Page 77 of Lost Hours
“They killed him. Had to be them.” His chin trembled. “He couldn’t get the money fast enough. They wanted it now. All of it.”
Mina clasped her hands together to keep her eagerness for answers in check. “Who are they?”
He shrugged. “Ernie didn’t tell me. He didn’t even mention the money. But I heard him on the phone.”
Now they were getting somewhere. “Do you remember exactly what he said on the phone?”
“I…he…” Percy glanced around, a vacant look in his eyes. “I don’t know.”
“Think hard, Dad.” Cadence squeezed his shoulder.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” His hands trembled, his gaze darting faster around the space, and he shifted in his seat. “I want to tell you, but I don’t know.”
Mina squatted next to him and pressed her hand over his. “It’s okay, Percy. We all forget things.”
Tears formed in his eyes. “Ernie didn’t deserve to die.”
“No he didn’t.” Mina paused for a moment. “Was someone blackmailing him?”
“Maybe.” Percy tapped his foot. “I don’t know. I just don’t remember.”
“That’s okay.” She smiled. “Do you know if Ernie was trying to keep a secret?”
Percy’s eyes brightened. “He had one. He told me. About people.”
“What about people?” Mina asked.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. He wanted to help them though.”
“Do you know how?” she asked.
He shook his head again and turned to his daughter. “I want to go home now, Cady. Please. Can we go home?”
Mina stood. “Of course you can. And if you think of the secret that Ernie kept or what he was doing with the money to help people, will you come back to see me?”
He nodded and swayed to his feet.
Cadence clutched her father’s arm. “If he can’t be on his own, I’ll stay here or take him back to Portland with me.”
“Don’t wanna go. Live here.” He fired an irritable look at his daughter.
Hayden jumped up and closed his computer. “We have internet at the inn again, and I know you want me to get out of your hair, Mina. I’ll see them to the door on my way out.”
“Thanks.” Trying not to smile at his obvious desire to remain in Cadence’s company, she handed her business card to Cadence. “My cell is on there in case you need to call me, but before you go, I’ll need your contact information.”
“I can give it to you, but your clerk insisted on taking it already.”
Mina didn’t want to keep Percy any longer. “I can get it from her then.”
The trio exited, and Mina looked at Nolan. “This could be the lead we need regarding potential blackmail.”
“Indeed,” Nolan said. “But who are these people, and who did they need to be protected from?”
“I have the same questions.” She slipped behind her desk. “We also need to run a background check on both Cadence and Percy.”
“Normally, I’d have Hayden do it, but clearly he’s not the most objective person at this point.” Nolan gave a wry smile.
“I’ll get Dylan on it.” She got out her phone. “If they check out, then maybe we’ll know if this is a strong lead or if we’re back to square one.”
