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

know. We had a shooting. One of the victims was Harris’s ex-wife. She’s in the hospital, not in good shape.”

“Oh no. I can’t imagine how he’s coping with such loss.”

“He’s on the edge, but I watched him shift into cop mode.”

“It’s got to be so hard for him.”

“She was in surgery when I left. Doc said going in that it was not looking good.”

“Finish eating and come to bed and get some sleep before tomorrow.” She put the dishes in the sink and took his hand. “Just sleep. I’ll make sure you’re up by seven.”

“Thanks, I don’t know what I would do without you.”

    Saturday  Morning

Sharkey set Jenny on the background search of the Pollys as soon as she came in. “I need personal information on them.  Where do they work, who do they work with?  We’re looking for anyone related to Rita and Kirk Polly.”

“I’m on it,” she said. “You get some rest?”

“A few hours. Enough that at least I can handle coffee again.”

Jenny looked at Sharkey. “I’ll put a rush on this.”

“I needed it yesterday…”

Sharkey called Harris’ cell.

“How’s it going?”

“Rough.  She’s in ICU and resting…doesn’t look good.”

“Okay.  You hang in there.”

“Yeah. I got Amy.”

“Call if there’s any change.”

“Will do.”

Sharkey called Sloan to see how Alex and Cynthia were doing.

“Hi, Sharkey. Dad and Cynthia are much better this morning. I saw Harris. Can I do anything?”

“No. He just has to hang in there. Amy’s with him.”

“I’ll be by later and make sure he has food and support.”

“Good idea. I’m up to my eyebrows.”

“I’ll keep in touch,” Sloan said.

Frank Demonte was next on Sharkey’s list.

“Frank, you get the bullet out of Rita Polly?”

“I sent it to ballistics and a report to you.  Bad night,” Frank said. “How is Mrs. Williams?”

“Touch and go.”

“Damn. Okay, later,” Frank said. “Oh, I’ll be finished with the autopsy and send you the report. Toxicology should come through any time now.”

Sharkey looked up the address for the Pollys and wrote a search warrant request then took it to his favorite Judge.

He then drove over to the small house that was their residence. Their street was much like an alley with small houses facing the narrow road. The frontyards were gravel parking spaces. He parked a few houses down and walked back. There was a Volkswagen parked on the street in front of the house.

He knocked on the door and a young woman opened the door, looked at him and asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m Detective David Sharkey. I have a search warrant for this house.”

“My parents aren’t here.  They didn’t come home last night.”

Sharkey figured the girl to be not much more than twenty.

“I work nights, so I don’t where they are.”

Sharkey asked to come in.

“Your name is?”

“Cindy Polly. You can wait for them if you like.”

“I don’t need to. I know where they are. I’m afraid that your parents are at the hospital.”

“What?”

“It’s serious. Your dad is not badly hurt. I’ll take you to him.”

“What about my mom?”

“She didn’t make it. I’m sorry.”

She sunk down into a chair and started to cry.  “No. no. no…how did this happen?”

Sharkey offered her a hand and walked her out to the car after locking the door. “Let’s go see your dad. Is that your car?”

“Yes.”

He gave her his handkerchief and helped her into the car. “I know this is very hard for you.”

She nodded and dried her eyes. “Thanks for the ride. Dad will be there for me.”

Sharkey nodded.

Sharkey guided her to the room where her father was watching the morning news. She flew into his arms and Sharkey backed out and called for Human Services to come and help Cindy Polly with arrangements.

He stopped by the waiting room and checked on Harris.

“It’s just waiting now. Not looking good,” Harris said.

“I’m so sorry, Harris.”

“Yeah, me too. I just didn’t know where she was…I shouldn’t have let her leave my house that night.”

“In the frame of mind she must have been in, I doubt if you could have stopped her without getting an assault charge.”

“Yeah, she was always headstrong…always.”

“I have a lead to follow up. I’ll check back later. You stay strong.”

“Will do,” Harris said, then sat back down and rested his head in his hands.

Sharkey’s cell sounded.

“Sharkey, it’s Jenny.  Cindy Polly works at the Sands Inn Motel.”

“Yeah, I just brought her to the hospital to be with her dad. He’s under arrest.  I have a warrant to search his house. If you want to join me, we can do it together.”

“I’ll head over now. I have the address. See you there.”

*    *    *

The charge nurse came to the waiting room door.

“Mr. Harris, Mrs. Williams is asking for you and Amy. She came through the surgery and it appears the bleeding is stopped.  The next twelve to twenty-four hours will be critical to her recovery.”

Amy and Burt walked hand in hand into her room.  A tangle of wires and tubes surrounded Stephanie. Her eyes opened and she turned her head to look at them.

“I…” she spoke softly, and Harris moved closer to the bed. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I have long...”

Harris picked up her hand and held it.

“I’m glad you have Amy. Be happy and find your boys and love them and they will grow up to be good men like you.”

“You’re not going anywhere. You’ve got to be here for them too. You’re a fighter. Fight to see those boys again.”

“Don’t let that man get away with our boys…”

“I won’t. I’ll take care of them. You need to rest. We’ll stay here with you.”

Amy took her other