Key West Gone into the Night A Key West Murder Mystery Elizabeth Hilleren BOOKS BY ELIZABETH HILLEREN Napa Valley Books SLOW REVENGE TRISTAN Key West Murder Mystery Series ZERO DUVAL SHARKEY’S KEY WEST KEY WEST DAZE KEY WEST COLD CASE PACT KEY WEST SETUP RISKY SITUATION KEY WEST FATAL TANGENTS KEY WEST SHALLOW WATER KEY WEST DECEPTION KEY WEST OVER THE EDGE KEY WEST ENGAGING MURDER KEY WEST SHADOWFIRE KEY WEST NINE HOURS TO KILL KEY WEST KILLER ART KEY WEST GONE INTO THE NIGHT This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, locales or people, living or dead, are entirely coincidental and not intended by the author. Locations and establishments are fictional or if real are used fictionally. Copyright © 2021 Elizabeth Hilleren All rights reserved. Cast list Susan Abbott, mother or Tyler and Mateo Javier Trujillo, Chilean father of Baby Mateo Baby Mateo Trujillo Tyler Abbott, Carl’s seven-year-old son Carl Abbott, father of Tyler Ricardo Vasquez, uncle of Javier Trujillo Consuela Lopez, girlfriend of Vasquez Stephanie Williams, Susan Abbott’s Mother Other players Detective Burt Harris, KWPD Alex Sloan, ex-bounty hunter Detective David Sharkey, KWPD Mckenzie Jones, reporter Arron Connor, reporter/photographer Robbin Vanderbilt, reporter R. Sloan, attorney, son of Alex Piper Taylor, paralegal to Sloan Officer Jordan McCabe, KWPD Nurse Amy Crosby, Alex’s girlfriend Billy Nash, homeless boy Frank Demonte, medical examiner Named Incidentals Officer Debbie Anderson, KWPD Shirley Reiner, manager at Sands Inn Motel Jack Taylor, head of the Forensics team Inspector Gomez, from Chile Dr. Jim Olson, from the ER Silvia Santos, KWPD facial recognition technician Rita and Kirk Polly, fake abductors Leslie Graham, kayaker Gretchen, in the processing lab Natalie Stone, KWPD HR Rex Jamison, forensic psychologist and author Roslyn Jamison, wife of Rex Hank Foster, the homeless guy Nancy Duckworth, social services Officer Cruz Rosario. KWPD Officer Jenny Springfield, KWPD Chelsea Burke, attorney Clancy O’Brian, ads manager Contents Cast list Friday Night. Saturday Morning Sunday Morning Monday Morning Tuesday Morning Wednesday Morning Thursday Morning Friday Morning Saturday Morning Sunday morning Three weeks later - the rest of the story Key West Gone into the Night Friday Night. The rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. It was a hot and cloudy night in Key West and the tourists moved down the streets like water trickling from here toward where it would become the flood of a crowded Friday downtown night. Susan Abbott sat on a plastic chair outside her motel room waiting for her cell phone to ring. She jumped when it rang. “It’s late,” she said. “I know, my lovely. It will not take long. I’ll pick you up at the end of your block in front of the café.” “I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’m leaving now.” She put the phone back in her purse, went inside, and picked up little Mateo. “I love you,” she whispered, as she laid him down in the travel crib. Tyler was sprawled out in the middle of the king-size bed. She climbed onto the bed and leaned down and kissed his forehead. His eyes opened. “I love you, Mama. Are you going out?” “Yes, just for a little while. I’ll lock the door so you’re safe.” “Okay…” he said in a sleepy voice. “I love you, Tyler.” She pulled the blanket up over his shoulders but saw that he was already back to sleep. Gathering her purse and keys, she locked the motel room door and headed to meet Javier. He arrived at the Cafe the same time she did. She climbed into the car and he pulled out onto the street. “Hola, Susan. You look wonderful,” he said, glancing over at her with a quick smile. “I can’t be gone long. I left the children sleeping,” she said. “There’s a place up here where we can talk.” Susan watched as he turned onto Government Road and headed away from the city lights. “I can’t be gone long. The children are alone.” He nodded but kept driving. “Stop,” she demanded. She sounded on the verge of hysteria. “Relax. It’s good to see you.” He stopped the car in a clearing that led to a coral road and turned towards her. “What’s so important that you had to see me in person? I’m a businessman. I don’t have time to be a father.” “You never responded to my letter about the baby… I lost my job. The money I get from Carl is not enough for two babies.” Javier stared at her. It was almost a minute before he spoke. “There’s a way that I can help you. But it has one important condition.” “I thought I could raise him on my own. But without my job…” she said. “Look, I don’t yet know for certain that he’s mine.” Susan pulled out a piece of paper from her purse. “It’s Mateo’s birth certificate. It’s legal.” “That paper just records what you told them. Putting my name on a piece of paper doesn’t actually make him mine.” She pulled out a picture of Mateo. Her voice softened, “He looks like you.” While Javier looked at the picture she said, “He’s a three-month-old now.” He smiled. “He’s a very handsome baby. Maybe he’s mine. Can I have the birth certificate?” “Yes. It’s a certified copy.” “So, what can I do for you?” His handsome face was now somber. “I need you to pay child support,” Susan said. “I thought I could make it, but they had a force reduction at my company. They laid off a slew of people. I don’t have a job. I only have the money that Carl pays me. I have trouble trying to get by on that. I can’t afford to pay for day care for two to get another job.” Her eyes filled
