Key West Gone into the Night

by Elizabeth Hilleren

  Harris put down his fork and pushed back from the table. “Let’s put the food away and get some rest.”

  Amy smiled. “Good idea. I love you, Burt.”

  He nodded. His eyes were pushing back tears.

  She stopped at the bedroom door, smiled, and touched the side of his face. “We’ll get through this. Are you going to be able to stay away from the case?”

  “I’m a detective. I’ll be working on the case in my mind. Trouble is I can’t have access to the files and information that Sharkey has. However, there are things that as a civilian are legal to me. I can hire a private eye to check out certain elements of the case where the police might not go. But it's too early for that. I need a little while to get my head clear and try to deal with everything that’s involved with the case. I’m still feeling like it’s all too much to understand. I do know that I can’t let my little girl down again. But right now, I feel like I’m just babbling.”

  Amy rested her head on his chest. “I love you, Burt. I’m here for you. Talk as much as you need to. I have a big shoulder and a good ear for listening without filtering.”

  “Thank God I have you.” He closed his eyes and held her close. “I love you, Amy.” Amy reached over to turned out the light. “Rest. I’ve got you,” she said.

  Monday Morning

  The next morning Sharkey entered the empty office. Looking at Harris’ empty desk, a feeling of despair hit him. He called Harris.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I have a wonderful lady here and I got a good night’s sleep. I’m trying hard to trust God that you find those kids in time.”

  “We have an address in Santiago, Chile for Javier Trujillo. There’s no answer at his house. The local police said that he owns a vineyard. It’s a small one and he travels a lot to promote his and other local wines. His cell phone number isn’t answering either. The vinery said that he was out of the country working. So, he could be here in the US, maybe even here in Key West.”

  “The trick is finding him. If he tries to leave on a plane or rents a car, we’ll know it. I have a nationwide alert out on him.”

  “Good. I hired Alex Sloan to work on trying to find him on advisement of Sloan.”

  “Good idea. Have him call me, would you? I can tell him things I can’t tell you.”

  “Sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if he calls you.”

  “You hang in there. We’re working night and day.”

  “That gives me something to hang on to. Thanks, partner.”

  * * *

  It was just a little after eight a.m. when Frank Demonte met Sharkey, Carl Abbott, and Stephanie at the entrance to the morgue.

  “We have her ready. Are you sure you want to do this, Mrs. Williams? It’s not necessary for both of you to do this.”

  “She’s my baby. I need to see her.”

  “I understand.” They walked over to a curtained window. “When you’re ready.”

  Abbott nodded. The curtain opened and Abbott’s face drained of color. “Yes, that’s Susan Abbott.”

  “Yes, that’s her. Oh no, I’m going to…” Stephanie said.

  Demonte quickly moved a chair over to her and caught her just in time. Becky brought a glass of water and cold cloths.

  Carl turned away and accepted a glass of water from Frank’s assistant, Becky. She led him over to a nearby chair.

  Becky patted Stephanie’s face with one of the cold cloths and she woke up. “Oh…oh dear…”

  “Just take a deep breath and lean back,” Becky told Stephanie.

  “May I have a few minutes with her?” Carl asked after draining the glass of water.

  “Of course, come with me. Take your time,” Frank said. He drew the curtains and closed the door.

  Frank turned to Sharkey, “Poor man. It’s so hard on them.”

  Sharkey nodded. A few minutes later the door opened, and Abbott walked over to them.

  “She didn’t deserve this. You must find who did this and get the boys back.”

  Stephanie looked up. “Maybe I can see her later?”

  “Of course,” Frank said.

  “We’ll do everything possible to do that,” Sharkey said. “Let’s get you back to your hotel room so you can rest. You need your strength. This can be very draining.”

  “I’ll take care of her, I promise. Just find those kids or I will.”

  Sharkey looked at Abbott. “Each of us needs to do our jobs. Our job is to find the murderer and the missing children. Your job is to let us know everything you have on Mr. Javier Trujillo. Any other involvement by you in the case could endanger the children. Understood?”

  Abbott nodded.

  “Tell me you understand,” demanded Sharkey.

  He frowned but said, “I understand.”

  Like hell I’m gonna sit around and not be involved, Carl thought.

  “Good. Go get some lunch and rest. I’ll be in touch. I’ll drop you at the hotel.”

  Sharkey dropped Carl and Stephanie off at the hotel and then called forensic psychologist and friend Rex Jamison.

  * * *

  Sharkey relayed the newest developments to the Chief.

  “I’m going to need help here in the office.”

  “Webber won’t be back for a while. You have someone in mind?” the Chief asked.

  “Yes, I do. Jenny Springfield. I know that she’s new to the team, but I also know that she has had experience with organized crime and underground dealings. I’m starting to think we’re dealing with professionals now. We have two fathers of the children. One is missing, and possibly dead. Not such an outrageous thought given someone killed the mother and the children are missing. I think that she would be of help.”

  “All right. You’ve got her. I’ll call her commander and get it done.”

  “Thanks, Chief.”

  “Carry on.”

  Sharkey started moving a desk from the corner of the room and pushed it alongside his. He moved the chair from the extra desk over along with paper, pens and Doug’s telephone. He called dispatch and had them transfer all calls for Jenny Springfield to go to Doug’s phone.

  An hour later, Jenny walked through the door dress in a navy-blue suit with a light blue blouse and matching shoes.

  “Jenny, thanks for coming.”

  “It’s an honor,” she said, her bright blue eyes shining.

  “With Harris and Webber out, I needed someone with experience in the world of organized crime.”

  “I have experience with that, and I was on the streets a lot working with some very savvy, seasoned cops. What are we dealing with in this case?”

  “Murder, kidnapping, and possible child trafficking. I would like to have a meeting of the minds. Rex Jamison is advising me, and Alex Sloan has been retained by the family to help find the children. I’ll introduce you to them soon. I think you’ll agree that they bring a variety of skills to this case.”

  He handed her a new cell phone. “Your communications will come through this cell and that phone on the desk here.”

  “Where do we start?”

  “Have a seat and I’ll fill you in on the case.” Sharkey summarized for her the most recent happenings, then said, “So, we have a missing father and two missing kids. The kids are our top priority now. We focus on them. That’s a full plate.”

  “The scary part, Sharkey, is that desperate people go on the offense. I’ve seen it before that the parents stick their neck out and get them chopped off. Then the bad guys don’t have to deal with a mother or father, don’t have to deal with any loose ends.”

  Sharkey agreed. “I see your point. I’m calling Rex Jamison. He’s a forensic psychologist that has helped us before.” He dialed Rex’s number.

  “Rex, it’s Sharkey, I think we need your help. I’m putting together a task force focused on getting the kids back.”

  “Okay, let’s get together with people you trust and get started.”

  * * *

  Alex called and made an appo
intment with Sharkey to meet in a conference room at the station.

  “Alex, I’m glad you’re on the case. We’re up against the clock.” Sharkey said.

  “So I understand. You need to find the victim’s lover, Javier Trujillo. Any luck this morning?”

  “He could be right here in town. We have no idea what he looks like. No one by that name has been recorded as staying in the local hotels and B&B’s.”

  “How about the son-in-law?” Alex asked. “Harris said he had some knowledge on this.”

  “I’ll call and see if they can give a general description. Hold on a minute.”

  Sharkey made the call and read back to Alex a description. “He’s a Hispanic male about six two, black hair, brown eyes, slender but not skinny, well-built, man of about twenty-four years.”

  Alex recorded the description. “Okay, at least that’s something to go on. What type of business is he in?”

  “He is a sales agent for local Chilean Wineries. Chile is big in wine. He owns a small winery too. I called The Trujillo Winery and they said he had not checked in during the last few days. They said this was unusual and they’re starting to get worried. They tried to call both his business phone cell and private one and got nothing. I asked for a check on his credit card usage and they said there had been no purchases since Saturday night at a bar in Key West.”

  Alex shook his head. “They say what airlines he flies? Regular travelers usually have a favorite.”

  “United. He left South America last Thursday night at 5 pm and landed in Miami Friday at 1:51pm. He called in on his arrival and they haven’t heard from him since.”

  “Well, don’t count out foul play,” Alex said. “Or, he had a reason and just wanted to disappear for a while. This is a mystery.”

  “The business said they will let us know if he returns or calls in.”

  “So how did Trujillo get to Key West?” Alex asked.

  Sharkey shrugged “I assumed he flew in from Miami.”

  “I’ll check the rental cars here,” Alex said. “Maybe someone will remember him. Where’s Webber?”

  “A seminar in Miami. Critical material we’re told. It’s just me handling the investigation. The Chief gave me a uniformed officer to help. Glad to have you on board. The Chief is good with this. It’s all hands on deck. The turnout of volunteers is amazing.”

  “How did the woman get to Key West?”

  “We have flight information on Susan Abbott. She got into town on the seven o’clock flight Friday morning. She was killed just after midnight that night. Her mother and Susan’s estranged husband are in town. You might want to talk to them. The mother is a piece of work. She’s blaming Harris for everything.”

  “Sounds like a charmer. Is the information worth the pain?”

  “Doesn’t like foreigners,” Sharkey chuckled.

  Alex laughed. “I should be okay then, but I bet I have some characteristics that she’s not going to like. I’ve been warned, so I’ll try not to be wounded by a sharp look. Can you get me a picture of Javier Trujillo?”

  “I’ll call and get the company to email me one. The Miami Police found a picture of Susan and a tall Hispanic man on her dresser. Let me see if it’s in the package they sent us. Maybe I can get a copy for you.”

  Sharkey pulled up the file and printed out a picture of Susan standing close to a tall Hispanic man. It matched the picture on his business card that was in one of the desk drawers. He printed that card too.

  “Great,” Alex said. “I’m gonna get started on this,” Alex said, smiling and heading for the door.

  Sharkey’s phone rang and he waved and picked up the phone.

  * * *

  “Detective Sharkey, how may I help you?”

  “Sharkey, it’s Mckenzie Jones. How long are you going to keep putting me off?”

  “Mckenzie, this is a very delicate case. It involves the woman that was found dead. Bottom line is I can’t give you any more information. We have a case of pending life and death here. I’m asking you to be patient with me. You need to be discreet and find something else to concentrate the news on for a short period. When it’s all over, I’ll give you exclusive information and the story. God only knows how long this might drag out. We really don’t want to put an official gag order on the paper.”

  “I got it. Anything that Connor and I can do to help, just say the word. We’ll stay off the record until further notice.”

  “Thanks a million, Mckenzie. I’ll let you know if there’s something specific we can share.”

  “We’ll be here at the other end of the phone. Good luck.”

  Mckenzie looked over at Connor and Barney who were listening in on the conversation.

  “Shit,” Barney said, his face pinched into a rodent like look. “Okay. This must be bigger than we thought. Keep the lid on it. That’s an order.”

  * * *

  Alex called Carl Abbott who agreed to speak to him. Stephanie was busy calling relatives to bring them up to date on the murder investigation. Alex and Carl met down in the lounge area of the hotel.

  “Thanks for meeting with me, Mr. Abbott. I have been hired by Mr. Harris to help find the children and hopefully, your wife’s killer. I have a long history of finding people who don’t want to be found.”

  Carl was looking closely at Alex to see why they picked him to help. He noticed a lot of scars and a serious attitude. “Yeah, I don’t think I would want you coming after me.”

  “Do you have any information on where Javier Trujillo is? I have some information on him but could really use your help. What contact did you have with him?”

  “Not much. I was mostly concerned with the way he treated my kid. He seemed to get along with him. Bought him toys. Tyler said he was pretty cool. Of course, being seven doesn’t give him deep introspection.”

  “How was Susan the last time you spoke with her?”

  “Strapped for money. He wasn’t paying her any support. I told her I was not going to support all of her mistakes. I just can’t. But I sent her enough to make it through the end of the month.”

  “When was your last conversation with her?”

  “A week ago.”

  “Have any idea why she would come to Key West with the children?”

  “Bringing the kids seemed strange to me. She was a good mother to the boys. But she left them alone in the motel. That really pissed me off. It must have been a money thing. That’s the only thing I can think of that would possess her to do that. She must have had a last desperate plan to extract some payments from Javier. I don’t know what it was, but it must have got her killed. A desperate plan,” he said mostly to himself.

  Alex jotted down notes in his little book.

  “Thanks for your help. I know this is a very stressful time for you, but just know that every policeman has a picture of your son and the police have numerous volunteers looking for him.”

  “Thanks,” Carl said with a sigh. “You’re looking for Javier too?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “I’m keeping an eye out for him too,” said Carl. “I think he killed Susan and has the kids.”

  “Please, Mr. Abbott, leave the investigation and finding Javier to the authorities. This is a very dangerous situation for the boys. We don’t know who has them and we don’t want to spook them.”

  “Right.”

  Alex had an uneasy feeling that Carl was a bit more volatile than he was letting on.

  “Thanks for coming over,” Carl said.

  Alex stood and walked back to his car and called Sharkey.

  “I just met with Carl Abbott. Something tells me that he’s not inclined to stay on the sidelines. I believe he’s actively looking for Javier.”

  “I got the same vibe. I’ll see if we can find someone to keep an eye on him.”

  “I’m going to concentrate on finding Javier. Has he checked in with the company?”

  “No. I’ll call them again in the morning.”

  * * *

>   Alex checked his watch and headed over to the hospital and went straight to the employee lunchroom. Cynthia was waiting for him.

  “They have your favorite lunch, southern fried chicken dinner.”

  “Best news I’ve had all morning.”

  They bought lunch and settled into a corner table where they could talk.

  “How’s it going?” Her shiny blond hair fell softly around her face and her blue eyes showed her love for him.

  “We have a few leads, but nothing concrete yet. Let me run something by you.”

  “Okay,” she said as she nibbled on a piece of chicken.

  “If you were a mom, strapped for money, and you decided to travel with your young kids to Key West from Miami, what would possess you to leave a seven-year-old and a three month old alone in a motel room late at night?”

  Cynthia paused and a line formed between her eyebrows. She let out a breath and thought for a moment.

  “She had to be meeting someone who she thought would give her money. She was desperate, close to being broke, and pretty sure that person would help her. Or she was simply out of alternatives. Being desperate makes you take chances. I don’t know if she trusted that person, but she had to figure that she wouldn’t be gone long. Either she wasn’t thinking straight, or more likely, she was just out of options.”

  Alex thought for a long moment. Cynthia watched him carefully. Alex tipped his head to the left. She knew that look.

  “It was someone she trusted. Why did she go to them and leave the kids alone? That part bugs me. Her husband told me she was a good mother, careful with the kids.”

  “She thought she wasn’t going far. She didn’t plan to be gone long. She trusted whoever she met.”