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

“Well, he’s certainly sharp and the fact that he reported it to someone is really good,” Jenny said.

“Yeah,” Sharkey took a big bite from the poor boy sandwich and took a drink of coke before continuing. “Mckenzie was mad that she hadn’t been told about the abductions. Angry but quiet. Connor took the brunt of it after they left, I’m sure. I’m taking no chances.  I put the bug in Barney’s ear. He assured me they will leave it alone.”

“There is honor among at least some of the press.”

“Maybe, but that honor has a short fuse when they think it’s a hot story.”

“You don’t think it’s because they think they’re being lied to or that you just don’t trust them to be responsible?”

Sharkey just slid his eyes over to her and took another bite and chewed. “We have another problem. Stephanie Williams is under the radar. Harris has no idea where she is and she’s the one that wrote the personal ad.”

“Oh, no.” Jenny’s blue eyes grew big. “Is she even stable?”

“I’d like us to go down by the waterfront tonight. We’ll split up and see if we can spot her. That’s where they met before.”

“You think they will move that fast?”

“They did the last time. For some reason they seem to be readers of the personal ads. I’m sure they will not want her ad to go on too long. Someone else may decide to take her up on her offer. I see it as a race to the cash. The only catch is that someone has to take out the trash at the end.”

“Oh boy, this could be bad.  How are Alex Sloan and his lady?

“They’re both being watched very closely. Alex is okay, his heart was out of sync. But they got it back. Mostly sore ribs. Cynthia is okay with a mild concussion and sore ribs.”

“That’s awful but they were very lucky. They’re such nice people.”

“Yeah, young Sloan is having a hard time. They’re both very special to him. You might not know that Cynthia and Sloan were an item till Piper hit town. They still care a lot about each other.”

“And Alex is Sloan’s father? …How does that work?”

“Very nicely, actually. Key West is full of unusual situations. Sloan and Piper are soul mates. I hear there’s a rumor that they might get hitched.”

“Really?”

“Just a rumor, so far.”

Jenny gathered up the bags and plates and cleared Sharkey’s desk.

“I have a few things to take care of, so I’ll meet you back here at about…six. We’ll divvy up the waterfront and head out about seven.”

“Okay, see you then.”

*    *    *

Stephanie set her bourbon and coke glass down and tucked her hair up into the wig.  She put on a pair of slacks and a plain dark blue lightweight blouse. Her purse was an over the shoulder one that was open on top.  She placed the gun inside.

She went to the corner and took a city bus down to a small bar. She stepped inside and took a seat and ordered food and a drink.

It was ten thirty. She ate and noticed that no one was paying any attention to her. She wore glasses and looked at a map. She would call a cab and get out a block away.

At a few minutes before eleven o’clock she arrived at the meeting place.

Stephanie felt a shudder go through her body despite the heat of the night. She checked her watch. It was just eleven. Two figures appeared from the opposite corner. They were both relatively tall. She thought it was one man and one woman.

They crossed the street.

Stephanie stepped out into the light.

“Grandmother?” The woman asked.

“Yes.” Stephanie swallowed hard and squinted into the bright flashlight that hit her eyes. “Where are the children?” she managed to say. “Get that light out of my eyes.”

“Sure. Money first,” the woman said.

Stephanie pulled out the cash bag and threw it at them. It landed on the ground.

“Make sure it’s all there,” the woman said. The man picked up the bag and looked through it.

“It’s here.” That’s when the man pulled a gun out of the back of his pants.

Stephanie pulled out her gun and aimed it at the woman.  The laser placed a red dot on the woman’s chest.  It happened so fast that Stephanie didn’t even see it.  She pulled the trigger and the woman went down with her face contorted into a look of surprise.  In a split second she felt a sharp pain and fired the gun again as she felt herself falling towards the pavement.  Everything went into slow motion…then blackness.

Behind the rink Jesse and Debby, two young lovers, heard the shots and Jesse called 911.

“There’s a shooting at the Key West Hockey Rink. My girl and I were walking by and heard the shots. Come quick.”

“I have officers on the way and an ambulance.  Don’t approach, take cover and stay on the phone.”

*    *    *

Sharkey got the call of gunshots and multiple people down at the hockey rink.  He was in an undercover cruiser. He put the red light on the top of his car and headed towards the rink. Within minutes that part of the town erupted in police cars and ambulances.

Harris heard the call and headed directly to the location. “Please don’t let it be Stephie,” he prayed.

The first officer on the scene was Fitzpatrick. He approached slowly with his gun drawn. The older woman propped against the chain link fence that enclosed the rink was closest to him. He felt for a pulse and found one but it was weak.

Another officer ran to the other two people and checked for a pulse.  The woman was dead, but the man was conscious and