The door opened and Harris stepped in. “Hey, guys.”
“Harris, come on in. Good to see you,” Chichi said.
Harris followed Jerry over to the table and pulled out a chair.
“I’ve got a story that’s as heavy as it gets. The short version is my estranged daughter was killed here in Key West, my ex-wife who hates me and blames me is in town, and my two grandkids have been kidnapped or abducted. They’ve gone missing. I’ve been set on the sidelines because I’m related. That doesn’t work for me. Oh, and the whole case is under wraps.”
Chichi’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, my Lord, that’s awful.”
Jerry looked at Harris a little stunned. “I’m so sorry to hear that. How can we help?”
“I’m trying to organize some help. I have Alex working on it, but he’s limited. He suggested I talk to you to get some more resources.”
Jerry nodded. “He’s good at what he does, but we’re better at records and research. One person can’t be everywhere.”
“Stephanie wouldn’t let me see my daughter after I left long ago. All she wanted from me was child support. She hated me and taught Susan, my daughter, to hate me too. So, I just butted out. Now she’s all grown up with two kids and she’s dead, killed right here in Key West. I didn’t even recognize her lying there in the sand.”
Chichi reached over and touched Harris’s arm. “We love you. We’ll help. Just tell us what you want us to do for you.”
“Right,” said Jerry. “I’ll call Alex and get the information that he has, and we’ll go from there.”
“This isn’t in the paper,” Chichi said. “There was a story of a Jane Doe murder but nothing else since then.”
“Sharkey asked the press to go dark for a few days. The kids could be with the baby’s father. Two kids, two fathers. The father of the seven-year-old is here in Key West at the Hyatt. You got to get the rest from Alex. I already said too much.”
“Don’t worry, all you told us was to talk to Alex.”
“I really don’t want to get charged with interfering in an official investigation. The Chief was clear about that.”
“Okay, we’re on it.”
“I need to pay you to keep this legal. How much to get started?”
“Three thousand down for working expenses. I’ll give you a receipt.”
Harris pulled out his checkbook and wrote Jerry a check.
“Now just go home and try to relax. You’ve done all you can do.”
“I know but it’s just hard to think about anything else.”
“Get that lovely lady of yours and go for a sunset cruise. Clear your head and pray a lot. We’re on it,” Chichi said.
“That’s a good idea. I just might do that.”
“There’s a great dinner and wine cruise.” Chichi handed him a coupon for it. “I just got through going over the paper for coupons. Use it.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“Our pleasure to help. Keep the faith,” Jerry said.
* * *
After Alex got back to Key West and dropped Harris off at his place with a promise to call Jerry, he went home to shower and shave. Cynthia had left for work but left a note that she wanted to meet him for lunch.
He headed for the station. Glancing in the mirror, Alex was shocked to see how tired he looked. Getting old Alex, too old to be staying up all night.
Sharkey placed two cups of coffee on his desk just as the door opened and Alex walked in.
“Man, you look tired,” Sharkey said, pointing to the coffee. “Drink up, it’s sure to put hair on your chest.”
Alex laughed. “I got hair on my chest. I need a new brain. What a night. This room tapped?”
“I sure as hell hope not.” Sharkey smiled. “No, we have the technical guys sweep it every night. You never know who you’re dealing with when the outside world comes to visit. There are people who would very much like to know what’s said up here.”
“I went to Susan Abbott’s house in Miami. I found out that she was up to her eyebrows in debt. Pink slips everywhere. Credit cards maxed out, except for one that had five-hundred-dollars left on it. She must have used that one for the plane and motel down here.”
Sharkey nodded.
“Here’s the rest of the story,” Alex said, handing Sharkey a stack of papers. Some were handwritten comments.
Sharkey looked through them and smiled. “Good work. Want a job?”
“Na, I’d rather free-lance, but, thanks for the offer,” Alex said, then chuckled. “I’m really convinced that I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“Go get some sleep and I’ll call you later with any news I get.”
“Thanks, Sharkey.”
* * *
On a hunch, Harris decided to see if he could talk to Carl Abbott. He called his room at the Hyatt and was a little surprised that Carl answered.
“Mr. Abbott, this is Burt Harris. I was wondering if you would be willing to talk with me about Susan.”
There was a long pause, then Abbott said, “I thought you were off the case, but sure, what the heck.”
“I am off the case. I just have some questions about my daughter so I would like to speak to my son-in-law. Just a personal attempt to catch up on some of what I missed over the last years.”
They agreed to meet in Carl’s room. He assured Harris that Stephanie was not around. “She went shopping this morning. She won’t be back for awhile.”
“See you soon.”
Harris arrived at the hotel and went straight up to Carl’s room.
They shook hands and sat down at a table by the window. “Want something to drink?” Carl offered.
“No, thanks…on the other hand, you got a can of pop?”
“Sure do, Seven-Up okay?”
“Great.” Carl handed
