounded in blood. Ellis walked in and covered his nose.

We both bent down to see her eyes opened and throat slashed with puncture wounds in her arm but mostly in her chest and midsection. Her eyes were cloudy and dull. I tried to get a pulse but she was cold.

Ellis got on his phone and call the Coroner and EMS.

"I can't let her mother see her like this," I said getting up. Someone had killed her and deep down inside I wanted to find the maniac who did this and kill him myself.

I walked back down the stairs with Ellis to tell her mother. It was a gruesome scene and I just wasn't sure if her mother could take it.

"Did you find her?" she asked.

"I'm so sorry but your daughter is dead."

She looked at me as if her whole world had been turned upside down. The man standing next to her was in shock.

"What happened?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Someone slit her throat causing her to bleed too death. I'm so sorry Mrs. St. Claude." My heart went out to her.

"I want to see her?"

"I don't think..."

"Now officer! She is my only child and I need to see it for myself."

"Please officer can we see her?" The young guy asked.

You can't until our team gets here. It's a crime scene. At that moment I heard the sirens. Ellis took Mrs. St. Claude and the young man outside. They waited until it was okay they take them in. We walked back in the house up to the bedroom.

"This is an official crime scene. Please don't touch anything."

I put my gloves on and led them in. As soon as she saw her daughter she fell to her knees and wept. She wanted to touch her but she stopped herself.

"Who would want to kill my baby?" she choked out looking at her dead daughter.

"I don't know Mrs. St. Claude but we will find out."

"You need to check out her husband. He is into some dirty shit! When I get my hands on him, I am going to kill him myself."

"Cole, Greg is in Baton Rouge. He couldn't have done this?"

"If he didn't he knows who did."

"Whatever you know, please tell us," I said. He nodded as he wiped his tears.

"The ambulance is pulling up. I will give you two a minute but please don't touch anything. He nodded and I stood outside the door.

Corrine

I looked down at my baby. Somebody had just cut my heart and pulled it out my chest. I would never talk to my daughter ever again.

"Why?" I managed to say. How would I be able to explain this to my husband?

"I don't know for sure but I will find out. I loved her so much and whoever did this I will kill them with my bare hands," Cole said. I looked up at him to see him crying. It broke my heart.

"Mrs. St. Claude they need to remove the body. If you wait downstairs I will talk to you once they are finished up here," Officer Ellis said.

I touched her cold hand and kissed it. Cole helped me up and led me downstairs. By the time I did I couldn't help but scream as I cried in Cole's arms. He tried to comfort me but my body shook. My baby girl was gone and I wasn't there when she took her final breath. She was there all alone with no one.

The rest of the day went by as a blur. They finally took me to the hospital because I just couldn't stop crying and my blood pressure had soared.

I finally woke up to see my husband by my side. His eyes were red and puffy. I thought it was a dream but I could see the hurt in his face. He leaned over and kissed me as I felt his tears drop from his eyes.

I pushed over in the bed and he got in. I tried to comfort him but he was just as broken as I was.