Key West Gone into the Night Elizabeth Hilleren (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📖

Alex’s normally calm face look startled.

“What do you mean? It’s gone?”

“Yes. I have the team going over the crime scene and so far, there’s no sign of it.”

“Sharkey, they have my address.”

“I know. I’ve got word over to your complex security.  Amy said Cynthia can stay at Harris’ house. He’ll bring them to work and walk them in and out of the building.”

Alex relaxed a little.

“I don’t expect any further contact with them,” Sharkey said, “but we’ll error to the side of security. These are killers.”

Alex suddenly felt very tired. “See you in the morning?”

“You bet. Get some sleep.”

Sharkey left and Cynthia walked in.

“How are you doing, Handsome?”

“Better, now that you’re here.”

She smiled and gave him a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too. You stay safe.”

“Officers are here to take me and Amy to her house for the night.”

“Sleep well. I’ll be thinking of you.”

*    *    *

The people who jumped Alex returned to their home.

“Rita,” the large man said. “We only got half the money?”

She snorted. “Yeah, and that guy saw my face.”

The big man smiled.  “First, we’ll dispose of the body. I have a place all picked out.  I picked our good Samaritan’s wallet before I tossed him.” He pulled out a driver’s license. “He’s Alex Sloan. We have an address. The guy’s in the hospital. The place was full of cops. Really fast.”

“So, we may have a problem?”

“Yeah, I’m afraid we may.”

“He should have an accident…,” she said.

“That we can arrange.” He raised his massive body up out of the chair and headed for the door.

*    *    *

Piper was waiting for Sloan and she met him at the door when she saw the car lights in the driveway.

“How did it go?” she asked, putting her arms around his neck.

“Good. Glad to be back in your arms. Now it’s just us and I love you, Piper.”

She smiled and looked into his eyes. “I love you too. Come in and I’ll fix you something to eat.”

“It’s been a long day.”

“How’s your dad?”

“I went to see him before the meeting and he’s a little roughed up, black and blue in a few places, but they say he’s on the mend.”

“That’s so awful. What happened to him? He’s such a good man.”

“Yeah, he’s that. Don’t want to even think about losing him. It feels like I just found him.”  Sloan sat down on the sofa and she put a plate of fried chicken and potatoes down in front of him.  “That looks great.”

“Eat. Then let’s talk.”

He ate the chicken and drank down the beer that she set on the table.

“Want another beer?”

“I just want you.” She snuggled in next to him. “Heard from the adoption agency yet?”

“Not yet. Amanda said probably sometime this next week. It could take a while. There are lots of hoops to jump through. I’m a lawyer, I’m supposed to like jumping hoops. But if it makes you happy, I’ll put on my best jumping shoes.”

She laughed. “Thanks for being supportive. It means a lot to me.”

“Hey, it’s not just you. I’m looking forward to it too,” Sloan said.

“You sure?” she asked hesitantly.

“Positive. I’m even looking forward to getting fat, losing my hair, and driving a station wagon.”

She laughed. “I love you so much, but I don’t think they make station wagons, they’re SUVs now.”

“According to Shelby, there’s still one thing we have to do to be seriously considered for adopting,” Sloan said.

“What’s that?”

Sloan reached in his pocket. And looking into the eyes he loved so much, he pulled out a velvet box and got down on one knee in front of the couch.

“Piper, will you marry me?”  He opened the box and she gasped.

“Oh…yes…yes, yes, yes!” She jumped into his arms and they fell over laughing.

They climbed back up on the couch and he took the ring and her left hand. “You’re my soulmate. I love you with all my heart.” He slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand, and then kissed her lips.

“Sloan, I promise to be a good wife and your soulmate forever.” He pulled her into his arms and held her for a long time. Then he stood and took her hand and they walked up the stairs for a night of pure love…”

    Wednesday  Morning

Sharkey awoke with a start and sat up in bed. Camie’s eyes flew open.

“What is it Sharkey?”

“I don’t know…I was dreaming.”  He tried to figure out what he was dreaming. He took a deep breath and lay back down and rolled on his side so he could see Camie.

“I’m afraid that we may have just lost Carl Abbott, and now those kids have no parents.”

“You think he’s dead?”

“It’s a possibility. No, it’s a probability. The people we’re dealing with are the kind who don’t leave messes.  The case just moved to another level. I need to find the body of Carl Abbott.”

Camie glanced at the alarm clock and saw 5:00 AM.

She gently touched Sharkey face. “I’m so sorry.”

Sharkey lay back down and reached for Camie. Holding her close in his arms gave him comfort from her closeness.

“I think that I’m going to head into the office and see if the lab found anything in that syringe Cruz found.”

“You shower and I’ll pack you a breakfast.”

“Thanks, love.”  He kissed her tenderly and ran his hand through her silky blonde hair. “See you soon.”

He met her in the kitchen just as she was pouring coffee into a thermos and then a sipper cup.

“Just heat up the breakfast bowl when you get to work.”

He nodded