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

The doctor rattled off a series of orders, then turned and walked towards Harris.

“Mr. Harris, I understand that you are Mrs. William’s ex-husband.”

“Yeah, I’m all she’s got now.”

“We have an operating room getting ready. The bullet appears to have done damage to her internal organs. I must warn you, she may not make it.  She’s awake but groggy. You can see her for a few minutes.”

“Thanks.” Harris followed the doctor back into the cubicle.

Harris went to her side, took her hand, and leaned down. “Stephie?”

“Burt…I’m sorry.”

“Hey, none of that ya hear? You need to keep all your strength for getting better. I’m right here and I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’ll take care of you. You concentrate on coming back to me.”

“I’ll try…”

“Don’t try. Do it, Baby.”

“We have to get her to surgery,” said the O.R. nurse.

“Okay.” Harris turned and headed for the waiting room upstairs.

Sharkey checked with the charge nurse and was told that Mr. Polly was in room 232A and could have visitors.

Sharkey showed his badge to the officer outside the room. “I need to talk to him.” The guard smiled and nodded. Sharkey tapped on the partially closed door.

“Yeah.”

“Mr. Polly, I’m Detective David Sharkey.”

“What do you want? You get that bitch that shot Rita? She dead?”

“Fortunately for you, no.  You’re looking at the death penalty if she dies. In the meantime,” Sharkey said, “you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Stephanie Williams.” Sharkey then read him his Miranda rights. “You understand your rights as I have read them to you?”

“Yeah. She killed my Rita. Now what am I gonna do?”

“Stop answering personal ads?”

“That first guy was a joke…giving us half the money. I want a lawyer. Now.”

“I bet you do. You can use that phone on the table next to you.”

“I don’t know a lawyer.”

“Then the court will appoint one for you.”

“I want that.”

“I’ll arrange it.”

“I ain’t saying nothing more.”

“As you wish.” Sharkey turned and walked out.

“Keep a good eye on him. In fact, you should cuff him to the bed. Be in the room if anyone goes in.”

“Will do. Take care, Detective. It’s going to be a long night.”

“That’s for sure.”

Jenny was waiting for him in the main lobby.

“How is she?”

“She’s going into surgery.  Hard to tell yet. Could be a coin toss.”

Amy came over to where they were standing. “Harris is pretty down.”

“I’ll go talk to him. You might as well get some sleep, Jenny. Tomorrow will be a busy day,” Sharkey said.

“Okay, thanks.”

Harris was sitting in a lounge chair, rocking.

“Harris, how are you holding up?”

“This doesn’t make any sense. Those two Neanderthals are not Hispanic.”

“No.” Sharkey looked at Harris.

“I need to talk to the kid. It doesn’t make sense. How could they be related to Vasquez? Javier said Vasquez always uses his own people.”

“Well, you have a point there. Why don’t you go to the holding room here and call him?”

“Okay. Thanks. I’ll be back.”

Sharkey poured himself a coffee and bought a candy bar. He sat down in a chair and tried to think.

Harris pulled Javier’s number from his wallet and called from the hospital phone.

Javier answered like he was fast asleep.

“Hola.”

“Javier it’s Harris.  We have an emergency and I need you to wake up and tell me what I need to know.”

“What’s that?”

“Does Vasquez have any Americans working for him here in Key West?”

“I don’t think so. He only has clients, but they are representing his business contacts.”

“You ever heard the name Polly? Rita and Kirk Polly.”

“No. He has his people that travel with him, all Hispanic. He’s not a trusting man.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Is everything, all right?”

“No. But this doesn’t involve you. Get some sleep. I’ll be in touch.”

“All right. Be careful.”

“I will. You, too.”

Harris went back to Sharkey and sat down close to him. He spoke in a low voice. “He says that Vasquez doesn’t employ Americans. He brings his people with him.”

“So, maybe the Pollys were working it alone. They may have a friend at the motel who just happened to have seen the kids being taken.”

“It’s a long shot, but I bet I can get it out of Polly,” Harris said, his eyes bright.

“I’ll do it,” Sharkey said. “You need to take care of yourself and let me handle it. You need to keep Stephanie going.”

“You’re right. I got bigger fish to fry.”

“Right. Hang in there. I need to get the report written up and submitted.”

*    *    *

Sharkey finished typing up the report on the shootings and for some reason, his stomach was rejecting the thought of another cup of coffee. He went down to the lounge and drank down a small carton of milk and headed for the back door.

What a day, he thought, everything is wrong. Harris is right. The Pollys must have been working alone.  There’s a connection there…but what? How did they know about the abduction of the kids?  I’ll have to do a background check.

He pulled his car into the garage and headed for the house. Camie had left the light on in the kitchen. He smiled.  There was a note on the refrigerator letting him know that there was roast beef and gravy inside.  He reached in and took a beer out along with the food. Suddenly food looked good. He made himself a hot open face sandwich.

He sat at the newspaper while he ate, trying to clear his mind. Then Camie’s arms wrapped around his shoulders. “Hey,” she said softly, over his shoulder.

“Hi, my sweet. Long day, bad night.”

She slid into the chair next to him. “You said you’d be late.”

“I