Page 102 of Lost Hours
“I’m sure he had a reason.” She lifted her shoulders again. “Did you ever ask him?”
“Sure,” Dr. Osborne said. “But he gave me the stupid line about if he gave the inn a tax break, he would have to give a break to all of the resort-type businesses in town, and the tax revenue would fall too dramatically. Then the county wouldn’t be able to operate. But Orr’s business wasn’t at all related to the resorts so they could have a break and not set a precedent.”
“That makes sense to me,” Becca said.
“Of course it does.” He waved his gun wildly. “Your father is the one who made the horrible decision. My father is the one who lost his business.”
“Did you ever try to lobby for him before he lost his business?”
Osborne let out a long sigh. “Dad was really old-school and wouldn’t accept any help from me. He said if he couldn’t manage to get a tax break on his own, he didn’t deserve to run the business.”
“And now? How are your parents doing?”
Tilting his head, he didn’t answer right away. Perhaps he didn’t expect her to inquire about their well-being when he had her at gunpoint.
“Okay, I guess,” he said. “But just okay. I moved them to Florida so they didn’t have to get up every day and see the inn sitting empty and decaying as was happening before Orr bought it. I made sure they were comfortable, but every time I visit, my dad talks about how he’d rather be running the inn than anything else.”
“So when Nolan and his team took over the inn, you decided to get revenge.”
“Oh, I decided to get revenge a long time before that, but I had to find the perfect way to kill him and not take the fall for it.” Dr. Osborne smiled in a disturbing way Mina had never seen from him before. “When Orr took over the inn, I knew I could set it up to point in their direction.”
Becca shook her head. “But surely the sheriff will figure out they’re not guilty.”
“Could be. She’s pretty sharp, but she’ll still have to investigate all the members of the Lost Lake Locators team. Word will get around. No one will trust them again, and they’ll be forced out of business. The inn will be offered at a reduced price that I can afford to pay, and I can bring my parents back.”
Remaining calm, Becca arched an eyebrow. “What if she suspects you?”
“Hah! No way.” He snickered. “I played my part perfectly. No one suspects me, and that’s why you have to die. I can’t go to prison. My parents need me to buy the inn back.”
Becca started shaking. “I could just go away. Live somewhere else.”
“Like I can trust you not to want me to pay for your father.” He waved the gun toward the tree. “Over there. Move slowly and don’t try anything.”
Becca didn’t move. “If you shoot me, there’ll be blood everywhere, and the police will find it.”
“Like I said, they don’t suspect me so why come out here? Secondly, if you dig in the pile of leaves you’ll see I came prepared. Go ahead. Start scattering the leaves.”
She brushed the leaves away with her feet and looked up. “A tarp.”
He’d really planned ahead. Mina didn’t want to be impressed, but she was. He’d seen enough murders in his day or heard enough details to plan what he thought would be the perfect murder.
“We have to intervene,” Nolan whispered.
“Agreed,” she said without hesitation. “I’ll go in. You cover me.”
She took a step, but he squeezed her arm. “Be careful. I can’t lose you again.”
His voice choked off. Her heart clutched. The feelings swimming inside her caught her by surprise. But she wouldn’t admit them, or he might try to stop her.
She gave him a tight smile before stepping through rotting leaves and vegetation. Her footfalls were silent. Neither Dr. Osborne or Becca showed any indication of hearing her. She stopped fifty feet from the doctor to keep from scaring him.
“Dr. Osborne,” she called out, her hand on her sidearm at the ready.
He spun, his gun waving. He locked gazes on her, then turned to the side and waved his gun at Becca. “Don’t move. Either of you.”
Mina held up her hands. “There’s no need for the gun, Dr. Osborne. I’m not here to hurt you. I heard everything you told Becca, and I’m here to help you.”
“No, you’re not. You’re here to arrest me.” He glanced at Becca, then back at Mina. “Now you put me in a real predicament.” His gaze traveled over the area, his eyes unfocused and wild. “I’m not going to prison, and I don’t want to kill you, but I will if I have to.”
