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See The End
See the End is a mystery novel by Italian-American author Lina Decrescenzo linadecrescenzo@decrescenzo

Characters
Nubia Kline -	A former psychologist, who retires at Fourth Mile, a 55+ Community in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Michelle -		A retired FBI agent and Nubia’s best friend.

Jane	-		A retired FBI agent and Michelle’s friend and former colleague.

Paul	-		Active Los Angeles’ FBI agent, Michelle and Jane’s old friend and former mentor

Eva		-	   Jane’s niece

Mike	-		Jane’s former brother-in-law

Nadine	-		Jane’s sister

Miguel -	    The boss of Los Angeles' 18th street gang’s and Nubia’s lover

Jawun 	-	    Miguel’s Lieutenant and Maria’s lover

Father Luis	-	The chaplain of St. Joseph’s orphanage, and a sexual predator

Mother Superior	- The Head of the nuns running the St. Joseph’s orphanage Maria Guadalupe - Nubia’s childhood friend

Robert	-		Eva’s boyfriend

Nadia	-		Eva’s baby

Plot
A story of love, sex, retribution, murder, and hope as the life circle remains unbroken

Nubia Kline, upon retiring at Fourth Mile, keeps herself apart to better keep her past life secret. The neighbors’ genuine interest in becoming her friends changes her mind. Nubia becomes involved in the community’s life, but due to her forgetfulness is estranged by neighbors and friends.

Michelle decides to help her, advises Nubia to undergo medical tests. Nubia is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease but tries to live independently. However, she, accidentally, burns down her house and is admitted to a memory care unit. Michelle and her friend Jane discover Nubia’s partially burned diary among the wreckage. In reading the damaged manuscript, they assume that Nubia, born in Baskerville, California, following the death of both parents was placed at St. Joseph’s orphanage in Los Angeles. Growing up, she joined one of the gangs that populated the city in criminal activities.

The two friends driven by their FBI special agents’ motivation decide to investigate further into Nubia’s past. They develop an investigative plan and contact Paul, asking him to assist them. Hours before their scheduled flight to Los Angeles to initiate the investigation, Jane is informed that her estranged sister Nadine has died in a bus crash in Oklahoma and decides to go there. Michelle continues alone. She meets Paul at LAX, who takes her to his beautiful home, and in a matter of hours, he confesses his long-standing love for her. Michelle reveals that she, too, has been in love with him. The investigation undertaken by Paul reveals new clues: Nubia was involved in the 8th street gang; Miguel Rodriguez was killed during a dispute with a rival gang; Jawun seeks revenge. Jawun is jailed; Maria Guadalupe lives in Naples, Florida.

Michelle and Jane fly to Naples to meet Maria Guadalupe, who recounts the physical abuses that she, Nubia and many other girls, raised by nuns, at St. Joseph’s orphanage underwent. They were beaten up for wetting the bed, or denied food if late for meal times.

In their early teenager years, Maria continues saying that, in the hope of a better life, they joined the religious order. The life gets better but it doesn’t save them from Father Luis and other diocese priests’ sexual abuses perpetrated on all the nuns of the community. Mother superior keeps the abuses secret afraid of severe repercussions. Nubia, unable to stop the abuses, ambushes and kills Father Luis. Although it is clear who the murderer is, no one points the finger at Nubia, It is determined to be an accident.

Maria and Nubia escape the convent, unable to find a job and a house to live, join the 18th Streeters. They find shelter, food and for the first time, they experience love Nubia becomes Miguel’s girl friend, and Maria takes up with Jawun and get involved in crimes delivering guns and dope. Life is good until Miguel is Killed, Jawun is jailed. Nubia and Maria part to never see each other again.

Michelle and Jane track down Maria and Jawun to finally fulfill their love’s dream. Michelle and Jane visit Nubia and after a very emotional recounting of Maria’s revelation, witness Nubia’s last breath, they See the End. Michelle returns to Paul for Christmas. The decide to get married on New Year's Eve, but their romance abruptly ends. Paul dies of a heart attack. Michelle returns to Fourth Mile and, for the first time, experiences the brutal pain of loneliness.

Jane visits her niece who gives birth to Baby Nadia.

Life comes full circle.